By John Byrne, Kim DeMulder & Petra Scotese (Marvel)
ISBN: 0- 87135-084-X
The story goes that in those faraway days when trademarks and copyrights were really important comic publishers were worried that rivals would be able to impinge on their sales by producing distaff versions of their characters. Thus Marvel rush-released Spider-Woman and She-Hulk so that nobody else could.
Whereas that seems rather hard to believe I must admit that the original 20-issue run of Bruce Banner’s tragic cousin Jennifer Walters was by no means the company’s finest moment. But time and deft handling by seasoned creators has since made her one of Marvel’s most readable properties, and that revolution started with this thoroughly enjoyable little tome from that “remake kid†John Byrne.
At the time of its creation the lady lawyer had joined the Fantastic Four and could change between her human and Gamma-ray enhanced forms at will, retaining her intellect in both forms, and all the fourth-world hi-jinks of her second series was yet to come…
Against the backdrop of a sentient cockroach invasion the story involves the shady higher-ups who oversee the high-tech espionage outfit S.H.I.E.L.D. ordering the abduction of the She-Hulk for unspecified “National Security†purposes. When tough but fair Nick Fury refuses to comply the mission goes ahead without him, leading to a major battle in the streets of New York and the eventual capture of not only our heroine but also a large number of passers-by.
Trapped aboard the flying helicarrier base, She-Hulk is subjected to numerous indignities and abuses whilst her boyfriend Wyatt Wingfoot and the other civilians are treated as hostages for her good behaviour. Unfortunately one of those ordinary mortals is a zombie vehicle for those cockroaches I mentioned earlier, and they want to drop the floating fortress on the city below as a declaration of war against humanity…
By various & John Byrne/Panini UK)
ISBN: 978-1-84653-400-3
John Byrne is one of the most prolific and creative talents in the American industry and has worked on every major character in both DC and Marvel’s pantheon as well as on creator owned properties. Since his professional debut as an artist at Skywald magazines (‘The Castle‘ in Nightmare #20, 1974) he subsequent worked for Nicola Cuti at Charlton Comics, where he produced Rog-2000 strips for E-Man, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch, Space:1999, Emergency and the post-Apocalyptic classic Doomsday+1 before making the jump to Marvel. Along the way he developed a reputation for being difficult but always entertaining and a solid fan-favourite.
His first work for the House of Ideas opens this volume; a horror short plotted by Tony Isabella, scripted by David Kraft and inked by Rudy Nebres. ‘Dark Asylum‘ appeared in Giant-Sized Dracula # 5 (cover-dated June 1975) an inauspicious start as the Philippino’s heavy inking style utterly masked Byrne’s equally unique manner of drawing.
It’s not much better in the second tale printed herein, where the equally strong brush of veteran Al McWilliams defuses much of the penciller’s individuality. ‘Morning of the Mindstorm!’ is written by Chris Claremont, the last Iron Fist tale in Marvel Premiere (#25, October 1975) before the martial arts superhero graduated to his own title.
Regrettably none of those superb tales made it into this compendium, but a two-part tale from the artist’s stellar run on Marvel Team-Up (#61-62, September and October 1977) did. Pitting Spider-Man, the Human Torch and Ms. Marvel against the Super-Skrull ‘Not All Thy Power Can Save Thee!‘ and ‘All This and the QE2‘ is a solid action-thriller from scripter Claremont with inks by Dave Hunt.
Byrne’s place in comics history was secured by his incredible six year collaboration with Claremont on the X-Men. For most fans the high-point of this run was the “Dark Phoenix†multi-part epic. To acknowledge this, the concluding episode ‘The Fate of the Phoenix‘ (Uncanny X-Men #137, September, 1980, inked by Terry Austin) is included here, and even as a stand-alone tale, it still resonates with power, wonder and majesty.
The Byrne/Claremont partnership was experiencing some stress by 1981 and a parting of the ways was imminent. The artist undertook a short but magnificent run on the Star-Spangled Avenger (collected in its magical entirety as Captain America: War and Remembrance ISBN: 0-87135-657-0), and from that sequence comes the slyly witty ‘Cap for President‘ written by old-friend Roger Stern with inking by Joe Rubenstein.
In 1981 John Byrne achieved a private dream of relatively complete autonomy when he was assigned all the creative chores on Marvel’s flagship book. From November of that year comes his fifth issue as writer and artist. ‘Terror in a Tiny Town‘ is a 40 page epic to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Fantastic Four (#236, November, 1981) a classic confrontation with Doctor Doom and Puppet Master; still one of the very best non-Jack Kirby FF’s ever published.
