Finished another volume and some random thoughts to go around. This Essential has the Amazing Spider-Man I#114-137, Giant Size Superheroes#1, and Giant Size Spider-Man 1 and 2. The issues that probably make this collection, and certainly the most mentioned, are issues 121 and 122, featuring the deaths of Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin.
Shocking today, but in the 1970's I can't imagine what it would have been like to read that for the first time. The 'Gwen was Peter's only love and she was perfect' attitude from fans today is a bit annoying though. Looking back at these issues and the previous volumes, I'm just not seeing it could come from. Gwen, under Conway's pen, is flat. She seems to have no other interest other than being Parker's girlfriend. When Lee and Ditko introduced her though, she had some spark, but by the time these issues rolled around she was just another cliche superhero love interest.
Another first is the Punisher (issue 129), although Chris Sims could probably give you a better accounting of the character than could, but seeing the anti hero running around does make you wonder if Marvel always had such plans for the character.
Showing posts with label essential showcase. Show all posts
Showing posts with label essential showcase. Show all posts
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Essential Showcase: Superman volume 4
Back again with another volume. This time out we look at Showcase Presents: Superman volume 4. Reprinting Action Comics I#293-310 and Superman I#157-167, which spanned 1962 through 1964. How does it hold up? Rather well all things consider.
By this point, Superman was fully in his trickster phase, mostly scheming to stop Lois Lane and Lana Lang from trying to marry him. There are some exceptional stories in this those. The first one (that's not imaginary) is the introducing of the planet Lexor (Superman#164), in which Lex Luthor challenges Superman to a fist fight on a world where they're both equal.
There are also plenty of imaginary stories, most notably when Superman is split into Superman-Blue and Superman-Red. Red Kryptonite is also used (one might even say overused) and Superman is turned into a variety of things.
The covers from this era tend to be talked about a lot, with the story promising Superman trying into a man sized ant or lion, but they also tend to end the same. Mostly Superman playing a trick on someone usually to flush out a gang.
Still, lot of good stories and art.
By this point, Superman was fully in his trickster phase, mostly scheming to stop Lois Lane and Lana Lang from trying to marry him. There are some exceptional stories in this those. The first one (that's not imaginary) is the introducing of the planet Lexor (Superman#164), in which Lex Luthor challenges Superman to a fist fight on a world where they're both equal.
There are also plenty of imaginary stories, most notably when Superman is split into Superman-Blue and Superman-Red. Red Kryptonite is also used (one might even say overused) and Superman is turned into a variety of things.
The covers from this era tend to be talked about a lot, with the story promising Superman trying into a man sized ant or lion, but they also tend to end the same. Mostly Superman playing a trick on someone usually to flush out a gang.
Still, lot of good stories and art.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Essential Showcase: Spectacular Spider-Man volume 1
Digging through the archives and the dusty vaults, I found another interesting treasure. Essential Spectacular Spider-Man volume 1 contained issues 1 through 31 of Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976-1979). The idea of a hero headlining two books is common place now and even in the 1940's, but Marvel in the 1970's tended to have their characters in their own titles, crossovers aside.
The idea of this series was to focus on more on Peter Parker, rather than Spider-Man. By this point, Peter was still a college student and dating Mary Jane. Flash Thompson had returned from Vietnam, and the Green Goblin and Jackal were dead. This volume shows the origin of the Lightmaster, the return of the Enforcers, and the debut of the Hypno Hustler. It shows the story that reintroduced Flash's girlfriend Sha-Shan and has them rebuild their relationship. It also shows the end coda of the Champions.
The stories are bronze era Marvel at its finest. Peter is trying to grow and efforts are made to move him forward. The villains introduced are a mixed bag; the Lightmaster never got above the B list, whereas the Hypno Hustler became a punch line for the 1970's. The Beetle has a decent story, and we see the introduction of Carrion. We also have enough appearances of the White Tiger to almost make him the official co-star.
Bill Mantlo's handling of the characters is amazing. The book is worth it for that alone, but combined with the work of Archie Goodwin and Frank Miller before he went off the deep end, this is something to consider buying.
