I was just getting around to Being at the time, but looking back at the early and mid-70s, I have a question that applies to movies, books- even my starting point, comic books, which took on a moody, melancholy aspect, particularly with Marvel Comics, which had just begun its publishing period of the roster of characters that we see in abundance across media and toys, today. What are the causes of the increase in violence and death and overall downbeat tone that defines 1970s storytelling? Do you think the new permissiveness post-60s was at the root of the violence and death portrayed? My first thought was, word was getting back about Viet Nam, and young people were disillusioned with institutions they'd been inculcated culturally to trust. I often think the idealism emerging within the counter-culture was just not manifesting quickly enough, for the impatience of the youth. I'm clear, too, that the rise of counter-culturalism 1) certainly does not match the rural values...

Forgetting is the curse of the Man-Thing...and sometimes, his only blessing. But I haven’t forgotten the Man-Thing. He may be a character you say haunts you. It’s those stories! Man-Thing is the rarest sort of protagonist, in that he is chiefly an unobserved observer, until he tries to intervene and scares the carp out of the water. In 1971, he debuted in a Marvel Comics experiment with adult material, in the form of black and white magazines. SAVAGE TALES #1 features the ill fate of chemist Ted Sallis, betrayed by his lover into the hands of terrorists who want his secret: the new Super Soldier Formula, in the manner of that which once transformed Private Steve Rogers into the apex of human fitness, Captain America. But something there in the swamp works with this imperfect formula, to render Sallis senseless, recreated as a shambling, muck-based mockery of humanity. The experiment didn’t continue, but the Man-Thing, created by Gerry Conway and Gray Morrow, came back a couple ...

The MCU is wildly popular entertainment. It’s made to appeal to several age groups. I embrace much of this. I also have love for some of the young adult writing of years gone by, too. There is a downbeat, thoughtful quality in the comic series, Man-Thing. While the creature was created- a mix of strange magic and a failed formula meant to help soldiers adapt, a Super Soldier Serum-in 1971, the black and white version of the slime beast only briefly appeared in the magazine, Savage Tales, premiering in its first issue. When Man-thing was revived for a regular strip, ghouls of the vampire/wolf man/ mummy/swamp monster sort popular at Universal Pictures were in vogue. Marvel took cues from the success of smaller publishers like Warren. They took advantage of the relaxed Comics Code of Approval’s standards to bring in nightmarish creations, like Shelley’s Frankenstein. These appealed to some of the young kids, but they also opened more mature story telling possibilities. This...

MARVEL VISIONARIES: Jim Steranko, 1999 Whether you’re talking about transforming the sheer optical design of a comics page as a piece of art, pop culture history writing, graphic novel pioneering, or simply raw ideas, there’s no denying the impact of surf guitarist-turned escape artist- turned graphic designer, Jim Steranko. If I have anything critical to say about any of the gentleman’s work, it’s absolutely within the context of his breath-taking contributions. Comics moved on to different styles, sure, but they evolved under the energetic care of the Pennsylvanian wonder. He was so perfectly charming and gracious in person- I can’t overlook that in light of any of his controversial remarks in recent years. I spent an entire afternoon in his company, at a Comic Con before AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. made him so in-demand. I came back to visit awhile the next day, too- he had read the short story I gave him! This experience could shape anyone’s perceptions of a guy. It’s nothing n...

Here are some of my favorite cover images from the series: This one, in particular, is the first one I remember, appearing in Mighty Marvel Checklist of my copy of Marvel Tales #66, 1976, one of my first comics, bought as a surprise at a surplus store by my parents---one of their very few gifts of comics, but all the ones in my kids year were pivotal! Another comic they bought me there would introduce me to the Defenders, and the work of the author you'll meet at the end of this post. I resurrected this from 2011; the title change broke the original search engine link, so I'll try restoring that, but presenting the repost here to haunt me this year. Despite their great showdown, Harker's not on the cover of TOD #70 below. Truthfully, cool as this is for showing them in battle and Dracula using his powers, the one; (#32) where Harker's crawling away just barely out of reach of the flying Dracula is just tight, tight, TIGHT! Finally, it looks like the eve...

Here are some of my favorite cover images from the series: This one, in particular, is the first one I remember, appearing in Mighty Marvel Checklist of my copy of Marvel Tales #66, 1976, one of my first comics, bought as a surprise at a surplus store by my parents---one of their very few gifts of comics, but all the ones in my kids year were pivotal! Despite their great showdown, Harker's not on the cover of TOD #70 below. Truthfully, cool as this is for showing them in battle and Dracula using his powers, the one; (#32) where Harker's crawling away just barely out of reach of the flying Dracula is just tight, tight, TIGHT! Finally, it looks like the eventual conclusion to the Domini storyline had some pretty cool execution, though Wolfman had to know the end of the series drew upon the horizon by this point. In chronological order, these are the last four of my picks from the Tomb of Dracula four color series by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, with Tom Palmer and ...