1982 - Vison and the Scarlet Witch

Vison and the Scarlet Witch
Written by Bill Mantlo
Illustrated by Rick Leonardi (penciler) and Ian Akin/Brian Garvey (inkers)

Bill Mantlo deals with a lot of subplots which were not getting the coverage they deserved within the pages of the Avengers. His script and plot are well done, particularly the non-linearity of issue #2. Rick Leonardi’s pencils are sketchy and I’m not normally fond of them. However, Akin and Garvey’s inks add a softness and texture to the penciled art which I really enjoyed. The colorist, Bob Sharen, also does a wonderful job. And all-around good and consistent production for all four issues.

In issue #1, “Trick or Treat”, The Vision and the Scarlet Witch have stepped down from their duties as Avengers and move into their new home in Leonia, New Jersey. Jarvis gives the Scarlet Witch an ancient spell-book (recovered by Captain America #256), and unfortunately, as it is Halloween, Samhain, the eternal embodiment of all Hallows Eve attempts to free himself from the book. The Vision is kept busy battling some transformed trick-or-treaters, while the Scarlet Witch destroys the book ending Samhain’s threat.

Issue #2, “Faith of our Fathers”, has Robert (Whizzer) Frank asks the Scarlet Witch, who he believes is his daughter (see Avengers #185-187 where we learnt he wasn’t), to help him obtain custody of his son, the mutant-powerhouse Nuklo. The Vision accompanies them to the lab where Nuklo’s powers are regulated and they meet the scientist who is attempting to cure Nuklo. The scientist, however, turns out to be one of the Whizzer’s old enemies, Isbisa, and attacks them using powers that have been siphoned from Nuklo. With Nuklo’s help, they defeat Isbisa, but Robert Frank suffers a fatal heart attack.

Wonder Man guest-stars in issue #3, “Blood Brothers!”, to provide Vision with an energy transfusion to pull him out of a coma caused by the injuries he sustained last issue. Mantlo’s coma sequences are wonderful pulling in the Vision’s past, which included Ultron and the original Human Torch (whose body the Vision now occupies with brain patterns based on Wonder Man). The Grim Reaper (Wonder Man’s brother, and therefore the Vision’s as well) attacks eager to kill both the Vision and Wonder Man to satisfy his crazed lust for revenge. Wonder Man helps the Vision out of his coma and they defeat the Grim Reaper.

Magneto discovers, in issue #4 “Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself...!”, that he is the father of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto tracks his children to the moon, where the Scarlet Witch and the Vision are visiting Quicksilver and Crystal, who have just had their first child Luna. During the battle, Magneto reveals himself as their father and the battle comes to an end when it begins to threaten his granddaughter. Mantlo does a good job handling these characters considering they all are strong, distinguishable characters, such as Magneto, a powerful mutant striking back against humanity for their ill-treatment of him, or Quicksilver, the hot-tempered misunderstood mutant who has to settle into the role of father.

Mantlo demonstrates his strengths as a writer in this limited series. Perhaps most famous for his long run on the Incredible Hulk, Mantlo works each character effortless and lets them tell their story.

1983 - Cloak and Dagger

Cloak and Dagger miniseries - #1-4
November 1983 - January 1984
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Art: Rick Leonardi/Terry Austin

Cloak and Dagger made their first appearance in Spectacular Spider-Man #64. After a few sporadic appearances in that title, the powers that be at Marvel decided that it was time to try them on their own.

This four issue miniseries was clearly setting the stage for a ongoing series. It successfully established a secondary cast of characters that tempered Cloak and Dagger's vigilante tendencies. Mantlo introduced two characters, a police detective, Bridgid O'Rielly, and a priest, Father Delgado, who would challenge their vigilante behavior from the point of view of the law and of the church, respectively.

In their early appearances, Cloak and Dagger had no problems killing the drug dealers they preyed upon, but if they were to now be heroes they would have to stop killing. The series also focused on the powerfully symbiotic relationship between Cloak and Dagger that bind the two teenagers together.

Issue #4 retells their origin and goes into a bit more of the background of who Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen were before they become Cloak and Dagger.

After this miniseries, they would make an appearance in Marvel Team-Up Annual #6. In 1985 they would get their own regular series which would run for 11 issues. And after a run in Strange Tales (1987), they’d get another regular series that actually ran 19 issues before being cancelled.

Cloak and Dagger was always a tough sell for me. I enjoyed the odd issue when it crossed over, but I never found it compelling enough to add to my pull list. Interestingly, the two supporting characters, Delgado and O’Rielly stand out in my mind more than Cloak and Dagger actually do!

1984 - Jack of Hearts

Jack Of Hearts miniseries - #1-4 Writer: Bill Mantlo Artist: George Freeman First appearing in Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu #22 and then sporatically through the Marvel Universe, this second string character was given a four issue miniseries. In this miniseries, he learns that his new powers are growing uncontrollable and slowly killing him. S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters for Investigation and Law Enforcement Division) places Jack under house arrest in an attempt to study him and prevent his death which may result in a cataclysmic explosion. Marcy Kane, a former lover, is called into to study him since she’s an expert in biophysics. Mantlo uses good methods to avoid the expository clump of Jack’s origin, by exploring it through Marcy’s perspective as she reads through her notes. Jack learns from Marcy Kane that his mother was actually an alien from the same race as the alien attackers. His mother was an advance scout looking for a world that her people could flee to from their dying sun. Marcy also reveals that she herself is a Contraxian. After another destructive battle, Jack decides to accompany Marcy to her homeworld. A power struggle erupts on their homeworld of Contraxia where a survivalist faction plans to use Jack of Hearts as a mean of reigniting their dying sun, and not to mention securing a new position of power. Jack is framed and condemned by the Contraxia people who are all manipulated by this survivalist faction. Jack is put aboard a space ship that is targeted at the sun. There’s a change of conscience in the ranks of the villains which gives Jack an opportunity to escape, but he chooses instead to fulfill the mission and succeeds in bringing the star back to life. His powers, however, have been dramatically increased in scale and leaves Marcy and Contraxia behind to explore his destiny elsewhere in space. George Freeman’s art style works well depicting Jack of Hearts’ powers and the alien world of Contraxia. Mantlo provides strong characterization through change. A lot of nice plot twists and turns that really help pace the story and bring it to life.