The 1970s Wrap-Up

Over the last six years we've reviewed a total of 4,381 comics plus 243 magazines. The following are our highly biased picks for the best and the worst...

OUR TOP TWENTY FAVORITE STORIES (OR ARCS) OF THE 1970s:



Prof. Chris
Avengers #160-171: Grim Reaper! Ultron! Bride of Ultron! A heavyweight Count Nefaria! A near-omnipotent Korvac! Then more Ultron!  Okay, so obviously it’s not one continuous storyline, but this year of Avengers includes so many treasured-memory stories within the same stretch, it’s down as a favorite.  Even the presence of two sketchy fill-ins (#163, #169) doesn’t diminish this run’s standing in my book.  And the art!  Pérez, followed by Byrne, then back to Pérez!  Can’t be beat.  

From Defenders #45

X-Men #125-128: X-Men vs Mutant X/Proteus.  Beginning of the end for Jean Grey.  Exceptional art from Byrne & Austin.  

Defenders #44-45, 46, 48-50 (you could skip MARMIS between Wonder Man and Hellcat, #47): first, Doctor Strange is possessed by the Red Rajah; next, Doc announces his resignation from the non-group; then, we have an unusual portrait of a villain, as Scorpio is presented as more of a pathetic dreamer than a traditional power-madman; lastly, gleeful carnage as the Defenders (plus Moon Knight, in an early appearance) dismantle the would-be New Zodiac.  The Giffen-Janson art isn’t typical for a team mag, but I’ve always enjoyed the look they bring to this title.  Several of these comics are among my treasured flea-market finds.  

Avengers #185-187: Wanda seeks her destiny at Wundagore, and learns more than she’d ever expected. Avengers arrive in time to derail possession by Chthon.  Atmospheric depiction of snowy mountainsides, rainy villages, and scheming possessor-spirit by Byrne & Green.

Iron Man #103-107: the Midas Saga, a subject of frequent re-readings.  Mantlo ushers Shell-head’s title back to the big time, in a powerful tale of Iron Man’s battle to retake Stark International after Midas’ successful takeover.  Tuska’s last stand with his signature character, followed by a solid final chapter by Pollard & Kida. 

From Iron Man #103

Marvel Team-Up #65-70: again, not a continuous storyline, but by far my favorite MTU tales, as Spidey is trapped (with Captain Britain) in Arcade’s Murderworld, tangles with Tigra (at the bidding of Kraven the Hunter), fights back against D’Spayre (aided by Man-Thing), and frees Havok to unplug the Living Monolith (while Thor battles the Monolith above the stormy skies of Manhattan).  Unbeatable work by Claremont & Byrne, inks by underrated D. Hunt, plus B. Wiacek (well-suited to the Man-Thing tale), R. Villamonte, and T. DeZuniga.  (Side note: I brought #68 to school one day, and it got wet and wrinkled while in my book bag, which afforded me a Painful Lesson about proper care of these priceless items.)

Captain Marvel #59-Marvel Spotlight (vol II)#2: Mar-Vell & Drax vs Isaac the Thanos-infected mad computer and his Titanic minions.  Cosmically-charged art by Broderick & Patterson. 

Fantastic Four #166-167: the FF take on the Hulk, until the Thing turns the tables, joins the Hulk, and the two battle the FF!  Purchased at a flea market, a few years after initial publication.  Crazy fun, with Pérez pencils as a deal-sealer.

Micronauts #1-12: great fun with small toys!  Brisk pacing, high adventure, extraordinary art by Michael Golden.

From ASM #162

Amazing Spider-Man #161-162: Spidey vs Nightcrawler vs Punisher (plus Jigsaw, sort of an afterthought); these comics – more flea-market finds – have survived multiple re-readings.  Second choice for Spidey would be #176-180: Spidey vs Green Goblin III (vs Goblin II) vs Silvermane.  

Jungle Action, featuring the Black Panther #6-18: “Panther’s Rage.”  Intense storytelling, recommended for Mature Audiences (Erik Killmonger’s merciless treatment of T’Challa could be too intense for readers of Baby Huey).

Thor #273-278: the Ragnarok run-thru; art by John Buscema & Tom Palmer gives this title an atypically heavy, shadowy look, which suits prophecy of Impending Prophesized Doom. 

Doctor Strange #1-2, 4-5 (#3 is a deadline doomer): vs Silver Dagger.  Amazing art by Frank Brunner, plus a rare appearance (in a Marvel mag, I mean) by Dick Giordano for fine finishes.  

Hulk #209, #222: I read, and re-read, and then re-re-read these two issues more than any other Hulk stories in my collection.  #209 is a fairly routine smash-em-up with the Absorbing Man (Creel accidently turns himself to glass as he falls from a collapsing skyscraper frame –ooops), while #222 – script and layouts by J. Starlin, finishes by A. Alcala – is an unusually creepy Hulk tale about an overgrown boy who, well, eats people.  Gulp!

Marvel Two-In-One #53-58: the Project Pegasus affair, the high-water mark for this title.  Solid narrative by Gruenwald & Macchio, great art by Byrne & Sinnott, followed by more of the same by Pérez & Day.

Master of Kung Fu #29-31: Shang-Chi leads Sir Denis’ crew vs Carlton Velcro, Razor-Fist, Pavane, and those deadly lions stalking in the pit below.  Doug Moench establishes this title as a bona-fide actioner.  

Fantastic Four #155-157: Doctor Doom steals the power cosmic of the Silver Surfer!  Norrin Radd finds Shalla Bal in Latveria!  Or does he -?  Buckler does his best Buscema impression.   Oh wait – I might also have to nominate Fantastic Four #210-213, as grizzled vet Galactus proves to be Earth’s unlikely savior in his KO victory over Kid Sphinx.  Heavyweight art by Byrne & Sinnott.

From Master of Kung Fu #30

Astonishing Tales #25-Marvel Spotlight (vol I) #33: Rich Buckler’s Deathlok saga has its fits and starts, but it’s an ambitious project, with a compelling anti-hero, and moody, atmospheric art. 

Monster of Frankenstein #1-6: I’m taking a cue from the August Dean, since these issues also were on his list.  Outstanding atmospheric art by Ploog (I’m glad to have found a way to include his work).  If only Marvel had quit while ahead, and #6 had been the final issue -!

Marvel Spotlight on the Son of Satan #20-22: Steve Gerber flings Daimon Hellstrom down the rabbit hole, as Madame Swabada lays out the Tarot to mess with him.  Capable art, with some inventive moments by Sal Buscema, who once again demonstrates his versatility.  

Prof. Scott-

I certainly don’t have 20, but I think I can fart out a few mentions:

The "snap!" heard round the world.

1.      Amazing Spider-Man #121-122: Yeah, the jump-start to the 1970s. The Night Gwen Stacy Died still resonates throughout the MU. While the years, and resurrections, have blunted the impact, Gwen is still the one real open wound Peter still carries. Not even his inaction that caused the death of Uncle Ben bothers him like his failure to save his one true love. The Green Goblin’s death was a great follow-up, but bringing back Norman Osborn in the '90s scuttled the effect.

