This publish is Filed Under:
Home page Highlights,
Interviews as well as Columns,
Product evaluations
Wayne Markley
by Wayne Markley
In the 1970s, marvel published two series that both featured “monsters” as well as both had a number of similarities in terms of stories as well as themes in addition to artists. just recently marvel released collections of both of these characters in the total Monster of Frankenstein as well as volume one of Man-Thing by Steve Gerber. Both of these collections are excellent as well as they address what seem to be similar themes, which I am unsure if this is since it shows the time period, or since both are develops of monsters that experience from the exact same alienation as well as loneliness that many people do. Both of these collections are in full color as well as the Monster of Frankenstein collection is the total collection of the Monster of Frankenstein/Frankenstein’s Monster, Monsters Unleashed as well as marvel Team-Up. The total Man-Thing by Gerber reprints his very first appearances from savage Tales, Astonishing Tales (Featuring Ka-Zar), experience into Fear, as well as the early problems of his own book.
Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The total Collection Vol. 1
First off we have the total Man-Thing by Steve Gerber Vol. 1. This is a long book, over 400 pages of material including a fair amount of sketches, covers from reprints as well as reproductions of original art. The title is deceptive as it includes material not only by Steve Gerber, however were early (and first) Man-Thing appearances not written by him. The book opens with the very first Man-Thing story by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway as well as gray Morrow from savage Tales #1. It has all of the fundamental origin details that later stories would have, such as Ted Sallis being a scientist working on a trick job in the swamps as well as being betrayed by his girlfriend, Ellen as well as those who fear shed at the Man-Thing’s touch. based on this very first story it is not truly remove if it was meant to continue. next they reprint Astonishing Tales #12 as well as #13 featuring Ka-Zar by Roy Thomas as well as John Buscema with a flashback sequence by Neal Adams. right here Ka-Zar as well as Zabu go to the Florida swamps to assist a scientist named Barbara Morse (later to ended up being Mockingbird, as well as it is exposed right here she is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.). In this two part story it is exposed that Ted Sallis was working on a super-soldier serum (that made Captain America) as well as was being hunted by A.I.M. in the Florida swamps. This was a extremely great two part story however I desire there was a text piece explaining the Neal Adams flashback story. It reads as if Adams did the Man-Thing story for somewhere else as well as it landed up being put in this Ka-Zar story so it got used, however that is only conjecture on my part.
Adventure into fear #11
Next we get reprints of experience in fear #10-19. problem ten is by the innovative team of Gerry Conway with art gray Morrow as well as Howard Chaykin. when once again the origin is retold however this time around the A.I.M. as well as the super soldier aspects of the story are removed. problem eleven starts Steve Gerber’s run on the book. problem #11 has art by rich Buckler as well as Jim Mooney as well as twelve has art by Jim Starlin as well as rich Buckley. With problem thirteen it settles in with Val Mayerik as artist with different inkers with Man-Thing #5 when Mike Ploog takes over. I truly liked Val Mayerik’s art right here although it did tend to vary depending upon who the inker was. Mike Ploog does all the stories from Man-Thing #5 though the end of this collection, Man-Thing problem eight. just like Mayerik, Ploog’s art modifications based on the inker, however his penciling style is strong sufficient that the art is always fantastic while at times the inkers brought down the high quality of Mayerik’s art.
Once writer Steve Gerber took over experience into Fear, he ended up being the conclusive Man-Thing visionary. He produced a world where the swamps in Florida where the Man-Thing lives is the vortex of all realities so there is a wide range of stories that he might compose as well as do take place. Man-Thing is more of a participant than the lead in most of the stories. Over the thirteen Gerber stories reprinted here, Gerber is able to produce wide range of worlds, whatever from a carnival, to an alternating dimension where there are wizards as well as warriors to tales including the Florida Everglades as the backdrop. Throughout all of these stories there is a rich genuine estate designer named F.A. Schist who wishes to develop an flight terminal in the swamp where Man-Thing hangs out as well as the vortex of all realities exists. It turns out over the program of the stories that F.A. Schrist has an alternate motivation which ties into Florida’s Spanish history. It is rather a twist.
