Captain Marvel in
"Blue -- Red -- Blue!"
Story by Doug Moench
Art by Pat Broderick and Gene Day
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Al Milgrom
It’s springtime for Titan, as the hollow moon is reborn and love flourishes among Marv & Elysius & Rick & Gertie, although after telling Una’s story, the Kree admits that “I have been…uncertain about love…ever since.” But almost a month later, Rick begins to fret over his career (really?), so learning that Mar-Vell will not return after taking the humans back to Earth, to which he feels he owes a debt, Elysius—a blank slate with only false memories—elects to join him. The quartet bids farewell to the grateful Titans, who have provided “a sleek craft”; en route, Mar-Vell recalls the Supreme Intelligence stating in Avengers #97 that with Kree and Skrulls at “dead ends…the only other race with the potential to evolve unto glory—is on Earth!”
Mar-Vell feels a responsibility “to guard the cradle,” yet is uncertain “what to do between eating, sleeping and fighting cosmic evil” (per Elysius and Rick, respectively). Conveniently, they are then attacked by a “mammoth alien ship,” which Marv disables using his cosmic awareness, and detecting no life forms, they enter, only to face death-drones, Elysius saving him with a weapon made to slay him. Entering a portal alone, Mar-Vell faces Eon, who effected his metamorphosis in CM #29 and now warns, “Great danger faces Earth,” to which the ship’s occupants have gone, their main objective coded “blue—red—blue”; those being, gasp, the colors of his uniform, Marv knows it is he, and per Eon must “live up to the reality of your being…protector of the universe.” -Matthew Bradley
It’s clearly intended as closure of some sort, since the lettercol reveals that next issue will be a “rather special story” (uh oh) by Goodwin, Wolfman & Ditko, and they have no immediate plans for Marv thereafter, as the other one-off—with a resurgent Bruce inking Miller—doesn’t appear until #8. But it’s ambiguous at best: while Rick’s shocked “Their main objective is…you?!” seems at least potentially ominous, Marv’s closing line, “Let’s go home,” doesn’t sound too concerned. I joked last time that this should be called Marvel Denouement, yet My Kree Romance might be more appropriate for the bulk of this saccharine overdose; mind you, that’s coming from a sentimental slob who likes chick flicks, albeit selectively, and cries at The Abyss.
Chris Blake: Very solid issue from Doug & Pat (& Gene). It’s certainly the right time, now that the Isaac Crisis has concluded, for Mar-Vell & Co to enjoy a quiet moment. Doug might be feeling particularly confident in his capability for non-action sequences, after scripting passages like these for recent issues of MoKF (#61 and #70 come to mind). A different writer might’ve taken the Una bit and tried to build an entire issue around Marv’s reluctance to put his heart at risk. Instead, Marv shares this moment with Elysius over a few panels on one page and part of another (as Broderick recaps enough of the essential details in the last two panels of p 3). It’s kind of a weighty matter to discuss – especially as both parties recognize the way they handle Marv’s painful memory could affect the prospects of their own budding relationship. So, they step back, and resume carefree enjoyment of their time, until they find themselves back on the topic; after having some time to consider Marv’s concern, Elysius has had the opportunity to properly defuse the moment, with a simple “I’m not Una.” Marv seems to recognize the multiple meanings in this brief phrase, such as “I’m here,” “I’m alive,” “I’m not afraid of the life you live,” and “I’m not going anywhere.”
Eon’s appearance is dramatic, but it hardly seems necessary. After all, hasn’t Marv already committed to returning to Earth, and resuming his role as Protector of the Universe? Unless, of course, Eon’s purpose is to draw Marv’s attention to the departed occupants of this ship, who apparently have preceded him to Earth. Marv’s only got two issues left, and I don’t know if this storyline is pursued in our next issue, either. Marv has shown some interesting character-development under Doug’s direction; when I re-read The Death of Captain Marvel (it’s been quite a while …), I hope I’ll have some appreciation for Starlin’s decision to finish Marv off.
Spider-Man and The Black Panther in
"The Razor's Edge!"
Story by Steven Grant
Art by Gene Colan and Frank Springer
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by Gaspar Saladino and Clem Robins
Cover by Al Milgrom
Outside Manhattan’s federal courts, Pete is snapping pics while newsmen ask Thomas Agar about a preliminary Justice Department hearing into allegations that Agar Ores swindled Wakanda out of half a billion “on a deal for bad tungsten.” Just as he asserts that the government—desiring vibranium—is giving Wakanda preferential treatment, a figure garbed as Spidey’s sometime ally the Black Panther grabs Agar, decks Pete when he tries to intervene, and carries off his victim in a helicopter. After a fast change, Spidey swings in pursuit, only to have the “Panther” slice his web with a weapon that shoots razor-like projectiles, and a narrow escape leaves him prone to misinterpret T’Challa’s remarks, overheard outside the Wakandan consulate.
The ensuing MARMIS ends when BP explains that his “further measures” were to request U.N. intervention; as the State Department’s Aubrey Pearson tries to stop armed forces from violating “sovereign Wakandan soil,” the gaudily garbed Hellrazor arrives to challenge T’Challa. Pitching in, Spidey belatedly puts two and two together, only to take a seemingly fatal hail of razors to the gut, but after admitting the imposture, Hellrazor—disarmed by Spidey, who’d shielded himself with “glob webbing”—is kayoed by BP. Our heroes confront the entrepreneur behind it all, yet despite being informed by flunky Walter that “the Agar plan has failed,” the Roxxon Corp.’s Mr. Gamelin is satisfied that with its name now linked to terrorism, Wakanda has been discredited… -Matthew Bradley
What we might call the Engineered MARMIS (i.e., a deliberate deception by the villain) is, of course, my biggest beef. At the time, I remarked on how well Spidey and the Panther meshed in #19-20. So when Faux’Challa shows up, behaving completely out of character and turning an unaccustomed weapon on him, it never even crosses Spidey’s mind that it’s an impostor? But wait, it gets worse: during the battle, he thinks, “If I could just figure out why Hellrazor sounds so familiar…” Well, it might be because you heard him impersonating the Panther an hour ago, but if you recognized his voice, wouldn’t you also notice that it wasn’t T’Challa’s? Worst of all, Grant seems to expect we will be equally surprised. “How could I have been so stupid,” indeed!
Joe Tura: I honestly do not remember if I owned this issue. The cover looks vaguely familiar, but I don't remember any Colan-drawn MTUs. That said, is it any good? Well, it's written by Steven Grant, so that's our first problem. Frank Springer's inks aren't too bad, and Colan's pencils look great for Panther, but Spidey looks average at best, T'Challa's face keeps changing, and Peter Parker looks like the poor man's Drac. Page 7 is the consummate mixed bag. While it's full of Spidey action, the more you look at it the worse it seems. Page 14 may be the best of all, both art and script, without Spidey saying a word. Does that prove Grant can't write my beloved wall-crawler? I guess it does! For instance, after meeting the horrendous Hellrazor [more on him in a sec], our hero's answer is "That's a name? Am I supposed to laugh, or what?" Not exactly Stan-worthy banter, that. Speaking of not worthy, Hellrazor is a stupid villain. He looks ridiculous, sounds stupid, is defeated fairly easily, and isn't a threat to anyone or anything except the reader's allowance. Not such a great team-up tale this time around.