2.      Incredible Hulk #223-225: I get it…how many times can they toy with a cure? But this trilogy was really a cut above and, for a long time, my favorite story of the '70s. It’s still a high-water mark for the Hulk that decade. Great art, fantastic characterizations and a fun resolution. 

3.      Conan the Barbarian #1-24. Barry Smith made this title great. His art evolved at light speed and made Conan a hell of an interesting character. Something John Buscema couldn’t do. I totally lost interest once Big John turned Conan from a lean, almost handsome warrior into a muscle-bound, Marvel standard brute. Every “barbarian” John drew looked just like his Conan.

4.      Steve Englehart’s “Secret Empire” story in Captain America #169-176. A legendary run, totally earns its rep, all the way to the shocking conclusion. It shook Cap to his core and was a lot of fun getting there. 

5.      The Claremont/Byrne X-Men run. Every single issue. How many times can I write the word “brilliant?”

6.      Logan’s Run #1-5. The best movie adaptation Marvel ever did. Loved every issue and to this day, I am still annoyed the title was cancelled so soon. 

Man-Thing #5

7.      Captain America #186: retconning the Falcon’s origin, and making him a creation of the Red Skull and a former drug dealer, was shocking and life-changing…potentially. This superior story was completely ruined by Englehart’s sudden departure from the book. “Snap” Wilson went nowhere and was quickly glossed over. However, for a brief moment, Cap’s life went sideways. 

8.      Man-Thing #5: Night of the Laughing Dead. Mike Ploog’s art scared the crap out of me and this story (immortalized on a Power Book and Record) haunts me to this day. 

9.      The Incredible Hulk #169: the intro to the Bi-Beast and one of my earliest purchases. Great Trimpe/Abel art and a fun cliffhanger.

10.   Giant Size Man-Thing: because the title sounded like a porn comic. 

Prof. Joe

1. The Amazing Spider-Man #121-122 (June – July 1973) 

Spidey 121 is seriously a nearly flawless comic book, and one of the few that could make 50-year-old fanboys tear up. Followed by a hollow Spidey victory the next issue. Just magnificent.

ASM #122

2. Uncanny X-Men #108-129 (Dec 1977 - Dec 1979) 

Claremont/Byrne/Austin. Thrown in Orzechowski and Wein and you have one of the greatest creative runs in Marvel history. This was a "read first" when you got home with a stack from Grand Candy, which is always high praise when you're a teenaged Marvel Zombie. Even today, there are not enough adjectives to heap on this incredible blend of story and art, even counting the fill-ins.

3. The Amazing Spider-Man #129 – 137 (February – October 1974) 

OK, this is really three or four little arcs, but the run is Conway & Andru at their best! From the first Punisher appearance to Doc Ock vs. Hammerhead Round 2 to Doc Ock marrying (almost) Aunt May, to the freakin' Molten Man, to Harry becoming the Goblin….there's no rest for our hero – or the reader!

4. The Amazing Spider-Man #144 - 150 (May - November 1975) 

The Spidey Clone saga (well, the first of way too many let's just say) begins with the smarmy Jackal (hate that guy!!), the gorgeous Gwen clone, a confused Spidey, and ultimately, vindication! Well, until Marvel retcons the whole thing.

Gwen Meets Gwen
From ASM #149

5. Marvel Team-Up #59 -70 (July 1977 - June 1978)

Claremont, Byrne, and Spidey. A match made in Marvel Zombie heaven! I honestly couldn't pick a favorite, but if pressed would lean toward the two Arcade/Captain Britain books. Or the Yellowjacket and Wasp story. Or the Havok/Thor/Living Monolith. No, it has to be Iron Fist/Daughters of the Dragon! See what I mean, who can choose!

6. The Amazing Spider-Man #112 - 115 (September- December 1972) 

Doc Ock vs. Hammerhead Round 1, with Aunt May kinda sorta in the middle. Conway & Romita kicking tentacle butt!

7. The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 (May – July 1971)

Comics Code? Who needs a Comics Code? The slightly infamous "drug issues" are a great example of how to tell a comic-book story the right way.

8. The Avengers Annual 7 (November 1977) and Marvel Two-in-One Annual 2 (December 1977)

Is there a better crossover in the 1970s? Heck, no! Great is an understatement, to be honest. Who didn't read these 10-15 times each?

9. The Amazing Spider-Man #157 – 159 (June - August 1976 – October 1974) 

Doc Ock vs. Hammerhead Round 3, complete with ghosts, flying garbage cans, the Spider-Mobile, and more than can fit on the page!

10. The Amazing Spider-Man #163-164 (December 1976 – January 1977)

The Kingpin is back, and beefier than ever! Not to mention, he's pretty damn peeved! This Wein-Andru two-parter may be the corpulent crime-boss at his best in these pages. 

From Avengers #143

11. The Avengers #141 – 144, #147 – 149, #161, #167 – 168,  #170 - 171 (November 1975 – May 1978) 
George Perez. 'Nuff said. No, I can't pick a favorite.

12. The Avengers #181 – 190 (March - December 1979)

John Byrne's second run on Avengers, after the Count Nefaria stuff, is brilliantly drawn, with some fine characterization if you can get past a handful of annoyances. Obviously, I can.

13. What If? #13 (February 1979)

We finally get the long-promised Thomas-Buscema Conan What If tale, and I do believe it's the best issue of this title, ever.

14. The Amazing Spider-Man #83 - #85 (April 1970 - June 1970)

Lee, Romita, Kingpin, the Schemer, a twist ending, and brilliance all around!

15. Captain America and the Falcon #153-156 (Sept-Dec 1972)

The "Fake Cap" stories were well-remembered by just about the whole faculty when they were covered for MU, and I know the Dean will want everyone to pick them lest they lose their parking spots and cafeteria access…Nah, they hold up on their own, packed with awesome My Pal Sal art!

16. What If? #1 (February 1977) Reading this again, not the best comic book, but a great introduction to a very up-and-down series, and one that I think if my parents would have allowed it, I would have slept overnight at Grand Candy to get the first copy. Hey, it was Spider-Man!

17. Iron Man #123-128 (June – November 1979)

One of my favorite comic book runs. Romita Jr. shows why he'll become one of the more creative artists around in the future, perfectly embellished by Layton, who adds plot points with Michelinie. Great stuff, packed with plenty of drama and intrigue!

Mighty Thor Annual #5

18. The Mighty Thor Annual #5 (Sept 1976) 

The War of the Gods was one of those comics that I wore the cover off of almost. Being such a big fan of mythology as a kid, it was a natural fit!

19. Marvel Premiere #47 - 48 (April – June 1979)

Yes, more John Byrne. But this time it's a dynamic new introduction of a beloved character, aided by Layton and yes, more Michelinie. And of course it was my best girl Cassie's introduction to the faculty, so that's extra credit for sure!

20. Nova #12  & The Amazing Spider-Man #171 (August 1977)

Including this one for sheer nostalgia. When we first started doing this and I volunteered to teach Nova, these were the two issues I remembered vividly. Jason Dean! Boy, I thought that was so clever as a 10-year old! Well, at least one issue of Nova was worthwhile.

