Stronguy Reviews The Marvel Bronze Age

[rjpb]

Those Kirby issues of Black Panther sound more entertaining than much of the tedious drek Marvel puts out today.

[Currin Comics]

Yes, however....Black Panther is continued in Jungle action # 5 after BP #15.....the JA goes 5-24.....then the story continues in Marvel Premiere 51-53

[nmtg9]

Yes, however....Black Panther is continued in Jungle action # 5 after BP #15.....the JA goes 5-24.....then the story continues in Marvel Premiere 51-53

 

JA finished Nov 1976 and BP started Jan '77. So wasn't it the other way round?

[sakaridis]

Yup! Jungle action came first. Black Panther #1 was published two months after JA #24 and it had absolutely no similarities,thematically or stylistically, with what had come before.

 

In short, McGregor's Jungle Action rules, Kirby's Black Panther sucks.

[Stronguy]

Yup! Jungle action came first. Black Panther #1 was published two months after JA #24 and it had absolutely no similarities,thematically or stylistically, with what had come before.

 

In short, McGregor's Jungle Action rules, Kirby's Black Panther sucks.

 

Wow, that's almost word for word what I had just typed.

 

There were high hopes for BP #1 since the JA run was well received (although it has a good bit of 70s suckage.) My guess is Marvel had the rest of the Jerry Bingham BP issues already done or close to it. Once it went over to Marvel Premiere (#51) it only lasted 3 issues.

[Stronguy]

Click here to add this thread to your watch list

 

Captain Marvel

Issues 20-62

June 1970 - May 1979

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Captain Marvel stated off as one of those middle of the road, Silver Age characters who was just popular enough to carry his own title for a while. Early in the Bronze Age (issues 20 and 21) the title got a little dated so they decided to pull the plug on it. However, just after the success of the Skrull-Kree War story in the Avengers they decided to bring it back.

 

Here's some background for those who don't know (and thusly are not cool)...

Mar-Vell was a Kree soldier who was sent to Earth to do recon.

Mar-Vell becomes enamored with the people of Earth and tells his boss, the Supreme Intelegence, to suck it. Sounds kind of like the Silver Surfer doesn't it.

Mar-Vell is branded a traitor by the Kree Empire and the Supreme Intelligence banishes him to the Negative Zone (home of such wonderful character as Annihilus).

Rick Jone is be-bopping around doing the sidekick thing and is tricked into putting on a pair of Negabands.

When Rick smashed them together he traded places with Mar-Vell.

Now Mar-Vell can go around and kick some bad guy butt... but Rick is stuck in the Negative Zone and hates it, probably because he's Annihilus' butt-puppet when he's there (that's just my interpretation of events... what happens in the Negative Zone stays in the Negative Zone).

Anyway, every time Rick get to come back to Earth he vows to never again change places. Right!, until someone starts kicking his butt on Earth then he's all like, "Oh Mar-Vell, save me, save me." ... ... Back to the Negative Zone where Annihilus waits with a smile on his face.

 

That kind of stuff ticks on for a few issues until we get to one of the greatest story arcs of the Bronze Age. In issue 25 this new guy named Jim Starlin takes over and the Thanos Saga begins. I'm not going to give you a play-by-play on this because you owe it to yourself to read these. On a high level it boils down to Thanos (fresh from IM 55) trying to get his hands on the Cosmic Cube so he can destroy the universes and maybe stand a shot at hittin'-dat-thang with Death. Yup... that's a little twisted but, hey, it's the '70s and anything goes. What ensues is a galactic battle that rocks on just about every level. If you haven't read this you need to find issues 26-33. You can get them cheap on eBay.

 

Issue 34 doesn't let up because that's where Mar-Vell, in a battle with Nitro, gets exposed to Compound-13, the gas that gives him cancel and will eventually kill him. This is the final Starlin issue and he tells you this much in a nifty Easter Egg on page 10, panel 6.

 

 

Issue 36 is a reprint of Marvel Super-Heroes 12 with Starlin front and end pages.

 

In issues 37 - 43 Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom knock out a pretty decent run. Mar-Vell and Rick leave Earth and travel to the Kree homeworld where they are separated by the Supreme Intelligence. There's a bunch of galactic, sci-fi stuff where Mar-Vell ends up fighting Draxx. It ends with them returning to Earth. All and all not a bad run.

