As a company, Marvel Comics has gone by many monickers over the years, but none ever stuck out more in my mind than “The House of Ideas”. Many people argue that the 1990s attempts by Marvel to boost sales via Heroes Reborn and boost profits by self-distributing hurt the entire industry so much that they ruined their claim on good ideas, only offering BAD ones. But before all of Marvel’s big heroes teamed up to fight in the Secret Wars, and long before they worked together with their cosmic contemporaries to battle Thanos and his Infinity Gems, Marvel was proving itself worthy of that name on a regular basis. Every hero and villain had not yet met one another (and fought one another), and some teams were still in their growing pains or yet to be formed. Marvel Team-Up and Marvel Two-in-One were astounding readers by having two of the most popular heroes of the time, Spider-Man and The Thing, share adventures with everybody from Dominic Fortune and Frankenstein’s Monster to Iron Man and the Fantastic Four. The reason why these books were so popular was because the characters had never before shared the same page and fans got to […]
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During its celebrated publication run, Marvel Team-Up featured Spider-Man teaming up with a variety of A-List heroes, such as Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Thor and Daredevil. However, many of the issues presented team-ups with lesser-known heroes, as well as characters of a bizarre nature, including Werewolf by Night, Nighthawk, Paladin, King Kull, Dominic Fortune and the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” (cast members from NBC’s Saturday Night Live). One of the strangest denizens of the Marvel Universe to join Spidey in his continuity-free adventures was none other than Man-Thing! This creature from the swamps of the Florida Everglades used to be a man, but an experimental serum meant to create the next Captain America (i.e. super soldier formula) transformed him into a hulking pile of walking muck without thoughts or emotions. He now and forever roams the swamps, curious of humans he encounters, but hyper-sensitive to their sadness, anger and especially their fear. And many an unfortunate soul has discovered that whatever knows fear BURNS at the Man-Thing’s touch.
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In my ongoing hunt to obtain every comic book Bill Mantlo ever wrote, I’ve made it through most of the easy acquisitions and started working down the rare and obscure issues. I am unsure if and when I might own a handful of them, such as Uncanny X-Men #96 and Marvel Preview Presents #7, which is currently averaging several hundred dollars since it contains the very first appearance of Rocket Raccoon. Fortunately, I was able to fill in many of the gaps in my wish list for this campaign at C2E2, the Chicago comic book convention held in late April. One of the more pricey items I picked up is something I can now cross off that “hard to find” list, The Invincible Iron Man #86. Now, it wasn’t anywhere near the original cover price of 25¢, but I found it in immaculate condition. More importantly, it is a wonderful story from the greatest age of Marvel Comics, but since it did cost me so much, I drank my cup of coffee this morning BEFORE unpacking it from its protective sleeve. I happily bring you, “The Gentleman’s Name is BLIZZARD!”.
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The comic book medium was not oblivious to the Women’s Liberation Movement, which was hitting full stride in the early 1970s. Wonder Woman gave us her famous “Women’s Lib Issue” in 1972, where a de-powered Diana Prince fulfilled the presentation and deconstruction of a classic straw man argument (DC pulled the plug on that storyline following that issue). There were several attempts to feature female characters in comic books, hoping that this would result in new female fans, which was a very small percentage of their readership. While this did not result in a large increase in readers of any gender, it did produce some interesting and noteworthy stories. When Beware! The Claws of the CAT was launched in 1975, the first issue featured veteran creator Wally Wood as inker. New inkers followed him in the subsequent issues. Some theorize that Marvel pulled him from the book because he drew nipples on the book’s female characters (which the editor would need to go back and white out), but it very well might’ve been due to his declining health. The story of Greer Nelson, aka The CAT, would go on for three more issues and today Comics ‘n Coffee is proud […]
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Like many of you, I began reading comics at a young age. In my case, it was the early 1980s at the time when Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr. were reinventing Uncanny X-Men, Walt Simonson was storming The Mighty Thor and Boisterous Bill Mantlo was penning a variety of titles simultaneously, including Micronauts, Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man, Captain America, Rom and The Incredible Hulk. At such a young age, I was quite impressionable, and all the Marvel comics I enjoyed would make me into a fan for life. During these formative years, it would be Marvel comic books which played a major influence in developing my sense of honor and duty, expanding my vocabulary, defining what interpersonal relationships could be, and weaving my own fabric of morality. After 30+ years of reading comics by hundreds of storytellers, I can say without any hesitation that there could’ve been no better writer to help build my moral center than the Boisterous One. It would be during his run on The Incredible Hulk that I would learn key lessons about kindness, humility, forgiveness, love, heroism and sacrifice. They are lessons I carry with me to this day and which affect both […]
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Have you ever had the literary version of a steaming turd in your hands, only to marvel at its awfulness? It goes without saying that there are a lot of bad comics out there. Just look in the 25 cent bin at any comic book shop and you’ll find plenty of issues so horrendous that stores can’t even give them away. Occasionally, however, one pops up which forces the reader to simply beg the question: “what were they thinking?” In 1972, Marvel Comics founder and magazine publishing mogul Martin Goodman left Marvel and launched a new company, Seaboard Periodicals. With the help of Roy Thomas and Larry Lieber – Stan Lee’s brother – Goodman offered high-paying jobs to such names as Steve Ditko, Wally Wood, Howard Chaykin and Rich Butler. The story of Atlas/Seaboard is incredibly fascinating (and easily accessible by a simple online search), but today we are here to shine a light on the dystopian future which is inhabited by a savage known only as IRONJAW.