Prof. Matthew-
(In alphabetical order)

 

Captain Marvel #27

The Amazing Spider-Man #147-149 (Jackal/Tarantula/clones)

 The Avengers #115-118 Defenders #8-11 (Avengers/Defenders War; Englehart triumphant)  

The Avengers #153-156/Annual #6/Super-Villain Team-Up #9 (Doom/Attuma/Whizzer; still bliss…) 

The Avengers Annual #7/Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 (Starlin/Thanos redux)

 Captain Marvel #25-33  (Thanos War—my very favorite arc; #28 may be my single favorite issue ever)

 

The Defenders #26-29 (Guardians/Badoon)

The Defenders# 31-40/Annual #1 (with #21 as prelude; Headman)

 Fantastic Four #160-163 (Arkon/multiple worlds; ah, youth...)

 The Inhumans #6 ((aftermath of the captive Black Bolt’s scream; Moench’s finest hour?)

 Iron Man #55 (Enter Drax/Thanos; seminal in every sense)

Iron Man #103-107 (Midas)

 Marvel Premiere #8  (“The Doom That Bloomed on Kathulos!”; Doc/REH/Starlin)

Marvel Team-Up #13 (Cap/Grey Gargoyle/A.I.M.; pure nostalgic fun)
                             
Marvel Team-Up #55 (Warlock/Stranger/Byrne)

Marvel Premiere #8

 Marvel Two-In-One #7 (Valkyrie/Executioner/Enchantress; middle of a trilogy but the best part) 

Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1/ #20 (time-traveling WW II vet Ben meets the Liberty Legion; hate to say it, but I prefer this to the Legion/Invaders crossover)

 Super-Villain Team-Up #2 (yeah. It's Tony Isabella. Bite me.) 

Super-Villain Team-Up #10-12 (Cap/Skull/Shroud)

 Strange Tales (featuring Warlock) #178-181/Warlock #9-11 (Magus Saga; Starlin's #2 triumph)

 X-Men #125-128 (Proteus; because I have to single out something from the Dream Team)

Prof. Mark-

FAVE STORIES (In Random Order)

Amazing Spider-Man #121-122: The death of Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin? A gut-punch to a twelve-year-old kid and a seismic shift in what mortality could mean in the funnybooks (although it's rarely applied). 

Marvel Premiere #12-14: Dr. Strange meets God and witnesses the re-birth of the cosmos, courtesy Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner. Praise the Lord and pass the metaphysics. 

Captain Marvel #25-33 Jim Starlin dazzles the eye and begins to reinvent "cosmic comics." And Thanos (yeah, I know he first appeared in Iron Man).

The debut of Deathlok!

Strange Tales #178-181/Warlock #9-#15 See above, in re: dazzles; invents. Bonus points for Pip, the Magus, and suicide.

Astonishing Tales #25-28, #30-36, Marvel Spotlight #33:

The quality of individual installments varies but with Deathlok, Rich Buckler and Doug Moench invent the amoral, dystopian protagonist a decade before that became a genre. The stories remain startlingly bleak, forty-plus years later, and Buckler's art rocks.    

Captain America and the Falcon #169-176 Tricky Dick Nixon heading a Secret Empire to subvert American Democracy? I'd already seen the original, but I'm still up for this reboot. 

Captain America and the Falcon #153-156: Steve Englehart stumbles a bit in the finale, but retconning post-WWII, pre-Avengers #4 Captain America and Bucky as unhinged red, white, and blue racists, inadvertently driven insane by the very government they served, was nothing short of brilliant. A pure distillation of Parallax View '70s paranoia.

Master of Kung Fu: #33-35 Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy mash-up '70s Kung Fu fightin' with '60s super-spy fetish, add liberal doses of Jim Steranko and Kwai Chang Caine as 006, stir in one insane billionaire inventor, bent on world domination, and garnish with a little robot, cute as a button and twice as homicidal!  

Red Sonja!

Conan the Barbarian #23-24: A pre-bikini clad Red Sonja brings Grrrl power to the Hyborian Age. And leaves Conan with a couple very blue body parts. Artist Barry (pre-Windsor) Smith leaves his signature character with an Aubrey Beardsley-inspired flourish, while writer Roy Thomas goes from strength to strength.

Howard the Duck #1-15: Multiple stories linked by Steve Gerber's satiric vision* and bruised humanism, which found its singular voice in Howard's wise-quackin', hairless ape critiques and fight-for-the-little-guy grit. Top-flight artists Frank Brunner and Gene Colan brought our web-footed wonder to neurotic-aquatic life, but it took a semi-kook like Gerber to turn a dyspeptic duck into one of the most jarringly human comic characters of the post-Watergate '70s. 

*It began to flounder in issue #16, with Gerber's confessional striptease, "Deadline Doom," and never completely regained its footing. 

Tomb of Dracula #45-47: A stellar trio of terror that starts with Blade battling good-guy vampire detective Hannibal King, and ends with the Lord of the Vamps wedding a nice Satan cult girl and consummating their marriage in a desecrated church, beneath a large painting of Jesus, who has a sneaky-if-holy hand in the conception. Heresy and horror, served up bloody and delicious by Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan, and Tom Palmer.

Fantastic Four #136-137: Gerry Conway's not-so-nifty '50s futurama, with greasers on jet-bikes battling super-patriots in Bucky-like gear and 3-D shades, was a great premise with a whiff of social conscience and excellent art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott. Alas, part two devolved into battling a giant ape with a Sputnik head, but as a kid who read about the Red Scare, McCarthy and the Cold War, and liked '50s hoods long before the Fonz, I remember this story fondly enough to read again someday. Part one, anyway.

What If? #11

Avengers #93-96: The complete Kree-Skrull war has lots of moving parts, not all of which mesh harmoniously. This four-issue run, reuniting Roy Thomas with Neal Adams while inspiring them both, is the savory center cut of the saga.

What If #11: A weirdly sentimental fave, given I didn't read it until the middle of the 'oughts. Jack Kirby's sole return to Marvel's first family (not counting covers) imagines the early Marvel Bullpen becoming the Fantastic Four. A fun, nostalgic romp, bursting with the King's high-voltage creativity and fake Bullpen brotherhood.

Tomb of Dracula #59-70: This meandering, long goodbye stakes (yeah, you get it) its claim that TOD was one of Marvel's best books of the '70s, of any genre. Dracula becomes human again while battling Satan, his heaven-spawned son Janus, and the uncomfortable vestiges of his own humanity, all while trying to be a good husband. Then he gets blown up by wheelchair-bound Fearless Vampire Hunter Quincy Harker, but we know only a lapsed licensing deal with the Bram Stoker estate can really remove Drac from the Marvel U.

Prof. Tom-
The first eleven picks are somewhat in order. The last nine are a grab bag of greatness.