Gerber utilizes the idea of Vortex of all Realities to check out all kind of themes not generally seen in comics. He has his characters dealing with the ideas of god, religion, man’s perceptions of reality, as well as the idea of humanity overall. far deeper as well as thoughtful than most comics, as well as far much better written than Stan Lee’s Silver Surfer stories which dealt with similar themes however in a much more heavyhanded way. Gerber likewise offers with southern culture, both the people as well as the method of life. In the early problems there is a cult of wizards that seem to be the villains however they quickly turn out to be allies of the Man-Thing. In addition to the Cult of Wizards there is likewise a sibling as well as sister, Andy as well as Jennifer Kale, who likewise play a big part in the early Man-Thing mythos. It assists that Jennifer is a psychic as well as she is drawn to the vortex.
Man-Thing #5
One of Gerber’s other talents, other than checking out the human condition, is producing new characters. Within the pages of experience into fear he produced a number of new characters that ended up being stalwarts of the marvel Universe. early on in his run he introduced Wundarr, who would change becomes the Aquarian in the pages of marvel Two-In-One. What I discovered fascinating about this early appearance of Wundarr is his origin, which is almost precisely like Superman’s, as well as that was intentional. He likewise introduced the Foolkiller, who was a psycho who killed in the name of God since when he was young he was healed by an evangelist who turns out later to have been a fraud. once again addressing Gerber’s themes of religious beliefs as well as man’s believe in God. perhaps his most famous development came in experience into fear #19, Howard the Duck. Howard just of kind of walks out of the swamp without any explanation other than he is from one more dimension as there are numerous demons attacking the building team working on the airport. There was no introduction or huge entrance, Howard was just there as well as a few pages later the book ends with to be continued next issue. except the next problem was Morbius the Living Vampire (with fantastic art by Paul Gulacy). The story continues in Man-Thing #1 wrapping up the sword as well as sorcery story with the wonderful vortex as well as Howard is lastly provided a name, as well as is seemingly cast off into the void. (He comes back in giant Sized Man-Thing #4 in a solo story). likewise of note is Man-Thing #1 features Daredevil as well as the Black Widow briefly, for a two whole panels.
This collection likewise reprints the Man-Thing’s appearance from marvel two in One #1 featuring the thing as well as guy Thing. This was a bit silly as the thing is upset over the Ma -Thing being called “Thing” in the press. This problem likewise introduces the son of Molecule Man, as well as the story lays the groundwork of what Brian Bendis would later do with the Molecule guy in the Avengers. This problem of Two-In-One is likewise of note since the art is by the fantastic Gil Kane whose handle Man-Thing is a bit different. It likewise reprints Monsters Unleased #5 by Tony Isabella as well as Vincente Alcazar, which is a gorgeous looking story in black as well as white, as well as while not by Gerber, it is obvious Isabella had some guidance by Gerber in the plot. A few side things I noticed while reading these stories is the Man-Thing hears with his forehead, which is type of odd. Also, as he is made from ooze, therefore he cannot be killed, as in shown in a number of the stories.
Man-Thing compensation by Frank Brunner. From the collection of Roger Ash.
Overall I truly enjoyed this book. If you are a true Man-Thing fan you should try as well as find the Man-Thing Omnibus which has a great deal more material than what is in this book. I discovered the development of the character interesting as well as nothing like DCs Swamp thing that it is frequently compared to. There are similarities in the origin however after that the two characters go in extremely different directions. I liked most of the art as well as I truly enjoyed Steve Gerber’s writing. Also, if you are a fan of Gerber’s writing, you should inspect out my co-blogger Roger Ash’s columns, where he has written extensively about Steve Gerber as well as Howard the Duck.
