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| Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
You asked... you even begged, pleaded, and demanded - but Barry Pearl has decided to ignore your entreaties and write another guest post for Crivens anyway. (Ho ho, only kidding, Barry.) Take it away, BP...
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I'm not one of those people who have absolutes... so I don't have an absolute favourite title or comic. I don't go nuts when people ask "What is your favourite comic, or movie, or book, or TV show?" But if you put a gun to my head I would think about it and come up with an answer. So the Fantastic Four was my "favourite" in Marvel's beginning, then Spider-Man, then Thor, then Steranko on Shield and so on. I read and enjoyed the comics from the Marvel Age and I know many of you have collected a great deal too.
But, like I said, if someone put a phaser to my head and forced me to pick a title and a comic that was the "best" (really meaning my favourite) all-time Marvel mag, it would be the Fantastic Four and issue #51, "This Man... This Monster!"
In the middle of the Inhumans, Silver Surfer, Galactus, and the Black Panther is a story without a known villain - or a named one. It is first a story of a tragic figure, Ben Grimm, and then a story of redemption. It was Lee and Kirby at their best and it could make you cry. And it has my favorite splash page of all time.
So with a phaser pointed at you, what would be your choices from the era of the 1960s and 1970s?
So with a phaser pointed at you, what would be your choices from the era of the 1960s and 1970s?
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Great question, Barry. Hopefully our merry contingent of Crivvies will take the time to provide their answers in our captivating comments section.
So many to choose from its right but for Marvel its between Kirbys Thor series especially the Magog series and Spibmderman under Eomita art and the Silvermane storyline. If forced its Thor and issue 155 just. If DC its JLA and issue 100
ReplyDeleteArgh sorry thought I stopped that message Kid as I was sending it from my phone which is now officially buggered (keyboards stuck) sorry but hope you managed to translate it ok.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd just have to say "Shoot... but put your phasers on stun." Not sure I could pick just one absolute favourite.
ReplyDeleteI forgot Hulk (probably my favourite title of the late 60s to mid 70s,) and Captain America under Romita and Colans early runs and....
ReplyDeleteSee, that's the thing, McS - if you pick one favourite, another one then pops up in your mind, doesn't it? (That's what happens with me anyway.) I wonder if it would be any easier to list the comics we didn't like?
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a post.Well done Barry.Your choice is a belter and very hard to choose a splash page better however I always liked FF #46 and especially Amazing Spiderman #26!I can see your problem Kid as I have numerous splash pages flashing through my head.Will have a think and add some more later.Very entertaining post but could spend hours adding to my choices.(A very pleasant problem to have and to share!!!)Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Triple F - and keep up the encouraging comments. I'm sure Barry appreciates it and I certainly do too. Feel free to add as many favourites as you can think of.
ReplyDelete......from the era of the 1960s and 1970s?
ReplyDeleteHands down that would be Judge Dredd for both art and story.
But then nothing for me tops Dan Dare from 1950.
Once Hampson and his team hit their stride, the art was magnificent, T47. However, reading them now (I have Eagle #1 and several Hawk Books reprints), the pacing seems a bit slow. Of course, they were meant to be read no more than one weekly episode at a time, so perhaps that's what I should have done.
ReplyDeleteFF Follower,
ReplyDeleteThe two part Man in the Crime Master's Mask is one of my favorites also. Great story and great opening page. (I wish I could post it). Gosh, there is just so many to choose from the Marvel Era.
Terranova47 I not that familiar with the Judge Dredd, he started in 1977 when I was leaving comics.
When reading or rereading anything that was weekly installment, whether Dan Dare or your recently recommended Johnny Future I read no more than two installments at a time.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand reading a Graphic Novel the pacing is different and not full of cliff hanger pauses.
I doubt you'd like Judge Dredd much, BP, as (a few stories aside) he's a bit 'grim-dark'. On a connected note, I was the sole lettering artist for every story in the short-lived 'Judge Dredd - Lawman Of The Future' comic back in the '90s.
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You're obviously much more disciplined than me, T47 - I'm a bit of a 'glutton' in that regard.
FF51 is my all time favourite too.
ReplyDeleteMy runners-up would be Amazing Spider- Man 50, and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.
There's also a Colan-drawn Daredevil issue called Brother Take My Hand that I'm very fond of. Can't remember the issue number without checking.
Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme and Quasar, Byrne's West Coast Avengers... I could go on all day!
I've got FF #51, DS, and it's one of my faves as well, as is the Daredevil ish (#47), but I couldn't say they're my absolute favourites. (Though they're certainly among them.)
ReplyDeleteThere are so many great issues, as well as personal favourites, but I think Barry has it right on the head. Its a comic I have not read in 25 years though.......
ReplyDeletePersonal favourites are FF#6, Spidey #6, Hulk #6 and (breaking the trend) Avengers #4. Others worth mentioning are Avengers#16 & 50, DD#7, X-Men# 8 & 56, Silver Surfers #3 and 4, Spideys#39&40, Tower of Shadows #1,Strange Tales #146, FF Annual #2, Spidey Annual #1, ToS #81, ToA #77 and Shield #1 let alone some of the great continued mid 60s Lee/Kirby/Ditko runs on the FF, Spidey, Doc Strange, Thor, Hulk and Cap. Excelsior!
