Monthly Archives: November 2005

Marvel Premiere #31 [1976] – Cover

Probably the most obscure of the characters Kirby was tapped to draw a cover for in the 1970s. I have no idea what “Woodgod” is, either. Not a great cover, but I do like the villains and their ships.

MarvelPremiere31_536.jpg

Frank Giacoia inks.

Published 1976

Posted in Genre, Superhero | 1 Comment

Marvel’s Greatest Comics #37 – The Startling Saga of the Silver Surfer

A reprint of FF #50 (1966) here, the conclusion of the Galactus trilogy. Lots of fun and grand cosmic adventure in the first half, as the Torch returns with the Ultimate Nullifier, allowing the FF to get Galactus to leave.

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

The second half of the issue sets up some of the future stories and effects of the events of this story, including Ben’s melancholy and the Torch starting college.

Joe Sinnott inked the 20-page story. The cover is a non-Kirby new cover.

Published 1972

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Marvel Spectacular #5 – The People-Breeders

The lead story in this issue is reprinted from THOR #134 (1966), leading off with the wrap-up of the Ego/Rigel storyline, as Thor has fulfilled his mission and sends Tana Nile packing (and narrowly missing a meeting with Galactus, making a pulse-pounding cameo a few months after his first story in FF). Thor then goes to find Jane Foster, which leads him to the High Evolutionary and his New-Men.

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Lots of neat stuff in here. The New-Men obviously kind of remind you of the later creatures of Kamandi’s world, and frequent other uses of accelerated evolution in Kirby’s work.

One page is edited out of here, mostly the page with Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, between stories in AVENGERS, so it’s a 15-page story here.

Meanwhile, from JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #120 (1965) comes “Set Sail”, the departure of the heroes of Asgard on their grand quest in the 5-page “Tales of Asgard” story. As usual, lots of grandeur in the form of Odin’s send-off and intrigue in the form of Loki’s plots (foiled by Hogun), with some comic relief provided by Volstagg (including a cameo by the rarely seen but often mentioned bride of Volstagg).

Colletta inks throughout, including the cover reprint from THOR #134.

Published 1974

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Eternals #12 – Uni-Mind

Big time cosmic goings-on up in Olympia, home of the Eternals, as Thena returns with the Deviants Karkas and the Reject. The Reject attracts the attention of some of the female Eternals, but that’s interrupted when Zuras summons his people for the Uni-Mind ritual.

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

After a brief catch-up with Ajax in the Andes, we return to Olympia and the Eternals joining to form the Uni-Mind, a massive group-mind, to study the return of the Celestials to Earth. Very weird, in a trippy cosmic way, not something that makes a lot of sense, but certainly pretty to look at and think about.

Mike Royer inked the cover and 17-page story.

Published 1977

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

New Kirby updated

Just updated the Kirby release list over on the sidebar. The four “Marvel Monsters” one-shots with Kirby reprint backups came out, as did the FF wedding special, a couple of AC books, an ESSENTIAL TWO-IN-ONE with some Kirby covers and the coffeetable book MAXIMUM FANTASTIC FOUR (see this thread on the Masterworks message board for some scans and comments on it).

Posted in New Kirby | 1 Comment