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Costumed Heroes and Their Real-Life Counterparts When I got back into comics in the early 2000s, I discovered the world of podcasting and was introduced to the joys of Queen & Country, Maus, Strangers in Paradise and other books I never knew before (not to mention the delightful works of Jeffrey Brown). But the thing all these books had in common was their level of seriousness – their realism, even – and it made me wonder: where were all the funny-books? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy both thoughtful fare and inconsequential cartoons as much as anyone. It was the meaningless fluff of the 1990s which lost my interest in comics, and now I found myself looking at comics in a new light, one which was vying for a place among legitimate literature. In 2014, I believe we have struck a balance, one where all types of stories are created, read and celebrated throughout the world of comics. These include biographical, historical and political stories; romance, horror, intrigue and science fiction galore; and traditional super-hero comics which continue to push the boundaries of credulity with their wonderful ridiculousness.
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“Hulk will SMASH puny bug man … as soon as bobsled race is over.” I had the pleasure this year to enjoy the NBC-TV broadcasts of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, as I’m hoping many of you also did. It was thrilling to see Ted Ligety win gold in the Men’s Giant Slalom, breathtaking to see Kaitlyn Farrington win gold in the Ladies’ Snowboard Halfpipe, and moving to watch Meryl Davis and Charlie White reach the top of the podium in Couples’ Ice Dancing. My heart sank to witness Shaun White fail to win gold a third consecutive time, as well as Shani Davis competing below expectations. At no point, however, did the athletes fail to impress me with their incredible acrobatics, strength and passion. While we may take for granted the super-human feats of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Children of the Atom, I have to literally marvel at the extraordinary endeavors of the Olympic competitors, for which I would not hesitate to apply every adjective which has ever escaped Smilin’ Stan’s erudite lips! Still, in the same year our puck-wrangling patriots defeated the indomitable team from the USSR in the “Miracle on Ice”, we learned courtesy of […]
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What if Hulk was one of us? Just a slob like one of us? I don’t know about you, true believers, but I find myself pondering the stories of our favorite Marvel heroes and wondering about the events unseen by readers’ eyes. What heroism might Luke Cage be hired to do between issues? What muggings might Spider-Man be foiling before we see him on page one? What board meetings might Tony Stark be attending over at Stark Industries? While the untold activities of our favorite costumed characters may be limitless, we have been blessed to benefit from the spectacular stories which inhabit the alternate time continuum which exists alongside our own, separated from it by the merest, thinnest reality! These are the stories of What If?, where the enigmatic entity known as Uatu the Watcher shares the lives of Marvel’s heroes and villains in worlds where events transpire slightly differently than those we know. Such questions have been explored as “What If The Phoenix Had Not Died?” (Vol. 1 #27), “What If Elektra Had Lived?” (Vol. 1 #35) and “What If The Amazing Spider-Man Had NOT Married Mary Jane and HAD Married the Black Cat?” (Vol. 2 #20-21). In the […]
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Small Wonder You can only experience something ONCE for the first time. Whether it’s Star Wars, a Tolkien novel or a first kiss, you can never go back and re-experience that “first”. Comics are no different. While I have been enjoying the works of Bill Mantlo for 30+ years, I had never read a single issue of Micronauts. One of the things that made Boisterous Bill so special was his desire and talent for telling stories outside Marvel’s super-hero continuity. Sure, he was compelled to bring in the occasional cross-over with the X-men, Fantastic Four and other franchise properties, but the worlds of Rom, Micronauts and Swords of the Swashbucklers existed without being hog-tied to Marvel’s complex history.