Joe Tura: I honestly do not remember if I owned this issue. The cover looks vaguely familiar, but I don't remember any Colan-drawn MTUs. That said, is it any good? Well, it's written by Steven Grant, so that's our first problem. Frank Springer's inks aren't too bad, and Colan's pencils look great for Panther, but Spidey looks average at best, T'Challa's face keeps changing, and Peter Parker looks like the poor man's Drac. Page 7 is the consummate mixed bag. While it's full of Spidey action, the more you look at it the worse it seems. Page 14 may be the best of all, both art and script, without Spidey saying a word. Does that prove Grant can't write my beloved wall-crawler? I guess it does! For instance, after meeting the horrendous Hellrazor [more on him in a sec], our hero's answer is "That's a name? Am I supposed to laugh, or what?" Not exactly Stan-worthy banter, that. Speaking of not worthy, Hellrazor is a stupid villain. He looks ridiculous, sounds stupid, is defeated fairly easily, and isn't a threat to anyone or anything except the reader's allowance. Not such a great team-up tale this time around.
Marvel Two-In-One 57The Thing and Wundarr in
"The Pegasus Project Part Five:
When Walks Wundarr!"
Story by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio
Art by George Pérez and Gene Day
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by George Pérez and Al Milgrom
At an emergency meeting of the Pegasus Security Council (the three project directors including Wilburn and Dr. Margret Mayfair), Quasar agrees that an inside job is likely, and has started reviews of personnel files and monitor tapes. As Ben fruitlessly questions Thundra, Wundarr leaves his chamber, neutralizing both the force-bars of Solarr’s detention cell and the mutant’s attempted attack. Realizing that “this is not going to be an easy place to escape from,” Solarr seeks help, and after rejecting a bandaged Electro—in traction after ASM #187, and thus useless—renews his partnership with Klaw (see Avengers #126); finding only his sonic claw in his cell, Solarr rages, “They killed you!”…but his hurling it starts vibrations that reform Klaw.
Ben is unsurprised to learn that Lightner was the only person in the area within two hours of each incident; asked why he hadn’t voiced his suspicions earlier, he says, “I been wrong before, kid—an’ ya don’t condemn a man just ’cause of a hunch!” Informed of unauthorized personnel on the Loopcar that services the whole project, Quasar assumes it is a fleeing Lightner, who is actually in the Pit, reveling in his ability to shut down the project forever, “projecting the entire complex into another dimension!” In true super-villain fashion, he first wishes to reward himself by using the Nth Projector to “tap the mysterious, extra-dimensional darkforce,” restoring his powers as Blacksun (in #21), but after flipping the switch, he screams, “It wasn’t supposed to be like this!”
Reaching the Loopcar first, Quasar is blinded by Solarr, but soon in hot pursuit with Giant-Man, Ben—gunning for longtime enemy Klaw—and a security detail; their car crashes when Solarr blasts the track, yet Quasar protects them with “a field of quasi-stellar energy,” and Ben plays crack the whip, derailing their foes. As Quasar follows, attuning his wristbands to their energy trail and knocking out Solarr, Wundarr approaches the “dormant” Cosmic Cube, which begins to sparkle. Klaw erects a sonically-induced barrier, yet while Ben pierces it, quietly concentrating tons of pressure with a single fingertip (neat scene), Klaw soon recovers from Giant-Man’s blow, restored by the vibrations of their voices, and after laying our heroes low, he prepares to kill Ben. -Matthew Bradley
The creative team maintains the momentum established last issue, as circumstances at ProjPeg grow more and more complicated. The notion that walking-about Wundarr is contributing to problems – without him being aware of it, and without the base brain trust being notified yet – adds most agreeably to the chaos. Toward the end, Quasar asks aloud what Lightner might “have to gain by releasing these two” (i.e. Solarr and Klaw), but Lightner doesn’t know anything about it! He’s busy (on some other level) having a negative reaction to the extra-dimensional darkforce (p 17); that, without doubt, will have further consequences for our heroes. Great fun!
"Like a God, Weeping Fire"
Story by Doug Moench
Art by Mike Zeck and Gene Day
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by Diana Albers
Cover by Mike Zeck and Gene Day
Shang-Chi and the rest of Sir Denis’ crew settle in at Reston’s flat to hear Leeks’ report about renewed activity by Fu Manchu in South America. Leeks received a report from a local “Indio,” who shared news of a “god” who had arrived from the sky in a great show of fire (i.e. Fu’s escape capsule, re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere). This god made an immediate impression on native tribesmen, who have lived in near-isolation in the Andes; he then walked among them and performed healing miracles (the “devil doctor,” thru various medications and potions). The mighty newcomer recruited the people to build a fortress; some of the new followers also were trained as leopard-skin cultist warriors. Leeks had reason to believe Fu’s warriors might’ve infiltrated his local MI-6 branch, which necessitated his in-person “info transfer.” Tarr questions whether these might be little more than stories related by “superstitious natives,” which prompts Leeks to produce high-altitude aerial reconnaissance photos, and leads to a different reaction from Tarr, as the photos show “A bloody pagoda!” in the jungle. As Leeks describes it, “He has created paradise from hellish jungle, installing himself as lord of a fortress styled after his beloved old China.” Leeks also has reason to believe Fu has apprehended scientists from around the globe, and has them working at the jungle-pagoda on an unknown assignment. The next problem is that the photos can only suggest Fu’s possible location within one hundred kilometers. As the team re-enters Scottish airspace (in the helicopter Leiko had flown in, last issue), they are just in time to see Melissa Greville as she is forced off the road by a pursuing van. Reston and Shang-Chi reach the ground (via rope ladder) in time to chase leopard-cultists away from Melissa. S-C follows two cultists into a nearby mill, certain of a trap. S-C dupes one assassin, who lunges toward S-C and plunges out the window onto the rocky ground below; S-C then grabs the windmill fan, whips himself around, and knocks out his remaining opponent. Melissa tells Reston how upset she is at her helplessness in the face of peril; “I failed,” she cries, “I let them kidnap Sir Denis!” -Chris Blake
The lengthy, detailed intel presentation also can be aided by the work of an imaginative artist. Mike Zeck intercuts panels throughout, depicting various scenes from Fu’s empire-build in the jungle, as if to suggest the team is picturing these images as Leeks describes them. Among the most effective are: the fire-from-on-high, as natives recoil before the astounding sight (p 11, last pnl); Fu’s silhouette, framed as he emerges from the fiery capsule (p 15, pnl 2); Fu in shadow, inspecting from above while his new warriors train, all practicing the same left-handed punch as a single unit (p 17, 1st pnl).
Mark: While I appreciate that Doug Moench has always done slow-burn set-ups on this title, often to fine effect, learning that Father Fu's spacecraft (last seen in ish #50) crashed to Earth amid a primitive tribe in a rain forest at the base of the Andes and thus sparked a Fu-centric cargo cult would have more impact if Fu's new Si-Fan assassin cult offshoot, the Leopard-boys, didn't look like escapees from gay Disneyland.