Spirit of 64
ps I thought we were talking about Silver Age Marvel.......
ReplyDeleteSpirit of '64
I love FF #7 and Hulk #5 - also Tales Of Suspense #s 43 & 44. I first read the stories in Wham!, Smash!, and Fantastic back in the '60s, and I guess most of our favourites will be ones we read as kids, eh, S64?
ReplyDeleteYes, we are talking primarily about Silver Age Marvel, but I don't mind us straying beyond that if that's what Crivvies want to do. It can lead to interesting comments and I've never been one to stifle the expression of readers' thoughts.
If you’re tsking strictly Marvel- Spider-Man 33. Thor vs Hercules and the Mangog storyline.
ReplyDeleteThe Galactus trilogy.
Iron man fights Black Knight the early Colan issue.
I loved the very first appearance of Hercules (not counting the 'generic' Herc in an Avengers ish) in Journey Into Mystery Annual #1, plus the Thor/Herc saga in #s 125-130. That was an epic. Another great classic was when Doom stole the Surfer's 'Power Cosmic' in FF #s 57-60, not forgetting when Ben had to fight in the 'Great Games' in FF #s 90-93. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteWhile we are talking mostly Marvel, I too enjoyed Whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow and many of the ones the others mentioned. But if I had to pick just one it would be FF #51. I think!
ReplyDeleteYou are right Barry, Spiderman #26 and #27 remain my favourite issues of all time, those issues had everything! I know we are discussing splash pages but those 2 covers were sesational. I also have to admit that it was only years after reading #27 that I realised the Crimemaster was part of the cirle of hoods on the front cover... I missed that completely! In my defense it really was a sensational cliff hanger in #26 and I was eager to see what would happen next!!!!!! Perhaps the next discussion could be misleading covers such as FF #62 which I thought had the Silver Surfer on the cover but it was actually Triton inside! Easy mistake to make or Ironman #56 which I thought featured the Beast but in reality it was another character I cannot remember. Someone may inform me who it was but keep posting as with each new suggestion I am looking those splashes up and oohing and aahing at the wisdom of your choices. Very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't tie it down to just one ish, BP - there are far too many that I like. Call me fickle.
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Fangor is the one you're thinking of from IM #56, Triple F. Favourite splash page? Again, far too many for me to be able to chose just one, but I do like the Thor splash in J.I.M. #83.
Well, if it more than one issue:
ReplyDelete*****My VERY FAVORITES*****
Amazing Fantasy #15
Amazing Spider-Man #3, 14, 17-19, 26-27, 31-33, 39-40, 50, 90, 96-98, 121-122
Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1 #1, 2
Avengers #4, 16, 57, 58, 92-94, 97
Captain America #100, 110-111, 113, 154-156
Death of Captain Marvel Graphic Novel
Conan #1, 4,
Daredevil #1, 7
Fantastic Four #1, 4, 5, 15, 19, 25, 26, 32, 39, 40, 44, 48-50, 51, 52, 60, 64, 66, 67, Annual #1-6
Howard the Duck #1
Hulk #1, 140, #180-181
Iron Man #55
Marvels #1-4
Marvel Premiere #1 (Warlock)
Nick Fury #1-3, 5
Savage Tales #1
Sgt. Fury #13, 45, 46, Annual #4
Special Marvel Edition #15
Silver Surfer #1-4 and Graphic novel
Strange Tales #115, 135, 156-162, 165, 166, 167
Sub-Mariner #8, 14
Tales of Suspense #39
Tales to Astonish #60, 70
Thor (Journey into Mystery) #83, 126-129, 136, 147, 158, 159; Tales of Asgard issues #97-145
Tomb of Dracula #10
World’s Unknown #1
X-Men #1; Giant-Size #1
All great, BP, but I'm surprised that Howard The Duck #3 isn't on your list. Classic.
ReplyDeleteFantastic Four No.40 - and in particular when Ben Grimm transforms back in to the Thing.
ReplyDeleteYup, that's another beauty, CN. I first read the story in an issue of Wham! back in 1967, but I've had FF #40 for, oh, I dunno - 35-40 years now.
ReplyDeleteMore powerful in black & white, isn’t it Kid. I first read the Battle for the Baxter Building in the Mighty World of Marvel in 1974 and picked up FF40 years later. However colour dilutes that transformation scene. This is a man who has had all his wishes given to him and then cruelly snatched away, by of all people, his best friend, albeit for the greater good. By the end of that page, in a minimal number of frames, his clothes, like those wishes and dreams are shredded and his brewing reaction is there for all to see. Just black and white with the colour being the emotion, rather than four inks.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly a powerful scene, CN, but, to be honest, I don't think I've ever thought about whether or not it has greater impact in b&w or colour. I'd have to dig out my issues to check. I've got several reprints of it, including Wham! (which I recall reading in my local Co-op store - long gone), Marvel's Greatest Comics, MWOM, Masterworks, Omnibus, and Epic Collection editions, so I've got plenty to choose from.
