My OperaCrossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World Volume 2 by Win Scott Eckert (2010)
Saturday, November 6, 2010 12:56:29 PM
This is the second volume and covers from 1940 to the Future. I'm afraid that I'll have to repeat some of what I said about volume one. Win has done a brilliant job of researching and creating a coherant timeline of crossovers.
In this volume there are articles examining the history of the crossover by Jess Nevin and covering Alternate realities, Parodies and Farces as well as a detailed examination of the Anno Dracula Series by Kim Newman.
I should mention that Eckert has lavishly illustrated both volumes with sample covers from the various books, movies, TV series and comics (There is even an entry for the video clip for Madonna's Beautiful Stranger from the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Soundtrack)
The characters in this volume include, The Man from UNCLE, James Bond, Mike Hammer, The Spirit, Doc Savage, Batman, Captain America, The Avenger, John Drake/The Prisoner, Star Trek, The Phantom, Dr Who, Kinsey Milhone, The Ghostbusters,The works of Steven King, and I could go on and on listing characters.
Once again this is an excellent work and well worth getting.
But Brad, I hear you all say, what about the serial vigilantes?
I'm glad you asked there are serial vigilantes galore ranging from books(The Executioner, The Destroyer, The Death Merchant, The Butcher, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Nick Carter Killmaster, Price Zarkon) TV & Movies (Knight Rider, Sydney Fox Relic Hunter, El Santo, Buckaroo Banzai,The Persuaders, The Pretender, Darkman)and comics (Jon Sable, Shang Chi, Whisper, The Punisher, The Prowler, Shi) just to name a few and I won't spoil the search by giving away anymore names but I do recommend the entry on pages 274-275 where Win mentions that two modern vigilantes make The Spider (the Pulp Poster Boy for blood thirstiness) look like Little Bo Peep. That entry always raises at least a grin for me.
There is also a substantial entry for The Evil in Pemberley House.
Win has done an amazing job and there are references to characters I wasn't aware of before I started the book. Highest Recommendation
In this volume there are articles examining the history of the crossover by Jess Nevin and covering Alternate realities, Parodies and Farces as well as a detailed examination of the Anno Dracula Series by Kim Newman.
I should mention that Eckert has lavishly illustrated both volumes with sample covers from the various books, movies, TV series and comics (There is even an entry for the video clip for Madonna's Beautiful Stranger from the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Soundtrack)
The characters in this volume include, The Man from UNCLE, James Bond, Mike Hammer, The Spirit, Doc Savage, Batman, Captain America, The Avenger, John Drake/The Prisoner, Star Trek, The Phantom, Dr Who, Kinsey Milhone, The Ghostbusters,The works of Steven King, and I could go on and on listing characters.
Once again this is an excellent work and well worth getting.
But Brad, I hear you all say, what about the serial vigilantes?
I'm glad you asked there are serial vigilantes galore ranging from books(The Executioner, The Destroyer, The Death Merchant, The Butcher, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Nick Carter Killmaster, Price Zarkon) TV & Movies (Knight Rider, Sydney Fox Relic Hunter, El Santo, Buckaroo Banzai,The Persuaders, The Pretender, Darkman)and comics (Jon Sable, Shang Chi, Whisper, The Punisher, The Prowler, Shi) just to name a few and I won't spoil the search by giving away anymore names but I do recommend the entry on pages 274-275 where Win mentions that two modern vigilantes make The Spider (the Pulp Poster Boy for blood thirstiness) look like Little Bo Peep. That entry always raises at least a grin for me.
There is also a substantial entry for The Evil in Pemberley House.
Win has done an amazing job and there are references to characters I wasn't aware of before I started the book. Highest Recommendation
You must be 
FreeLiveFree # Saturday, November 6, 2010 7:40:11 PM
I could actually think of a few cross overs that were overlooked because either Win did not know about or simply could not fit in because of the needs of time. For example both of Donald Westlake's character Dortmunder and Parker cross over with Dan Kearny and Associates which is in the book. There is also a Punisher comic where he encounters a thief very similar to Lupin III. On the other hand that one's problamatic since the Punisher kills the character.
Spoilers do not read if you haven't read pgs 274-275
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Those two vigilantes Razor and Dark Angel I know almost nothing about. Razor I have only the basic information. I know nothing about Dark Angel.
Brad MengelAggressorBrad1 # Sunday, November 7, 2010 2:44:42 AM
I've picked up a few issues of Razor over the years but Dark Angel is a harder one to track down especially since there are several other characters with the same name.
FreeLiveFree # Sunday, November 7, 2010 3:52:35 AM
Brad MengelAggressorBrad1 # Sunday, November 7, 2010 4:30:58 AM
AS a digression I love the 50c bin I've picked up so many series over the years that I wasn't willing to fork over 6-8 buck just to sample. Whilst most of my sampling has turned out to be not quite what I thought, there have been some real treasures and fun series like The Black Pearl, THe Bat, Guns of the Dragon and I've managed to grab substanial runs on series like Sable Freelance, The Vigilante and Shi, as well as various Punisher gueststar appearances.
Cleanclean # Tuesday, November 9, 2010 9:49:16 PM