1981 - Superman and Spider-Man

Marvel Treasury Edition #28

Writer: Jim Shooter with plot suggestions by Marv Wolfman

Artists: John Buscema/Joe Sinnott

62 pages

"The Heroes and the Holocaust!" is the second meeting between company flagship characters and a sequel to 1976's "Superman vs the Amazing Spider-Man". Oddly enough, their first meeting isn't even brought up.

It turns out to be an entertaining story. Doctor Doom tries to put the final pieces of his latest diabolical scheme into motion, one of which includes having a rampaging Hulk make his way into downtown Metropolis. The Hulk's rampage draws the attention of Superman who deals with the threat and figures out that Doctor Doom is behind it. He confronts Doom and vows to stop him. In their own seperate ways, Spider-Man and Superman discover Doctor Doom's base of operations in New York City and they team up to prevent the Omega Project from succeeding. Doom escapes to his Latverian Embassy where hides behind his diplomatic immunity.

Wonder Woman and the Hulk kind of just get thrown into the story as their roles aren't integral to the plot, but I can see why they've been included to hype their respective live action TV shows that were big at the time. Yet, there is no advertisement for either show in the issue.

The Parasite doesn't strike me as an upper tier villain so I was curious as to why Shooter didn't bring in Luther or Brainiac to complement Dr. Doom. I'm surprised that DC didn't ask for more of a heavy weight villain to get equal coverage. Doom is easily one of Marvel's grandest villains, but Parasite, come on!

Jim Shooter provides his usual over the top dialog, especially with Doom's soliloquies:

"Once happiness seemed so much closer ... so easily within my grasp! For a darkly handsome gypsy youth ... a dabbler in sorcery, it seemed all roads led to success ... to fulfillment ... even love! Then came the accident which runined my face and my life in one single, searing instant! The paths are less clear now, for a man, whose chief please -- is shattering mirrors!"

Really nice pencilled art by "Big" John Buscema and solid inks by "Jolting" Joe Sinnott. It also seems that the backgrounds were inked by the rest of the Marvel Bullpen with Terry Austin, Klaus Janson, Bob McLeod, Al Milgrom, Steve Leialoha, Walt Simonson, Bob Layton, Joe Rubinstein, and Bob Wiacek lending a hand.

All in all, it wasn't the crossover to end all crossovers, but it did provide some pretty neats scenes: Superman taking on the Hulk, Dr. Doom trying to persuade Superman to join him, and having both Peter Parker and Clark Kent interact in each other workplaces.

Later on in 1981, DC and Marvel would come out with another cross-over featuring the Hulk and Batman and then have the X-Men co-star with the New Teen Titans. This issue is reprinted in Crossover Classics Volume 1 trade paperback which also features "Superman versus. The Amazing Spider-Man", "Batman and The Incredible Hulk", and "The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans".

Marvel Comics of the 1980s on hiatus

The Daredevil - Born Again post will be my last for a few weeks. My wife's due date is around the corner and I need to reduce the number of things I'm doing. But, I will be back...

1985 – Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil #226-233
January - August 1985
Writer(s): Frank Miller/Dennis O'Neil
Artist(s): David Mazzuchelli/Dennis Janke

Frank Miller, famous for his early run on this title, helps Denny O’Neil co-write Daredevil #226, “Warriors”, a 24-page story. Miller, after this issue, would replace O’Neil as the regular writer. The dialog is strong and has a sharp, chilling edge to it. David Mazzuchelli’s art is finished by Dennis Janke and doesn’t stand well compared to his solo art that will follow for the next seven issues.

Melvin Potter, a reformed foe of Daredevil called the Gladiator, is forced back into crime by a group of thugs who have kidnapped his lover and demand money, that he can only get from a series of robberies. Daredevil, who’s suffering through an emotional low with Heather’s recent suicide and the closing of his firm, hears about Potter’s latest robbery. Gloria O’Breen who is desperate trying to get through to Murdock seeks the advice of his closest friend, Foggy Nelson and both unexpectedly find pleasure in each other company. Daredevil confronts Potter, but isn’t really interested in his excuses. Daredevil beats him up and then realizes to his shame that Potter isn’t responsible, and helps Potter free his lover.