ReplyDeleteUnlike many, I quite like Vince Colletta's inking run on FF, but there's one thing (npi) that I wish he'd 'fixed'. If you look at the half-page panel of The Thing on page 14) after he's been transformed by Reed's ray, the 'rocks' around his mouth make it look as if he's got a tooth protruding over his upper 'lip'. It's less obvious in colour, but that's what it looks like in b&w. Take a look at that pic and see what you think.
Some more to add to the honours board, in addition to all the terrific issues already mentioned:
ReplyDeleteAmazing Adventures #5, the Black Widow beautifully drawn by Colan and Everett
Amazing Fantasy #10, Lee & Ditko at their best
and straying out of the silver age
Conan# 24, Song of Red Sonja
Conan# 37, for me Adams's best ever work
FF # 234, my favourite Byrne FF and a very human story
Savage Tales #2 & 3, Red Nails adapted by Thomas and Windsor-Smith
Sub-Mariner #57, Subby meets Venus by Everett
Giant-Size Man-Thing #4
Warlock #11 The Strange Death of Adam Warlock
Avengers Annual # 7
Savage Sword of Conan #2 1st Buscema-Alcala on Conan plus a great Adams cover
Spirit of '64
In the 70s, I used to think that Colletta was Marvel's third best inker, after Palmer and Sinnott. He certainly had his supporters, both at DC and Marvel...he inked lots and lots of comics.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise for me the British Marvels showed a great representation of comic art, at least once they got rid of the horrendous washes and tones that made the mid 70s era comics a murky mess. I am still of the opinion that one of the best ways to appreciate the Kirby-Sinnott is to look at old MWOM issues.
Spirit of 64
Great choices all, S64. FF #234 was the first one by Byrne that I ever bought; I soon tracked down the two previous issues and now have (and have had since first published) a full run of writer/artist Byrne FFs, both in their original issues and also Omnibus editions.
ReplyDeleteThe murky printing on the British weeklies was just that; what I mean is that it was the printing that rendered the tones so dark that they obscured the detail. It was the same people that did the tones for the US mags (as the UK pages were prepared in America) and they came out okay. Once they got it sorted though, the lighter tones looked okay, and the Kirby/Sinnott FF tales in particular looked pretty good.
Going back to Barry's list I am familiar with all, except Sgt Fury #46 and Annual #4. Will need to track those down. I must admit I did a double take when I first saw Barry's list, as I couldn't believe that Spectacular Spider-man was on it...it took me some time to realise that I was confusing Lee and Romita's noble attempt to enter the magazine market with Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-man, which I remember buying at the newsagent, and being blown away by the Sal Buscema/ Esposito art (not!).
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether Barry would honour us with his non Marvel Faves list? Will it include the likes of Barks, Kurtzman, Krigstein, Fine, Kubert, Williamson and Toth? I really hope to find out.
Spirit of 64
If you've seen BP's personal library, S64 (it's on the blog somewhere), he's got books on just about (and I say 'just about' merely to err on the side of caution) every name you mentioned. Hopefully we'll find out what his non-Marvel faces are together. I keep him chained up next to his laptop, so I'll just slide a bit of toast under the door for him so that he's got the energy to get cracking on his next guest post.
ReplyDeleteKid, first thanks for the toast. I prefer butter to margarine.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem I have with giving other favorites is that I remember and have most of the stories, but I forget in which issues they are from.
For example, there is a 1958 (or so) story of Batman and Robin giving Superman a Giant TV where he could watch what would happen on Krypton ic it hadn’t exploded.
Or a story from an EC sci-fi comic about a boy and his dog. He Gosh knows which one. Good luck finding anything if you forget the titles.
Gosh, I would have trouble choosing a favorite from the early Mad magazines. They were all brilliant and so was Panic. Kurtzman's war comics were exceptional.
But here is a few: The Flash of Two worlds
The original Crisis on Earth one and earth two.
So many of the imaginary stories including the death of Superman.
Strange Sport Stories
The “New Look” Batman of the early 1960s
Challengers of the Unknown 1-7
If you check out my library at https://forbushman.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-library-of-comics.html
There are a great many Carl Barks books, but I could not choose one. Kubert did some horror comics in the 1950s that were good. And Toth did Roy Rogers.
by the way there are comic strips that I really enjoyed and I think are done very well. One would be Prince Valiant and another the Alex Raymond Flash Gordon’s
I don’t have my DC comics organized and listed (on my computer) like I do Marvel so I would actually have to go through my actual comics to pull out the ones I like and I’m too lazy to do that. But give me some time and I will go through them and give you a bigger list.
Butter? You'll take dripping and like it, BP. It'll fatten you up. Anyway, that gives S64 something to be going on with for the moment, but I'm sure we're all looking forward to you finding the time to go through the rest of your collection. If you can't be bothered, just give them all to me and I'll get one of the servants to do it.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I'm sure all Crivvies appreciate this interesting post and are happy you wrote it. Right, you've had your toilet break - back to writing guest posts for Crivens.