The Wedthursday Comicro - boldly going where so many have gone before...

When I was a kid, Gold Key comics were a road trip staple. Easily found in gas stations and variety stores all over Ontario, the Gold Key line was an odd mix of horror, sword'n'sorcery, funny animal and licensed books. Korak and Turok, Boris Karloff, Mighty Samson and Doctor Solar were usually found strewn across the backseat as Dad drove down the 401 (if you've taken the route, and if you're from eastern Canada, you have, then you'll recall the magnificent scenery and epic vistas. Or you won't because I'm totally lying. Think of driving through central Ohio and subtract your will to live). The funny thing about Gold Key, especially for me as kid, was there never an urgency to get the next issue, and absolutely no desire to "collect" them at all. They had no value to me other than a quick disposable read. My Marvels were held in reverence, and NEVER traveled outside the home unless purchased on the road. The Gold Keys were readable ballast; time eaters and cures for the common Highway 401.

The only Gold Key comic title that DID matter was the Star Trek run from 1967 to 1979 (though I stopped reading them by '75). As I was ruminating on this topic driving to work recently, I thought to myself "I wonder if anyone has a guide to Star Trek comics". Well, big thanks to Kevin Church over at Comics Alliance. Back in the summer of '13, he penned A Navigational Guide to Star Trek Comics, and that's all you'll really ever need on the topic.

Oh, you want more, do you? OK, how about this:
A Star Trek Comics Checklist

Perhaps you like words without pictures? (weirdo)
Star Trek Literary Reading Order

Oh, the heck with it; just get this:

Now available in that fancy new CD-ROM format, it contains every Star Trek comic from 1967 to 2002. Over 500 issues for less than $50. That's a pretty good deal, regardless of format.

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If you've been reading the Zombie Cat Bacon family of blogs this past year, you may have noticed my admiration for a certain TV comedy from the early '80's. I squealed with glee when I found out Shout! Factory is releasing the entire series (with nearly 100% of the music!). And now this:

WKRP in Cincinnati is a Good Thing, in any format.

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Two significant and progressive small press comic publishers announced their 2015 lineups this past week, and I think this is an encouraging trend among the ever-expanding universe of micro publishers. More! I want to see more! Show me your plans! Show off your best assets! Prove to the huddled masses of comic buyers there are creative and exciting options to the Big Two!

Tom Spurgeon at Comics Reporter presents the lowdown on Youth In Decline in an interview with Ryan Sands.

The Beat's Heidi MacDonald got the scoop on SelfMadeHero and the new Scott McCloud book, the Sculptor.

All of this is good, too. Man, it's great to be a comic book fan these days.