The "Born Again" story line by Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli runs through Daredevil #227- 231. Miller and Mazzuchelli open issue #227, “Apocalypse”, with former supporting character (who left to become a movie star, but ended up a junkie in porn movies) Karen Page selling Daredevil’s secret identity to her drug dealer for a hit. This information filters up the ranks of organized crime to the Kingpin who sets in motion a plan that will destroy the unsuspecting Murdock. The Kingpin’s recipe is as follows: one call to the bank to put Murdock’s mortgage payments in arrears, one call to the IRS to freeze Murdock’s assets with a timely audit, one call to a cop (who needs money for his son’s surgery) to hit Murdock with a charge of perjury, a couple of calls to the local utilities to shut off his power and phone service, and let simmer until ready to serve desert which is to blow up Murdock’s home before his very eyes.

Miller provides a text book example of how to properly control the rate of revelation, which is so important in story telling. The subplots in this story effectively pace the events. Getting the Kingpin’s perspective as Murdock and Nelson battle in vain to defend against the perjury charges was brilliant. Not to forget the final “rug-pulling”, as Murdock avoid jails, but has his license to practice law revoked, at which point the reader is finally able to sigh in relief that the Murdock’s luck is finally changing. No such luck as Murdock witnesses the total destruction of his home.

In Daredevil #228, “Purgatory”, Murdock suffers a total mental breakdown, and is unable to distinguish reality from delusion and paranoia. Murdock makes his way to the Kingpin. Their battle is one sided as the Kingpin breaks Murdock physically. Their stage an accident in order to dispose of Murdock, but when it is discovered, Murdock is nowhere to be found.

In issue #229, “Pariah”, Ben Urich, a veteran reporter for the Daily Bugle, gets a whiff of what has happened to Murdock and doesn’t believe those charges against him. Urich investigates the cop, Manolis, who pressed those charges and learns that his son has died. No longer feeling any loyalty towards the Kingpin, he wants to tell Urich the whole story. A nurse working for the

Kingpin and who makes the woman from Stephen King’s Misery seem down right hospitable, hurts Urich and severely beats up Manolis as a warning. Murdock, who barely survived his encounter with the Kingpin, wanders through the streets of Hell’s Kitchen where he is gravely wounded by some thugs. Meanwhile, Foggy and Gloria fall in love. And the Kingpin begins to get worried about the fact that Murdock survived.

Miller and Mazzuchelli really get it together this issue in terms of storytelling. The dialog, the panel organization and the art flow incredibly well. Miller excels in a series of panels which are blackened out, to represent Murdock’s blindness, and only filled with powerfully paced and rhythmic dialog/monolog. The credit page which is a giant single panel has Murdock sleeping in a different position and location which provides a neat form of symbolism to what he has endured. “Armageddon”, a 30-page, no ads story.

The turning point for this entire run is issue #230, “Born Again”, where Murdock refuses to give up despite having had his life destroyed, his sanity broken, and his body crushed. Murdock is rescued by a nun who brings him to her mission and nurses him back to health. Murdock learns that this nurse is his mother. Meanwhile, Karen makes her way back to New York and meets up with Foggy, but the drug dealer who helped her get back now claims he owns her.

There is one powerful and disturbing sequence in this issue that stays with you for quite some time. The nurse, who injured Urich, lets him lisen in as she slowly and agonysingly kills Manolis as another reminder to Urich to stop his investigation. The Mazzuchelli art in this issue stands out the most of all the issues in this run (with issue #233 a close second). The alternating panels, flashbacks, and powerful colouring work very well. I also really liked the pages where the panels where uninterrupted by though ballons or narrative, and had the text in the margin.

In Daredevil #231, “Saved”, Murdock regains his strength and the Kingpin grows more anxious as he knows Murdock is still alive and that Urich is putting out a series of very damaging articles about him. The nurse, eager to clean up the loose ends, attack Urich and his wife at home, but Murdock comes to his rescue. As Karen’s drug lord attempts to reclaim his “goods”, the Kingpin arranges for a madman, garbed in a Daredevil costume, to kill Foggy and Karen which will make Daredevil a wanted man. Fortunately, Murdock intervenes and takes down both the madman and the drug lord, and finally makes a tearful reunion with Karen.

The Kingpin, in issue #232, “God and Country”, contacts the US military and rents one of their super soldiers, Nuke, to take out Daredevil. Nuke goes on a rampage in Hell’s kitchen where the Kingpin hopes he draws out Daredevil. Murdock finally dons his costume and confronts Nuke which is wonderfully depicted in a full-page panel where Daredevil is standing amid the flames of Nuke’s destruction.