 

Gerry Conmway takes over for a couple of issues then Steve Edelman takes over (Milgrom is still on the stick for the most part). To make the trip back to Earth Rick and Mar-Vell had been joined together again. In issue 50 the Super Adaptoid copies Mar-Vell and the Negabands and Mar-Vell uses them to free Rick from the Negative Zone once and for all.

 

Edelman's run is ok at best. Losing the whole "cosmic" theme really limits the character Starlin and Englehart built. Issue 55 brings in Pat Broderick and his cartoonish style. Once again, I'm not really sure if I like it or not. Just when I think I've seen enough and don't like it he turns out a panel or two or a page that's really pretty decent. Guess it is what it is.

 

Doug Moench takes over the last few issues of the series as Mar-Vell returns to space with Draxx. The stories are not really that good and obviously show the signs of this series death rattle. Issue 62 is the last of it... 'bout time. However Mar-Vell and Draxx get picked up for the first 4 issues of Marvel Spotlight vol. 2.

 

Summary:

This is a solid series with many more ups than downs. The Starlin issues are a must and you can pick up the rest of the run on the cheap. It's a good read up through the end of the Englehart run then it's take it or leave it.

 

Fan Letters:

Issue 20... Alan Kupperberg

Issue 40... Ralph Macchio

Issue 45... Ralhp Macchio

Issue 56... Kurt Busiek

 

[Doc Joe]

Strong Work, Strong Guy.

 

Is that flip well known or did you find it? Did he do that in other issues I wonder?

[bhhooks22]

I'm not really taking requests, I'm just posting as I read them. It's pretty much going to be alphabetical. Right now I'm reading Chili. Yeah, you heard me... Chili. Fortunately it's a quick read and kind of entertaining.

 

You'll take requests and like it Spalding !

 

 

[Stronguy]

Strong Work, Strong Guy.

 

Is that flip well known or did you find it? Did he do that in other issues I wonder?

 

I noticed it when I was reading it. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere so I scanned it while I was writing the review. Being that I initially mistook SIHT for SHIT it kind of jumped out at me.

[Stronguy]

I'm not really taking requests, I'm just posting as I read them. It's pretty much going to be alphabetical. Right now I'm reading Chili. Yeah, you heard me... Chili. Fortunately it's a quick read and kind of entertaining.

 

You'll take requests and like it Spalding !

 

 

 

Hooks found us! Gonna have to shut down this thread.

[bhhooks22]

I'm not really taking requests, I'm just posting as I read them. It's pretty much going to be alphabetical. Right now I'm reading Chili. Yeah, you heard me... Chili. Fortunately it's a quick read and kind of entertaining.

 

You'll take requests and like it Spalding !

 

 

 

Hooks found us! Gonna have to shut down this thread.

 

 

[Doc Joe]

as an aside, what is boxofcomics.com or what will it be?

 

Joe

[Stronguy]

as an aside, what is boxofcomics.com or what will it be?

 

Joe

 

BoxOfComics is a domain I was lucky enough to snag a few years ago. At one time I was going to make an online store but time, work and kids have stopped that for now.

[nmtg9]

what happens in the Negative Zone stays in the Negative Zone

 

lol

[bhhooks22]

what happens in the Negative Zone stays in the Negative Zone

 

lol

think I just laughed out loud during church prayer.

 

 

 

[bumpjay]

So, in this thread I'll start posting reviews of some of the more interesting books or runs I find. Some of these things completely fly under the radar so this should be an interesting experiment. Posting will be in a random order at first because I'm already through a long box and a quarter. Gee, only 15 more boxes to go.

 

 

ABSOLUTE best thread I have ever seen in this forum !!!!

VERY WELL DONE...!!! (thumbs u

 

Regards

 

Bump

[Stronguy]

Click here to add this thread to your watch list

 

The Cat

Issues 1-4

November 1972 - June 1973

 

Rating: 2.5/5

 

Now here's what the bronze age is all about. Need a book to bring on women readers? Well why not make her a cat... written by women and drawn by women.

 

Take a young college girl, have here marry an old fashion cop who wants a full time wife, have him get shot dead in clod blood and what do you get? Well, you get the making of a super heroine, of course.