Instead we get lots of Leopard-boy attacks, energetically rendered, Ms. Grenville realizing she's not cut out to be a field agent, and the not-terribly engaging Leeks recounting Fu's splashdown. And for some reason - I know it's the printers' fault - Clive has purple hair.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
At least Fu (not just Shang-Chi's old man - 'til daddy & the Rohmer estate takes the licensing deal away - but one of the great villains of 20th-Century pulp) appears a couple times in silhouette and we do get good views of his hands, but at this rate it's doubtful he'll utter a word before the decade ends. Nor does S-C's sis, Fah Lo Suee, appear, her current allegiance yet to be untangled.
The Zeck-Day art takes an upturn from the recent doldrums, so that's nice.
This isn't a bad issue, but it's a bit of a meander. And, yes, class, impatience sparks my dissatisfaction, since the leisurely pace here means these hallowed halls of learning will pass into history while Doug's still clearing his throat.
That's show-biz, kids.
“We Are the Enigma Force!” Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Michael Golden and Al Milgrom
Colors by Carl Gafford
Letters by Joe Rosen
Cover by Michael Golden
As the Body Banks burn, Baron Karza’s Galactic Command Center descends to the surface of Homeworld — Commander Arcturus Rann and Princess Mari are his helpless prisoners. With Arcturus and Mari floating behind him, Karza exits his craft and transforms into his centaurian form before the ragged rebel forces. The dark dictator laughs that his grand plan has finally fallen into place: he wanted to draw out the rebels all along as well as reveal the Shadow Priests as traitors to his evil empire. Prince Argon leaps forward and the armored horse-men engage in a fierce battle. But the Baron is much too powerful and Argon is ultimately brushed aside.
Suddenly, the Shadow Priests remove their cloaks and show themselves as Time Travelers: they combine with the Commander and make him the living embodiment of the Enigma Force. After breaching Karza’s impenetrable force field and forcing him to change back to human form, Rann begins to drain the villain’s strength. He then shouts that the Enigma Force represents everything that the Baron despises, the prayers and dreams of the Microverse for the past 1,000 years. Realizing he is defeated, Karza attempts one last desperate gambit: he vows to unleash a massive mindshock from the vast pit underneath the Body Banks and destroy Homeworld. But the plan backfires and his lifeforce is torn from his armor and hurtled into the bottomless pit — becoming the only victim of his own despicable mental attack.
-Tom Flynn
Tom Flynn: Hmmm. After ten issues of building drama and suspense, things conclude with a … well … I’m not quite sure. Why did the Baron’s mindshock backfire? Rann says “He was struck by another force, as mighty as ours, when he reached the peak of his power.” What does that mean? What force? I think that events are explained more clearly next issue but are a bit elusive here. However, the unfolding spectacle is tremendously impressive.
From the opening splash of Karza’s Command Center descending amidst a lightning storm to the arrival of the impressive Acroyear fleet on page 27, the art is just spectacular. Michael Golden and Al Milgrom have become an amazing team, though I’d guess that the main reason is the ultra-talented Golden. Just about every panel features some type of fantastic “special effect”: licking flames, energy bursts, searing explosions, psychedelic swirls, starry backgrounds and more. I might not have understood some of what I was reading but the visuals are stupendous. This issue might feature the most impressive artwork the series has offered so far — which is no faint praise.
There’s a strange note on the title-free splash page: “Take our word for it — when you find this issue’s title you’ll know it!” Now “We Are the Enigma Force” is featured on page 16 and given a headline treatment. So I assumed that was the ticket. But the very last panel features “… there will be peace at last,” which also gets a larger and special design. So maybe that’s it. But I guess it doesn’t matter above and beyond the fact that Mantlo or Milgrom felt the need to bring it to our attention.
The Micronauts might be stocked with time-proven characters and storylines, but it’s impossible to deny this title adds up to something greater than its basic elements. A major aspect of Micronauts’ appeal is the action, which is fairly steady (especially in the three most recent issues, as we’ve returned to the Microverse), but also reliably purposeful, tending not to be empty, non-story-advancing “running around” for its own sake. I’ve had a lot of supportive comments for Golden’s art, for good reason: he’s kept the story moving as he’s blended in plenty of excitement; he’s worked economically to keep us from ever bogging down; plus, he’s presented the characters and settings in a credible manner (i.e., in Golden’s illustrations, we can overlook the fact that all of these items are small plastic toys). There are few illustrators working at Marvel around this time who could’ve produced these results as well as Golden has.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man 36
"Enter: Swarm!
Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Jim Mooney and Mike Esposito
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Ed Hannigan and Pablo Marcos
Spider-Man swings onto the top of a pair of hoods' getaway car, and the police are willing to let him "show his stuff" (for once), which he obliges by peeling the roof "like the lid of a sardine can" and taking out the bad guys fairly easily, but Spidey is feeling a little ill, thinking it's the West Side pollution. Later, at Empire State U, secretary Debra Whitman stumbles about in a blonde moment, then introduces Peter Parker to Dr. Sloan's other teaching assistant, Steve Hopkins, a recent transfer to ESU. He has Peter meet another TA, Chip Martin, who's a bit jittery and worried about losing control, so we may want to keep an eye on good ol' Chip. We also meet Phillip Chang, for the first time since Amazing Spider-Man 185 [The White Dragon Chinatown gang stuff for those who have taken that class], and as Peter, Steve, and Phillip walk by Sloan's entomology lab, we get a peek behind the door, where Sloan is showing Marcy Kane his new experiment. His work revolves around a skeleton and cloak that once belonged to "expatriate Nazi" Fritz Von Meyer, who was assaulted by a swarm of irradiated bees that turned him into the "collective entity" Swarm, who fought the Champions (ish 14 & 16) and lost. But Sloan thinks he can use a possible trace of radioactivity on the skeleton to help control the bees and help mankind. Peter meets Curt Connors in the ESU cafeteria, and Curt asks the TA to set up his lab, then suddenly Marcy bursts in screaming—hundreds of bees are loose, attacking the students! Peter scurries off to change into Spidey, thinking something may be controlling the bees, and heads for Sloan's lab, where he finds the doctor under siege by the resurrected Swarm! Spidey spins a protective web cocoon and learns from Sloan that there was a dormant killer queen bee inside Von Meyer's skull who bred millions of bees instantly! Spidey gets Sloan to slip out the window and contact the FF or Henry Pym, then suddenly the bees eat through the webbing and, under Swarm's command, start viciously stinging our hero! –Joe Tura
Favorite sound effect is a double-shot from page 10 as Spidey causes the runaway truck that "Gloves" is driving to head off a small bridge with a "WRAM!" and a "PLOOSH!" Just how our brain feels after reading the rest of this so-so time killer.
Chris: Spectacular Spider-Man retains its firm hold on third place among the Spidey titles. The opening scene, as Spidey apprehends two would-be armed robbers, won’t make you forget an opening sequence from a Bond movie – any Bond movie. The introductions with the T.A.’s take a looong time, as various staff feel the need to state various departmental positions to each other (“As senior teaching assistant, Marcy’s assigned to Dr Sloan,” speaketh Phillip Chang, apropos of nothing). We also get a too-obvious look at Chip Martin, who has a Spidey-sense activating something-or-other. Those are the first ten pages of the mag; no reason why this material couldn’t be addressed in less than half the time.
Addendum: I’ll never forget how, at the age of 15, I somehow conned my Mom’s cousin’s wife into taking me to see Irwin Allen’s The Swarm (1978), which she—and virtually everyone else—hated. Must’ve been a persuasive little cuss.