Whilst working on X-Men, Byrne had created a team of Canadian super-heroes. When they were given their own series Byrne was again responsible for the total creative – if not editorial – output. ‘…And One Shall Surely Die‘ (Alpha Flight #12, July 1984) signalled the tragic, heroic end of the team’s leader (although no one dies forever in comics), another gripping extra-long extravaganza.
In 1985 Byrne drew Avengers Annual #14 (scripted by Stern and inked by Kyle Baker) as part of a major plot-line that guest-starred the Fantastic Four. ‘Fifth Column‘ featured a landmark change to the Marvel Universe and seemed to end the menace of the shape-shifting Skrulls forever…
Byrne took charge of The Incredible Hulk in 1986, trading Alpha Flight for the Jade Giant, but infamously clashed with the editor over story direction. Only six issues resulted before the creator left for DC and the revamping of Superman, but that half-dozen tales were fierce and gripping, promising a vast change that never came… From #319 comes ‘Member of the Wedding‘ (May 1986, with background inks from Keith Williams) wherein the fate-tossed Bruce Banner finally, Finally, FINALLY married his tragic sweetheart Betty Ross.
Byrne returned to Marvel in 1988, and revived She-Hulk – a character he had made a staple of the FF and a fan favourite. ‘Second Chance‘ (The Sensational She-Hulk volume 2, #1, May 1988) is a charming tip-of-the-hat to halcyon days featuring the Ringmaster and the Circus of Evil, written and drawn by Byrne with inks by Bob Wiacek. Displaying a touch for comedy, he turned this series into a surreal, fan-teasing example of fourth wall buffoonery, exploring the dafter corners of the Marvel Universe, but once again he fell afoul of what he felt was editorial interference.
Two years later he revolutionised one of Marvel’s earliest and greatest characters. Namor, the Sub-Mariner had been a chimerical hero/villain since Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had revived him in FF#4, but with ‘Purpose‘ (#1, April 1990) Byrne and inker Wiacek took firm hold of all the contradictions and blind alleys of the oldest of Marvel super-heroes and made him readable and compelling once again.
This volume ends with the last issue of Byrne’s last work for Marvel. Again editorial problems were the cited cause: when the excellent X-Men: the Hidden Years was arbitrarily cancelled with little or no warning Byrne severed all ties with Marvel. Crafted in homage to the Roy Thomas/Neal Adams/Tom Palmer run on the Merry Mutants the series filled in the gaps between the cancellation of the first series and the revival by Len Wein, Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum in Giant-Sized X-Men #1.
From #22 (September 2001) comes ‘Friends and Enemies‘, the second of two parts – and as this book is already a huge 276 pages, surely a measly 22 more could have been found for the first half of the story? It finds Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast and Iceman battling the Mole Man whilst Professor X and guests Sub-Mariner and the FF defeat Magneto and the armies of Atlantis (a slick interweaving with the storyline of Fantastic Four #102-104). With inks by the legendary Tom Palmer this is a delightful taste of simpler times and proof that the entire series is well-worthy of its own collection someday soon. The book concludes with another sterling comprehensive career feature from comics historian Mike Conroy.
John Byrne, for all his curmudgeonly reputation, is a major creator and a cornerstone of the post-Kirby Marvel Universe. With such a huge back-catalogue of work to choose from this book succeeds in whetting the appetite, but a second volume really shouldn’t be too far behind…
By various (Marvel/Panini Publishing UK)
ISBN13: 978-1-90523-996-2
The British Invasion was a term coined in the 1980s to describe the influx and influence of a band of creators (most with 2000AD or Warrior credentials) that began working in and revolutionising the American comic-book industry. In this context, however, it’s simply a collection of work by British creators who have contributed to Marvel’s vast continuity.
This second volume of notable Bits By Brits has a much bolder and more varied selection than its predecessor (ISBN13: 978-1-933160-68-9), kicking off with an average tale illustrated by an unsung genius of the industry.
Lee Elias moved to America in 1925 (aged 6) and worked for all the major US publishing houses beginning in 1943 at Fiction House. With Jack Williamson he created the brilliant science fiction newspaper strip Beyond Mars (1952-1955) before returning to comic-books at National Comics/DC, most notably on the Green Arrow feature, although his runs on Tommy Tomorrow in Showcase (#41-42, 44, 46-47) and both Ultra, the Multi-Alien and Adam Strange in Mystery in Space (#92-110) are well-loved classics.
In the 1970s he moved over to Marvel before settling at Warren Publishing where he produced his best ever work on the Rook and the Goblin. From his time at the House of Ideas comes a capable psycho-drama from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #35 (1979) ‘Labyrinth’, scripted by Tony Isabella and inked by Mike Esposito.