The idea of this series was to focus on more on Peter Parker, rather than Spider-Man. By this point, Peter was still a college student and dating Mary Jane. Flash Thompson had returned from Vietnam, and the Green Goblin and Jackal were dead. This volume shows the origin of the Lightmaster, the return of the Enforcers, and the debut of the Hypno Hustler. It shows the story that reintroduced Flash's girlfriend Sha-Shan and has them rebuild their relationship. It also shows the end coda of the Champions.
The stories are bronze era Marvel at its finest. Peter is trying to grow and efforts are made to move him forward. The villains introduced are a mixed bag; the Lightmaster never got above the B list, whereas the Hypno Hustler became a punch line for the 1970's. The Beetle has a decent story, and we see the introduction of Carrion. We also have enough appearances of the White Tiger to almost make him the official co-star.
Bill Mantlo's handling of the characters is amazing. The book is worth it for that alone, but combined with the work of Archie Goodwin and Frank Miller before he went off the deep end, this is something to consider buying.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Essential Showcase: Supergirl volume 2
From high atop my crackerbox palace, I see the wonders of all ages...and fewer things were wilder than the Silver Age of comics. DC comics at the time were seriously mental. Marvel may have had the pathos and cosmic drama, but did they have a tiny army of flying people?
For this time out, I'm cracking open Showcase Presents: Supergirl volume 2. Containing all Supergirl stories from Action Comics I#283 through 321 (1961-1965), we see how the character of Kara Zor-El developed.
Introduced proper in Action Comics I#252 (May 1959), Supergirl's early stories had a kind of left over feel to them. One could even think DC was simply rehashing some old Superboy stories. To wit, Supergirl has to fend off a pesky neighborhood boy who is convinced that that Linda Lee has superpowers and most of her adventures ended with no one being aware of who she was. She also fought against being adapted, as being with parents might expose her powers, but she was finally taken in by the Danvers.
For a while the stories followed a similar formula, but things started to change with Action Comics I#285. Superman decides it is time for the world to know of her existence, so he highjacks all the television signals in the world to announce he has a cousin.
One odd thing I noticed about the stories collected here is Kara herself. She changes. Superman always seemed to be a vaguely 30-ish, whereas Kara is introduced as a teen. She is adapted, graduates high school, and we see here her going to college. We also see the introduction of new supporting characters Lena Thorul, Lex Luthor's psychic sister, who adds a new dimension to the Super/Luthor dynamic. Kara also gets some new villains and in a rather surprising twist, her parents.
Yeah, it turns out her parents survived her home planet's destruction by putting themselves in a Phantom-Phantom Zone. From the stories collected here, it isn't made that big of a deal.
Not a bad read, and filled with plenty of Silver Age craziness to keep most readers guessing. There is enough material for one more volume, possibly, although this came out in 2008.
For this time out, I'm cracking open Showcase Presents: Supergirl volume 2. Containing all Supergirl stories from Action Comics I#283 through 321 (1961-1965), we see how the character of Kara Zor-El developed.
Introduced proper in Action Comics I#252 (May 1959), Supergirl's early stories had a kind of left over feel to them. One could even think DC was simply rehashing some old Superboy stories. To wit, Supergirl has to fend off a pesky neighborhood boy who is convinced that that Linda Lee has superpowers and most of her adventures ended with no one being aware of who she was. She also fought against being adapted, as being with parents might expose her powers, but she was finally taken in by the Danvers.
For a while the stories followed a similar formula, but things started to change with Action Comics I#285. Superman decides it is time for the world to know of her existence, so he highjacks all the television signals in the world to announce he has a cousin.
One odd thing I noticed about the stories collected here is Kara herself. She changes. Superman always seemed to be a vaguely 30-ish, whereas Kara is introduced as a teen. She is adapted, graduates high school, and we see here her going to college. We also see the introduction of new supporting characters Lena Thorul, Lex Luthor's psychic sister, who adds a new dimension to the Super/Luthor dynamic. Kara also gets some new villains and in a rather surprising twist, her parents.
Yeah, it turns out her parents survived her home planet's destruction by putting themselves in a Phantom-Phantom Zone. From the stories collected here, it isn't made that big of a deal.
Not a bad read, and filled with plenty of Silver Age craziness to keep most readers guessing. There is enough material for one more volume, possibly, although this came out in 2008.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
So Long 2014 and stuff for 2015
There's going to be some more updates for 2015. I can't promise a new one every week, but hopefully once a month at a minimum. More details later.
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