Greer Nelson, strong, powerful, liberated, '70s woman... widow... is tired of being pushed around by sexist pigs. She teams up with an old scientist lady who is working on an experiment that will "fullfil the potential of womankind" (no kidding, I'm not making this up). The old lady gets herself killed and Greer, seeking vengeance, put on a cat costume to punish the evil men.

 

So that pretty much covers 4 issues. Thank god they didn't stretch this one out for too long.

 

All 4 issues were written by Linda Fite (former Mrs. Herb Trimpe). Art wise the book is pretty sold. Marie Severin does the first 2 issues. Issue 3 has some interesting art by Paty Greer (Cockrum). Jim Starlin and Alan Weiss team up for issue 4 and, while not great, show moments of greatness.

 

Summary:

It's pretty bad but in a good sort of '70s way. Being only 4 issues it's a must have if you're trying to catch the essence of the early '70s.

 

 

Fan Letters:

Issue 3... Frank Miller

 

[Stronguy]

Click here to add this thread to your watch list

 

Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders

Issues 18-19

January 1970 - March 1970

 

Rating: 2.5/5

 

This title reaches its end when the bronze age begins. Captain Savage is a poor attempt to recreate the success of Sgt. Fury just set in the Pacific.

 

These last two issues are a bit strange. They pick up with John Little Bear (see Combat Kelly) rescuing a woman from the evil Nips. As things wrap up Capt. Savage gets a Dear John letter from his wife and she dumps him. What a beeotch. Savage goes off... kills some Japs and splits on a submarine. He takes over as commander of the sub... kills some more Japs... then the series wraps up. And that's pretty much about it.

 

Summary:

Not a lot to say. Take it or leave it.

 

[Stronguy]

Click here to add this thread to your watch list

 

Chamber of Chills

Issues 1-25

November 1972 - November 1976

 

Rating: 3/5 (just because of all the cool covers)

 

Man, I love me some bronze age horror. For the money you don't get any better covers.

 

Trying to capitalize on DC's success with HoM and HoS Marvel tried to get things going but, in the end, ended up with just another '50s reprint book.

 

The first 6 issues feature new stories and the art is pretty decent... Brunner, Chaykin, etc... lay down some decent work. However, with issue 7 the book becomes 100% reprints. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it's just not as good as it could have been. I guess people like what they were getting because the run lasted 4 years on nothing but reprints and cool covers.

 

 

Summary:

Decent effort but the new content falls apart after issue 6. It's a great way to read '50s horror without breaking the bank. Get them cheap if you like to read. However, the covers on this title make it something great. High grade copies go for a premium... with good reason.

 

[Spider-Variant]

Click here to add this thread to your watch list

 

The Cat

Issues 1-4

November 1972 - June 1973

 

Rating: 2.5/5

 

Now here's what the bronze age is all about. Need a book to bring on women readers? Well why not make her a cat... written by women and drawn by women.

 

Take a young college girl, have here marry an old fashion cop who wants a full time wife, have him get shot dead in clod blood and what do you get? Well, you get the making of a super heroine, of course.

Greer Nelson, strong, powerful, liberated, '70s woman... widow... is tired of being pushed around by sexist pigs. She teams up with an old scientist lady who is working on an experiment that will "fullfil the potential of womankind" (no kidding, I'm not making this up). The old lady gets herself killed and Greer, seeking vengeance, put on a cat costume to punish the evil men.

 

So that pretty much covers 4 issues. Thank god they didn't stretch this one out for too long.

 

All 4 issues were written by Linda Fite (former Mrs. Herb Trimpe). Art wise the book is pretty sold. Marie Severin does the first 2 issues. Issue 3 has some interesting art by Paty Greer (Cockrum). Jim Starlin and Alan Weiss team up for issue 4 and, while not great, show moments of greatness.

 

Summary:

It's pretty bad but in a good sort of '70s way. Being only 4 issues it's a must have if you're trying to catch the essence of the early '70s.

 

 

Fan Letters:

Issue 3... Frank Miller

 

 

I have seen some original art pages for issue #5 to this series. They were done by Ramona Fradon. Does anyone know if all the pages are available as a complete story?

 

I think AlterEgo or one of those books may have had a story on it.

 

Overall, good job in this thread Strounguy.