More than half a year’s run comes to a dramatic conclusion in a 30-page story called “Armageddon” in Daredevil #233. Daredevil faces off against the super-solider Nuke in Hell’s Kitchen. Their battle is brought to an end by the Avengers who take Nuke into custody. Captain America, bothered by the connection between Nuke and the super solider program that created Captain America, begins to snoop around. He isn’t very happy with what he finds. Nuke goes on another rampage, but Captain stops him and tries to get him to help. The military mortally wounds him during their escape, but Daredevil gets him to the Bugle just as he dies, giving Urich the final bit of proof needed to finish his attack on the Kingpin. The Kingpin is buried in a hoard of investigations and charges, but he manages to dodge them all. Despite being unable to destroy Murdock, the Kingpin clings to having stripped him of his ability to practice law. Murdock, however, is simply happy to be alive.

1987 - Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men

Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men (4 issue miniseries)
Feb 1987 - June 1987
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Jon Bogdanove and Terry Austin

This series took place after the Mutant Massacre story line (circa Uncanny X-Men #209-213).

The X-Men seek out Reed Richard of the Fantastic Four to help restore Kitty to her human form. However, Reed can’t help because he’s too distracted by an internal conflict among the Fantastic Four. One of his old journals surfaces with evidence that he planned the exposure to the cosmic rays that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. The X-Men are then forced to turn to Dr. Doom, who conveniently shows up and is able to help. The Fantastic Four get their act together and confront Doom, which leads to a battle with the X-Men. The battle comes to an end as Kitty’s condition worsens and Reed and Doom work together to save her.

While Bogdanove did a decent job with the art, his style was a bit too cartoony. However, Terry Austin did a miraculous job with the inking and made the overall art impressive. His fine detailed inks solidified Bogdanove’s simple style.

The most notable part of this miniseries was Claremont’s story and characterization. The Fantastic Four took center stage in this series and were treated in the usual Claremont fashion that we’ve come to know in The Uncanny X-Men. He focused on a key character trait that made each member of the Fantastic Four who they are. This technique worked surprisingly well. Although it may have something to do with the fact that it was applied to the Fantastic Four rather than the X-Men and seemed fresh.

1989 – Atlantis Attacks!

In the summer of 1989, Marvel applied a similar premise to the Evolutionary War and rolled out the Atlantis Attacks annual crossover. This crossover event surpassed the previous year’s effort running through 14 annuals and calling on the talents of at least 10 writers and a horde of artists. Unfortunately, the combined talents of Steve Englehart, Roy Thomas, and John Byrne weren’t enough to save this event.

The overall story line suffered as each annual’s quality varies greatly. The plot was stretched too thin to incorporate a wide variety of heroes, from urban vigilantes, like Spider-Man, Punisher, and Daredevil, to cosmic crusaders, like Thor and the Silver Surfer.

Ghaur, the priest king of an ancient race that worshiped the elder god Set, put a deadly plan into motion that would see the return of his banished god. He collected pieces of an artifact called the Serpent Crown that would allow Set to return to the Earth. Ghaur allied himself with Attuma the warlord of the underwater realm of Atlantis and launched a full-scale attack on the surface world. The heroes repelled the invasion and realized what Ghaur planned to do. They interrupted Ghaur’s attempt to summon Set and drove the elder god of evil back into banishment.

Marvel historian Peter Sanderson weeded through twenty years of Marvel history and put together a 14-part summary of Set’s origins and the legacy of the Serpent Crown. Unlike the Evolutionary War, these annuals had short features tied-in to the ongoing series. Most of these features are forgettable, but a few stood out featuring art by Bo Hampton, Whilce Portacio, and John Byrne.

By the end of the series, Marvel realized how unmanageable the ambitious effort truly was and broke up the next year’s annual event into several mini-crossovers.

Atlantis Attacks ran through the following annuals:
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23
- Avengers Annual #18
- Avengers West Coast Annual #4
- Daredevil Annual #4
-Fantastic Four Annual #22
- Iron Man Annual #10
- New Mutants Annual #5
- Punisher Annual #2
- Silver Surfer Annual #2
-Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #7
-The Mighty Thor Annual #14
-Uncanny X-Men Annual #13
-Web of Spider-Man Annual #5
-X-Factor Annual #4

1988 - Evolutionary War

“No matter what it takes, I shall not stop until man reigns supreme in all the universe!”
- High Evolutionary, Avengers Annual #17

In the summer of 1988, Marvel took its successful crossover formula one step further (and likely one step too far). The Evolutionary War ran through each of that year’s annuals: 11 issue in total dedicating 30 pages or more to this event. The idea itself was a simple variation of the crossover formula: To get the whole story, readers had to pick up the annuals of series they didn’t usually collect and Marvel hoped that the exposure might prompt the reader to start buying that series. Using the annuals was a great idea as the Evolutionary War didn’t interrupt the regular story line or the regular creative team.

