Longbox Junk - Ravage 2099 #1

Welcome to Longbox Junk! If you want comic reviews nobody ever asked for, you're in the right place!

As I continue on my Longbox Junk journey into the future world of Marvel 2099, I've come to a comic that definitely gives me some mixed feelings. . .

On the one hand, Ravage 2099 was the last ongoing series that Stan Lee wrote.  That sentence alone SHOULD indicate a bit of respect associated with this comic.  I mean, it's the final regular writing job that the late, great Smilin' Stan worked on, right? RIGHT?

BUT. . .

On the OTHER hand, Ravage 2099 is generally regarded as the worst of the 2099 line. 

It was the second launch title of Marvel 2099, coming in hot on the heels of Spider-Man 2099 with high expectations.  Sales were initially great, based on Stan Lee's involvement, as well as that of artist Paul Ryan (who was the regular artist on Fantastic Four at the time and a fan favorite).  But the decline in sales not long after launch wasn't just steep. . .it was almost vertical.  By the end of 1993, Ravage wasn't even in the Top 300 comics for sales.  

Ravage 2099 is a VERY common find in the bargain bin.  It's a series that seems to have been kicked to the curb and kicked HARD.  I've never seen any issues of Ravage 2099 in the regular (basically cover price) back issue bins, it's been kicked that hard.  Ravage is bargain bin ONLY. If you have any of these in your collection, don't plan on selling them.  Nobody wants these comics. 

 A short story, if you'll indulge me for a moment. 

I had a flea market stand for the past couple of summers, trying to sell some comics cheap to make space in my storage area.  I was selling them for a dollar.  Everything a dollar.  I couldn't sell any Ravage comics.  I put them into a box where I was giving comics away for FREE to kids.  I couldn't even GIVE these away!

In other words, this series is the very DEFINITION of Longbox Junk.

So what gives? Why are these comics so unloved? Let's find out.

Ready, folks? This might get messy, but. . .I'M GOIN' IN!

RAVAGE 2099 #1

Marvel 2099 (1992)

COVER: Paul Ryan

RAVAGE

SCRIPT: Stan Lee

PENCILS: Paul Ryan

INKS: Keith Williams & Steve Alexandrov

THE COVER:

Finally! A decent cover shot showing off the awesome detail on the foil border of these 2099 comics!

Instead of scanning it (which came out just as crappy as the other two I've done) I took a picture with a digital camera and then cropped it.  The lighter gold border on Ravage might have also helped.  In any case. . .I'm quite pleased, except where the flash was too much up on the top.  I guess nothing's perfect.

BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT. . .

The cover itself is very well done.  A great action shot pushing past the border for a nice 3-D effect. I like the colors on this one quite a bit.  The different shades of green on Ravage's costume contrast nicely with that gold foil frame.  I really like the Ravage logo, too! It's actually one of the best logos in the whole bunch, in my humble opinion.

But, like the Punisher 2099 cover, Ravage 2099 is DEFINITELY 90s-tastic.  From the pouches, pads, and straps of Ravage's costume, to the gritted teeth and weird, oversized gun, this one checks most of the boxes for a stereotypical 90s "Grim-n-Gritty" cover.   It's not QUITE as over the top as the Punisher 2099 cover, but you can most certainly tell what decade this comic came out without even checking the indica.

Let's get inside!

THE STORY:

We begin our tale following a man desperately trying to elude a pursuing "ECO Patrol".  They manage to corner their quarry in the sewers beneath the city.  The terrified man is no match for the heavily-armed ECO troops, who brutally murder him.

We shift scenes to a luxurious corporate office high above the city.  It's the ECO Central office of Paul-Phillip Ravage, chief of the Alchemax Corporation's division in charge of punishing ecological criminals. . .a sort of pollution-focused private police force.  

Ravage is angry that his ECO patrols have yet to bring in a live "polluter" (loosely-organized eco-terrorists)  so that they can be interrogated and their leadership found.  He suspects that the terrorist leaders are corrupt officials within Alchemax itself.

We also meet Ravage's assistant (and love interest), Tiana.  She's concerned that Ravage's obsession with finding the leadership of the terrorists will lead him down a dangerous path.  

Her own father tried to expose corruption in Alchemax and was exiled to Hellrock, a deadly island of pollution and mutated humans known as Mutroids (I guess Marvel wasn't QUITE ready to bring mutants into the 2099 line yet, so they had to be called something else until X-Men 2099 came on the scene later, BUT I DIGRESS).

Later, Paul-Phillip encounters a young man named Dack, who claims that his father (the man killed in the introduction) was no terrorist, but had discovered a connection between the Polluters and Alchemax and was killed trying to get the information to Ravage.  

Ravage decides to go straight to the top and confront the Director-General of Alchemax,  Anderthorp Henton.   He presents Henton with his suspicions and his belief that Dack is telling the truth. . .there's a high-level coverup of Alchemax's involvement with eco-terrorists.  

The Director-General promises to immediately begin an investigation into the claims.

Unfortunately for Ravage, the corruption goes higher than he thought.  After Ravage and Dack leave, the Director-General calls a meeting of high level Alchemax executives and it is decided that Ravage is no longer a useful pawn in their plans.  His suspicions and investigation have now marked him for death!

Unknown to Henton and the other Alchemax executives, Ravage's assistant, Tiana, has been listening in on their conversation.  She's horrified by the discovery that Ravage's suspicions are true and that he's been targeted for assassination!  She hurries to warn him.

In the meantime, a clandestine ship delivers a mysterious passenger to the docks.  It's a deadly mutroid from Hellrock!  We follow the mutated human as it moves toward Ravage's office. . .where Tiana has found Paul-Phillip and is frantically trying to warn him of the assassination plot against him.  

Ravage refuses to believe Tiana at first, having full confidence in the Director-General.  But THEN the hulking mutroid bursts into the office!  As Ravage calls for backup and tries to protect Tiana, the mutroid doesn't attack.  Instead, it calmly offers Ravage "payment" for betraying Alchemax as one of the terrorist leaders.

