Warlock First Appearance - Marvel Premiere 1

[joe_collector]

I was re-reading these issues on the weekend, and I came to conclusion that Warlock's first appearance is actually Marvel Premiere #1.

 

I say this because his Him days are very similar to characters like Carol Danvers, who appear in one form earlier, and then assume their super-hero guise and powers later on. Different appearances for different iterations of the same person. Him is not Warlock, any more than Carol Danvers is Ms. Marvel.

 

In Marvel Premiere 1, the High Evolutionary gives Him (who has emerged from the cocoon more evolved) a new costume, a new name (Men shall call you Adam Warlock), a new world of Counter Earth, and most importantly of all, the powerful soul gem that we all associate with Warlock. That issue was the day Warlock appeared first, and should be given a lot more attention that those stupid Him books.

 

Even the Warlock Essentials TPB starts with Marvel Premiere #1, which was a smart move, as the characters of Him and Adam Warlock have virtually nothing in common.

[boomtown]

I was re-reading these issues on the weekend, and I came to conclusion that Warlock's first appearance is actually Marvel Premiere #1.

 

I say this because his Him days are very similar to characters like Carol Danvers, who appear in one form earlier, and then assume their super-hero guise and powers later on. Different appearances for different iterations of the same person. Him is not Warlock, any more than Carol Danvers is Ms. Marvel.

 

In Marvel Premiere 1, the High Evolutionary gives Him (who has emerged from the cocoon more evolved) a new costume, a new name (Men shall call you Adam Warlock) and most importantly of all, the powerful soul gem that we all associate with Warlock. That issue was the day Warlock appeared first, and should be given a lot more attention that those stupid Him books.

 

Even the Warlock Essentials TPB starts with Marvel Premiere #1, which was a smart move, as the characters of Him and Adam Warlock have virtually nothing in common.

 

I agree, but the High Evolutionary just named him Warlock. It wasn't until Marvel Premiere #2 that one of the hippie kids said he needed a first name & named him Adam.

[jools&jim]

 

I'm on board with this as well.

 

The FF and Thor books are interesting as backstory, but Gil Kane's classic '70s design for the character, and the religious themes and quasi-religious tone of the stories Warlock would appear in through the late '70s at least, started in MP #1, and are pure BA Marvel all the way...

[Jeffro.]

Does Him as presented in FF and Thor look at all like the Warlock we see in MP1?

Is he ever referred to as Warlock prior to MP1?

[AGGIEZ]

Does Him as presented in FF and Thor look at all like the Warlock we see in MP1?

Is he ever referred to as Warlock prior to MP1?

 

 

I love these arguments...and I always circle back to Tales to Astonish #27 vs. #35.

 

[jools&jim]

 

Does Him as presented in FF and Thor look at all like the Warlock we see in MP1?

 

Sort of...

 

[joe_collector]

Does Him as presented in FF and Thor look at all like the Warlock we see in MP1?

Is he ever referred to as Warlock prior to MP1?

 

No and No

 

It's really a totally different character that 70's Marvel appropriated and gave new powers, new costume, new world (Counter Earth), new name, new Soul Gem, etc. and superhero-ified up for his own comic title.

[joe_collector]

I love these arguments...and I always circle back to Tales to Astonish #27 vs. #35.

 

That's not the same thing, as it was just a costume really.

 

Him and Warlock are two totally different characters, like Carol Danvers and Ms Marvel. Marvel did the same thing with both, and dug into the past when they needed a new superhero.

[Jeffro.]

Does Him as presented in FF and Thor look at all like the Warlock we see in MP1?

Is he ever referred to as Warlock prior to MP1?

 

No and No

 

It's really a totally different character that 70's Marvel appropriated and gave new powers, new costume, new world (Counter Earth), new name, new Soul Gem, etc. and superhero-ified up for his own comic title.

 

That was always my assumption. What I know of Him/Warlock pre-MP1 is the covers of the FF and Thor books. I suppose I should read them one of these days.

[joe_collector]

This is more Patsy Walker and Hellcat territory.

[jbud73]

Well Vince I would love it if the collectorate agreed with you for a very selfish reason. I currently have a 9.0 Thor 165 and want to upgrade to a 9.4 copy but this book has been getting some attention lately, the black cover already makes it a bit tougher, so the cost of the two grade increments has been jumping and this is currently a $500 book in 9.4

[joe_collector]

I wouldn't hold out any hope, as the lemmings buy what they're told to. They're probably out there buying up all the First Apps of Carol Danvers too, which will pizz off collectors of MSH 13.

[whetteon]

I disagree. The character is clearly Adam Warlock and just because a writer chooses to take the character in a different direction doesn't mean his true 1st app. suddenly changes.

 

[joe_collector]

I disagree. The character is clearly Adam Warlock

 

If Thanos walked out in a Speedo swimsuit, called himself Her, talked like a doofus, didn't have his traditional super-powers, and started attacking other super-villains, I sincerely doubt I'd be supporting that as his first appearance.

 

Now I am not saying that Him wasn't transformed into Adam Warlock, only that it's similar to other scenarios (like Carol Danvers to Ms. Marvel or Patsy walker to Hellcat) where one character is transformed into a different superhero.

[joe_collector]

Wiki has it right. Two different characters, two different appearances and list of creators:

 

First appearance

 

(as Him) Fantastic Four #66-67 (September–October 1967)

(as Adam Warlock) Marvel Premiere #1 (April 1972)

 

Created by

 

(Him)

Stan Lee

Jack Kirby

 

(Adam Warlock)

Roy Thomas

Gil Kane

[whetteon]

I disagree. The character is clearly Adam Warlock

 

If Thanos walked out in a Speedo swimsuit, called himself Her, talked like a doofus, didn't have his traditional super-powers, and started attacking other super-villains, I sincerely doubt I'd be supporting that as his first appearance.

 

Now I am not saying that Him wasn't transformed into Adam Warlock, only that it's similar to other scenarios (like Carol Danvers to Ms. Marvel or Patsy walker to Hellcat) where one character is transformed into a different superhero.

 

 

Can't argue with wikipedia.

 

[joe_collector]

The biggest factor for me is the Soul Gem, as that is Warlock's defining characteristic and is really what created this whole current mythos about the Soul Gems, Thanos and the Infinity stuff.

 

I really think that Marvel Premiere is a very important book, and very under-appreciated by the slab-toting collectors.

[Philreal]

 

I really think that Marvel Premiere is a very important book, and very under-appreciated by the slab-toting collectors.

 

+1

[Gatsby77]

Sorry Whet--I'm with JC on this one.

 

The Warlock who appears in Marvel Premiere 1 is _not_ the same as the prior Him character--new name, new costume, new power, from the soul gem--which indeed defines the character.

 

It'd be like arguing that the Sandman character who first appears in the 1989 # 1 is the same as the Kirby iteration from the 70s series. While technically true, it's...just...not.

 

Keith Contario said as much in a 1991 Overstreet's update, when he acknowledged FF 66 was technically the first appearance of the character, but MP 1 was far and away the most _important_ in the character's mythos--new costume, new name, origin and power.

 

Other than that, I have no dog in this fight--I sold my CGC 9.0 and 9.6 copies of MP 1 earlier this year.

[DavidTheDavid]

Well Vince I would love it if the collectorate agreed with you for a very selfish reason. I currently have a 9.0 Thor 165 and want to upgrade to a 9.4 copy but this book has been getting some attention lately, the black cover already makes it a bit tougher, so the cost of the two grade increments has been jumping and this is currently a $500 book in 9.4

$500 you say?

 

Check this out.