1. Savage Tales #2 (October 1973) and Savage Tales #3 (February 1974): Roy Thomas and Barry Smith’s two-part adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s “Red Nails” is Marvel’s pinnacle achievement during the 1970s — and perhaps of any decade. 
2. The Avengers Annual #7 (November 1977) and Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 (December 1977): The two greatest comics I ever bought off a spinner rack.  
3. Conan the Barbarian #100 (July 1979): The epic ending to Roy’s massive adaptation of Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast.” Other Conan comics and magazines might have been better, but none as important.
4. The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #7 (August 1975): With the help of the Dream Team of Big John and Alfredo Alcala, Roy’s all-original “The Citadel at the Center of Time” matches anything that Howard ever wrote. The inspiration for What If  #13.
5. Conan the Barbarian #4 (April 1971): Masterful Thomas/Smith adaptation of the heart-breaking “The Tower of the Elephant.”
6. Conan the Barbarian #19 (October 1972) to Conan the Barbarian #26 (May 1973): Even though #22 was a reprint of the premiere issue, the “Siege of Makkalet” —  as I came to call it — became a blueprint for a series filled with multi-part arcs. Red Sonja made her debut in #23, Barry Smith drew his last with #24, Big John came on board with 25 and Ernie (Chua) Chan inked his first with #26.
7. Conan the Barbarian #14 (March 1972) and Conan the Barbarian #15 (May 1972): The Cimmerian gets his first guest star, Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone — and Moorcock co-plots. This is also the series’ first continued story, something Roy will come to rely heavily on. See #6.
8. The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #2 (October 1974): A Neal Adams cover wraps Roy, Big John and Alcala’s magnificent “Black Colossus.”
9. The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #30 (June 1978): Call me a philistine, but Frank Brunner’s art for “The Scarlet Citadel” rivals the best of both Barry Smith and John Buscema. Sorry boys.
10. The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #5 (April 1975): Roy, John and The Tribe deliver “A Witch Shall Be Born,” Howard’s legendary crucifixion story.
11. The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian #16 (December 1976): John Buscema. Alfredo Alcala. Barry Smith. Tim Conrad. Walt Simonson. Richard Corben. Earl Norem. Mike Zeck. Gene Day. ’Nuff said.
12. The Amazing Spider-Man #119 (March 1973) and The Amazing Spider-Man #120 (May 1973): The two-parter featuring the Hulk. Can’t really remember if the stories hold up, but I’ll never forget those, well, amazing John Romita covers. I paid plenty for these when I started my obsessive Spider-Man back-issue phase.
13. The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974): Meet the Punisher. The only comic I wish I kept when I sold my collection so that I could afford to move out of my parent’s house. Well, not really. Couldn’t have Movie Nights in my parent’s basement. 
14. The Amazing Spider-Man #100 (September 1971) to The Amazing Spider-Man #102 (September 1971): The “Six-Arms Saga.” Could have been ridiculous but these three-armed issues are packed with horror and heroism. Love how Gil Kane handled all those extra appendages.
15. Marvel Feature Presents Red Sonja She-Devil with a Sword #2 (January 1976): “Blood of the Hunter” is the best Sonja story of the decade. And it marks Freaky Frank Thorne’s first work on what would become his signature character.
16. Marvel Team-Up #79 (March 1979): Claremont. Check. Byrne. Check. Austin. Check. Orzechowski. Check. Red Sonja. Check.
17. Iron Fist #12 (April 1977):  Claremont, Byrne and Dan Adkins team The Living Weapon with The Living Legend, Captain America. 
18. The Micronauts #3 (March 1979): As I said in my review ALL! OUT! ACTION!
19. Daredevil #159 (July 1978): While Frank Miller debuted in 158, this one made it obvious that something special — and dark — was brewing.
20. The Silver Surfer #1 (August 1968): Yeah, I know this isn’t from the '70s but screw it: I only came on board MU in October 1970 with Conan the Barbarian 1, so never got a chance to weigh in on stuff from the '60s. The premiere issue of The Silver Surfer is what great comics are all about. I owned this masterpiece: the cover was torn off and taped backed on so it was a Flea Market bargain. But I treasured it all the same. Remember, this was a 68-pager, so we got a double dose of Stan, Big John and Joe Sinnott on the criminally underused Sentinel of the Spaceways. (A Watcher reprint from Tales Of Suspense 53 took up the additional real estate.) A big salute to Professors Jack and Matthew for including this classic on their lists of Top 20 for the 1960s.

"The Scarlet Citadel"

Prof. Pete-
     1. Captain America and the Falcon #153-156 (Sept-Dec 1972): I've written thousands of words about this life-changing arc over the years but I'll just say this about that: Forty-plus years has not diminished the impact this story carries one iota. To me, this is still what great comic story-telling is all about

Captain America and the Falcon #155

     2. The Amazing Spider-Man #121-123 (June-August 1973): The deaths of Gwen and the Green Goblin shocked and shook the comics world but, more importantly, it's a well-written arc. Sure, the impact has been minimalized in the ensuing decades thanks to a new generation of comic vultures who won't leave well enough alone (I'm staring right at you, Mr. Straczynski) but, reading it forty years on, there's still the tug. I included #123 as well since I felt like the scabs were pulled off and salt poured into the wound of poor Mr. Parker. His almost insane stare on a few of those pages is genuinely scary.
     3. The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 (May-July 1971): The infamous drug issues!
     4. The Monster of Frankenstein #1-6 (January-October 1973) For six insanely well-crafted issues, this was Marvel's greatest monster "hero."
     5. Power Man #35-46 (September 1976- August 1977): Marv Wolfman rescues the suddenly cool Luke Cage from virtual obscurity and invests the character with life and some of the best jive-shuckin' lines this side of Sweet Sweetback!
     6. Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #3 (October 1972)

"Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper!"

     7. The Amazing Spider-Man #144-150 (May-November 1975): The Jackal/Prof. Warren/Gwen Clone/Spidey Clone epic was not everyone's cup of tea (opinions tend to stay in the "loved it" or "hated it" camps) but I ate up every panel. The definition of a comic book I waited for at the stands every month, anticipating new twists and turns.
     8. The Incredible Hulk #142 (August 1971) The hilarious "They Shoot Hulks, Don't They?" parody issue.
     9. The Amazing Spider-Man #136-137 (September-October 1974). Harry Osborn is the Green Goblin!
   10. The Amazing Spider-Man #90 (November 1970): The Death of Capt. Stacy.
   11. Journey Into Mystery #2 (Oct 1972) Marvel's finest horror story adaptation: Robert Bloch's "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper!"
   12, Luke Cage, Hero For Hire #1 (June 1972) I surprised myself by enjoying so many of the early issues of Cage. Never cared for them as a kid but appreciated them on the second go-'round.
   13. Sub-Mariner #53-55, 57, 61 (September 1972-May 1973) You could tell that Bill Everett's best writing days were behind him but his art had not suffered one bit. Reading through these glorious issues was like finding a stack of 1940s funny books in your grandpa's attic.
    14. Amazing Adventures #11 (March 1972) The first solo adventure of the Beast, drawn by Tom Sutton. Subsequent installments would leave me wanting but this particular issue is dynamite.
    15. Marvel Premiere #4 (September 1972) Doctor Strange Meets Cthulhu!
    16. Amazing Adventures #18 (May 1973) Killraven and the War of the Worlds!

