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Copyright MARVEL COMICS
For no other reason than I can't think of anything else to write about, I thought I'd repost these covers of the four softcover volumes of Howard The Duck The Complete Collection. However, that's not quite accurate - actually, there is another reason, which is because there's some nice art on view on these covers that's worth looking at. Remember when, back in the '70s, Howard was the next best thing since sliced bread? It remains to be seen whether he'll ever be as big again, but let's revel in his glory days just for old times' sake. Got a favourite cover or Howard adventure? Then share it with your fellow Crivs in our comments section. (And remember, click on images to enlarge, then click again for optimum size.) [I love the back cover to Volume 3.]
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12 comments:
Hi Kid, there seems to be a problem with HTD 1 (2). When I click on it, HTD 2 (1) cover comes up.
I just don't know why that happens now and again, JC, but thanks for letting me know. Problem now sorted.
I can't recall any HTD stories from the '70s but I did buy a couple of Howard comics from Forbidden Planet when HTD was re-launched around 2009 or so. Have you seen the 1986 HTD film, Kid? It's not regarded as a classic.
I seem to have vague memories of seeing clips of it on TV, perhaps when it was first broadcast, CJ, but I don't think I ever saw it all the way through, thank the stars. If I did, I've mercifully forgotten.
At the time, I loved the HtD comic and have retained a lot of my original issues of the colour comic and b&W mag . My favourite HtD tales are still the Frank Brunner in issues 1 & 2 ( and Man Thing) , fav cover issue 29 closely followed by issue 31 ( Howard in an Iron Man type outfit). I saw the film at the time, it wasn't great but as a fan of the character I enjoyed it ( wouldn't want to watch it again all the same). I think your fav HtD tale is issue 3 the Buscema illustrated Kung Fu tale , which is one of my faves as well
Yes, 'Master Of Quack Fu!' it's called, and it's a belter, McS. I only got the first 5 issues of HTD at the time before they disappeared from the shelves for some reason, though I acquired the next 7 as back issues in the late '80s or very early '90s. Now I've got 'em all in these 4 volumes.
There was also a entertaining 5-6 issue run with Howard teaming up with she-hulk called the cosmic squish principle written by Gerber. It's collected in the she hulk epic collection of that name, which I think is still available at a decent price. Oliver
I think I might have the individual issues of that run - wasn't the first part supposed to have a cover by Brian Bolland, but it was mislaid or delayed in the post? The BB cover was later made available to comics shops for readers to wrap around the issue.
Howard the Duck was one of those "lightning in a bottle" ideas that even the creator didn't really know how to handle. Gerber sued Marvel to get a piece of the property, but he had no chance after having essentially signed away the rights. But even if he had obliged Marvel to give him some creative control over Howard, as Marston had over Wonder Woman, could he have sustained the series? I like most of the issues but often it's clear Gerber was bouncing from one idea to the other. The fans liked Howard for Gerber's voice, and no one ever succeeded in duplicating it. At the same time, not only did Gerber often seem indecisive, he was frequently late with scripts, and so even with part-ownership Gerber might still have deep-sixed the franchise himself.
The Brunner art is pretty, but Colan was the best at capturing the duck's acerbic humor imo.
I read somewhere only recently (might even have been in the intro in volume four) that it was Mayerik who popped Howard into his debut appearance, much like Kirby with The Silver Surfer, and while Gerber gave HTD his 'voice', I often wonder why Mayerik doesn't get more credit if introducing a duck in the story (in, admittedly, a brief walk-on, walk-off part) was his idea?
Colan was certainly a master of light and shade, but I always thought that some of his perspectives and layouts were more than a little dodgy.
Given the Marvel method it's not impossible that Mayerick did just that. But I did find a Gerber claim that he verbally asked the artist to create a suit-wearing duck:
[Howard was created as] a joke. It was the only sight gag I could think of to top Korrek jumping out of a jar of peanut butter in Fear #19[.] I told Val to have a duck come waddling out of the bushes... [T]he cigar was Val Mayerik’s creation. So was Howard’s clothing. I just told Val, “Don’t make him look too much like Donald, and for God’s sake, don’t dress him in a sailor suit. (Kraft 10) [I assume the citation is from COMICS INTERVIEW.)
As for Howard's quickie debut, Gerber had this comment:
The Howard character didn’t last long in the feature. Gerber told Jon B. Cooke in 1999 that editor Roy Thomas ordered him to remove Howard from the series “as fast as you can” (Cooke 61). Midway through the subsequent episode, published in The Man-Thing #1, Gerber and Mayerik had Howard fall off a giant stepping-stone bridge into an inter-dimensional void. He was apparently never to be seen again. The other characters considered him dead.-- https://rsmwriter.blogspot.com/2016/04/all-quacked-up-steve-gerber-marvel.html
However, it sounds like Howard's sudden execution might've caused a swell of sympathy for him, whereas if he'd just shuffled off to his own world, he might've been forgotten (my interpretation). Without getting into the suit against Marvel, I think it significant that Mayerick did not join Gerber in the suit.
As for Colan, one thing I liked was the way Howard's cartoony look contrasted with other, non-cartoony human beings. In one issue, Howard is committed to an asylum because a judge believes he's just a short guy who's sewed himself into a duck suit. At the asylum Howard is taken to his new quarters by a massive, balding orderly, and the guy says something like "Don't get wise, Howard. I got a lot of charges and frankly-- I play favorites." Howard responds, sort of diplomatically, "well-- that's only human." Brunner could DO such a scene, but he's not as good with grotesques as Colan IMO.
I'll keep my eyes open for that bit about Mayerik introducing the Duck, though there's always the chance I misunderstood what was being said. Anyway, in the dim recesses of my memory, I seem to recall it was at odds with what was said elsewhere in the same article. If Mayerik DID introduce Howard, it was Gerber who gave him his personality and character, so perhaps VM considered SG the creator because of that?
Can anyone else add anything that would cast light on the matter?
It's a shame about Colan because, due to cataracts, he had to draw with his face right up against the paper. When he later had an operation, his drawing improved dramatically. Sadly, before that (in the '80s) his art was much criticised by fellow comicbook artists. Not to his face obviously.
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