Spider-Woman 20
"Tangled Webs"
Story by Mark Gruenwald and Steven Grant
Art by Frank Springer and Mike Esposito
Colors by Nelson Yomtov
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by Frank Springer and Frank Giacoia
Jessica reports for work at the Hatros Institute, and is informed there has been a “change in management,” necessitated by the disappearance of Adrienne Hatros (who, as Nekra, had battled Spider-Woman – and lost, badly – in #16); Jessica has been terminated, without severance or back pay. Arriving home, Jessica finds an eviction notice. Apparently, she had failed to renew her lease in a timely manner; she now has one week to locate a new residence. The timing isn’t her primary concern; with little money saved, and no cash coming in, how will she pay for a new place? Jessica changes to her Spider-Woman garb and glides to the Hatros Institute, lets herself in thru a window, and helps herself to $300 from the safe in the payroll office (roughly the sum she was owed as back pay). Once home again, Jessica questions her actions – “Will it stop here,” she asks herself, “or is this my new way of making a living?” She resolves to return the money. Her second trip to Hatros that evening coincides with the arrival of two visitors from the Daily Globe, a reporter and a photographer, Peter Parker, who is here to take photos for use in a story about “pop psych clinics.”
A Spidey-sense tingle encourages Peter to step out to investigate, as he leaves the reporter and a Hatros spokesman talking together. Peter discovers Spider-Woman, and misinterprets her attention to the safe to be a robbery in process; in fact, S-W has just finished returning the pilfered cash to the safe, and was preparing to leave (that’s right fans – an honest-to-goodness MARMIS). S-W zaps a venom blast and glides off; Peter changes to Spidey and swings after. Spidey tries to nab S-W in a (block-wide) webbing net, and dodges a second blast, finally catching up with S-W on a rooftop. S-W demands of him, “Who are you? What is it you want from me?” As he (incredulously) declares himself to be Spider-Man, S-W wonders to herself whether he might be connected with Wundagore (“Did they neglect to mention a male counterpart?”), or might possibly also have been trained by Hydra -? Spidey gets to the point: he saw her cracking a safe. S-W states Spidey wouldn’t understand the circumstances, to which he replies “Try me,” so S-W recounts Jessica’s recent trials. Spidey relates to her situation, and states he’s “had enough grief … to last five lifetimes,” but he’s always kept going – Jessica can, too. With that, Spidey abruptly remembers he’s supposed to be back at the Hatros office, says “gotta run,” and with that, the two spider-people go their separate ways, into the moonlit L.A. night, baby. -Chris Blake
Star Wars 29
"Dark Encounter"
Story by Archie Goodwin
Art by Carmine Infantino and Bob Wiacek
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by Carmine Infantino and Bob Wiacek
Darth Vader has extracted a name in his search for the rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star. The man who might help Vader in his search is Tyler Lucian, a rebellion deserter hiding on a backwater planet. He orders his Star Destroyer to proceed to the planet. The bounty hunter Valance has arrived ahead of Vader and gotten the name. He seeks out the hiding Lucian and chooses to protect him, to keep Vader from learning of Luke Skywalker, as Skywalker is a force for good who may make even cyborgs feel welcome in the galaxy. Vader arrives and he and Valance do battle, while the cowardly Lucian watches from a deserted resort tower situated above a lake of lava. The battle is short and Valance is killed. Lucian, affected by how Valance gave his life for the greater good, finds his own courage and leaps into the lava, protecting the identity of the hero of the rebellion. -Scott McIntyre
Matthew: Well, with Nova euthanized and Springer having taken over Spider-Woman (for the nonce), we’re down to a single monthly dose of Carmine, which is a good thing by definition, and as Goodwinfantino issues of this title go—which is admittedly setting the bar at subterranean levels—the current opus is pretty good. A fascinating lettercol even explains the tag-team efforts by Day and, here, Wiacek; since the U.K.’s Star Wars Weekly consumed the same material twice as fast, Marvel produced two or more issues per month, relying on multiple inkers to meet the British schedule and creating an enviable backlog. I, for one, did not feel deprived by the brief appearance of our regular cast, but regret the apparent loss of two interesting original characters.
The Mighty Thor 289
"Look Homeward, Asgardian!"
Story by Roy Thomas
Art by Keith Pollard and Chic Stone
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by Joe Rosen
Cover by Keith Pollard and Chic Stone
The Mighty Thor stands in shock, mouth agape, at the revelation that his father, Odin, is subservient to "The One Above All." Reacting in anger, Thor strikes out at the gigantic figure but, amazingly, just before connecting, he finds himself teleported to Olympia, home of the Eternals. Right behind him comes "Hero," who metamorphoses back into the Forgotten One! Zuras, leader of the Eternals, proclaims that Hero/FO is a traitor to his people and must be dealt with severely. Even though the thunder god had battled with Hero, he doesn't like Zuras' tone and, anyway, he's itchin' for a fight, so he raises his hammer and vows that Zuras will not touch a hair on FO's head. Before things can get really heated, Makkari tosses the mischievous Sprite in front of Zuras and explains that it's Sprite who's the traitor. Zuras commands FO and Sprite to be joined at the hip so that they'll keep each other in line. Just then, the sky is filled with Eternals and Zuras explains to Thor that he summoned these new arrivals in order to begin the ritual of the Uni-Mind, a process that will allow all on Olympia to become one "organic whole," the better to breach the space gods' vessel. Thor asks for twenty-four hours to find a better solution and, after Zuras agrees, he heads for the skies.
Meanwhile, Odin visits Olympus in order to convince Zeus that they should become pals and battle anyone who "would strive to save Midgard from death and destruction!" (say what? has the old man flipped his crown?) Back in Asgard, Karnilla still grieves over the comatose Balder but her pitiful wailings are interrupted by the Horn of Heimdall, a warning that Asgard is about to be attacked. The guards are called out to the Rainbow Bridge, where they find the Mighty Thor just landing. The warriors bar Thor's entrance to Asgard and the thunder god raises his hammer, and once again play time is interrupted. This time, the distraction is the beautiful Sif, who arrives with Destroyer in tow. When Sif tells Thor she cannot allow him to pass, he tosses her aside and plows his way through the guards. Destroyer becomes animated and joins the proceedings. Thor suddenly realizes (when he sees Sif lying still on the bridge) that he's actually battling his beloved. Knowing he could not harm Sif, he rolls with the punches until Destroyer picks him up and tosses him from the Bridge. Thor's body burns as it hits Earth's atmosphere and hurtles toward the Andes, coincidentally the current home of 3000-foot celestial Arishem, the being who will destroy Earth in fifty years time (well, it was fifty years when this arc started so maybe twenty now?). -Peter Enfantino
Chris: The Eternals/Celestials storyline continues to toddle along, with marginal progress. It’s noble of Thor to speak in Hero’s defense (Thor responding to the nobility of his erstwhile opponent, while he also detects a kinship he shares with the outcast Eternal). I must’ve been out of my mind to expect the Uni-Mind to be wired-up and ready to fire anytime this issue; at least the laborious nature of Uni-Mind assembly (numerous far-flung parts required) allows Thor a day to see if he can settle accounts with the Celestials without provoking them.
Thor Annual 8
"Thunder Over Troy!"
