Monday, May 10, 2010

1982 - Marvel Team-Up Annual #5

Marvel Team-Up King-size Annual #5 - Spider-Man and The Thing, Scarlet Witch, Dr. Strange, Quasar
Writer/Breakdowns: Mark Gruenwald
Artist: Jim Mooney

I fondly recall picking this issue up at the local conveniance store and reading the hell out of it. Rereading it, it still stands as a solid 1980s comic book and a good example of a significant event being told in the pages of one book.

While I enjoyed Jim Mooney's work in the 1970s on Amazing Spider-Man, I felt his output in the 1980s had taken a step back. Perhaps with this issue, it had to more with the stiff poses layed out by Gruenwald's breakdown, who was always more of a writer than artist and would occasionally dabble as an artist (see Hawkeye miniseries).

But, don't get me wrong, the art in this issue still works and in a few places, works very well, particularly with the panel layout and arrangement (see attached page #9).


The story starts with a wonderful hook that just throws you into the story. Gruenwald was no stranger to Quasar as he had co-written the later 1970s Project Pegasus run in Marvel Two-In-One.

The story takes a little while to get going as the heroes are gathered and the backstory of the Serpent Crown is told (as Spidey drives to Project Pegasus with Dr. Strange in the passenger side!). But, from then on, it's a great ride throwing together a bunch of heroes who normally don't team-up together that often.

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