Secret Agent Corrigan, Slave Labor (April-July 1967)

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Corrigan’s off to the sunny Caribbean this storyline, where he discovers the bad guys aren’t helping fugitives escape the States but rather stealing their money and making them do hard labor.

That situation, the criminals doing harder labor than they’d ever do in a real prison, isn’t one Goodwin explores. Actually, Goodwin doesn’t explore much with Corrigan, but his lack of ambition isn’t a bad thing. It’s a diverting spy slash thriller comic strip. Even when Goodwin’s got overly expositional panels (to bridge), it’s always fast paced.

One problem though… I don’t believe an FBI agent is going to give a bunch of fugitives pistols, even if they are all in a work camp. These guys were just trying to kill Corrigan a few strips earlier.

Williamson’s art is good. He matches Goodwin on the pace. Corrigan reads very fast. So fast plot holes don’t cause any stumbles.

CREDITS

Writer, Archie Goodwin; artist, Al Williamson; publisher, King Features.

Secret Agent Corrigan, Operation: Marina Vladcheck (January-April 1967)

Archie Goodwin does this fantastic job setting up the story—a defected Soviet scientist is being pursued by the bad guys because they want to ransom her. Meanwhile, she doesn’t like being stuck in protected custody and dreams of getting free for even a night.

It’s a great setup and the character is really compelling. Then Goodwin reveals the bad guys are using a circus as a front and they’re traveling around the country grabbing people up.

A circus.

While Goodwin does keep enough of a pace one doesn’t exactly dwell on the circus detail, but it’s definitely present and definitely absurd.

Even though it does lead to a great finale involving a Ferris wheel.

While Goodwin’s dialogue’s good and his narration is nice and sparse, the draw is Al Williamson. It’s an exceedingly well-drawn comic strip. Williamson brings anxiety to ever panel, which works great for a thriller.

CREDITS

Writer, Archie Goodwin; artist, Al Williamson; publisher, King Features.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #120

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The Gully story from Schultz and Williamson doesn’t have much of a script; with Williamson’s art, who cares about the writing? It’s some otherworldly sci-fi Western thing. Lovely to look at.

White and Snejbjerg’s The Lords of Misrule is a little confusing, but decent. Snejbjerg does a great job with the tone and the art is excellent… he just doesn’t take the time to design it to fit the layers of White’s script. Still, creepy and solid.

Trout’s becoming a new favorite, even though this installment shows Nixey has some peculiar problems with perspective. Lot of charm to it though, very nice characterizations.

Hectic Planet goes on forever here. Dorkin has a bunch of silly sci-fi elements in what should be a human story. It gets tiring after the first page then goes on forever.

Schreck, Rich and Jones have a one page closer. Great art from Jones.

Dark Horse Presents 120 (April 1997)

Trout’s becoming a new favorite, even though this installment shows Nixey has some peculiar problems with perspective. Lot of charm to it though, very nice characterizations.

Hectic Planet goes on forever here. Dorkin has a bunch of silly sci-fi elements in what should be a human story. It gets tiring after the first page then goes on forever.

Schreck, Rich and Jones have a one page closer. Great art from Jones.

CREDITS

One Last Job; story by Mark Schultz; art by Al Williamson; lettered by Denise Powell. The Lords of Misrule, Part One; story by Steve White; art by Peter Snejbjerg; lettering by Annie Parkhouse; edited by Ian R. Stude. Trout, Nicky Nicky Nine Doors, Part Two; story and art by Troy Nixey. Hectic Planet, Part Three; story and art by Evan Dorkin. Gather Ye Rosebuds; story by Bob Schreck and Jamie S. Rich; pencils by Casey Jones; inks by Monty Sheldon; lettering by Sean Konot. Edited by Bob Schreck and Jamie S. Rich.

Blade Runner (1982) #2

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There are some real problems this issue–Goodwin’s got to adapt the stuff without Deckard (who in his adaptation isn’t just not a replicant, but is also a lot more the Deckard from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) and it’s just a mess. The way Goodwin structures it–the noir with Deckard and Rachel–it just doesn’t work for following the rogue replicants. Wait, aren’t they all rogue?

