Surviving SNOWMAGEDDON: The Genius of Hembeck

I have made no secret of how Fred Hembeck corrupted my youth, with his combination of razor-sharp wit and comics history. In fact, Mr. Hembeck has probably done more to engage me as a comics fan.

(Well, in all honestly, he and Bob Rozakis, Answer Man, but that's another blog post entirely).

So it was with great pride and ambition that I orderedThe Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus, a collection of various Hembeckian works from the past.

In short, this is required reading for any comics fan.

Hembeck does what very few "cartoonists" do - provide not only some great knowing humor, but also provide a great historical context as well. Fred Hembeck is not only whip-smart, but flat out funny in places.

Like many similar volumes, this may seem like overkill - after all, 900 pages of Fred Hembeck?

In my opinion, it's not enough....but this is one of the best investments of time and money you will find.

You may be tempted to purchase this through online vendors - might I suggest ordering it from the man's eBay page? You not only get some cool extras, but you're helping support a guy who has done as much for the comics medium as, say, Stan Lee.

Only without the benefit of creating the Fantastic Four.

But my personal love of Hembeck - what elevates him slightly - is the touch of class that he brings (as per Mr. Stan Lee)

When I received my edition of the Omnibus, on the inside front page, I found this:

An Unabashed Plug from the Man Himself

Do it for yourself. Do it for a loved one. Do it for humanity.

This Valentine's Day, share the love of Hembeck. Seriously.