Daily Archives: December 15, 2004

Machine Man #1 [1978]

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Leaping out of the pages of his origin in the last three issues of 2001 – A SPACE ODYSSEY, X-51 got a new name and his own series in 1978 (though the 2001 connection isn’t mentioned anywhere in #1, despite it being footnote-happy 1970s Marvel, presumably for some sort of trademark or copyright reason).

“Machine Man” opens up with Machine Man rescuing a hiker who somehow wound up hanging on a cliff. I like this page, which is a layout one doesn’t associate with Kirby, but which works nicely here.

Machine Man #1 [1978]

It’s a layout that doesn’t work if overused, but it does fit the situation here, and gives a nice feeling of vertigo in the first panel, and danger in the next two.

Anyway, after the events of 2001, Machine Man is walking the Earth, like Cain in Kung Fu. Oddly people don’t seem that shocked by his abilities like flight, extendable arms, superhuman strength and all that, accepting that it’s all experimental equipment he’s wearing. Whatever. He gets a ride from a psychiatrist who asks too many questions, so he takes off, only to be attacked by the army, still under the command of Colonel Kragg.

Fun start to what would be an uneven, but interesting, short-lived series. Royer inks the 17 page story (and really, man, 17 pages of story in a 36 page book? Who thought that was a good idea?), Giacoia inks the cover and Kirby provides a text page about some of the themes of machine sentience he plans to explore in the series.

Published 1978

Thor #177 [1970]

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This is Kirby’s second last issue of THOR (with a fill-in before the last one), featuring the story “To End in Flames”, ending an epic where Loki had managed to get rid of Odin and unleashed Surtur upon Asgard. In this issue, Loki flees to Earth, while Balder and Sif go to rescue Odin while Thor and the other warriors of Asgard attempt to defeat Surtur.

A very exciting action based issue, with lots of great scenes of Thor and his army fighting against impossible odds. The ending is a bit of an almost literal deus ex machina, but when you’ve got a character like Odin that’s going to happen from time to time.

The story is a page short, as this is from that period when Marvel was running two pages with half page ads. Annoying. Colletta inks the story, but it mostly looks good for Colletta.  John Verpoorten inks the cover, which is nicer.

Published 1970

Upcoming Kirby – March 2005

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A few other publishers have stuff of interest for March, in addition to the Marvel books listed in the last post. The stories in the AC book are from, respectively, BATTLE #68 and BLACK MAGIC v3#5. No idea what’s in the MODERN ARF thing, if it’ll have a full story or just a sample of art for an article.


AC
AMERICA’S GREATEST COMICS #11
Artists include Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Alex Toth and writers include Joe Gill. Special Steve Ditko issue featuring seven early classics: “3-D Death,” “The Night People,” “Night of the Red Snow”,”He’s Coming For Me,” “Little Boy Blue” (starring Mysterious Traveler ) and “The Shadow”. Plus, “Guard Duty”, penciled by Jack Kirby with inks by Ditko. Also. “Those Who Are About To Die” by Simon & Kirby and “Buster Crabbe” by Toth.
52pgs, B&W SRP: $6.95

Fantagraphics
MODERN ARF VOLUME 1 GN
edited by Craig Yoe
An irreverent new journal devoted to the art of the comics, Modern Arf is the first in a series of volumes in which the award-winning artist and editor, Craig Yoe, explores the unholy marriage of Modern Art and the Funnies, in a bombastic and entertaining way. The first blast features material created just for this book as well as classic material by Rube Goldberg, Jack Kirby, Hy Mayer, Winsor McCay, and Patrick McDonnell at the zenith of their wacky, surreal, and innovative best. Did you know Salvador Dalí drew comics? You’ll be able to see them in this first volume of Modern Arf accompanying an essay exploring his influence on comics, his animated cartoon, and examples of comic artists such as Steranko and Crepax who paid homage to the Spanish surrealist. Modern Arf is stunningly designed in an oversized format to give justice to the incredible art collected between its covers.
SC, 9×12, 128pgs, PC SRP: $19.95

TwoMorrows
ALTER EGO #46
This a special issue featuring the “Very Best of the 1960s-70s Alter Ego!” Behind a full-color cover by Bill (Sub-Mariner) Everett and Marie Severin (featuring all of Wild Bill’s greatest creations), there’s a kaleidoscopic cornucopia of the best and brightest stuff from the 1961-78 Alter Ego era! Features lots of newly-discovered art! Plus, there’s a classic 1969-70 interview by Roy Thomas with Bill Everett, the creator of Sub-Mariner, Amazing-Man, and Hydro-Man. In the interview, Bill tells of the early days, from Marvel Comics #1 through his 1960s work on Daredevil, Dr. Strange, The Incredible Hulk, and more. In this issue you’ll also have tons of rare vintage art by Carl Burgos, Paul Gustavson, Simon & Kirby, and many others! Plus 1960s A/E gems by Steve Ditko, E. Nelson Bridwell, Comics Code authority Len Darvin, Jerry Bails, Roy Thomas, and more. Rounding things out is Jim Amash’s interview with Lou Glanzman, the Golden Age artist of Amazing-Man, The Shark, and Air. Also, special tributes to Irv Novick and Christopher Reeve.
Magazine, 8×11, 100pgs, B&W SRP: $5.95