Monster of Frankenstein
The Monster of Frankenstein is a strange book. The very first six problems of the book were called The Monster of Frankenstein. With problem seven the title is altered to Frankenstein’s Monster. The very first 11 as well as half problems were set in the late 1800s, a hundred years after the monster was created. With problem twelve the stories jumped to the present day (at the time they were being done, 1973) which showed the stories featuring Frankenstein’s Monster that were being published in Monsters Unleased. Monsters Unleased was a marvel black as well as white magazine in the early 70s that featured all new stories of Frankenstein, Man-Thing, Wendigo, Werewolf by Night, as well as others. Frankenstein’s Monster appeared in Monsters Unleased #2, as well as # 4-10.
Monster of Frankenstein #1
When the title was introduced it was written by Gary Friedrich with art by Mike Ploog. I liked the Ploog art on this series. His monster was fantastic as well as his backgrounds were breathtaking as well as detailed. John Buscema took over on the art with problem seven that started a story that ran with problem 10. Bob brown stepped in to draw number eleven. The very first six problems told the story of Frankenstein producing the monsters (and his bride) as well as the monster’s hatred for the Frankensteins. These early problems jump around in time, flashing back to the monsters development in the late 1700s to the late 1800s when the monster is rescued from an icy grave. With problem seven the monster hooks up with a traveling gypsy group as well as in turn confronts Dracula, as well as continues his quest for a friend.
With problem #12 Doug Moench took over as writer. This was an strange problem as the story starts the late 1800s as well as jumps to 1973 as well as includes a strange story about swapping brains as well as the monster getting a new brain however losing his capability to speak. Moench composed the book with problem 17 as well as 18 was written by expense Mantlo. problem twelve with eighteen were all drawn by Val Mayerik, who likewise did the Monster stories in Monsters Unleashed. In the monthly comics Mayerik’s art would vary depending upon his inker (just like his work on Man-Thing), however his black as well as white penciled work in Monsters Unleashed is just amazing. The cost of this book alone is worth it just to see these stories. His version of the Frankenstein Monster rivals Berni Wrightson’s traditional interpretation.
Monsters Unleashed #6
Issues #13-18 discover the Monster traveling from east coastline to the West coastline as well as back once again making new friends, only to have those buddies be killed as well as the monster when once again being alone. This story of the monster’s loneliness runs throughout the series as well as I believe it was meant to make him sympathetic even though the monster kills a number of people.
The method the stories are collected in this trade is different in that marvel reprints the very first 12 problems of the comic then the Monster Unleashed stories which were set in the present day (and were by Moench as well as Mayerik) then they throw in giant Sized Werewolf #2 were Frankenstein’s Monster satisfies the Werewolf by Night. It then picks up with Frankenstein’s Monster #13 set in the contemporary day as well as continuing the stories from Monsters Unleashed. At very first glimpse it is a strange method to gather the stories however it makes completely great sense in terms of reading the stories to ensure that they flow in an even way.
Frankenstein Monster #12
The final run of stories from problems #13-18 function an evil cartel total with giant robots, as well as the introduction of woman Frankenstein. problem #18 ends with a cliffhanger that never gets resolved. however this trade does gather the Frankenstein’s Monsters next appearances from marvel team Up #36-37 where the monster teams up withSpider-Man as well as the Man-Wolf. A so-so story that truly does not wrap up any type of of the hanging storylines.
Once once again I truly enjoyed this book. It hits a few bumps in the road when it modifications innovative teams, however general I discovered this book to be a joy to read. I especially liked the art by Ploog as well as Mayerik. I would suggest this collection to comic fans or fans of horror comics.
This wraps up this week’s blog. I hope you inspect out these two collections. They are offered at either of Westfield’s retail places in Madison or on the internet with www.WestfieldComics.com. whatever written right here is my viewpoint as well as does not show the thoughts or opinions of Westfield Comics, their parent business or the retail stores. have you checked out these books? What did you think? Did you enjoy them as much as I did? I would like to know. I can be reached at mfbway@aol.com. up until next time, as always…
Thank you.
Classic covers from the Grand Comics Database.