Security bursts in, guns drawn and demanding that Ravage surrender himself as a traitor and terrorist!

Ravage realizes that Tiana was right and he'd been set up by his own superiors as a terrorist leader, with a mutroid offering payment on security camera.  He desperately fights his way through security with Tiana, but before they can escape, Director-General Henton sets off a hidden bomb in Ravage's office, destroying both him and the mutroid, along with any evidence of Ravage's innocence. . .OR SO HE THINKS!

Ravage and Tiana have survived the explosion by sheer luck.  The two of them make their way to Dack's inner city apartment, where Ravage leaves Tiana in safety before leaving on a mysterious errand. 

At a nearby ECO Central junkyard, Paul-Phillip strips away the last traces of his former identity, garbing himself with armor and weapons made of junk.  At that moment, Paul-Phillip is dead. . .and there is now only RAVAGE!

The End.

Wait.  There's more?  It SEEMS like that was where this comic should have ended, but okay. . .

As the newly-born vigilante Ravage commandeers an old garbage truck to set out on his path of revenge against those who betrayed him and left him for dead, we shift scene to Hellrock Island. . .

In a forbidding castle looming over the toxic wasteland of Hellrock, we are introduced to the ruler of the mutroids. . .a demonic entity known as DETHSTRYK (Welcome to the 90s)!  

His most trusted servitor, known as Seeress, informs her master that she has had a vision of a man dead and reborn again, named Ravage.  She has seen that he will become Dethstryk's greatest foe.  

Dethstryk vows to destroy Ravage, for none shall stand in the way of his plans to CRUSH THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE!  Dun-Dun-DUNNNNNNN!!

NOW The End.  To be continued. . .

THE REVIEW:

Allrighty then.  The first issue of Ravage 2099.  Let's break it on down!

Unfortunately, I can see why Ravage 2099 is considered the weak link in the 2099 launch titles. So what went wrong? Let's get THIS straight before I go on. . .Stan Lee is a legend in the comic world and I have no business trying to knock him down from the well-deserved pedestal he stands on.

 BUT. . .

You can definitely tell Stan was past his prime here.  The writing is honestly not very good.  It's not AWFUL, mind you.  It's just that it's a weird mashup of the bombastic Silver/Bronze Age and the grim-n-gritty 90s that just doesn't work well.  It's a little schizophrenic, to be honest.  

For example. . .In the early parts of the story, Ravage speaks in clipped, precise tones.  By the end of the story, he's a trash talkin' tough guy.  Another example. . .in the early parts of the story, the focus is on corporate corruption.  By the end of the story, we have a demonic creature named Dethstryk.

There are more examples, but let's not beat it into the ground.  This issue reads like two separate stories and Stan Lee was obviously struggling to fit his signature style into a grim-n-gritty comic world that had passed that style by.

THAT SAID. . .

I did find it interesting that Lee was trying to create an entirely new, environmentally-focused hero.  Ravage was actually the ONLY 2099 comic that didn't build on an existing hero (or heroes) in some way.  I'll give credit where it's due, Stan Lee was TRYING to create something new and unique here.  Unfortunately, it didn't quite pay off.  

Another good point about Ravage 2099 is the art.  Paul Ryan does a great job bringing the future world of Marvel 2099 to life!  From the bright and sterile corporate offices Ravage inhabits at the start of the story to the dark and grimy junkyard where Ravage throws off his identity at the end of it, Ryan's art is crisp and interesting.  And again, that cover. . .very nice!

So let's look at this from the point of view of it being a first issue and the TWO things I judge a first issue on. . .

1. Does it introduce characters and their situation in a new reader-friendly way? 

It does.  The world of Marvel 2099 was a pretty remarkable framework and Ravage fits into it neatly.

 2. Does it make me want to read more?  

Well. . .not really.  

Putting aside the weak writing, Ravage fails to capture my attention in another way.  It tries to do what other Marvel 2099 comics do better, even when held up against JUST the two series I've reviewed already.  Spider-Man 2099 tells a better tale of corporate corruption leading to the creation of a new hero.  Punisher 2099 tells a better tale of a grim-n-gritty street vigilante out for justice.  Simply put, there's nothing here that can't be found elsewhere.  Ravage feels kind of. . .unnecessary.

CONCLUSION

I WANTED to like Ravage 2099.  I WANTED to give it some sort of redemption from the stigma of being one of the worst series of the 2099 line.  I WANTED to give Stan Lee some respect for getting back into the saddle one last time and bringing the comic world something new and original.

Unfortunately, I really can't do any of those things, except maybe some respect for Stan Lee's attempt to create 2099's only original hero.  It's a damn shame that I have to say that I can't really recommend Ravage 2099 except as a curiosity.

Marvel made a mistake by bringing in Stan Lee as the writer on this one.  Yeah, it pumped sales at first, but that didn't last long once the reality set in that Lee couldn't really mash the Silver/Bronze age and the grim-n-gritty 90s together.  

So instead of a fan favorite epilogue to Smilin' Stan's writing career, going out on a high note of gritty science fiction superheroics,  the world got a comic that was disliked and unnecessary enough to the overall 2099 narrative that it's now ONLY to be found in the bargain bin, and nobody even really wants it then.  Honestly, it makes me a little sad to write those words, because I can tell that Stan Lee WAS making what he thought was a good effort.

All that said, I didn't find Ravage 2099 to be a BAD comic.  Just very disappointing.  If you're curious enough to take a look, you won't have trouble finding individual issues in just about any bargain bin.  It's never been collected, except for some crossover issues in collections of other 2099 series.

Up Next. . .

MORE Marvel 2099!  

Join me as I take a look at the final 2099 launch series DOOM 2099!

Be there or be square.

Longbox Junk Halloween Retro Review - Chamber of Darkness #7 (1970)

Welcome back to Longbox Junk, the place where I write comic reviews that nobody ever asked for!