Anyway, Goodwin pulls it together for the conclusion, with a beautifully narrated sequence. Did Goodwin do any detective comics? I’d love to read them.

The stuff with Deckard and Rachel is a lot different from the movie and, if it weren’t for the structure, I’d argue Blade Runner the comic is a completely different animal.

Goodwin ends it with a postscript, a little line about blade runners. I googled the line. He wrote it himself… makes for a lovely comic book.

Blade Runner (1982) #1

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After the first few pages, I think I decided Blade Runner is best comic adaptation of a movie I’ve ever read. Goodwin has a fairly complex and lengthy story to adapt here (especially since the film is confusing, especially the version Goodwin would have been adapting) and he comes up with a genius way to do it.

He turns Blade Runner into a detective story. Sure, it’s a detective story, but there’s really not any of the classic staples of the genre throughout (i.e. narration). Narration is what Goodwin adds and makes it into a fantastic–for the most part–comic book.

It’s still too busy, because they’re trying to fit so much in–I don’t think I’ve ever seen such small lettering for standard narration, it’s tiny–but it works.

Williamson is sometimes gets very creative; these are ten or twelve panel pages.

It’s a rather solid comic book.

Blade Runner 2 (November 1982)

Anyway, Goodwin pulls it together for the conclusion, with a beautifully narrated sequence. Did Goodwin do any detective comics? I’d love to read them.

The stuff with Deckard and Rachel is a lot different from the movie and, if it weren’t for the structure, I’d argue Blade Runner the comic is a completely different animal.

Goodwin ends it with a postscript, a little line about blade runners. I Googled the line. He wrote it himself… makes for a lovely comic book.

CREDITS

Writer, Archie Goodwin; pencillers, Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon; inkers, Williamson, Garzon, Dan Green and Ralph Reese; colorist, Marie Severin; letterer, Ed King; editor, Jim Salicrup; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Blade Runner 1 (October 1982)

It’s still too busy, because they’re trying to fit so much in–I don’t think I’ve ever seen such small lettering for standard narration, it’s tiny–but it works.

Williamson is sometimes gets very creative; these are ten or twelve panel pages.

It’s a rather solid comic book.

CREDITS

Writer, Archie Goodwin; artists, Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon; colorist, Marie Severin; letterer, Ed King; editor, Jim Salicrup; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Blazing Combat (1965) #2

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I can’t believe it, Goodwin tells a joke. In fact, he sets up his entire Revolutionary War story for a joke. I suppose the issue kind of needs it, since he opens with this famous Vietnam story, “Landscape,” the best illustrated of the three Joe Orlando stories this issue.

“Landscape” is about a South Vietnamese rice farmer who keeps his head down through the war. About two panels into the story, it’s pretty clear this Vietnam conflict rice farmer could very easily be a corn farmer in 1765 New York. Goodwin never draws attention to the parallels, but they’re definitely present. Again, I can’t believe they got four issues of this comic published before it folded.

The other Orlando stories are both fine, but the other standouts this issue are an Angelo Torres, Al Williamson inked WWII piece, and especially this Alex Toth WWI flying story.

And Severin’s, of course.

Blazing Combat 2 (January 1966)

The other Orlando stories are both fine, but the other standouts this issue are an Angelo Torres, Al Williamson inked WWII piece, and especially this Alex Toth WWI flying story.

And Severin’s, of course.

CREDITS

Landscape; artist, Joe Orlando. Saratoga; artist, Reed Crandall. Mig Alley; artist, Al McWilliams. Face to Face; artist, Orlando. Kasserine Pass; penciller, Angelo Torres; inker, McWilliams. Lone Hawk; artist, Alex Toth. Combat Quiz; artist, Torres. Holding Action; artist, John Severin. Writer and editor, Archie Goodwin; letterer, Ben Oda; publisher, Warren.