Story by Roy Thomas
Art by John Buscema and Tony DeZuniga
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Joe Rosen
Cover by Keith Pollard and Bob Layton
After battling (and defeating) Storm-Giants in Jotunheim, Thor and Loki step through a mysterious crevasse and discover a new land. Loki wanders off and a strange mist leaves the thunder god with a form of amnesia. Hearing a commotion, Thor heads into the woods where he finds a boar charging a youth. He slays the boar and accepts the gratitude of the young man, who introduces himself as Aeneas, son of Aphrodite. Aeneas explains to Thor that his people, the Trojans, are deep in a decade-long battle with the Argives (aka the Greeks). Once Aeneas sees the power of Thor, he begs him to join the battle. Thor is loath to take sides until he can regain his memory but a nasty battle between a Trojan warrior named Paris and an Argive brute who goes by the handle of Menelaus convinces his otherwise. Aphrodite, in spirit form, intercedes when it becomes apparent that Paris will be slain and this jogs Thor's memory. He joins the fray. This irritates Zeus, who watches the action from his palace, and the God heads to Troy to teach the upstart a few new tricks. When Zeus commands Thor to leave, the thunder god sniffs and tells his elder that he answers to no one, which pisses off the old guy so much that he transports Thor and himself to the nearby Mount Ida. While the battle rages between the Trojans and Argives, Thor and Zeus trade lightning bolts and profanities. At last, Zeus looks down on the exhausted Asgardian and asks why he fights on. Thor answers that if he gives up, Zeus will think Asgard is a pretty easy place to conquer. Zeus reveals that he and Odin long ago made a pact of peace and so they no longer have anything to fight over. Thor returns to Troy to say his farewell to Aeneas and heads to the forest to search for Loki. His brother is waiting for him but the god of mischief can't help letting on to Thor what he's been up to: talking the Greeks into creating a giant wooden horse. -Peter Enfantino
For the record, I am neither a dullard nor reflexively antipathetic to Homeric epics; in fact, I rather like them, and am apparently more favorably disposed toward them than Roy is to the “crafty,” “scheming” Odysseus. But I must second Buscema’s complaint (per Roy’s customary explanatory essay) that there are “too many characters” for a comic book, even an annual, so that after a certain point, I no longer knew or cared who was doing what to whom. I’ll give Professor Tom a pleasant surprise by opining that DeZuniga was the perfect choice to ink Big John on these venerable literary/mythological figures, yet I’m far from disappointed that Roy’s promise to tell “the untold saga of Aeneas, and of the true founding of Rome,” in #9 went unfulfilled…
Chris: It should come as no surprise that Roy's delight in tales of adventure should extend far back, to one that dates to the origins of Western literature. Thor’s insertion into the action is cleverly done, as he’s typically mistaken for Apollo. It doesn't always work, though, and -- except for sticking up for Aeneas -- Thor's motivation for entering the fray isn't always clear, so these moments sometimes seem forced. The story gains momentum and excitement once Thor clashes with Zeus. It's an intriguing notion that the gods-battle could race by in a series of stormy instances, intense enough to somehow disrupt the flow of time, while months of war continue on the blood-soaked plains below the deity-fray (p 42).
Buscema's layouts are visible beneath the DeZuniga finishes. There's little to note about the appearance of the male characters, nearly all of whom appear to be variations on the same bearded, heavy-eyed, swarthy-complected warrior. The female characters, for the most part, are better-handled, as both Cassandra (p 10, last pnl) and Athena (p 19, pnl 4) appear as if they 'd been finely-inked by Dick Giordano. Helen don't look so bad herself (p 14, pnl 3). Hey Helen – how you doin’ -?
There are noteworthy action-panels here and there: Thor frooms the storm-giants (p 2 pnl 3); Diomedes advances, only to have Thor shatter his sword along with his lance (p 26); Thor throws the combatants off their feet with a hammer-blow to the ground (p 30 1st pnl), then sets them all to whirling (p 31 last two panels). The Thor vs Zeus title-fight fittingly brings out the best Buscema-DeZuniga art; p 39 might be the single best-looking of all, especially the visual of Zeus hammering Thor down into a pile of rocks (1st pnl). Points also for the depiction of an exhausted thunderer, determined to fight on for the "honor of Asgard itself!" (p 43, lst pnl).
The Uncanny X-Men 127
"The Quality of Hatred!"
Story by John Byrne and Chris Claremont
Art by John Byrne and Terry Austin
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin
Proteus is advancing on Storm and brutally attacks her. Wolverine is gripped in fear and can do nothing. Nightcrawler is about to sacrifice himself to save his friend when a sniper’s shot rings out, hitting the ground between them and driving Proteus back. It is Moira MacTaggert, separating the X-Men from her mutant son so she can put a bullet into him. Cyclops, however, ruins her shot to keep her from taking his life. Moira decks him, and a rock on the ground meeting his head does the rest. Proteus, still in the form of a possessed policeman, makes his escape. Moira goes after him. Later, the team has gathered. Banshee doles out the hot cocoa as Storm’s sprained shoulder is bandaged. Nightcrawler is back on his feet, but Wolverine is barely functioning. Cyclops knows how bad his teammate had it and picks a fight with him to snap him out of it. He works in Nightcrawler and Colossus and, as it escalates, Wolverine’s rage grows. By the time Storm gets involved, Cyclops ends it, calling it a “session in the Danger Room.” Wolverine, now back to his former self, finally admits his respect for Cyclops as a leader and a man.
-Scott McIntyre
Scott: The only real consistent joy I get out of reading these Marvel books is all due to the X-Men. This fabulous arc is full of what makes this title great under the Byrne/Claremont team. The mega-powered villain, the pacing, the great art…but most of all, the characters are so rich. That interlude where Cyke tests his shaken teammates by combat is genius as well as entertaining. Best of all, Claremont is able to throw in more growth for Wolverine, who finally admits Cyclops is a good leader and a strong man. They will always fight, but now there’s respect. Jean’s powers continue to grow, shocking Cyclops when she effortlessly carries them all to Edinburgh. Joe MacTaggert is a right bastard and there is the hint that he abused Moira 20 years earlier. Before we can learn more, he’s possessed. That’s kind of a shame as we don’t get to spend much time with Joe. Fantastic arc, perfect art, lots of fun here.
Matthew: As with Micronauts, it’s getting tough to find new positive things to say, but I am tickled at the recurrence of a delightful effect from the concurrent annual, as Cyke’s blast neatly threads the needle of the “O” in “ZAKOW” in page 14, panel 5—that’s good comics, people. We’re lucky to be closing our formal curriculum with Proteus, a great villain in so many ways: he’s powerful enough to give the X-Men a run for their money, his body-snatching is truly creepy, his reality-skewing powers engender cool visuals, and his being Moira’s son increases the drama. Highlights include the high-nutrition group shot in page 7, panel 2; Scott earning Logan’s long-overdue respect; the bird’s-eye-view of the Jean-levitated team in page 26, panel 3.
Could Scott also be using this exercise to avoid thinking about his feelings for Jean? Could be. Jean asks Scott if he’s feeling better after his knock on the head, and he replies, then moves on to how badly the team fared in their first meeting with Proteus. Scott clues Jean in to his plan to shake his teammates back into fighting-shape, but this seems more of a strategic move (“She’s my ace-in-the-hole, if things go wrong,” Scott reflects as he caroms an optic blast off Colossus, catching Wolverine in the back) than a shared confidence with a woman he has loved.
