Showcase 7 (March-April 1957)

While there’s still nothing resembling character development for the original Challengers–scientist June Robbins offers to join, it’s unclear if she’s accepted, and Wood gives her a lot more personality than the boys–this issue’s really strong.

Even someone only marginally familiar with Kirby’s work (like me) can see in this Showcase the ancestors of his New Gods design work. He gets a little lazy on the faces, but there are still some amazing visuals of a giant robot run amok.

Wood’s script is a mix of King Kong and a super-computer thriller. He uses June Robbins to bring thoughtfulness and compassion to the story, making it unique. The plotting is also rather strong, though the chapter cliffhangers are tepid.

The story’s also of historical note as it involves the Challengers helping a Nazi war criminal. Apparently they weren’t evil on face value in 1957?

It’s a good read.

Showcase 6 (January-February 1957)

This Showcase predates Jason and the Argonauts. I wonder if someone on the movie read it–the Challengers of the Unknown face a giant, Greek or Roman looking statue monster who’s out to destroy civilization.

Jack Kirby’s visuals are imaginative, even if the art isn’t as polished as it could be.

The issue opens with some vague sexism–four women are called heroes, but we don’t get to hear about their adventures, just the boys. Has anyone else ever noticed the Challengers don’t have much in the way of personality? Prof Haley is the only one with any distinction and then only because he’s supposed to be smart.

They get involved with magic and ancient technology and have a three chapter adventure. It’s a decent enough issue, with Kirby and co-writer Dave Wood getting in a lot of content.

Pleasant but unaffecting might be the best description for it.

Marvel Premiere (1972) #2

Marvel premiere 1972 2

Ladies and gentlemen… the writing stylings of Roy Thomas! Yay! Yay!

Oh, wait. Umm. No. Not yay.

I suppose if someone wanted to read some really bad seventies young person counterculture dialogue, he or she could read Roy Thomas’s Adam Warlock story. It’s painful to read. And eventually painful to see too.

It’s another issue where Gil Kane’s art falls apart after a certain point. There’s this private detective who Kane draws terribly, but also disturbingly. He looks like an evil, poorly drawn Peter Lorre.

Oh, and the villains. The villains are these giant animals–a rat, a snake–and Kane butchers them. It’s like he can’t draw anything but regular people. Worse, the art all starts good and then plummets.

It’s a confusing story. Thomas loves to overwrite.

There’s a Jimmy Woo backup too, from Jack Kirby. It’s not any good, but it’s mildly interesting as a fifties relic.