John Bolton is a major creator who hopefully needs little introduction. His classically illustrative style added a fresh realism to the superhero genre in Classic X-Men as well as many Marvel Magazine and graphic novel projects. From the black and white magazine Bizarre Adventures # 32 (1982) comes ‘Sea of Destiny’, written by Alan Zelenetz, a mythical wonder featuring Mighty Thor and the Heroes Three, rendered in glorious wash tones.
Comics Renaissance Man Paul Neary began his career at Warren, art-directed and edited Marvel UK through its most creative years and illustrated a long run of Captain America and the landmark Nick Fury Vs S.H.I.E.L.D. miniseries before settling into a productive career as an inker. In 1986 he drew a solid superhero romp written by Bob Harras for Iron Man Annual #8, teaming the Armoured Avenger and the resurgent mutant Superteam X-Factor. ‘When Innocence Dies!’ is an effective and readable parable on intolerance, inked by Ian Akin and Brian Garvey.
Probably one of Britain’s most visible comics exports, Barry (Windsor) Smith made the jump straight to Marvel in 1969 after serving an apprenticeship producing pin-ups for the UK comics Fantastic and Terrific, published by Odhams Press and almost exclusively featuring Marvel reprints. After popping up all over the Marvel Universe he settled on the groundbreaking Conan the Barbarian title for a few years before beginning his own Fine Arts studio. On his return to comics he had his pick of projects and worked often with Chris Claremont on X-Men related tales. From Uncanny X-Men #214 (1987) ‘With Malice Towards All!’ stars Storm and Wolverine in pitched battle against a murderous disembodied mutant who can possess a victim’s body…
Alan Davis was discovered by Paul Neary, and his clean linear style captivated a whole generation of artists, just as he had in turn been galvanized by the work of Neal Adams. As well as a magnificent artist Davis is a superb writer, most often associated with Marvel’s X-books and has produced stunning work with Chris Claremont. One such example is 1987’s Uncanny X-Men Annual #11, inked by Neary. ‘Lost in the Funhouse’ features the mutant team (and Davis’ signature character Captain Britain) in combat with an omnipotent alien called Horde in a battle to save reality itself.
Comics Legend Dave Gibbons has done relatively little work for Marvel, but the Dr. Strange tale included here is possibly the best of them. Written by Walt Simonson, ‘Perchance to Dream’ from the experimental anthology title Marvel Fanfare (#41, 1988) finds the Sorcerer Supreme battling deadly dreams in an eerie netherworld. In this case, Gibbons also contributed a rare painted colour finish to the artwork.
Bryan Hitch also got his start thanks to Neary, graduating from Marvel UK’s licensed properties to the likes of StormWatch, the Authority, the Ultimates and Fantastic Four. Along the way he brought an elevated artistic standard to a few less well regarded titles. The Sensational She-Hulk volume 2, #24 featured the sometime Avenger in comedic combat with Freelance Peace-Keeping Agent (don’t call him bounty hunter) Death’s Head in an engaging little romp entitled ‘Priceless’, scripted by Simon Furman and inked by John Beatty.
Scottish superstar Frank Quitely has reached dizzying heights since he debuted in Glasgow adult comic Electric Soup, his lush, precise visuals and unique vision marrying the hyper-bizarre and ultra-mundane into an always credible graphic reality. Extracted here from a much longer saga – with concomitant loss of sense, regrettably, is ‘Imperial’ (New X-Men #122, 2002), scripted by long-time collaborator Grant Morrison, and inked by Tim Townsend, Perrotta and Florea. Pictorially stunning, this bridge between two much longer stories is virtually impenetrable to all but the most dedicated X-junkie, and commits the cardinal narrative sin of being a “middle†with neither beginning nor end.
The Punisher volume 4, #23 (2003) provides a fine example of the talented and inimitable Steve Dillon’s economical mastery of line, and as ‘Squid’ is written by fellow wise guy Garth Ennis there are plenty of the other sort of lines in this hugely funny revenge drama.
The volume concludes with one of the very best Spider-Man stories of the past decade, written by Paul Jenkins and illustrated in magical style by Mark Buckingham (with colours from old CCG comrade, D’Israeli), who’s equally at home with fights ‘n’ tights melodrama and cutting edge adult fare, such as the multi-award winning Fables. From Spectacular Spider-Man #27 (2005) comes a deeply moving moment as Peter Parker has a brief graveside conversation with his dead Uncle Ben; drawn as a tribute to the winter scenes of Bill Watterson’s legendary Calvin and Hobbes strip. Touching, illuminating and poignant enough to make a tombstone cry, this alone is worth the price of admission.
This collection is a much more balanced read and augmented by highly informative biographical features from Mike Conroy, is a Marvel primer that could win the company a lot of new fans, and even rekindle the lost magic for many older ones.