It's almost Halloween!  That special time of year when kids taking candy from strangers is actually encouraged!  Here at Longbox Junk, we've been handing out all sorts of Halloween treats. . .a lot of candy corn to be sure, but there's been a few full-sized Snickers bars in there too.

Unfortunately, the Longbox Junk Halloween Retro Review party is almost over.  Just this last one to go.  I think I did pretty good this year.  This post is #15. . .one more than my Halloween Horror comic spree last year, so there's that.

But enough of that!

On to the comic at hand.  We're heading back to the Bronze Age for a look at a comic absolutely STUFFED full of legendary comic talent.  Just LOOK at the credits below!  Bernie Wrightson, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, and more. . .All in ONE comic!  How can this NOT be good?

Let's dig in!

CHAMBER OF DARKNESS #7

MARVEL (1970)

COVER: Bernie Wrightson

THE COVER:

Bernie Wrightson is rightfully regarded as a legendary comic talent, and a cover like this tells me why.  It's not the greatest cover I've seen from him (My personal favorite is Swamp Thing #9), but it's still a really good cover.  It has an awesome, dynamic style that gives the figures a sense of movement and life that is so recognizably Wrightson that you don't even need to see his signature on it.  A Bernie Wrightson cover is a great start to ANY comic!

THE STORIES:

Four stories in this one.  Two of them reprints from ten years earlier.  I look at the credits here and find it hard to believe all these great names are under the cover of a single random Bronze Age "horror" comic!  Let's check these stories out. . .

GARGOYLE EVERY NIGHT

SCRIPT: Roy Thomas & Bernie (Berni) Wrightson

PENCILS: Bernie (Berni) Wrightson

INKS: Bernie (Berni) Wrightson

After a series of grisly murders, an old craftsman known for sculpting gargoyles and other strange monstrosities comes under suspicion.  During a search of his workshop, the constable find nothing, but two townfolk discover a solid gold gargoyle hidden in a back room.  

They return later, and over the desperate pleas of the old man they have subdued and tied up, the two of them dismember and melt down the golden gargoyle.  But when the clock strikes midnight, the old man transforms into a terrifying creature.  As it closes in on the two thieves, it tells them that the golden gargoyle was the only thing keeping him from killing more people!

A great start!  It's a tale following the well worn path of "Greedy fools get what's coming to them", but the writing is engaging and lively.  What REALLY makes this story great is the fantastic artwork by Bernie Wrightson. . .who even puts himself in the story as narrator (see the splash page above).  There's a reason Wrightson is regarded as a legendary comic talent, and it's very plain to see why here.  The detailed, yet exaggerated and darkly inked figures with expressive faces almost seem to move across the page with a life of their own.  Every panel is worth lingering over for an extra moment or two.

BONUS:  A little research shows me that this is Bernie Wrightson's first work for Marvel!

We're off to a great start. . .NEXT!

I WORE. . .THE MASK OF DROTHOR!

(Reprinted from Tales to Astonish #11 - 1960)

SCRIPT: Stan Lee (?)

PENCILS: Steve Ditko

INKS: Steve Ditko

A renowned mask maker uses ancient books to mold his greatest creation, the Mask of Drothor, replicating the face of a legendary sorcerer despite warnings of a curse on any who try to do so.

Realizing that he has made a mask so lifelike that it actually resembles a human face down to its finest detail, the mask maker decides to use it to get rich by robbing wealthy clients.  

During his first robbery, he trips an alarm and is forced to flee the police.  He returns to his shop and tries to remove the mask, but to his horror, he discovers that his own face beneath has taken on the appearance of Drothor.  Unable to disguise himself again, the police catch up and arrest him.

Okay. . .not a bad story.  It follows the paths of "Greedy fools get what's coming to them" AND "Fool ignores the ancient curse". But like the first offering in this issue, although the story is well done and engaging, the real appeal here for me was the fantastic art. . .this time courtesy of Steve Ditko.

Honestly, I've never really been a fan of Ditko, but delving into some of these older comics in my collection has slowly been changing my mind.  Where I find a lot of his art to be a bit basic (yes, I'm talking about Spider-Man, please don't hurt me), I've seen other examples of his art that show me exactly why Ditko is considered a comic legend.  

This little story is a fine example of some great Ditko art that I've seen.  It's dark, fluid, exaggerated, yet lifelike.  There's a great sense of movement and action to the characters.  Ditko's art here elevates an otherwise pretty average story.

MOVING ALONG!

THE MASTERMIND

SCRIPT: Tom Sutton

PENCILS: Tom Sutton

INKS: Tom Sutton

A mad scientist brings to life his greatest achievement. . .a supremely intelligent creature, impervious to disease, injury, and age. . .presumably immortal.  As the scientist rages with glee that he finally has the means to conquer his enemies and all mankind, his creation turns on him.  If the creature is indeed superior, then he has no need for a master!

This great little twist on Frankenstein takes up only two pages, but Tom Sutton manages to give us a complete and compelling story in a very small space!  I've gone on a bit about the comic legends to be found in this issue like Bernie Wrightson and Steve Ditko, but in my extremely humble opinion, Sutton is a bit of an overlooked legend in his own right. 

He's possibly not as well known as the others to the general comic audience because he worked less with superheroes (except the more supernatural ones like Vampirella,  Ghost Rider and Werewolf by Night).  But his art has a frantic, cartoony and vibrant style that brings dynamic life to his characters.  It's a style I really enjoy and this is a fine little example of it.

AND FINALLY. . .

I FOUND THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN!

(Reprinted from Tales to Astonish #13 - 1960)

SCRIPT: Stan Lee (?) & Larry Lieber (?)

PENCILS: Jack Kirby

INKS: Steve Ditko

A criminal called "Big Carl" Hanson steals what is supposedly a genuine photo of the Abominable Snowman.  Deciding that he can make more money off of actually capturing the creature than just off the photo, Hanson heads to the Himalayan mountains.

As he begins his search for the creature, Hanson is repeatedly warned that the picture is cursed, but he ignores the warnings as superstition.  Eventually, nobody will come near him and he has to continue his search alone.