Polaris has one line of dialog, as she helps cinch up Ororo’s sprained shoulder; Havok doesn’t say a single word. Ya know, I’d like to see two of the most powerful X-ers in the mix next time. Aside from that, I guess I can safely say – I have no complaints.
Mark: More X-cellence from the Professor Matthew-dubbed Dream Team, so my biggest complaint is that this is the next-to-final installment your humble facility will have the opportunity to elucidate upon before we all gotta get out of the tree house and help shutter MU's hallowed halls forever.
But it's too soon to get misty just yet, so I'd better get my contractually-required carping out of the way, slight though it may be here. Logan is the wrong candidate to be left quakin' in his hot cocoa (p.7), post-Proteus. Yes, even calling Wolverine "Logan" betrays a post-'79 mindset, but ever since his debut in Hulk #181 he's been a feral ball of fury, one certainly less likely to succumb to post-combat heebie-jeebies than the beside-him-in-the-foxhole Nightcrawler. Claremont/Byrne sacrifice logic here so Cyke can provoke a fight with Wolfie and, having tut-tutted the underlying premise, we can now kick back and enjoy the fun, frenetic outdoor Danger Room session, 'cause not everything needs to advance the plot.
Matthew: Having now re-read #128, I think it makes Wolverine’s funk a bit more clear and thus defensible. He’s a being who relies first and foremost on his senses, and since Proteus’s power makes those senses unreliable, he affects Logan in a uniquely disturbing way. Fair
Mark: More X-cellence from the Professor Matthew-dubbed Dream Team, so my biggest complaint is that this is the next-to-final installment your humble facility will have the opportunity to elucidate upon before we all gotta get out of the tree house and help shutter MU's hallowed halls forever.
Ah, covered parking space by the co-ed lounge, I hardly knew ye...
There's plenty of that as we meet Moira's despicable hubby, a rising politician and apparent wife-beater, and don't shed any tears when sonny boy psychic-vamp Proteus shows up to feast on Pop (ah, but poor lass, Jennie Banks...). As the now-late Joe MacTaggert was a strapping ex-Royal Marine Commando, Protie's now even more powerful. Said powers - beyond his mutant gift for hostile takeovers - remain poorly defined, his characterization thimble-deep, but he's such a nasty piece of work that he can't help growing on ya. Just keep him out of his cut-rate Psycho Man duds.
The art's the now-expected gourmet eye candy, the pace pulse-pounding, we end with a classic son-threatening-to-snap-mom's neck cliffhanger.
X-Men Annual 3
"A Fire in the Sky!"
Story by Chris Claremont
Art by George Pérez and Terry Austin
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Frank Miller and Terry Austin
Arkon the Magnificent materializes in NYC and proceeds to Avengers Mansion looking for Thor. Since the Thunder God is off on his own private mission, Arkon, acting on the advice of his Grand Vizier, looks for someone else to help in his cause.
Meanwhile, at the Xavier School, the X-Men are drilling in the Danger Room. When Storm is trapped, she panics and lashes out. Shrapnel hits the controls and the room goes wild. Finally, it's all brought under control, but Storm knows she almost killed everyone. She seeks solace in her plants and while she tends to them, Arkon arrives and tells her she is to come with him. She resists and his attack brings on the others. Arkon is defeated, but not before sending Storm away. Using his teleportation bolts, the X-Men go to Arkon’s kingdom, with him as their prisoner. When they arrive, Arkon shouts attack orders and another fight ensues. Under orders from Cyclops, Nightcrawler tries to find Storm, following the Vizier to where she is. Storm is apparently quite willing to help even if it costs her life. Nightcrawler covers Storm’s head in a tapestry, which makes her lash out. Per Nightcrawler’s plan, the lightning she released draws the others and they finally get the full story: the energy rings around the planet, which act as their sun, were depleting some time ago. Tony Stark provided them a device for restoring the rings, but it’s on the fritz, and they are not long for death. Arkon hoped Thor would be able to help, but he was off on his own journey so Storm was the next possible choice. She can save them, but the effort will probably kill her. Cyclops hatches a plan: Storm summons the lightning, while Wolverine and Nightcrawler repair the machine. Then they feed the energy into Cyclops, who uses his optic blasts to restore the rings. The plan works, Arkon’s people are saved and the X-Men return home with the thanks and the loyalty of Arkon and his people. -Scott McIntyre
In their combination of pure high-octane action and shadowy atmosphere, Pérez’s pencils rival his best work from the Avengers’ battle with Tyrak the Treacherous in #154, and from the Fantastic Four’s tangle with the Eliminator at Whisper Hill in #184. Did anyone look at this art, stop and rub their eyes, and think, “Wow – Pérez & Austin should be the next Avengers team; it’d be legendary!” In fact, Pérez’s final Bronze age assignment will be back with the Avengers, for eight issues between #194-202; so, do you think Terry Austin inked any of those issues? Why, no. Anyway, by the time Austin left X-Men, Pérez already was full-time penciller for New Teen Titans at DC, so I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Enjoy this issue for the truly unique art-pairing it offers.
The plot takes a back seat to the scene-splintering action, but since it’s Claremont, there’s a damn fine, swiftly-proceeding story. Cyclops is comfortably, capably in charge for nearly the entire time, first as he offers instruction during the Danger Room sequence (p 6-15), and later when he recognizes a clear angle to send a pin-point beam to trigger the kill switch after all-heck has broken loose. Cyke recognizes Arkon, provides some direction during the poolside battle (p 18-26), and keeps negotiations under control as he arrives at a solution to locate the seemingly-dematerialized Ororo. Cleverly understated moment as Cyclops and Colossus approach on the dragon’s back, Storm’s lightning-fed tempest atop the temple dead ahead; Colossus observes, “It looks very dangerous. What should we do?” to which Cyclops replies, “Land.” (p 37, last pnl).
It’s a refreshing change to see Wolverine working more comfortably with his team leader. Wolverine helps Cyclops to his feet after the Danger Room debacle (p 15), then takes his cues from Cyclops as he has Arkon under claw-threat (p 26), and later asks after the welfare of his “boss” as he notices Cyclops’ optic blasts losing their potency (p 37). Once the “device” that maintains the “life-giving energy rings” is fully prepared, Wolverine’s call, “Cyke – let 'er rip!” adds some nice spice to the climax.
Ororo appears prepared to forfeit her life in order to save the light of Polemachus (p 35-38). It seems odd she’s taking her self-sacrifice so serenely; what is it about this warlike place that inspires her to give completely of herself? She doesn’t seem compelled to do this; is she simply behaving as a hero? Either way, Ororo’s motivation isn’t clear. Not a huge deal, simply a question I’m posing for our author.