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Q: What could be worse than a wet costume? A: Wet costume covered by two kinds of wet fur! After 45 of these columns, dear reader, I fear that I risk creating the impression that Comics ‘n Coffee is nothing more than a cultural wasteland. And so, it is with that concern that I attempt to elevate the discussion to one of refined taste and the utmost seriousness. And thus, the Spectacular Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and X-Man/Avenger Beast (Henry McCoy) elegantly adorn our sophisticated cover, where a powerful winged enemy boasts “Even Spider-Man cannot stand ALONE against my powers for long!”. As the fearsome foe battles Spidey in the skies above Manhattan, a blue-furred acrobat swings from a high-rise flagpole to join the fray, interjecting “Got NEWS for you, buster–Webhead ISN’T alone!”. With the excitement building before we’ve even seen page one, so begins “The Claws of the Griffin”, the first meeting of two of Marvel’s most popular heroes!
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Swords and Sorcery and a mouth full’a Sass! Continuing the theme of medieval fantasy adventure (after all, I’m celebrating the 40th birthday of the Dungeons & Dragons RPG), we find ourselves in the midst of a tale of Camelot. Jovial John Buscema is well known for his incredible renderings during a historic run on Conan the Barbarian. At the height of his creative apogee, Marvel’s editorial team became aware of his fondness for the Prince Valiant newspaper strip. Further investigation revealed an idea which had been buzzing around John’s mind for a while concerning the legendary wizard, Merlin, and his service to the king of Camelot, Arthur. For a while, he was given full creative control of this project, and Marvel absolutely loved the pages he was turning in. However, as the project wore on, John noted that the story began to get away from him – he wasn’t sure where the finish line was, despite his passion for the artwork. Doug Moench was called in to join the Merlin team and “Quest of the King” was born!
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Here there be dragons … but never on this scale! In 1974, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson introduced us to a fantastic realm of dragons, magic, adventure and nearly everything else the imagination could fathom. While Dungeons & Dragons wasn’t the first invention of a table-top role-playing game (RPG), it became the most successful, as well as the predominant representation of RPGs in both the gaming community and in pop culture. This popular game sparked an interest in all things fantasy-related, not the least of which was J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” books (all published prior to 1955). What these works had in common was their world setting – medieval kingdoms and vast unexplored territories, and their heroes – knights, dwarves, elves and other adventurers who left simple lives behind to seek glory, treasure and evil forces which must be defeated. In 1977, Marvel Comics dipped their toes into this realm of fantasy (separate from the fantasy stories they’d told before, such as Conan the Barbarian) by creating Weirdworld.
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The Raging Behemoth Pays it Forward and a Hero for Hire Thwarts a Demonic Incursion. We all remember a time when there were only enough comics in our collection to fill a shoebox, much less a long box. Well, when my collection of single issues could still be counted on the fingers of one hand, I fell in love with the entire medium. Perhaps it’s cliche to claim that it was a single comic book which opened up a whole world of storytelling and fantasy to me, but I swear that it’s true. Some people can name such influential titles as Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns or Daredevil as their source of burgeoning fandom, but my father elected to bring home less sophisticated fare for his nine year-old boy. Today, we look back at Marvel Team-Up as a generic title from days gone by; it featured simplistic stories and threw together stories without adding anything significant to the landscape we now call the Marvel Universe. However, a title with nothing to prove and no ties to events or complex story lines can be appealing to a creative team. They have the freedom to tell stories which express their own […]
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Nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes and occasional grounds in your cup of joe. “Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don’t have brains enough to be honest.” Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents, not the least of which was being one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. Most of us are familiar with his exploits as a diplomat, a statesman, a scientist (think of kites) and a postmaster. What they didn’t teach in my history books, however, was how much he was a ladies man. In today’s scintillating story, the Master of the Mystic Arts, Doctor Stephen Strange, comes face to face with “The First American” in an adventure which began in the previous issue, Doctor Strange #17. The Sorcerer Supreme and his lovely companion, Clea, traveled backward in time to investigate a tome which theft from his Sanctum Sanctorum was thwarted – a tome named “New Atlantis”, by Sir Francis Bacon! Coinciding with the U.S. Bicentennial, the attempted theft of a text written by one of America’s most influential statesmen and philosophers is too much of a coincidence. Thus, our hero and heroine ride the sorcerous […]
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How about a large ooey-gooey eggplant pizza for his Holiness? Why is it that spiritual teachers must always originate from the Orient or remote parts of Tibet? I mean, when somebody from England, Germany or America tries to spearhead a spiritual movement, they are always called a cult leader. Or at best, a kook! When you hear the word “lama”, it’s always in reference to a high priest, a holy guide or a venerated spiritual master. In my neck of the woods, someone who meets that definition typically has his own televangelist show. But what if the Western world produced a bonafide holy man who grew up on Happy Meals and music videos? Would he be embraced as a source of great wisdom or rejected as an impious fraud? Thanks to Doctor Strange, we’ll learn just how such an occurrence might come about!