As he heads higher and higher into to mountains and his supplies run out, Hanson slowly turns more and more savage until he is little more than a wandering beast himself.  He has become the Abominable Snowman.

Yet ANOTHER story following the "Greedy fools get what's coming to them", but with some "Don't ignore the natives" thrown in. . .officially making this entire comic about the follies of greed, with four out of four stories following the same lines.

That aside, this is actually another well written and engaging story that I really enjoyed.  But like the other stories in this issue, what makes this little tale sparkle is the fantastic artwork. . .this time courtesy of comic legends Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.

I think this might possibly be the first time I've ever seen non-superhero work from Jack Kirby, and I have to say that I liked it a lot!  Maybe it's Ditko's inks here, but this little random story really grabbed me, where a lot of his superhero work doesn't (I know. . .I know! Please don't hurt me!) 

I wouldn't mind seeing more of Kirby's non-superhero work, based only on the strength of what I'm seeing here.  Overall, this was a great finish to this comic!

CONCLUSION

Just looking at the credits on this one, I KNEW it was going to be good, which is why I saved it for last.  My prediction turned out to be true.  Story for story, page for page, and panel for panel, this comic was probably my favorite of the entire Halloweeen Retro Review bunch!  

There is so much great talent on display here, that I am happy that this comic even exists.  The stories are all very nicely done and engaging, but what really shines here is all the great art to be found!  Every page in this comic is a feast for the eyes.

If you're looking for a single comic absolutely PACKED with legendary comic talent, then this is what you're looking for.  The actual issue in good shape is a bit pricey, but I found mine in decent condition in a back issue bin for ten bucks, so they're out there.  If not, then it's been reprinted in a couple of different collections as well.  

WELL. . .

That's it for the Longbox Junk Halloween Retro Review Party for this year.  I hope you had as much fun as I did checking out a some of the older and/or more "valuable" comics with a supernatural twist in my collection!

So what's next, you ask?

With all due respect to the fine and friendly folk of Old Guys Who Like Old Comics, I think I've spent enough time on the other side of 1986 for now. It's time to get back into the dollar boxes and some actual Longbox Junk!

Something I haven't done in a while that is one of the unique things I do here at Longbox Junk is reviewing an entire series from first issue to last.  I think that's what I'll do next.  But which one?

So many to choose from! Suggestions are welcome.

In any case, I'll figure it out.

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk Halloween Retro Review - Menace #7 (1953)

Welcome back to Longbox Junk, where I write comic reviews even though nobody asks me to!

It's October!  As we head toward the final stretch, just a few days before Halloween, I feel the need to provide a very important public service announcement:  

Ladies.  Just because there IS a "Sexy Hand Sanitizer" Halloween costume, that doesn't mean anyone should wear a "Sexy Hand Sanitizer" Halloween costume.  Okay?  I shouldn't have to tell you this.  Just sayin'.  

Public service announcement over.  Let's talk about comics!

I've got the Longbox Junk paper time machine prepped, fueled, and ready for a little trip backward 67 years to the Golden Age of comics for a look at some of the late, great Stan Lee's horror writing.  Ready?

*Puts on ridiculous steampunk goggles*

Let's do this!

*Pulls gigantic lever*

Here we GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

MENACE #7

ATLAS (1953)

(Wait. . .is that Phil from Modern Family?)

COVER: Carl Burgos

THE COVER:

I'm gonna be honest and say that I got this comic in an estate sale auction lot of about a dozen comics I mainly bought for the 1968 Dell King Kong one shot (probably the LEAST "valuable" comic in the lot).  I've never read this comic because the cover just isn't that interesting to me.  

Until now, all it got was a quick flip through to judge condition, and then off to be forgotten in the depths of my many longboxes.  The cover is okay, I guess, but nothing special.  Beyond the bold yellow on black of the title and the nicely done female figure, nothing really grabs my eye.  Let's get inside this thing. . .

THE STORIES:

The Golden Age never disappoints when it comes to getting your money's worth out of a comic.  Four full comic stories and a two page text space filler for a single 1953 dime.  Not a bad stack of stories.  Let's see what they're about!

FRESH OUT OF FLESH!

SCRIPT: Stan Lee

PENCILS: Syd Shores

In the future, a bounty hunter tracks and kills humanoid robots after their failed bid to enslave mankind.  At the end of his mission, only one robot remains.  The bounty hunter discovers that it is him.

A great start to this comic!  Stan Lee provides us with a tale that is strangely similar to sci-fi classic "Blade Runner" fifteen years before the story it was based on (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, by Philip K. Dick in 1968) was even published!  But even without the similarities, this is a great little nugget of science fiction with a Twilight Zone twist.  

NEXT!

THE DREAM CASTLE

(Text-Only Story - 2 pages)

SCRIPT:  (?)

A writer by the name of Henri Drago is haunted by constant nightmares of being chased through a castle by ghostly creatures. . .the dream always ending at a certain door before he could run through it. 

 Eventually, the dreams interfere so much with his work that, on the advice of a doctor, he takes a vacation to Italy.  One day, after a mysterious storm, he finds himself taking shelter in a ruined castle. . .the castle from his dreams!

Sure enough, he is pursued through the castle by spirits after being told that he is the last in the family line of the evil nobleman who lived in the castle long ago, and that the spirits can only be free if he dies.

He finds himself at the door where his nightmares always end, but when the throws it open and runs through, he falls to his death and frees the innocent spirits.

Actually, this story is pretty long and elaborate, compared to other text pieces I've seen during this little Retro Review journey I've been on.  It's a decent enough story following the well-trodden path of "Nightmares become reality", but what REALLY caught my interest was the "Polio Precautions" public service announcement at the bottom of the second page (scanned above).

  It was an interesting reminder that the world has been through pandemics before, and not so long ago.  This tiny little thing in a 67 year old comic book actually brought me a moment of peace and reflection on the ability of mankind to make it through the worst times.  Sometimes, a little hope can be found in the most unexpected places.

NEXT!