Art highlights; where to begin? Well, on the very first page, Terry Austin’s hand is apparent in numerous minute touches at the newsstand, such as one paper’s headline of “Escaped Abel Sight—,” while I think we can credit Pérez with the more prominently-displayed Bugle header (visible in bottom-right corner of p 2), which ties in with the Avengers’ battle with the Absorbing Man (Av #182-183); Marvel continuity! These are tiny-little touches; let’s move on to splashier stuff: Storm pinned in place by two Danger Room fans (p 8), freeing herself with a chaos-inducing lightning strike (p 10, 1st pnl); Arkon spills headfirst thru the ceiling and into the living room (p 18, pnl 3); Wolverine slashes Arkon’s once-mighty shield to jagged bits with his left claws, while his right hand is primed and ready to strike (p 22, pnl 4); Colossus broadsides Arkon with a mighty oak (p 25, 1st pnl; I’m guessing – I don’t know what sort of tree it might be, but it looks oaky); the X-ers arrive at Polemachus palace, complete with Gothic ceiling, impressive statuary, and plenty of heavily-armed guards (a full-page p 27); the intrepid team dives headlong into the fray, as they face-off against no fewer than twenty-three soldiers (long panel on 30-31; it’s hard to be sure exactly how many warriors are crammed in there!); Colossus arrives on dragon-back, and flies off so suddenly that Wolverine has no choice but to grab a scaly leg and hang on (p 37).
Yes, there are Big Moments by the dozens, but I would be remiss to overlook a few quieter spots: Ororo, communing silently with her plants, as Arkon looks in from the skylight (p 17, pnl 3); Nightcrawler, only his eyes and the end of his tail visible, stalks after the fleeing Vizier (p 31, last pnl); the Vizier somberly dreads the prospect of perpetual night on his world (p 34, pnl 3), as he approaches a temple, which appears hewn from the very stone (last pnl); we share Nightcrawler’s astonishment in a jaw-dropping look at Ororo, attired for the imminent ceremony (p 35, a page-length vertical panel).
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Fun and Games #3
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Marvel Super Action #14
Marvel Tales #109
Marvel Treasury Edition #24 >
Spidey Super Stories #43
In “Welcome to the Hotel Macedonia,” the new six-pager that tops off Marvel Treasury Edition #24, Hercules saves a woman from a speeding truck in Times Square, yet upon escorting her home, he discovers that she and the titular inn are but facades for, respectively, Hippolyta and “one of the touchstones of immortal Olympus on this mortal Earth.” Armed with the Gauntlets of Ares, the Amazon queen seeks to destroy him for spurning her years ago; when a pillar toppled in the fight threatens her, their combined might is required to cast it aside, and they call it a draw. Mary Jo Duffy’s script correctly refers to Herc as a demi-god, while the art by Ricardo Villamonte, who inked much of her long run on Power Man and Iron Fist, includes a lavish montage of the battle. -Matthew Bradley
THOSE MARVEL-OUS MAGAZINES
Cover Art by Earl Norem
“Moon of Blood”
Script by Roy Thomas
Art by Ernie Colon and Tony DeZuniga
“The Savage Swordbooks of Conan”
Text by Fred Blosser
“This Sword for Hire”
Script by Don Glut
Art by Hal Santiago
“Swords and Scrolls”
Conan regrets his current employment: not only is the new Pict sorcerer, the wild-eyed Sagayetha, attempting to unite the feuding tribes, Lucian seems to place his men in dangerous situations. Out on another nervous reconnaissance — with Flavius, the only soldier he trusts, close by his side — the Cimmerian’s patrol is attacked by thousands of relentless savages as well as a slithering horde of venomous snakes under the control of Sagayetha. Half his men are wiped out: the others flee for their lives. With all the stealth they can muster, Conan and Flavius follow the celebrating Picts back to their Council Rock and witness a shocking sight: Captain Arno, the General’s right-hand man, strides into the raucous campsite. It seems that Lucian has made a bargain with Sagayetha: for a huge chest full of gold and silver, he has promised the Picts the region of Schohira. That is why Lucian has been leading his soldiers astray.
Conan and Flavius rush back to the fort at Velitrium and tell a few other trusted mercenaries the shocking story. Afterwards, they head to Thunder River, the logical place that Arno will use to sail the treasure back to camp under the cover of night. When the corrupt captain’s boat hits shore, the Cimmerian and crew strike — while some of the traitors manage to row away, Arno is captured and quickly confesses. The next morning, the barbarian marches to Lucien’s cabin and confronts the general: but he makes his escape on the fastest horse in the region.
The Cimmerian takes command of the garrison and rallies the men for the Pict assault on Schohira. He orders the soldiers to line a hill overlooking South Creek, the savages’ logical crossing point. Conan’s intuitions prove correct and a third of the Pict forces are slaughtered. But the Cimmerian realizes that they are still hopelessly outnumbered — and the soldiers remain deathly afraid of Sagayetha’s deadly serpents. So when darkness falls, he steals through the forest to the wizard’s hut: while he manages to behead the mad mystic, he is bitten by one of his deadly vipers. Feeling the effects of the powerful poison, Conan makes it back to the creek at daybreak, Sagayetha’s head dangling in his right hand. Placing the head on the end of a pike, the barbarian mounts a horse and leads one last charge — but the venom takes its toll and he falls unconscious.
When Conan awakes — under the care of a doctor — he finds that not only were his soldiers victorious, King Numedides has given him the rank of general.
Not a bad tale, but at 46 pages it seems drawn out way too much. It doesn’t hold a candle to the aforementioned “Beyond the Black River,” but I loves me some Picts and Conan stalking through thick forests is always a refreshing change of pace. And you must admire how much he gives a damn: remember, he’s just a sword-for-hire, but he puts his life on the line for his men on a few occasions. Now Conan and Flavius are forced to hide in a fetid beaver pond to spy on the Picts: that’s a very effective sequence as they are assaulted by leeches and in constant danger by all the water serpents slithering by. And there’s a bit of a detective/mystery angle at work, as the mighty Cimmerian puts one and one together to ferret out the traitors. It was a bit of a surprise that General Lucian gets off scot-free. Some of the men urge Conan to give chase, but the barbarian was too impressed by his mount to bother. Besides, the safety of the Schohira settlers was of utmost importance. Ernie Colon — who I have encountered in a few Super Special magazines — does a more than adequate job with the pencils. Of course, Savage Sword vet DeZuniga makes sure that the art is consistent with the quality we have come to expect from this magazine.
Now the 8-page backup, “This Sword for Hire,” is a complete lark, something more fitted for an early '70s anthology title like Monsters on the Loose in the Tower of Shadows. The beautiful Kamala has been beguiling the patrons of a Numalian tavern with her exotic dances for the past three nights. But suddenly, the floating face of a magician appears and vows that the curvaceous dancer will make a fine slave — he transports her away in a flash of energy. Crestfallen, the lustful citizens pool their resource and offer Atola of Aesgaard, a mercenary warrior new to town, a fortune of gold and jewelry to rescue the maiden. With the eager townsfolk following behind, Atola hunts down the wizard, who transforms into a horrifying dragon. But the Aesgaardian manages to land a death blow: as he does, the witnesses suddenly freeze, eyes unblinking and blank. When they regain their senses, they discover that Atola, the magician and the sorcerer have vanished, along with their rich payment. It was all a con job, as the three conspirators laugh over their newfound treasure leagues away.
Oh boy. Not much to recommend here. Don Glut — Mr. Solomon Kane — delivers another subpar backup. This is the first time I’ve encounter Hal Santiago, but supposedly he wears the crown of “Philippines’ Greatest Comic Illustrator.” Really? Have they never heard of Alfredo Alcala? The art isn’t bad just completely unmemorable.
Things wrap up with a Fred Blosser article, “The Savage Swordbooks of Conan.” During this time, Ace Books published a pair of paperback samplers — The Howard Collector and The Blade of Conan — that showcased the best unpublished Robert E. Howard stories and literary criticism found in Amra and The Howard Collector, two semi-professional fanzines I’ve mentioned before. The always reliable Blosser seemed much more excited by the Collector book but deems both worthwhile purchases.