Oh, that Shanna! Grrrrrr-owl!

    17. Shanna the She-Devil #1-5 (December 1972-August 1973) What are you looking at? Yeah, I enjoyed the hell out of this goofball series, especially after Steve Gerber jumped on board. Other than Daredevil and Claws of the Cat, this was the best place for an 11-year-old MZ to get some cheesecake!
   18. Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 (May 1974) The greatest Hulk-Thing battle ever!
   19. Giant-Size X-Men #1 (July 1975) Yes, I'm sure that the Byrne run is better but this one has a very special place in my brain.
   20. Daredevil #160 (September 1979) Perhaps my first inkling that this Miller guy was something else entirely.

FAVORITE TITLE:


Prof. Scott-
The X-Men, once Byrne came on. Nothing touched it in terms of art and consistent quality of characterization. Even when the stories themselves might not have been a home run, the characters always were.

Prof. Joe – The Amazing Spider-Man

As if there were going to be a different answer?

Prof. Matthew- Long-term/traditional:  Avengers, despite its drastic ups and downs.  Short-term/underdog:  Super-Villain Team-Up.

Prof. Tom- I have to say Conan the Barbarian, right? But I will admit, The Micronauts was an amazingly exciting breath of fresh air when 1979 rolled around.

Prof. Pete- Has to be The Amazing Spider-Man with all its classic storylines and twists and turns.

FAVORITE ARTIST:

John Byrne

Prof. Chris- George Pérez (pencils)
Josef Rubinstein; Terry Austin (inks)

Prof. Scott- John Byrne. Always...

Prof. Joe- John Byrne

Boy, I wanted to say John Romita again like in the '60s, but the '70s Spideys were known as the Kane and Andru show. And My Pal Sal Buscema is so solid 99% of the time he would be a proper choice. But in the early '90s, when I was traveling all around Queens tracking down Byrne-drawn issues that I missed in my comics sabbatical, that makes the co-plotting Canuck my pick.

Prof. Matthew-  Penciler: John Buscema.  Inker:  Joe Sinnott.  No-brainers both.

Prof. Tom- Sorry Big John, I have to go with Barry Smith. Again, just look at “Red Nails.”


Prof. Pete- I loved everything Alfredo Alcala did for Marvel but there wasn't enough to warrant a "Best Artist" label so (not that I'm having to scrape around for a #2) I'm going to lay that claim on Gentleman Gene Colan.

FAVORITE WRITER:

Chris Claremont

Prof. Chris- Well, Chris Claremont seems like an obvious choice, for all the right reasons.  Claremont raised the bar on comics writing, as he anticipated his reading public would be prepared for complex characterization and interpersonal situations that, prior to his arrival at the helm of X-Men, might ordinarily have been reserved for a slightly more mature audience.

Credit also to longtime vet Roy Thomas.  The action that drives Conan the Barbarian probably would have ensured robust sales, even with routine, formulaic stories.  Instead, Roy invests each tale with atmosphere, sharp dialog, and an intriguing cast, while always maintaining a firm grip on the character of the man in the title role.  Thanks also to Roy for drawing both Fantastic Four and Thor out of minor slumps, and re-establishing them as must-read titles.

Prof. Scott-
A tie between Steve Englehart and Chris Claremont. Both changed the course of their titles and did it with class and verve.

Prof. Joe- Chris Claremont

Not only for the sheer magnificence of his X-Men run in the last couple years of the decade, but the incredible (for the most part) Marvel Team-Up tomes where he captured Spidey perfectly.

Steve Englehart

Prof. Matthew-  Steve Englehart, succeeded by Chris Claremont (if I may have my cake and eat it too).  Steve Gerber was up there—when he was good, he was great, but I don’t think he was consistently good enough.  Jim Starlin gets honorable mention for a small oeuvre that packed a disproportionate punch, although it’s impossible to separate his brilliant writing completely from his brilliant artwork, so that slants things.

Prof. Tom- Oh, Roy Thomas for sure. And not just for his consistent quality. Not only did he adapt every single one of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories — and an impressive chunk from his literary heirs — The Rascally One added mightily to the mythos with just as many originals. Probably more. Roy’s work on the Hyborian Age in the 1970s was a monumental achievement. It was a great pleasure to experience the majority of it for the very first time.

P.S. Thanks to a suggestion by A+ student Andy Decker, look for a post-graduate lesson on Conan the Barbarian 115, Thomas’ last on the series.

Prof. Pete- No one approached the sheer heights of quality comic-book literature that Steve Englehart seemingly pumped out in the 1970s for both DC and Marvel.

FAVORITE COVER:

Prof. Chris- Captain Marvel #37 (Gil Kane) –stellar!
Amazing Spider-Man #188 (Cockrum/Austin) –inventive!
Power Man and Iron Fist #50 (Dave Cockrum) –comin’ atcha!
Defenders #50 (Al Milgrom) –bristling! (Al’s most interesting-looking cover; a little help from John Romita to finish a few characters’ faces, perhaps -?)
Micronauts #11 or #12 (both by Michael Golden) –both cool-looking, but very different –I can’t decide; which one do you like best?
Spectacular Spider-Man #21 (Pollard/Austin), which reminds me that Pollard & Austin would’ve been a solid regular art-team.  Or I might have been thinking of Pollard/Wiacek (Iron Man #112).  No wait!  I betcha it was Pollard/Rubinstein (Iron Man #107).
X-Men #113 (Byrne/Layton) –furious, fiery action; but, if that’s too hectic, you might prefer #114 (Bryne/Austin), which is muted and somber.  Impressive range from our new X-artist.
and finally,
Avengers #167 (Pérez/Austin) –I can’t help it; I have to pick the first-ever Pérez/Austin cover.

Prof. Scott-
Captain Marvel 29. Jim Starlin’s amazing but simple cover was poster-worthy.

Prof. Joe- The Amazing Spider-Man #100 

First off, it's John Romita. Second, it features a slew of Spidey supporting-cast faces, and has been imitated ad nauseam over the years, which equals accolades enough. Marvel is even remembering it today, as evidenced by one of the latest Ultimate Spider-Man covers that Student Intern Cassie got in the mail.

Prof. Matthew-  Avengers 109.

Prof. Tom- For color comics: Barry Smith, Conan the Barbarian 21 (December 1972).
For magazines: Neal Adams, Savage Tales 4 (May 1974).

Prof. Pete- For purely personal reasons (but then aren't they all?), I'll nab Captain America and the Falcon #155. Mio amico Prof. Mark gifted me with a laminated version of this cover and it hangs in my office.

THE MOST UNDERRATED...:


Prof. Chris- Roger Stern.  Granted, most of Sterno’s best work is yet to come, but I still feel the early efforts we’ve covered have been noteworthy, with Stern showing some range with wildly dissimilar titles such as Incredible Hulk and Doctor Strange.