THE PLANET OF LIVING DEATH

SCRIPT: Stan Lee

PENCILS:  Russ Heath

An alcoholic first officer accidentally causes his star ship to crash on the deadly planet of Osirus.  The survivors are met by hostile aliens that telepathically communicate that they will free the humans and repair their ship if they are given the secret of atomic energy.  

The rest of the crew refuses, but the first officer (knowing he will go to prison if he returns to Earth) bargains with the aliens to give them the atomic secrets in exchange for a ship of his own and the Captain's beautiful daughter.  

The aliens agree, but as the traitor prepares to take off, he finds to his horror that the Captain's daughter isn't HIS Captain's, but the alien Captain's. . .a hideous and deadly creature!

Another engaging and entertaining science fiction story from Stan Lee!  It follows the very well-worn path of "The traitor gets what he deserves", but the twist ending actually took me by surprise.  Not an easy thing when you've read as many comic stories as I have!  But what REALLY makes this story is the outstanding artwork of Russ Heath!  It's just a fine example of some great Golden Age artwork, with thick inks and interesting designs.  Every panel is worth lingering over for an extra moment.

MOVING ALONG!

THE WITCH IN THE WOODS

SCRIPT:  Stan Lee

PENCILS: Joe Sinnott

A young boy's father decides to break his son's habit of reading scary comic books by reading him fairy tales, starting with the story of Hansel and Gretel.  But he discovers that the stories from his childhood are even worse than what can be found in comics.

During the bit of research I did into this comic, this story is actually the only one that anyone seems to mention because it was written by Stan Lee (along with a few other stories along these lines) in direct response to the unfolding drama that led to the Comics Code.  It ruthlessly mocks the idea of censoring comics by comparing them to "innocent" fairy tales that are actually quite gruesome when you take a close look at them.  

The story itself is mostly just a comic adaptation of Hansel and Gretel bookended by the boy and his father.  It's a decent enough story with some really good artwork by Joe Sinnott, who I know more as an inker than a penciller, especially from his work with Jack Kirby.  

AND FINALLY!

YOUR NAME IS FRANKENSTEIN!

SCRIPT: Stan Lee

PENCILS:  Joe Maneely

Frankenstein's Monster rises from a long entombment and wanders, looking for companionship.  Unfortunately, despite saving a couple from their burning farmhouse, the Monster is judged only on his looks by the townfolk, who attack him.

As the Monster lays dying, the couple he saved reflect that perhaps it is they who are the monsters.

This comic goes out on a good note with a well-written tale following the "Man is the monster" path that Stan Lee followed a LOT during his later years writing superhero tales.  It's a familiar message, but Lee gives this story some interesting pathos by writing it in the first person.  Joe Maneely brings the story to life with some great, creepy artwork that really catches the eye.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I have to say that this was a great comic!  Not a single clunker to be found and very readable despite being almost seventy years old, with lots of great art to be found through the whole thing.  

This is probably one of the best Golden Age comics I've read.  I hate to admit it, but a lot of the older comics I have seem like not much effort was put into them.  This one just feels different, like some thought and creative energy was given by Stan Lee and the various artists.  Is this the best comic I've ever read?  Not even close.  That said, it's definitely something I can point to when someone asks about good Golden Age comics I've read.

If you're a fan of Stan Lee, Horror comics, Golden Age comics, or any combination of the above, I can heartily recommend this comic.  Unfortunately, good copies of the original seem to be pretty pricey. . .you're not going to find this one in the bargain bin!  The good news is that it's been reprinted in collections a couple of times, and it's also on ComiXology, so it won't break the bank if you want to check it out. 

Up Next. . .

Halloween is just about here, but I think I have time to squeeze in one more bit of Longbox Junk Halloween fun!  

Join me on a trip back to 1970 for a look at a comic featuring Bernie Wrightson, Roy Thomas, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, and MORE!  IN ONE COMIC!  That's a heck of a lot of talent for one comic book.  

Marvel's Chamber of Darkness #7.

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk Retro Review - The Savage She-Hulk #1 (1980)

Welcome back to Longbox Junk, the place to find comic reviews you never asked for!  

Lately I've been going outside my usual Longbox Junk bargain bin finds to shine the spotlight on some of the older and/or more "valuable" comics sitting unread in my collection.  It's been a lot of fun for me, and I've been able to learn a little here and there in the process.  Case in point: the comic at hand.

I know next to nothing about She-Hulk beyond the obvious. . .she's a female version of The Hulk.  I've never read any of her ongoing series, and have only come across her occasionally in other comics she pops up in.  In other words, I know She-Hulk as more of a guest star than as a main character.

I bought this comic at a flea market for ten bucks because (despite my lack of knowledge about the character) I knew just from hanging around comic sites that I had a good find on my hands that was definitely "worth" more than a ten-spot.  That and it has a pretty sweet cover.  But I didn't have much interest in actually READING the comic, so it got bagged, boarded, and forgotten.

UNTIL NOW!

When I was digging through my collection for some "Before 1986, please" (nods to the fine people over at Old Guys Who Like Old Comics) comics to review for this batch of Longbox Junk retro reviews, this was a natural choice for me. . . A popular character that I had little actual knowledge of with a bangin' Bronze Age cover.  

So I did a bit of research before writing this and found that there's an interesting story BEHIND the story to be found.  Maybe more interesting than the actual comic itself (to ME, anyway).  Bear with me just a minute.  YOU might already know the story behind She-Hulk, but maybe others reading this might not. 

SO. . .

Just to sketch it out a little, what we have here is a character that was created for a very specific purpose.  It seems that the Powers That Be running Marvel in the late 70's were looking closely at the runaway success of the Incredible Hulk T.V. show.  But what they were ALSO looking at was the successful spinoff of another show. . .The Bionic Woman, which came out of the wildly popular Six Million Dollar Man series.

The Marvel Executives came to the conclusion that if one show could just spin off a female version of a character, another show could do the same.  And so they tasked Stan Lee with coming up with a female version of The Hulk so that if  CBS DID decide to throw out a female Hulk, Marvel would own the rights.