Writer and editor Mark Gruenwald tried to pull together a summary of the High Evolutionary’s origin and history into an 11-part story that ran through each annual.

The main story surrounded the being known as the High Evolutionary. He was once a brilliant geneticist who evolved himself into a godlike being. He took it upon himself to shape humanity’s destiny and attempted to push it beyond its genetic potential.

While a general plot was established, the Evolutionary War annuals themselves represented a vague, diluted view of it. Also, keep in mind that the series was written by at least nine different writers each of whom had their own perspective on the High Evolutionary and of the plot.

Unfortunately, the story roams across the board as the High Evolutionary’s purifiers attempt to sterilize mutants to prevent them from disrupting humanity’s genetic destiny. He assembles a wealth of genetic information from the Silver Surfer’s DNA to the properties of the Inhumans’ mutating gas called the Terrigen Mists. Then near the end of the story, the High Evolutionary created a genetic bomb that would forcibly push humanity onto a higher genetic plateau. Fortunately, the Avengers got in his way and prevented him from bringing his scheme to fruition.

The majority of these annuals actually had no impact on the overall story. For example, the Web of Spider-Man and Punisher annuals had the High Evolutionary’s purifiers attacking drug dealer. And just how did that advance the story in terms of genetics or evolution? But, it did let the Punisher, who was at the height of his popularity, into this event

The series overall though was a disappointment. I’ve always had a soft spot for this benevolent, albeit mad, godlike being. To see him resurrected from the dead and put through this fate was almost painful. They should have left him dead.

The series’ main weakness was the High Evolutionary’s illogical reliance on his human underlings despite his godlike powers. For such an intellectual and powerful being, it seemed out of character that he only got personally involved at the end. Unless of course, that was the only out that you had left yourself in an unimaginative plot.

The Evolutionary War ran through:

Amazing Spider-Man #22
Avengers Annual #17
Avengers West Coast Annual #3
Fantastic Four Annual #21
New Mutants Annual #4
Punisher Annual #1
Silver Surfer Annual #1
Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #6
Uncanny X-Men Annual #12
Web of Spider-Man Annual #4
X-Factor Annual #3

1982 - Marvel Graphic Novel #5: X-Men

Marvel Graphic Novel #5:

X-Men - God Loves, Man Kills

Writer: Chris Claremont

Artist: Brent Anderson

I remember picking up this graphic novel early in my collecting career. Up till then I had never really read a comic book meant for a more mature audience. I was used to reading lighter fair, like Amazing Spider-Man and Uncanny X-Men, and I distinctly recall being shocked by this comic. Some of the subject matter really engraved itself in my mind; for example, the crucifixion of Professor X and the murder of those young mutants in the prologue. This graphic novel was a departure from the usual X-Men in that I really had a disturbing feeling that the X-Men were really facing a deadly threat.

Reverend Stryker, believing he is on a personal mission from God, launches a religion campaign to brutally deal with mutants. Professor X, clinging to his dream of a peaceful coexistence between humankind and mutantkind, is caught off guard by Stryker's conviction and resources. The leaderless X-Men form an temporary alliance with their former arch-enemy Magneto who views this whole situation as the true feelings of humankind rising to the surface.

Brent Anderson, of Astro City fame, provides the artwork for this graphic novel. His only other X-Men works where X-Men Annual #5 and Uncanny X-Men #159. His style really brings a realism to the story. There isn't any over-the-top muscular hero or impossibly-large chested women, just very human portraits of characters. The colourist, Steve Oliff, definitely deserves part of the praise for the artwork. His strong, moody colours really set the tone and atmosphere.

Claremont takes the Stan Lee formula from the early X-Men which saw them persecuted for being mutants and raises its a level adding a disturbing religious fervor to it. He does a fabulous job at really making you hate Stryker, but at the same time, you really understand who he is and his motivation. This story has many levels which make it the great piece of work that it is. All great storytelling arises from conflict, and this story has several conflict each on different levels. Professor X is forced to question his dream, the X-Men, the embodiment of his dream, are also challenged, and of course how this dream comes into conflict with Stryker's crusade.

Easily one of the most powerful X-Men stories and perhaps one of the most accessible as it doesn't depend on any X-Men continuity.

An interesting note is that Neal Adams was actually supposed to draw this graphic novel. However, he only drew 8 pages before his contract was terminated apparently after a contract dispute. You can see those 8 pages in the X-Men Visionaires - Neal Adams graphic novel.