Doug Moench.  Doug has the thankless task of taking over Master of Kung Fu after the departure of originator Steve Englehart.  Moench establishes MoKF as an adventure title; in response, fans of the early issues bemoan the loss of Shang-Chi’s philosophical aspect.  Over time, Moench establishes a balance (fittingly enough) between the title’s penchant for action and intrigue, and Shang-Chi’s continual self-examination as his involvement with violence (and his budding love for Leiko Wu) changes him.  In the process, Moench develops the non-super-hero-based MoKF into one of the Bronze era’s truly unique series.

Roger McKenzie.  Say what you like about his work for other titles (okay, okay – not so loud!  I concur, his Captain America scripts are, at best, shaky); regardless, McKenzie’s contribution to a much-improved Daredevil is routinely overlooked.

Prof. Scott- Marvel Super-Heroes, Marvel’s Greatest Comics, Marvel Tales…all of those wonderful reprint mags that showed me the earlier days of my favorite characters. Without them, I’d never have gotten into comics as much as I did, since the '70s were pretty weak sauce.

Prof. Joe- Mike Ploog. From putting his unforgettable stamp on Werewolf By Night to the ocular oddity of Weirdworld, Ploog was plenty good! Too bad his tenure with Marvel ended so poorly, but you know these artist types…

Honorable Mention: The last four to six issues of Godzilla. Wacky, bizarre, and kinda fun when you stop to think about it, from a cowboy roping Godzilla like a steer to Little G fighting a rat in the sewers like a modern-day MMA brawl. Plus nice Trimpe art.

Prof. Matthew- Bill Mantlo.  He had his off days just like everybody else, but more than his fair share of good ones on Champions, Iron Man, Marvel Team-Up, Micronauts, Super-Villain Team-Up, and Tarzan, among others…plus, what happened to him shouldn’t happen to a dog, which makes him a sentimental favorite in my book.

Prof. Tom- Roy Thomas. See “Writer.” Plus, how he ushered Marvel through Stan’s gradual departure. Roy is on the Mount Rushmore of Marvel.

Prof. Pete- Marv Wolfman's run on Power Man was easily the most fun I had reading during this journey. Marv realized there were differences between the races but, by golly, he didn't need to rub it in our faces and he didn't. He infused Luke with humor and character, something the Hero for Hire was lacking before Marv's tenure and has lacked since Marv moved on. As a non-funny book runner-up, I'd nominate Monsters of the Movies, Marvel's much-maligned Famous Monsters of Filmland rip-off that featured better writing and a bit more of a grown-up attitude towards horror films.

THE MOST OVERRATED...:


Prof. Chris- Marv Wolfman’s editor

Prof. Scott- Ross Andru on The Amazing Spider-Man. I loathe his work and he’s the main reason I stopped reading the title until the 80’s.
The Kree-Skrull War. Too many side trips, too many artist changes and Rick Jones saving the day by dreaming up comic-book heroes just didn’t do it for me.

Prof. Joe- Marv Wolfman's Nova

Blue Blazes! With the hype meter on the highest setting, Nova, The Human Rocket was launched to be the greatest thing since sliced Nova-Prime bread. Well, according to Marv, that is. Not even Stan himself could have banged the drum as loud for this mediocre-at-best series that got even worse when Carmine Infantino took over the easel. So many solid background panels of people leaning to one side! Blazes!

Prof. Matthew- I guess Doug Moench, with the caveat that I never read his venerated Master of Kung Fu.  Really, uh, dug his Inhumans, but disliked much of the rest, especially the one-two punch of Godzilla and Shogun Warriors.  Runner-up:  Marv Wolfman, with the caveat that I never read his venerated Tomb of Dracula.

Prof. Tom- Steve Gerber. I don’t care what anyone says. Just read “A Death Made of Ticky-Tacky,” from Tales of the Zombie 8 (November 1974). In fact, go back and read any Tales of the Zombie magazines he worked on.

Does anyone mind if I regress? Someone named Grant actually commented on my review of “Ticky-Tacky.” While there is no official category — so a cash reward will not be forthcoming — I nominate it for “Greatest Reader Comment of the 1970s”:

“Even though I’ve never read it, there are two comments about the Tales of the Zombie issue I really like.

First, there’s the “Must have had a bone to pick with swingers” remark. That’s because countless people — including countless people you wouldn’t really suspect — can be very touchy about that subject. Believe it or not, as recently as five days ago, I heard the actual word “swinger” used in a scathing way!

Also (and this leads to a much darker subject), it isn’t much of a leap for some people from “swinger” to stereotyped hippie, and hardly any leap at all from that to the whole overworked Charles Manson idea. So it doesn’t surprise me that these fictional characters go from having some harmless sexual hijinks at a party to setting up a set of murders! I'm not saying this particular writer muddled those three things, but so many people DO.

And the facetious remark, “Gotcha — organized religion stinks.”

It might have been less true in ’74, but now more than ever, organized religion gets the blame for nearly EVERYTHING that goes wrong, no matter how unconnected the two things might be. I don’t actually belong to one, but that whole way of thinking about it gets really unimaginative.”

Prof. Pete- Hands down, Doug Moench, with all his pretentious "I'd like to teach the world to sing" lecturing disguised as funny-book stories. Very close runner-up: Bill "Angry-Young-Man"-tlo (although he did teach me that there's a difference between black people and white).

THE MOST WTF? ISSUE:

Uri Geller? WTF?

Prof. Chris- Daredevil #128: during a battle with Death-Stalker, DD witnesses a space alien who walks on light-discs, and then proceeds up thru the atmosphere, to go out to the galaxy somewhere.  DD is not on acid.  I kid you not.
Daredevil #133: for some reason, DD battles alongside psychic charlatan Uri Geller.  No, this is not a DC comic.
Fantastic Four #202: the Baxter Building can fly.  No really – all you have to do is release the couplers, and … oh, never mind.

Prof. Scott- Captain America and the Falcon 144: The Femme Force. Nuff said…

Prof. Joe- Marvel Premiere #50: starring Alice Cooper (Oct 1979)

Without a doubt this was the oddest, and close to worst, comic book I read for MU. I'm sure my daughter, who I tortured by having her take the lead on this one, would agree! I'm puzzled as to why Marvel would even create this, and their explanation made little to no sense—like the story itself!

Dis-Honorable Mention: The goofy Moench-Perlin run of Werewolf By Night featuring Dr. Glitternight, or the Moon Knight Marvel Spotlight issues (or any title) with the idiotic Conquer-Lord, easily one of the worst villains of the decade.

Polka-dots and fur? WTF?

Prof. Matthew-  Lacking an immediate answer of my own, I think I’ll have to second Professor Tom’s nomination of the Helleyes train wreck, while respectfully suggesting that it should go in this category instead.

Prof. Tom- Seriously? Didn’t you see what I wrote about Steve Gerber? Tales of the Zombie 8 (November 1974).

Prof. Pete- Iron Man 26 (June 1970), wherein the Tin-Pot Titan battles alongside the nattily dressed (polka dots and boas) barbarian of the 23rd Century, Val-Larr. Conan fever taken to its most idiotic peak, with dialogue like "For he who battles the shadow spawn of Shar-Kahn must ever have an ally in Val-Larr, champion of great Luminia!" One of Archie Goodwin's few bad moments.