This would be Stan Lee's last major character created for Marvel, and because of the urgency of the job, the issue was written in an extremely short period of time (sources vary, but agree it was just a few weeks). 

ANYWAY. . .

Enough of that.  Let's get into this comic!

THE SAVAGE SHE-HULK #1

MARVEL (1980)

THE SHE-HULK LIVES

SCRIPT: Stan Lee

PENCILS: John Buscema 

INKS: Chic Stone

COVER: John Buscema

THE COVER:

It's just a great Bronze Age comic rack eye catcher!  I'm a sucker for monochromatic backgrounds like this one, and I like the way it's split between the stark white and the cityscape below.  I really like the contrasting colors between the title and She-Hulk as well.  They both pop very nicely against the plain white background.  The thing I like best about this cover is the figure of non-hulked Jen Walters.  John Buscema drew some of the best female figures out there, and he doesn't disappoint here.  It's kind of funny that he drew her wearing purple pants.  All around, a great cover!  Let's get inside and see what's going on. . .

THE STORY:

Our tale begins as Doctor David/Bruce Banner begins to feel the isolation and loneliness of being a wanted man and decides to visit his cousin Jen, a Los Angeles lawyer who Banner hasn't seen since she was young. . .

After a joyful reunion between the two, Banner tells her the real reason he's come to her. . .to confess he's the Hulk and to tell his side of the story.  This leads into an abbreviated recap of The Incredible Hulk's origin. . .

Jen sympathizes with her cousin and is determined to help him if she can.  On the way to her house, she confides that she's working on a case defending a hoodlum being framed for murder.  She know his boss committed the murder and has planted a rumor that she has evidence of his crime.  Banner is concerned for her safety, playing such a dangerous game, but Jen isn't worried.

But maybe she should have been.  As they arrive at her house, gunmen attack Jen, shooting her down in her driveway!  Banner fights off the gunmen as they close in to finish the job.

Banner desperately seeks help for his badly-wounded cousin. . .trying to keep his emotions in check so he doesn't turn into the Hulk.  He eventually finds a doctor office, but nobody is there.  He decides extreme danger calls for extreme measures, so he breaks into the office and gives her a transfusion of his own blood. . .

After the worst danger has passed and Jen is stable, Banner calls the police so that she can be taken to the hospital.  Unfortunately, the police are suspicious of Banner and take him in for questioning.  He turns into the Hulk and makes his escape. . .once again becoming a fugitive.

In the meantime, as Jen recovers in the hospital, the mobsters who put her there return disguised as doctors to finish the job by poisoning her!  Jen tries to fight, but they are too strong.  She feels rage begin to build inside!

A strange transformation comes over Jen!  She turns into a giant, green-skinned monstrosity! To the horror of her attackers, Jen Walters has become some sort of. . .SHE-HULK!

The newly-born She-Hulk fights off her attackers, who flee in panic.  She-Hulk pursues them through the hospital, wreaking havoc with her new strength! 

The chase ends in the parking lot as She-Hulk wrecks the mobster's getaway car.  As the police arrive on the scene, She-Hulk forces a confession out of the gunmen that they were behind the attack on Jen.  Seeing that the police have witnessed the confession, She-Hulk flees the scene!

As She-Hulk feels her anger and strength fade, she makes her way back into the hospital before changing back into Jennifer Walters.  She realizes that her cousin's blood transfusion was behind the change. . .but instead of seeing it as a bad thing, Jen decides to embrace her new abilities as She-Hulk and put them to good use!

The End. . .To be continued.

THE REVIEW:

All righty then. . .there it is.  The origin of She-Hulk.  Let's break it on down!

When I was doing my little series of "First Issue Fun" Longbox Junk entries just a little while ago, I laid down the TWO basic requirements that make me consider a first issue a success. First, it has to introduce characters in a new reader-friendly way.  Second, it has to make me want to read more.

This comic does a great job in introducing She-Hulk to new readers.  Stan Lee delivers a quick and concise origin story that makes sense in the context of fitting in with the existing Incredible Hulk stories.  It's a well-written, fast-paced, and extremely simple story that's over with before you know it. . .but it gets the job done it's supposed to do very well.  Stan Lee was tasked with quickly creating and introducing a female version of the Hulk and that's exactly what you get here.  Nothing more, nothing less.

But does it make me want to read more?  Well. . .not really.  

This is a pretty good little "One and done" origin story written for a specific purpose, and it succeeds at that purpose.  But it's just missing something.  I'm not sure exactly what, but there's just not enough here to hook me into the next issue.  I guess I can't help but think that any story with She-Hulk could probably be done just as well with the original Hulk.  Maybe it's because I'm looking back from 40 years down the road and know the blatantly commercial origin of this character. 

In itself, this isn't a bad story at all. . .it just doesn't really have much reason to exist beyond its reason to exist.  Does that even make sense? Maybe I would have a different opinion if I hadn't done any research into the character before reading this. 

On the art side of things, I have to admit I was a little disappointed.

I'm a fan of John Buscema.  As far as I'm concerned (and I think maybe a lot of others as well), he's a  superstar who very much deserves the pedestal he stands on in the hall of comic book history.  I can confidently describe his work on Conan as "definitive", and not worry about much disagreement on the point. 

BUT. . .

His outstanding cover aside, Buscema's work here looks as obviously rushed as it was.  As I mentioned above, this comic was done in what was probably record time. . .available sources vary but agree on it being just a few weeks. . .and you can definitely tell.  The art isn't BAD at all, it's just not quite up to what I would expect from John Buscema.  A bit of a shame.  Given a little more time, I'm sure the art would have been a lot better.  As it stands, I'll just say it's not the best example of John Buscema's art, and I'll leave it at that.

CONCLUSION

What we have here is a comic book that was written for a specific purpose. . .introduce a female version of the Hulk in order to protect Marvel's rights to the character. . .that was done in a very short period of time.  

