REVIEW: X-Men vol. 1 #1

Writer: Christ Claremont
Penciler: Jim Lee (co-collaborator in plot)
Inker: Scott Williams
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Review: Art Bee

A brief look back…
The X-Men #1 was published in September, 1963. For nearly 30 years the series remained unbroken on its course until 1991, when Marvel began its early pimpin’ era. At this point, in October, 1991, Marvel reboots the storyline into X-Men, featuring Cyclops’ Blue Team, and The Uncanny X-men, featuring Storm’s Gold Team. At the time this seemed like a decent way to give the reader more, but a trend was starting in Marvel that would dilute almost every successful intellectual property the company owned. In 1991 you needed two titles per month to get what was going on in the world of X-men; now a person needs to read eight.
See, they be straight pimpin’.

I found this comic book recently in a back issue box, but if I had picked it up in 1991, my excitement would have made my head spin right off my shoulders! A double-sized issue to kick off double the X-Men each month…sign me up! This was the book to do just that.

The issue begins with the heart of the plot pulled, still beating, from the story and thrust into the readers face. We find astronauts, mutant and human, locked in combat while trying to reach an orbiting asteroid, dubbed Asteroid M, which is in geosynchronous orbit (Educational note: term means to orbit at the same rate as the Earth’s rotation resulting in the object staying stationary in result to a point on the surface of the planet). Asteroid M is the home of Magneto and he has made a mutant-friendly sanctuary on the asteroid.

REVIEW: What If…? Vol 1, #2

“What if Hulk had the brains of Bruce Banner?”

Writer: Roy Thomas
Illustrator: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Tom Sutton
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Review: Madman

It’s that time again folks. That’s right, it’s What If…? Wednesday!

I don’t know how many What If…? books I’ve reviewed but know it’s more than a few. I’m also not sure how many total issues there are in the multiple volumes, but if a complete volume of books is ever to be reviewed, one book at a time, there is a good chance it’ll be What If…?.

I may or may not have officially made it a personal mission of mine. Hey, what can I say, most of these books are entertaining as hell, and I’d be a chump to not snatch them out of the dollar boxes when I come across them, now wouldn’t I?

That being said, this is my favorite issue of the volume I’ve had the pleasure to sink in my eyeballs. The artwork Trimpe gifts us with is what you would expect from a Marvel book from the ‘70s. I’m not complaining at all. I love Trimpe’s work both here and in the proper Incredible Hulk book, as well as on his many other titles. What really stood out to me though, as for this issues’ art department, was Wein’s color work. Even now, forty one years after publication, the pages still pop in all the right ways. I was truly surprised how vibrant the colors saturate each and every page.

REVIEW: Power Comics #1

By: Grant Stevens, Skip Williams, Bill Loebs, Bruce Bennett, T. Casey Brennan, Dave Sim, Vince Marchesano, Jim Friel, Jerry Younkins

Review: Will Dubbeld

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine who is a purveyor of vintage goods, antiques and esoterica asked, “You wanna see some original comic art?”.
It seems, in his travels, he’d picked up several pieces from the long-defunct Power Comics Company at an estate sale.

“Yes!”, was the emphatic answer.

There upon we ventured into his barn/workspace/storage facility, and he produced 2 large flat files jam-packed with art.
Sketches, page and panel art, production pieces, and several photostat copies used for cut-and-paste filled the two files, and I eagerly pawed through the treasure.

As collectors do, I offered to buy the lot and, as sellers do, he agreed to sell.

Upon separating and organizing this mass of artwork, my curiosity grew. I’d never heard of Power Comics, nor any of the creations within.
Due diligence and some swift internet work yielded a list of published titles, and I was on the hunt.
I recently acquired the full run of Power Comics Company’s anthology book, cleverly titled Power Comics, and eagerly sought to learn the secrets of this Bronze Age publisher.