CBR Live! Archive
Scott's Classic Comics Corner: Let's Peer at Marvel Premiere (pt. 2)
Continuing from yesterday's entry - here's more of the high and lows of Marvel Premiere:
Jumping ahead to issue #43, we find Paladin, the rather intriguing mercenary who first popped up in Daredevil. I was re-reading this book not too long ago, having skipped the credits page and it didn't take me long to realize that it was written by Don McGregor, the archenemy of the typewriter. Ugh, what a wordy mess! Now, I normally loooooove Tom Sutton's artwork, but it just doesn't work here. Perhaps it's the color job or just the shoddy production, but everything gets blurred together and it's extremely difficult to follow. In the right hands, this could have worked out as a decent story. As it stands, I can only recommend that you avoid it at all costs.
If I've been sounding a bit negative in discussing the last few issues, get ready for a change of tone because I totally love the Scott Lang Ant-Man that pops up here for a couple of issues. These are two fine, fine issues written by one of my all-time favourites, Dave Michelinie. I met Dave last year, but got so wrapped up in telling him how much I loved his Unknown Soldier that I forgot to mention that I loved how he brought back Ant-Man. These issues also feature absolutely beautiful artwork by Byrne and Layton. This is very good stuff - compelling storytelling and imaginative art. It's definitely some of the best comics of this whole series.
Skipping ahead to the three issue Black Panther arc, Ed Hannigan tried to tie up the loose ends from Don McGregor's KKK storyline in Jungle Action, all but ignoring all of the craziness (and I mean that in a good way) that we saw in the Kirby series. Hannigan does a pretty good job but, much like McGregor, his scripts are far too wordy. It can be exhausting trying to trudge through some of the dialogue, but the overall concepts are good and it's a shame that the execution wasn't better. I feel much the same about Jerry Bingham's pencils - sometimes they look ok, but other times they look like they are straight out of 1981 issue of Charlton Bullseye (and I don't mean that in a good way). One of these issues has a great letter from Jim Oswley (Christopher Priest) commenting on the portrayal of Harlem and black stereotypes in the Falcon issues. That's the kind of stuff you miss in trades.
Gene Day absolutely rocks in the Caleb Hammer issue, with help from Tony DeZ. The first new western character introduce at Marvel in a decade. He's rough and tumble Pinkerton agent with a tragic past who resembles Clint Eastwood even more than Jonah Hex. There's not all that much new here, but it is a wonderfully delivered western story and a nice change from the revolving door of second stringers. It's quite incredible how much background is crammed in here without really interfering with the action. It's truly too bad that westerns had fallen out of favor as I really think that Peter Gillis and Gene Day were onto something here.
We talked a lot about Howard Chaykin creations and artwork in the earlier issues, and he now returns with Dominic Fortune. Fortune is a character who, for all intents and purposes originated at Atlas-Seaboard as the Scorpion. He's a fun old school adventurer who first joined the Marvel Universe in the mid-70s with infrequent appearances. This is a very, very fun issue with Chaykin's layouts beautifully finished by Terry Austin. What a treat it is to see Austin's work in all its glory. For those of you who've met him, you know that Terry Austin is just about the nicest guy you'll ever meet. This is a superb single issue story - keep an eye out for it.
Finally, I'm going to leave you with Doctor Who. Aside from catching the occasional episode on the Buffalo PBS station back in the early 80s, I have next to no background with the good Doctor. These four books, which reprint the UK weeklies, are a lot of fun but the real treat is to gaze at Dave Gibbons' beautiful artwork. As an added bonus, there is some new, US material by Dave Cockrum and Walt Simonson. Every time I see Cockrum artwork these days, I kick myself for not fully recognizing how awesome he was while he was alive. For some reason, one of these books throws in a Werewolf By Night story - I love those oddities. I'd imagine that these are a must have for any Doctor Who fanatic.
So that's a look at Marvel Premiere. I haven't hit them all, but this should give you a taste of what to expect. These books are permanent residents of dollar bins around the world, so you can cherry pick the best of the lot without taking much of a financial hit.
For more classic comic talk - visit my blog Seduction of the Indifferent
If you have any questions or comments - don't hesitate dropping me a line at scottshouldbegood at yahoo.ca.
- Posted on December 3, 2008 @ 01:47 PM
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20 Comments
tk.
December 3, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I don't know if I ever actually read it, but I've always loved that Dominic Fortune cover. I wonder if I still have it...
Hannibal
December 3, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I used to love Marvel Premiere and had every one of the issues you mention, in fact I still have all the Howard Chaykin ones, also Paladin, Caleb Hammer and Seeker 3000. I would be very happy if Marvel produced an Essential edition of the comic, preferably alongside one for Deathlok.
Nick Marino
December 3, 2008 at 2:14 pm
agreed. the ant-man issues are awesome with some incredible scripting and art.