Stan Lee does a great job of introducing She-Hulk with a quick reading and well-written origin story, but he falls flat in making her interesting enough to make me want to read more.  John Buscema's art disappoints, looking rushed and pretty rough in spots.  I'm pretty sure a bit more time would have smoothed that out, though.

Good taken with bad, this is a pretty good comic book.  It could have been better with a little more time to cook, but it's not bad at all for what it is.  I see that there's going to be a She-Hulk live action series on Disney+ soon, so that will probably bump up the "value" of this comic a bit.  But it's been collected several times and is available on ComiXology, so if you want to check out She-Hulk's origin for yourself you don't have to hit the wallet too hard if you don't want to.  

Up Next. . .

I think I can squeeze in one more Longbox Junk Retro Review before I turn to October Longbox Junk Halloween Horror fun.

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk Retro Review - Fantastic Four #58 (1967)

Welcome back to Longbox Junk, the place to find more comic reviews that you never asked for than you could ever ask for!  Read it again. . .it DOES make sense!

Every now and then I like to take a step back from my usual bargain bin fare and shine the spotlight on some of the older and more "valuable" comics I own.  I crank up the old Longbox Junk paper time machine and see what's going on in the Bronze, Silver, and Golden Age corners of my collection.  It's a nice little occasional diversion from the dollar box.

The comic at hand is a very recent addition to my collection.  As of this writing, I just got it last week for my birthday from my comic-lovin' daughter.  She took quiet notice of me admiring that sweet cover every time we hit the comic shop for our weekly fix of four color fun over the past year or so that it's been hanging up among the "premium" comics behind the counter.  It was a great birthday present!

BUT. . .

I can't actually read it.  See, I had to cheat a little on this particular Longbox Junk Retro Review because the copy I have is encased in a plastic prison.  Slabbed and graded at a very nice 8.0. I might one day break it free, but for now it's "cover only" for my actual copy of this comic.

What that means is that the pristine pictures to follow are from the digital version of the comic.  Like I said, I had to cheat a little and go online to do this review. . .but with a cover like that, I just HAD to see what the story was!

SO. . .

Disclaimers aside, let's see what this comic has to offer.  Step into the paper time machine with me and travel back to 1967 when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were hard at work on "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine"  Ready?  Let's do it!

FANTASTIC FOUR #58

Marvel (1967)

THE DISMAL DREGS OF DEFEAT!

SCRIPT: Stan Lee

PENCILS: Jack Kirby

INKS: Joe Sinnott

COLORS: Stan Goldberg

COVER: Jack Kirby

THE COVER:

The cover of this comic is what caught my eye and convinced my daughter to buy it for me, so let's linger here for a moment.  Awwwwwwwwwww. . .Yeah!  Just look at that.  Nice.  VERY nice.  Do I really need to say much about this Silver Age spinner rack eye-catcher?  It's just so. . .great.  The colors, the composition. . .there's nothing I don't like about this cover! THIS is the kind of cover that makes me want a comic book.  Let's move on before I just sit here all day. . .

THE STORY:

Our story begins with Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, and The Thing on top of the Baxter Building, where the lightning flashes of a strange thunderstorm reveal images of their enemy, Doctor Doom!

Little do our heroes know that (in the previous issue) Doctor Doom has vanquished and imprisoned the mighty Silver Surfer and somehow stolen his cosmic powers.  Doom was using the storm as a test of his new powers.  Satisfied, he begins planning to destroy the Fantastic Four!

Later that day, Reed and Sue Richards (AKA Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman) leave for a quiet weekend alone together at a cottage they've rented upstate, leaving Ben Grimm (AKA The Thing) to keep an eye on things at the Baxter Building.  But shortly after the newlywed Richards couple leave, Doctor Doom attacks!

The Thing puts up a good fight, but his brute strength is no match for Doom's new cosmic powers, and Doom stands victorious!  The Thing is placed in a state of suspended animation. . .helpless and unable to speak or move.

IN THE MEANTIME. . .

Johnny Storm (AKA The Human Torch), Wyatt Wingfoot (AKA normal human supporting character), and the giant teleporting dog called Lockjaw (Who belongs to the Inhumans, but is temporarily providing the Fantastic Four Deus Ex Machina travel support) suddenly appear in New York.

The stop is an unintended interruption to their continued attempts to breach the Negative Zone barrier trapping the Inhumans so that Torch can be reunited with his new Inhuman girlfriend, Crystal. . .But THAT'S another story!

Torch and Wingfoot don't understand why Lockjaw has brought them to New York when there's more important business to tend to, until they notice the gaping hole in the side of the Baxter Building!  Johnny Storm quickly investigates. . .

AT THAT VERY MOMENT. . .

At the quiet upstate cottage Reed and Sue Richards are spending the weekend at, the couple's mild bickering over Reed's inability to stop tinkering with machines long enough to have a weenie roast with his new wife (Hey-O! But seriously. . .it's just a cookout) is rudely interrupted by Doctor Doom!

Using his stolen cosmic powers, Doctor Doom not only takes Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman by surprise, he is able to easily counteract their abilities.  As Reed and Sue Richards fight for their lives against Doom.

Back in New York City, The Human Torch has discovered the Thing.  He remembers a device in Reed's lab that might work to bring his friend out of suspended animation.  He decides that's a job for Wyatt Wingfoot as he rushes to Reed and Sue's rental cabin to warn them that something's going on.

The Human Torch arrives in time to hear Doom ranting about his new powers and the havoc he's going to be able to wreak.  Johnny rushes in on the attack, heroically intending to sacrifice himself to give Reed and Sue Richards time to escape and come up with a plan to defeat Doom.

Torch quickly realizes he's outmatched by Doom's new powers, and in a last-ditch effort, causes a massive explosion that Reed and Sue barely escape.  Meanwhile, back in New York City, Wyatt Wingfoot uses Reed Richards' "Metabolism Accelerator" on The Thing, bringing him out of suspended animation. . .

Back at the cottage, Johnny Storm is defeated and frozen by Doom. . .but somehow manages to summon the strength to release one last massive blast of fire to free himself!