THE WORST TITLE:

Prof. Chris- Nova

Prof. Joe- Ka-Zar

As much as I wanted to pick Nova, I kept thinking "Blue Blazes! I bad-mouthed Ka-Zar for three years, how could I not pick that long-haired loincloth-wearing lunk!"

Prof. Scott- 2001: A Space Idiocy. Made me hate Jack Kirby.

Prof. Matthew- Gotta go with Dean Paste-Pot on Omega the Unknown, which made even Ghost Rider look like Proust; after 40 years, I still haven’t warmed up to that sucker.

Prof. Tom- The Ghost Rider. By a mile. On a rough road. With two flat tires. 

Prof. Pete- Omega the Unknown. A character so bland, so vacuous, writer Steven Grant felt compelled to tie up all loose ends in The Defenders, a title so bland and vacuous...


THE SINGLE WORST STORY:

Prof. Chris- Ghost Rider #16.  The Jaws rip-off.  You remember – wait, you don’t?   You forgot all about it -?  Then, help yourself to the prize box.

Dishonorable mention: Nova #17-18.  A 50 foot, or 5000 foot, or 5 mile-high tsunami (depending which of Infantino’s pathetic illustrations happen to be on a given page) threatens Manhattan, until SHIELD agents somehow are able to dispel it In The Nick Of Time.  Meanwhile, Nova’s taking a Spanish test, or something.

Prof. Joe- Marvel Spotlight # 25 (December 1975)

John Warner's snore-fest about Sinbad was equal parts boring and tedious. It's a Sin this comic was created because it's Bad.

Prof. Scott- It’s the '70s, this is the toughest question of all. I wish I kept track, but I blotted so much out of my mind. I’m gonna go with the El Dorado arc in the final issues of the Hulk I just covered. So unbearably bad, it just showed me how much a beloved title can fall into a pit of feces.

Helleyes? Hell yes!

Prof. Matthew- Eternals 14 (if only to epitomize Kirby’s Folly; letting him near a typewriter was the single biggest writing misstep of the Bronze Era).

Prof. Tom- If I had to read it, I’m using the entire title: Adventure Into Fear with the Man Called Morbius, The Living Vampire 28 (June 1975). One horrendous word: Helleyes. 

Prof. Pete- Captain America and the Falcon 137 (May 1971), wherein Captain America and the Falcon travel to the center of the Earth because the army wants to store radioactive sludge down there and, oh, Spider-Man guest stars too! Pre-Englehart, this title sucked salmon-flavored lollipops and Stan rode it right down into the depths. Scene most indicative of how far we've sunk: Cap rises from the bowels of the world, only to pout because Sharon Carter didn't raise a "Welcome Home, My Lover" banner. If we needed proof that Stan without Jack was like John without Paul...



Professor Mark's Off-Category Meanderings on Marvel's Mixed-Up "Me" Decade 

Favorite Artists: Jack Kirby (1970), Jim Starlin, Barry Smith, Gene Colan, Paul Gulacy, John Buscema 

Best Utility Artist: Sal Buscema, never great, always good

Favorite inkers: Joe Sinnott, by a country mile. Tom Palmer, honorable mention

Best Kirby Kopy Kats: Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott on Fantastic Four

Artist I disliked then whom I like now: Ross Andru

Artist I hated then whom I like now (sometimes): Frank Robbins

Favorite Writers: Roy Thomas (everything), Jim Starlin (space opera), Steve Gerber (muck monsters & ducks), Marv Wolfman (Tomb of Dracula), Steve Englehart (Captain America, Dr. Strange), Doug Moench (Master of Kung Fu, Deathlok)

Least Favorite Writers: Gerry Conway's inane run on Daredevil. Marv Wolfman on most anything that wasn't Tomb of Dracula (or Fantastic Four #200). 

Favorite Titles Born in the Seventies: Howard the Duck, Conan the Barbarian, Tomb of Dracula, Warlock, Master of Kung Fu, Deathlok

Favorite Titles from the Sixties: Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man

Biggest Decline in Quality from the Sixties: Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man

Best Patricide: Shang-Chi kills his father, Fu Manchu, in Master of Kung Fu #50, but we know only a lapsed licensing deal with the Sax Rohmer estate can really remove Fu from the Marvel U.

Biggest Disappointments:

Jack Kirby leaves Marvel, 1970

Fantastic Four #100

Crystal breaks up with Johnny Storm, Fantastic Four #131-132

Dracula battles the Silver Surfer, Tomb of Dracula #50

Crystal marries Quicksilver, Fantastic Four #150

Jack Kirby returns to Marvel, 1975

Favorite covers: Too many to mention, and I don't have time to look.

Worst Titles/Worst Single Story: Too many to mention, and I refuse to look.

The Most WTF issue: Johnny Storm transformed into interstellar hockey goalie, Gaard, Fantastic Four #163

Best hopes for the future (had I been reading comics at the end of the decade): Frank Miller, Daredevil; Chris Claremont and John Byrne, X-Men

Professor Joe's Department of "There Just Aren't Enough Lists!"

BEST SOUND EFFECT

 "BLIFISGURGLE!"

Hands down, the dumbest yet most fun sound effect of the decade, from Amazing Spider-Man Annual #11, Sept 1977. A passing grade to any student who can pronounce it correctly! (Not that I know how…)

MOST DISAPPOINTING:

What If? #2 (April 1977)

Reading "What If The Hulk Had Always Had Bruce Banner's Brain" hot off the presses of Grand Candy in scenic Maspeth, NY, this 10-year-old professor was geeked. The second issue of what would turn out to be one of my favorite titles! But reading it umpteen years later…boy, it's bad. But at least it's laughable bad! "Honey, I made your favorite. Mixed greens!" Oh, I have a headache in my eye….

BEST MARVEL MEDIA:

Spider-Man: A Rockomic (1972)

   

"From Beyond The Grave" would have made a decent three-part Amazing Spider-Man arc, but instead it became an exciting, action-packed, mysterious, goofy and groovy record album, with tunes by The Webspinners, voices by such future "stars" as Rene Auberjonois, and Jazzy John illustrations that stay in the mind forever. I had the poster of the album cover on my wall for 20 years! Zowie!

"Goin' cross town, gonna brawl tonight,

Gonna kick a tail or two

Teach a bad dude the lesson

That he better stop messin' 

With the likes of me and you

'Cause we got the power To turn wrong right

If we get together and stand up and fight

Goin' cross town, gonna brawl tonight,

Gonna kick a tail or two…"

A few misc. awards from Professor Chris...

Most Improved Writer

Bill Mantlo.  Mantlo’s earnest early offerings can be hard to take.  Over time, though, he develops a better feel for the fundamental skills of telling a story – rather than Imparting an Important Message.  So, while Mantlo’s writing in the '70s might never reach the extraordinary, he settles in, and presents reliably consistent, enjoyable reading.  

