Comments on: Scott's Classic Comics Corner: Let's Peer at Marvel Premiere (pt. 2)

By: Roquefort Raider

Roquefort Raider — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:40:54 +0000

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 !

By: Jeremy A. Patterson

Jeremy A. Patterson — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:04:55 +0000

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.

By: Colin

Colin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:51:23 +0000

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.

By: RichYan33

RichYan33 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:00:11 +0000

"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. Thatâ€™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?

By: RichYan33

RichYan33 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:56:43 +0000

Is the lettering on "KLAN!" on the Black Panther issue the same KISS' logo?

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:39:54 +0000

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.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:17:08 +0000

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.

By: Mike Blake

Mike Blake — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:26:32 +0000

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!

By: Johnny Bacardi

Johnny Bacardi — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:36:51 +0000

That darn McGregor, writing lots of words and making his poor readers read. Must have been a taxing experience for you, I'm sure.

By: Sijo

Sijo — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:31:26 +0000

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!

By: John Trumbull

John Trumbull — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:23:55 +0000

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.

By: MJ

MJ — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:45:57 +0000

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!"

By: MJ

MJ — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:44:12 +0000

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.

By: Jack Norris

Jack Norris — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:23:47 +0000

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.

By: comb & razor

comb & razor — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:44:03 +0000

ah, I remember that Dominic Fortune issue... so great!

By: mrclam

mrclam — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:02:27 +0000

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!

By: Peter Manetas

Peter Manetas — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:46:10 +0000

I saw Nick Marino's comment to "........Marvel Premiere." I was wondering why he is no longer doing reviews for Toy News Int.

By: Nick Marino

Nick Marino — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:14:46 +0000

agreed. the ant-man issues are awesome with some incredible scripting and art.

By: Hannibal

Hannibal — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:08:38 +0000

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.

By: tk.

tk. — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:55:55 +0000

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...