As The Human Torch escapes to regain his strength, The Thing and Wyatt Wingfoot arrive to join the battle!  Wingfoot is armed with Reed's experimental "Anti Grav Disrupter", and he wastes no time in using it on Doom, causing a massive explosion but seemingly having no effect on Doctor Doom!

Reed Richards realizes that there's nothing they can do against Doom with the stolen powers of the Silver Surfer and orders his team to stand down and surrender.  The Fantastic Four have been beaten!

Doom gloats that Richards has made the right choice, and although he WAS planning on destroying the heroes, a more fitting punishment will be to let them live, knowing that they no longer even matter to Doom.  As the mocking villain makes his exit, Reed lets the rest of the team know that he was just buying time and will never give up!

The End. To be continued. . .

THE REVIEW:

I've mentioned it before, but I'm not really a fan of The Fantastic Four (or super-team comics in general).  Don't get me wrong. . .I've read some mighty fine individual FF stories here and there over the years.  I just can't get into their adventures on a continuing basis for some reason.  I guess I just prefer my FF in small doses.

THAT SAID. . .

I liked this story a lot!  A while back, I did another Fantastic Four Retro Review on the superb issue #50 (You can read it RIGHT HERE ), also by the original Stan Lee/ Jack Kirby creative team.  What impressed me most about #50 was that it was an unusual story for the time in that the title heroes actually LOST the fight and were pretty much useless through the issue. . .and in the next issue, Reed Richards was consumed with what almost seems like PTSD brought on by the experience of being helpless in the face of a cosmic powerhouse like Galactus.

We sort of have the same thing here.  As the cover and title indicate, this is a story where the heroes basically are beaten down and have to admit that they are helpless in the face of a superior enemy.  This was NOT the typical Silver Age comic book superhero story!  There are those who like to bag on Stan Lee's writing, but I give him credit for being able to write a story that steps outside the box a bit (for that time) and gives us a tale of superheroes defeated!  

It's a simple story at heart. . .basically Doctor Doom using his new powers to attack his worst enemies until they ultimately surrender and become the object of Doom's scorn and pity.  But within that simple framework, Stan Lee fills the pages of this comic with one little moment after another that kept even someone that's not a fan of the Fantastic Four turning the pages.  And when I got to the last page, I wanted more! It's a testament to the storytelling ability of Stan Lee that I started off reading one comic to review and ended up reading forward six MORE issues (since I was online anyway)!

I'm not going to go so far as to say it made me a Fantastic Four fan, but there for a short while, I totally got it.  It passed after a half-dozen issues, but this issue's tale of demoralizing defeat gave me enough of a starting point that I was able to enjoy what comes next as Reed once again fights through the depression and anxiety of being helpless and figures out a way to come back out on top. . .then moves on to the next challenges with his family and friends at his side.

I'd say that's a job well done on the story side of things.  

But in comics, the story is only half of the equation.  Let's take a look at the art. . .

I admitted in that same Retro Review of Fantastic Four #50 (that I've mentioned several times now, sorry to keep bringing it up)  that I've never really liked Jack Kirby's art much.  I realize that Kirby stands SO tall in the minds of many comic fans that ANY criticism is pretty much ignored. . .no matter how honest it may be.  And so it won't matter to a lot of people that in MY extremely humble opinion, I find most of Kirby's art that I've seen to be pretty basic compared to some other Silver/Bronze Age artists when you take a good hard look at it.  It's a sort of unpopular opinion, but please don't hurt me.

THAT SAID. . .

While Longbox Junk isn't a comic idol worship blog, neither is it the place to try and topple said comic idols from their well-deserved pedestals.  At Longbox Junk, EVERY comic deserves a fair chance, whether it costs a buck from the bargain bin or it's a slabbed and graded "collectible".

So taking a fair look at this comic, I'd say that Kirby's art holds up its end of the bargain and more! 

 Most of my comics with Kirby art are actually from the 70's when I've been told he was on a bit of a decline . .this is only the third comic from the 60's I have with Kirby art and I can definitely tell the difference.  Where Kirby's later Bronze Age efforts seem lazy, here his art crackles with energy and motion!  

Thanks to Kirby's simple, clean lines and sparse backgrounds, the characters practically leap off the page and right into your face as you read this comic, especially in the action scenes.  I have to give some credit due to the extremely sharp inking of Joe Sinnott and the glorious colors by Stan Goldberg as well. . .even though I AM looking at a modern digitally-recolored version on a computer monitor, so I can't speak for the actual coloring on my slabbed-up copy.  Still. . .a big round of applause for the whole art team on this comic!

From the eye-catching cover to the final cliffhanger, this is one great-looking comic!  Between this issue and #50, I can certainly catch a little glimpse of why Kirby is held in such high regard.  I'm still not a fan of his later work, mind you, but THIS is some good stuff!

CONCLUSION

What we have here is a perfect storm of writing and art delivering an unusual story that makes the reader want more.  Stan Lee throws down some trademark Mighty Marvel bombast that makes even a tale of superheroes taking a beating great.  Jack Kirby ups the ante with artwork that practically jumps off the page.  In this issue alone it's easy to see why the Stan Lee/ Jack Kirby combination has gone down in comic history as one of the greatest creative teams.

I said above that Longbox Junk isn't in the business of comic idol worship, but Lee and Kirby deserve a well-earned round of applause from me for hooking me in to the story of a superhero team I don't even particularly like, and doing it with a tale of them getting a solid beatdown!

Overall, I have to say that this has been one of the best Silver Age comics I've read in quite a while and I give it two thumbs-up and a Longbox Junk seal of approval.  It might be a little pricey to find the original in decent shape, but I see it's been collected, reprinted, and available online, so check it out!

Up Next. . .

Another Longbox Junk Retro Review!

But which one is the question. . .

Phantom Stranger? Black Lightning? Savage She-Hulk? The Shadow? Iron Man? 

SO MANY MORE! I might just have to roll a die or something.  In any case. . .

Be there or be square!