-Tom Flynn
Things wrap up with a Fred Blosser article, “The Savage Swordbooks of Conan.” During this time, Ace Books published a pair of paperback samplers — The Howard Collector and The Blade of Conan — that showcased the best unpublished Robert E. Howard stories and literary criticism found in Amra and The Howard Collector, two semi-professional fanzines I’ve mentioned before. The always reliable Blosser seemed much more excited by the Collector book but deems both worthwhile purchases.
-Tom Flynn
Cover Art by Bob Larkin
“Riders Beyond the Sunrise”
Script by Roy Thomas
Art by Sal Buscema and Tony DeZuniga
“Tiger of Atlantis: A Comics Chronology of the Violent Career of King Kull of Valusia From the Thurian Chronicles, As Interpreted by Marvel Comics”
Text by Jim Neal
Text by Jim Neal
“Kull II”
Art by Marie and John Severin
“The Footfalls Within”
Script by Don Glut
Art by Will Meugniot and Steve Gan
Now, Marvel Preview is the province of Professor Joe, but when I heard that issue #19 spotlighted characters created by Robert E. Howard, I felt that the chair of the Hyborian wing should step in. So, in the spirit of academia, I challenged my colleague to a debate, the winner securing the rights to the magazine. The topic? Why the dirty Minnesota Vikings will never win the Super Bowl. Joe rolled his eyes, tossed me the issue and went back to his eBay search for the ultra-rare complete series boxed set of his all-time favorite TV show, the Matt LeBlanc vehicle, Joey.
In hindsight, I should have kept my big mouth shut. The King Kull comics have always been a chore. Which might be considered a surprise since the character shares a lot of similarities with my man Conan. They are both barbarians, kick ass when needed and wore crowns during their lifetime. But the similarities end there. While he often is, Conan will never be mistaken for the smartest guy in the room. But he always keeps his cool in even the most dire situation. Kull, on the other hand, makes rash decisions and is easily duped. And “Riders Beyond the Sunrise” is the perfect example. It looks like it’s based on a story fragment by Robert E. Howard — The Rascally One, with the assist of Lin Carter, fleshed things out.
In hindsight, I should have kept my big mouth shut. The King Kull comics have always been a chore. Which might be considered a surprise since the character shares a lot of similarities with my man Conan. They are both barbarians, kick ass when needed and wore crowns during their lifetime. But the similarities end there. While he often is, Conan will never be mistaken for the smartest guy in the room. But he always keeps his cool in even the most dire situation. Kull, on the other hand, makes rash decisions and is easily duped. And “Riders Beyond the Sunrise” is the perfect example. It looks like it’s based on a story fragment by Robert E. Howard — The Rascally One, with the assist of Lin Carter, fleshed things out.
See what I mean? Obviously my synopsis is truncated, but there are multiple warning signs throughout the story that should tip Kull off that all is not what it seems to be. Halfway through, he actually manages to corner his prey in a hotel room: but they make their escape by jumping from a second-floor window and racing away laughing, no mean feat for a dainty damsel. Plus, numerous characters warn the king and his men that no one ever returns from the World’s End. Even without Thulsa Doom being featured and namechecked on the cover, any reader would realize that the sorcerer was involved. But Kull? Nah, he just barrels along like a thickheaded dolt. Now Mr. Doom was supposedly killed in Kull the Conqueror #29 (October 1978), the final issue of the series, but the skull-faced wizard himself states that “I died, as men know death, long ago — and naught that lives can die twice!” Not sure what that means but it sounds impressive. Oh, and once again, numerous pages are used to retell Kull’s dull origin — this was done just about every other issue in his cancelled color comic. Sal Buscema and Tony DeZuniga, who have teamed up before in the pages of Savage Sword, do a fine job on the art chores. Not sure that there is an actual highlight, but the black-and-white illustrations are solidly consistent throughout.
Marvel Preview 19 also includes a pair of backup features. “Kull II” is a portfolio of eight pinups by the brother/sister team of Marie and John Severin. John illustrates five of them, while he inks Marie on the rest. They are all nicely done and filled with drama. But what’s with the “II?” Can’t remember ever seeing “King Kull I.”
Lastly, Jim Neal, who supplied the outstanding “A Chronology of the Conan Comics: From the Nemedian Chronicles as Interpreted by Marvel” for Marvel Super Special 9 (February 1979), gives Kull the same treatment with “Tiger of Atlantis: A Comics Chronology of the Violent Career of King Kull of Valusia From the Thurian Chronicles, As Interpreted by Marvel Comics.” Whew! Here, he arranges every Marvel appearance of the character in chronological order, commenting on the stories included in Monsters on the Prowl, Creatures on the Loose, Kull the Conqueror, Kull the Destroyer, and Conan the Barbarian as well as the magazines The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian and Kull and the Barbarians. Oddly enough he doesn’t include the very magazine that this article appeared in — time constraints? — but it’s a very good work of comic book scholarship. -Tom Flynn
 |
| A taste of things never to come. |
It makes sense that Prof. Tom would take the lead horse on this one, because the story makes little to no sense to me! Roy tries to make the main tale easy to follow for non-Kull Kids [I'm thinking that was the fan club name], complete with quick retelling of the Destroyer's life up until "now," but this Spidey Squad member still has only an inkling of what he just read. That said, the My Pal Sal – DeZuniga art was better than expected, and in B&W, Buscema the Younger's art looks a little more like his older sibling's scribblings. It does appear Kull is an impulsive ruler, and certainly loves a good donnybrook. His ramblings, as well as the narration, are dense with dramatic bravado that reads like a novel (which of course is the point). The goings-on echo Homer's The Odyssey, only without Cyclops or suitors, instead doing the road trip thing. Could also be a nod to Stephen King's "Dark Tower" magnum opus (which had just kicked off the year before), with the "gunslinger" Kull chasing the "man in black," aka Felnar, who's a little ahead of him and in the shadows. Even the revelation that Felnar is actually Prof. Tom's villain crush Thulsa Doom reminds me of King's Randall Flagg, man of many names and of supernatural evil. All in all, the last third brings us to a rousing finish that redeems the slow pace of the build-up. Just don't quiz me on what I just read…
The Solomon Kane story is more of the same, yet more original because it looks like halfway through we have a different art team and a different letterer. What gives? Is it my half-asleep eyes and brain? Is it a two-parter smooshed into the back of a Kull Marvel Preview? Is it up to Professor Gilbert to set me straight and smack with me a ju-ju staff? The Faculty Lounge would be buzzing! – Joe Tura
-Peter Enfantino
Did you know that Motörhead wrote a song about Hellrazor? Supposedly they also did an unreleased tune about Water Wizard.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M4FG1UXH5w
So, the Hellrazor song was worth release, but the Water Wizard song was not? Did Lemmy write any songs about Stilt-Man -?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading now fellow profs, glad I couldn't find time to read Mar-vel in Marvel Premier...
ReplyDeleteA Motorhead Stilt-Man song? If only...
"A Motorhead Stilt-Man song? If only..."
ReplyDeleteZZ Top did one, but changed the gender at the last moment.
She's got legs, and knows how to use 'em....