Special achievement
Jim Starlin, for taking an underutilized character like Captain Marvel, and making his title into something magnificent.  And then, a few years later, for achieving the same results with Warlock.  The Warlock stories are even more imaginative, and thought-provoking, than Starlin’s well-crafted work for Captain Marvel.  Well done, sir.  Double points. 

Special achievement -Honorary mention 

Don McGregor, who – ably assisted by artists Rich Buckler, Gil Kane, Billy Graham, Klaus Janson, Craig Russell, et al – creates a unique portrait of the unbreakable spirit of a man, T’Challa, prince of the Wakandas, in “Panther’s Rage” (Jungle Action #6-18). 

A Special Message from Professor Chris

So, Why Stop Now -?

It’s a fair question; after all, Marvel is still going strong as the calendar turns from 1979 to 1980.  Marvel University – thanks in part to the support of our dedicated student body – isn’t doing so badly itself, if I do say so.  By some measures, the Bronze Age still has 3-5 productive years to go (for me, the arrival on newsstands of Secret Wars brings down the Bronze curtain).  So, the December 1979 cut-off seems arbitrary, doesn’t it?  After all, a number of storylines have yet to be resolved; doesn’t the esteemed faculty have more to say about what’s to come?

Well, yes and no.  If careful readers of our mighty blog have noted reduced enthusiasm regarding some of Marvel’s 1979 offerings, it’s for good reason.  Up to now, we’ve extolled the wonders of many of these titles; but, it’s fair to say that – by New Year’s Day 1980 – an appreciable number of them already have seen their finest moments.  

The news isn’t all bad.  Yes, some of the titles we’ve talked and written about will continue to maintain their usually high level of four-color storytelling quality; others will (eventually) bounce back and shine yet again with restored brilliance.  For those of you interested in self-directed study of the later period of the Bronze Age, I suggest you direct your attention toward these titles from 1980 (dates in parentheses are for issues with a post-1980 publication date, which would have hit newsstands and spinner-racks in calendar-year 1980) :

1. X-Men #129-142 (Feb 1981); Chris Claremont, John Byrne, Terry Austin.

The Hellfire Club is just the beginning; Mastermind’s manipulation of Jean Grey leads directly to her transformation to Dark Phoenix; and yeah, it’s a hell of a ride.  Dark Phoenix is not the victim of some temporary hypnosis, which Professor X could fix with a quick brain bolt.  Dark Phoenix soars to a distant sun, and blows it up, just to Feel It; as a result, a planet of a billion souls is wiped out.  Her fellow X-ers fight to spare her from condemnation by the Shi’Ar, but Jean chooses self-destruction rather than risk the possibility of the Dark Phoenix force/persona being loosed again.  Scott, heartbroken, resigns and leaves the team.  Oh, and looking ahead to 1981, #141-142 tells of the Sentinels’ ultimate triumph over mutantkind in “Days of Future Past.”  Required reading.   

1. Daredevil #163-167 (#162 is a fill-in); Roger McKenzie, Frank Miller, Klaus Janson.

McKenzie & Miller continue to build on the noir vibe they established in 1979, as stories become more character-driven, the storytelling more visual, less reliant on dialogue.  Be sure to stay tuned-in to 1981-82; Miller assumes solo creative reins with #168 (January 1981), as he introduces Elektra, Matt Murdock’s first love, who returns to Matt’s life as an assassin for the Kingpin (repurposed here as a true string-pulling crime boss, less likely to sully his meaty mitts in base fisticuffs).  Need I say more -?

1. Doctor Strange #39-45 (Feb 1981); Chris Claremont, Gene Colan, et al.

Claremont & Colan continue to turn out first-rate Strange tales, as Doc battles Azrael the Angel of Death, Shialmar the Shadowqueen, and – with a little help from a mindless, soggy bog-beast – tackles Mordo and his minions.  As a bonus, Michael Golden provides covers for three issues. 

1. Captain America #247-255 (March 1981); Roger Stern, John Byrne, Joe Rubinstein. 

Stern & Byrne establish a new private life for Steve Rogers, with everyday people – including a prospective girlfriend – in a Brooklyn Heights tenement.  This Cap is refreshingly angst-free, whether in regard to his past, or his relevance in a continually-changing America.  Plus, the Byrne/Rubinstein realization of the Living Legend is consistently excellent.

1. Master of Kung Fu #84-95; Doug Moench, Mike Zeck, Gene Day.

Shang-Chi has his latest showdown (you’ll notice I didn’t call it a final confrontation), with Big Daddy Fu Manchu, whose latest devious plot threatens to reduce the Big Apple to a glowing pile of radioactive ash (MU closes its doors after MoKF #83, Chapter 1 of this seven-part story).  Shang & Leiko spend some time in New York, where they intervene in a Chinatown gang war.  

1. King Conan #1-4; Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Ernie Chan, Danny Bulanadi.

A middle-aged Conan has a series of stirring adventures, accompanied by son and heir Conn (Queen Zenobia is his mother), who learns of courage and leadership at the feet of the great warrior.  John Buscema somehow was able to add this double-sized quarterly – which essentially required enough work to fill another four annual-sized issues – to his to-do list without any slackening of quality.

1. Marvel Two-in-One #60-66; Mark Gruenwald & Ralph Macchio, George Pérez, Jerry Bingham, Gene Day.

The high caliber of the six-part Project Pegasus storyline (#53-58) carries over to two three-part stories, one involving Starhawk and Moondragon in a search for Adam Warlock, the other a new Serpent Crown crisis (co-starring Triton, Stingray, and the Scarlet Witch) versus the new Serpent Squad.  Oh, and there’s also a single-issue run-in with the Impossible Man (with some outstanding art by Pérez & Day) that you won’t want to miss.

You’ll note many familiar titles are missing; so where, you might ask, are these favorites: Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Marvel Team-Up, Thor?  Simply put, these titles suffer from inconsistent, uninspired, and/or poorly-assigned creative teams, and/or a reliance on fill-in issues for the bulk of 1980-1981.  Amazing Spider-Man alone has no fewer than five fill-ins from #206-222, which is staggering; in the mix are issues by a new creative crew (O’Neil-Romita Jr-Mooney or Milgrom) that aren’t a whole lot better.   Show of hands: who here thinks Gene Colan should pencil the Avengers, Bill Sienkiewicz should lay out the Fantastic Four, and Herb Trimpe should render Spidey each month for Team-Up?  See, that’s what I mean.  

So, to paraphrase Baseball Hall of Fame executive Branch Rickey, it’s better to trade a player a year too early, rather than a year too late.  By signing off on Marvel University now, you might say we’re trading in our rosy memories of 1970s Marvel, while they still have their highest value.   

Two weeks from today, Professor Flynn returns for a bit of
overtime and gives his account of the activities of one
Moon Knight in 1980. Be here for our first foray into the 1980s!


In the meantime, I'll leave you with some words that I always thought appropriate for fans of our genre, with thanks to Bernie and Elton:

Beneath these branches,
I once wrote such childish words for you.
But that's okay,
there's treasure children always seek to find.
And just like us,
you must have had
a once upon a time...