Comic covers that made you read the comic

[Warlord]

I had to buy this one when I saw the cover. It just grabbed me -- what the $^@*!@*# is Spider-Man's costume doing in the 31st century? Who/what is the Spider-Man of Mars?

 

I eagerly read it. No actual Spidey app. Just his ragtag costume and an empty Spidey crypt! Spidey was referred to as "He who was The Last To Fall!" Cool stuff. But overall, horrible writing!

 

This one called out to me like some of the old gimmick BA and SA covers.

Share some of your own examples of covers that made you buy the comic!

 

Guardians of the Galaxy #54. And BTW, does anyone know what happens in the next issue? It appears that the villain, Ripjak, has some relationship with Spidey... now I've gotta find GOTG #55!

 

[backtomarvel]

Pretty humorous ... I do note by the plunging neckline of the superheroine over the costume's right shoulder that Versace was a visionary ...

[ninanina]

... does anyone know what happens in the next issue? It appears that the villain, Ripjak, has some relationship with Spidey... now I've gotta find GOTG #55!

 

 

SPOILER WARNING (Well, you asked)

 

In the next issue naturally there's a battle. Aleta, Yondu and Talon get beat up by Ripjak.

 

Conveniently, they come across his diary.

 

After Mars conquered Earth, they had a plague. While everyone else felt a bacteria on Earth was the cause as it was in the first invasion, Ripjack felt the cure would be found on Earth because of some tests he did. (They don't give us any detail on the tests) Anyway, for some other reason, he felt the cure revolved around Peter Parker's body, which was preserved inside some type of "war memorial". He disconnected something called the "eternal heart" and had a hypothesis the radioactive blood in Parker's body would be the cure. Only hundreds of Martians were left when he used himself as a test subject. It worked.

 

The blood began a long mutation process that did make him look more bi-pedal, so he had his "lab droids" manufacture the battle suit he now wears. Unfortuneatly, while all this was happening...all his fellow Martians died. So, like the Guardians .. he is the last surviving member of a race of beings. He is also the first super-powered Martian.

 

After the battle, Ripjack moves on to the next planet he has to obliterate. While in transit, he discovers the Guardians listened to his history and as a result he has to kill them in order for his origins to remain secret. He blows up the area they are in and you'll have to read the next issue to see if they survived. My guess? Yeah, I think so.

 

However, the planet Aron IV is no more as it becomes Ripjack's next victim.

[Warlord]

 

Thanks for the summary. Did you do that from memory? If so, great work at remembering the details! Or did u find the summary online somewhere?

 

I might still keep it in mind to grab that ish if I ever see it in a bargain bin, just for closure.

[ninanina]

Nah, I grabbed the issue I bought back in 1994 and re-read it. And...the story of Ripjack doesn't end there as there is a strong suggestion that we may not know all there is to know about the character. My guess is the Guardians continue on after this guy. So....you might have to buy a few more issues.

[PovertyRow]

A lot of pre-code horror covers made me read the comics. Initially to read the story "illustrated" on the covers. Later, to see if any of the stories bore any relationship to the covers!