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Can justice be color-blind when it comes to super heroes? How “good” are the good guys who star in our favorite Marvel mags? We all know that Hawkeye started out as a villain before becoming an Avenger. Peter Parker allowed a thief to waltz right by him before he gave up wrestling for crime-fighting. And what about the Sandman, who established himself as a villain, yet made a genuine attempt at transforming himself into a hero? There are often shades of gray in the super-powered community, as proven in books like Thunderbolts and Punisher. The character of a hero may have chinks in its armor, and past deeds can have a way of tearing down the public’s faith in a good man. In this case, it’s the criminal activities of Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon, which threaten to bring his super-hero career crashing down around him. While it’s true that no one – be they Captain America, Thor Odinson or the President of the United States – can claim to be perfect, what happens when somebody who has done such good works, someone we believe is of strong morals, has to be judged for their crimes? Well, true believers, you […]
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Whatcha gonna do, brother, when PowerMania runs wild on you? Not every hero comes from noble or innocent beginnings, my friends. Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Uncanny X-Men were given powers through no fault of their own. Captain America chose his path to serve his country and battle the forces of evil. And the Incredible Hulk and Fantastic Four received their gifts only by accident while they were in the pursuit of scientific advancements. Typically, if a character seeks out superhuman powers on purpose, it is for their own selfish interests and, thus, they become a super-powered criminal or villain. In 1972, Archie Goodwin, John Romita Sr. and George Tuska created a hero unlike any other in the Marvel Universe. Carl Lucas, a hardened street tough serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, volunteers for a cell-regeneration experiment based on ideas from Captain America’s super-soldier formula. A prison guard with a grudge against Lucas sabotaged the experiment and the process left him with super-human strength and durability. His power allows him to escape from prison unharmed and he heads to New York City, deciding to use his new powers to launch a business venture as a “Hero for Hire” under […]
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Can the shining superstar realize her big-time dreams or will she perish before the pernicious power of Doom? With all the recent success of Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it takes some serious recollecting to travel back in time to when Marvel offered less-then-spectacular films on the silver screen. In fact, there was a period when Marvel Comics Group – despite all Stan Lee’s efforts to find a willing studio in Hollywood – couldn’t catch a break in bringing their Spandex-clad characters to life within a motion picture. Finally, the Casablanca Records label and Filmworks movie studio commissioned a project called “The Disco Queen” which was to feature a singing superhero from Marvel Comics. The plan was simple, a new disco-singing heroine would be introduced in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, feature prominently in Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and other titles, and then become a character in her own blockbuster movie! Artist John Romita Jr. originally conceived her as a mutant resembling Grace Jones (model, actress, singer) and she would possess the power to make people tell the truth. The movie studio, however, had other ideas, namely that she should look like sex symbol Bo Derek, and former […]
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America’s powerful patriot battles energy wasters and teaches us how to keep the power flowing long into the future! Comics teach us many valuable lessons, such as how underwear looks better on the outside and that radiation exposure is a sure-fire way to gain super powers. When it comes to solving the energy crisis, however, there’s only one hero who can fill up a bread bowl of patriotism with a red, white and blue grilled cheese on the side! Captain America and the Campbell Kids is brought to us by the Campbell Soup Company and Marvel Comics Group in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy in the crossover event of the decade (even hotter than the time Superman teamed up with the Quik Rabbit!). When ol’ Winghead takes time off from his duties as an Avenger and defender of Old Glory, he spends his days partnering up with toddlers of the pinched-cheek variety to bring us a lesson on saving energy hidden within all the joy and merriment of a comic book adventure. The Campbell Kids were a pair of children sporting the rosiest of cheeks created by Grace Wiederseim (also known as Grace Drayton and Grace Gebbie), a […]
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