Peter Manetas
December 3, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I saw Nick Marino's comment to "........Marvel Premiere." I was wondering why he is no longer doing reviews for Toy News Int.
mrclam
December 3, 2008 at 3:02 pm
You're right about those Ant -Man issues. Great stuff. As a bonus, my hometown (1 sq. mile big) is mentioned! If memory serves, it's Ant-Man's home. Later on, Vision and Scarlet Witch moved there as well. For a town with a population around 6,000, it sure has a high per capita of super heroes!
comb & razor
December 3, 2008 at 4:44 pm
ah, I remember that Dominic Fortune issue... so great!
Jack Norris
December 3, 2008 at 5:23 pm
We're starting to head into the 80s quality-slide on the second and third tier titles (big books with "star" teams tended to receive special treatment). Most notably, the way the newer cheaper printing process brought about Shooter's visual polices with their abundance of pale colours and white backgrounds.
MJ
December 3, 2008 at 5:44 pm
What? No Seeker 3000 or Man-Wolf and wasn't there a Tigra issue? Those were great fun. As for those mentioned, I liked them all, except for the Black Panther story. That just didn't coalesce into a good comic story.
MJ
December 3, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Oh, yeah. I remember that that Dr. Who cover (is it Terry Austin?) was hated by an acquaintance of mine because "Dr. Who does not have hairy legs!"
John Trumbull
December 3, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I've been wanting to get those Ant-Man issues for years. I'm still mad at Marvel for killing off Scott Lang -- what a waste.
Sijo
December 3, 2008 at 7:31 pm
The Man-Wolf MP story was one of my first American comics; I remember being totally baffled by everything in it, from the very idea (an astronaut turned werewolf turned god??), the Epic Fantasy setting, the deaths and maimings of some of the characters (that was a little too shocking) and above all, the incredible George Perez art. I also got the Scott Lang Ant-Man issues and a few others. For an anthology title, Premiere had a lot of quality stuff!
Johnny Bacardi
December 3, 2008 at 7:36 pm
That darn McGregor, writing lots of words and making his poor readers read. Must have been a taxing experience for you, I'm sure.
Mike Blake
December 3, 2008 at 9:26 pm
A fair point, Johnny B, and I should stick up for Don, being from my tiny home state and all.
But I did hear back in the day, and I admit I don't know if it's true or a comic book urban legend, that letterers wanted more money to do books written by Don McGregor because they had so much extra work to do on them!
Paul
December 3, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I had just gotten my first apartment. Sitting on the porch in late Fall. Smoking a cigar, downing a quart of "Cape Codder's" and reading the Man-Wolf "Star God" issues of Marvel premiere. Life was good.
Paul
December 4, 2008 at 7:39 am
Hey Mike. Hope you've been well.
I had also heard the "inking story" as it relates to Don. Roy Thomas had once done Don a disservice, as he stated that he would be apt to give Don the "almost cancelled" and experimental books. Some artists and inkers alike would shy away from working with him, noting that the job would be short-term at best.
We should also note Don's social contributions to the field. Comicdom's first inter-racial kiss (in Amazing Adventures) and Don and Paul Gulacy's god-awful explicit "birthing issue" of Sabre. I'm a liberal reader, and nudity and sex in comics doesn't bother me a lick (and it doesn't bother me to see "babies come out", I am a father after all), but that issue Sabre was just so gratuitous, it was disturbing.
RichYan33
December 4, 2008 at 8:56 am
Is the lettering on "KLAN!" on the Black Panther issue the same KISS' logo?
RichYan33
December 4, 2008 at 9:00 am
"One of these issues has a great letter from Jim Oswley (Christopher Priest) commenting on the portrayal of Harlem and black stereotypes in the Falcon issues. That’s the kind of stuff you miss in trades."
Or in any comic other than Spider-girl. Why did Marvel dump the letters pages? Because they got tired of people telling them that their books sucked?
Colin
December 4, 2008 at 11:51 am
Another hats off to the Ant Man issues. I absolutely love that story its brillant.
On another note there is a load more Doctor Who stuff produced in the weeklies that wasn't reprinted in these four issues. Including the rest of Dave Gibbons stuff that ran into the Peter Davison 5th Doctor stuff (with short drawn by the even better Mike McMahon). Its all been reprinted in the UK in collections from Panini which I'm sure you could source in US? Mind isn't this stuff being reprinted by IDW at the minute. Either way really good fun comics.
Jeremy A. Patterson
December 4, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Now that you have done Marvel Premiere, how about a look at some of the potpperi/try-out books from the other guys: AC's Americomics, the 1980s Charlton Bullseye, Charlton Premiere, Charlton's Spec8ial War Series, the 1980s Blue Ribbon Comics, the mid-to-late 1980s Archie Giant Series, etc.?
They are worth peering into!
J.A.P.
Roquefort Raider
December 5, 2008 at 6:40 am
I fully agree about the coolness of Caleb Hammer! It wasn't a particularly original concept, but it was beautifully executed.
On the other hand, we seem to have differing opinions of McGregor's scripting skills... I *love* his wordy stories and never-ending captions and dialogues !