Godzilla 1 (August 1977)

Given the goofiness of the seventies Godzilla movies, Herb Trimpe might be the perfect choice for this comic book. I mean, his name’s almost spelled tripe, which is a good description of his artwork. While there are a handful of iconic panels (small ones), Trimpe can’t even maintain perspective on a guy putting out his hand, much less a giant monster.

And let’s not get started on Trimpe’s characterization of Japanese people. His only reference materials seem to be early forties spy thrillers. The one guy even has the coke-bottle glasses.

As for Doug Moench’s story, there isn’t much of one. He comes up with a silly new origin for Godzilla (an undersea Japanese atomic test opens a fissure, releasing a prehistoric giant monster), which goes against all the Japanese movies.

He does get in a good crack about Americans and their oil though.

It’s dreadful, but amusingly so.

CREDITS

The Coming!; writer, Doug Moench; pencillers, Herb Trimpe and Jim Mooney; inker, Mooney; colorist, Janice Cohen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Archie Goodwin; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Astonishing Tales 7 (August 1971)

If Herb Trimpe spent as much time on his figures as he did on the shading lines, his Ka-Zar story might not have been hideously ugly. It’s actually passable–ambitious at times even–until the dinosaurs show up. Trimpe can’t draw dinosaurs.

Roy Thomas scripts the story, which is an extended chase and fight scene. The narration’s weak and the dialogue’s weak. Ka-Zar is annoying with his Tarzan speaking, but he also lacks any personality. Sure, he’s got a sabertooth tiger for a sidekick… but it doesn’t make either compelling.

And Thomas’s conclusion is inept.

Then Gerry Conway and Gene Colan do Black Panther versus Doctor Doom. Frank Giacoia isn’t the best inker for Colan, but he’s not bad either. Sadly, Conway’s script is annoying beyond belief. He constantly questions the characters in the narration. I’m not even sure what person it is.

Overall, aside from Colan, it’s a waste.

Planet of the Apes 28 (January 1977)

Moench’s conclusion to his Battle adaptation isn’t exactly strong, but it’s better than I expected. The shooting script apparently had some ambiguity and Moench embraces it. As for Virgil Redondo’s artwork, it continues to be serviceable. What’s most impressive about this installment is how Moench paces the action and the expository sections. He does fast forward a little, but not through anything special.

For the original story—again with Trimpe, this time with Redondo’s inks (the inks help a tiny bit)—Moench comes to another conclusion of sorts. He gets a really affecting moment out of a brainwashed teenage orangoutang. Moench has this matter of fact observation about the cruelty of the world and it’s fantastic.

Unfortunately, he also changes up some of his character developments—u-turns in some cases—and it hurts the integrity. If Moench ignores his previous characterizations, why should the reader care about the characters?

CREDITS

Revolt of the Gorilloids; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inker, Virgil Redondo. Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Part Seven: Tremor of Doom; artist, Redondo. Writer, Doug Moench; editor, John Warner; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Planet of the Apes 27 (December 1976)

There’s a letter from the editor this issue explaining all the improvements Moench is making in the Battle adaptation are actually from the shooting script and not Moench’s invention.

I guess it’s fitting this chapter of the adaptation is the worst. There’s nothing Moench can do… it’s just a bad script and movie. But Virgil Redondo, who isn’t great, is a lot better on the art chores than the adaptation’s had in a while.

Far less impressive, as far as serviceable art goes, is Trimpe on the original story. He has another magical landscape where the top of a tree just exists superimposed on a river.

But Moench’s writing on the original story is excellent. He has committed to the recent character developments and he’s bringing those—and the more epical events in the storyline—to a head.

It’s a shame Trimpe ruins the exquisite world Moench’s better artists created.

CREDITS

Apes of Iron; artist, Herb Trimpe. Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Part Six: Conquest of Blood; artist, Virgil Redondo. Writer, Doug Moench; editor, John Warner; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Planet of the Apes 26 (November 1976)

All of the art is bad. takes over the original story. His apes are slightly better than his humans. His many-eyed alien might be the best. There’s a scene where it appears a Viking ship (this story introduces apes living like Vikings) is floating on air, because Trimpe doesn’t work the perspective on the scenery to show it’s on water.

Still, Moench has really shaken up the character relationships–some expectedly, some surprisingly. I’m hopeful for the writing anyway.

As for the Battle adaptation, it’s a little better. Not the art, of course. Marvel didn’t even want to pay Sonny Trinidad, so they got Dino Castrillo, who’s even worse. The battle scenes are laughable and the apes are short and squat.

Moench fails to address the ludicrousness of gorillas as commanders. They’re clearly morons and it strains the internal logic. But I doubt he cares at this point.

CREDITS

Northlands; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inker, Virgil Redondo. Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Part Five: Assault On Paradise; artist, Dino Castrillo. Writer, Doug Moench; editor, John Warner; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Planet of the Apes 21 (June 1976)

This issue isn’t just easily the worst one, so far, of Planet of the Apes, it’s bad.

Moench runs into two big problems. I won’t even bother mentioning how Herb Trimpe is not of the artistic caliber the series usually has illustrating. No, Moench instead finds a big old issue with each of his stories, the original one and the adaptation.

In the original one, he continues his tale of the time traveller in search of the lost astronauts from the first movie. Only Moench apparently wasn’t allowed to use any of the original apes (much less the humans) so it makes no sense. He’s got major continuity problems and doesn’t do anything to explain them.

Alcala’s still good on the Conquest adaptation, but Moench is racing through it. His dialogue’s nonsensical and he’s only barely following the movie.

The series has been excellent until now… the issue’s rather upsetting.

CREDITS

Beast On the Planet of the Apes; writer, Doug Moench; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inkers, Dan Adkins and Sal Trapani. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Part Six: Hail Caesar! Hail the King!; writer, Moench; artist, Alfredo Alcala. Editor, Archie Goodwin; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Robocop (1990) #11

Rc11

According to the letter pages, Robocop is going through an editorial shift with this issue and the next ones. Way from Grant’s sci-fi based future and into… well, they don’t exactly say.

This issue almost seems like a direct sequel to the first movie, only with a giant robot running around with a guy’s brainwaves in it trying to kill Robocop.

The Alex Trimpe slash Herb Trimpe artwork is pretty nasty. Robocop’s enormous and goofy looking. Skolnick tries to make the comic serious, with Robocop and partner Lewis obsessing over Robocop’s transformation from man to machine and lots of thought balloons for Lewis. It’s okay, I guess, but it’s not really serious. There’s still the giant green robot with rocket launchers for arms or whatever.

It’s a nice try, but it feels like a total wrong direction, especially since Grant had finally found a nice balance for the series.