Well, That Was Better Than I Expected...

Doug: Today we thought we'd give our readers an opportunity to expound on some media you've recently enjoyed that was perhaps better than you had previously known or anticipated. One of the books that Karen and I have both been enjoying is the recently-released monster-sized (ha...) trade paperback Monster of Frankenstein.

The massive tome reprints all things Monster from the eponymous series of the early Bronze Age through the B&W mags and up to the two-parter in Marvel Team-Up.If memory serves, I was aware of the solo book but really had no interest in it. This trade has been an epiphany for me, one so strong that I feel like face palming like "what was I thinking (when I was 8 years old)??"

Karen: I was really looking forward to this collection of Frankenstein comics, not just because I am a big Frankenstein fan, but because I had only a few of these issues as a kid, and none of the Ploog ones! I've now read a little more than halfway through the collection -- into the Monsters Unleashed stories -- and I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. The first six issues by Ploog are far superior to anything else in the book. Ploog's artwork here is is eerily beautiful and  richly atmospheric. I've always loved his work on Werewolf By Night and Ghost Rider (and anything else), but I almost feel like this is the best I have ever seen by him. He inks himself on issues 1-3 and 6 (John Verpoorten inks issues 4 and 5) and he does a wonderful job. There's a lushness to his pen work. The story is solid, a continuation of the Shelley story for the most part, with the Monster as presented in the novel: literate, thoughtful, but a vengeful creature who has killed in his never-ending hatred of his creator, who abandoned him. 

Doug: I have to confess to our readers that Karen and I had discussed (about a month ago) readying a couple reviews from the book for the days preceding Halloween. Obviously that didn't happen (no, instead busy life happened for both of us). Funny thing was, I was going to suggest the Marvel Team-Up with the Monster, which led into the conclusion that headlined Man-Wolf. To be quite honest, those stories along with the Monster's appearance in the "Celestial Madonna" epic was my only exposure to the character when I was a child.

Karen: I felt the quality of both the story and art dropped off once Ploog left, with issue 7. I never thought I'd complain about the art on a book that was picked up by John Buscema, but I don't think this was his finest work -- not bad at all, but it was, by his standards, rather pedestrian. Storywise, although Gary Friedrich stayed on for much of the run (as I said, I'm only halfway through) the shift into modern times, and the decision to have the Monster become mute, sapped a lot of the energy out of the story for me. I'll continue on with it, but so far, it is the first six issues that really gave this collection value for me. And I'm still happy I bought it, even if the rest of the book turns out to be a big blah!

Doug: I think I'm a few issues behind you (I've just finished the Dracula 2-parter in Monster of Frankenstein #s 8-9). I'm really looking forward to the reprints from the B&W magazines. As I've remarked in previous discussions, those seemed like sort of a forbidden fruit back in the day -- I never asked my mom to buy any for me at the grocery store. I don't know how she would have responded; I think I was just aware that they were much pricier than comics. I'm not sure what level of enjoyment the rest of the book will hold (I am looking forward to some of the stories inked by Syd Shores -- thanks, PFG!), but like you I am glad I own this now. As Karen says, the Ploog issues are visually magnificent. I have to concur with everything she says above and you'd have my highest recommendation for both the pictures but also the words for these stories. The books are wordy, but Gary Friedrich's dialogue is strong and the level of detail is in no way a bore. Strong, strong graphic literature.

Karen: Another thing I am happily surprised by is the new TV show Ash Vs. Evil Dead. I've now seen three episodes and each time I have had a good laugh. If you liked the Evil Dead films or Army of Darkness you should like this series. I have to admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the Evil Dead films but I did like Army of Darkness a lot. This show takes the Ash character from those but the connection to them -the continuity - is sort of loose. It doesn't matter though; all you need to know is Ash is his usual brilliantly stupid self and has released the Deadites on Earth again. Now he has a couple of young partners helping him try to stop the end of the world. The episodes are only a half hour long, which is the perfect amount of time for this kind of goofy mayhem. I have to tip my hat to Bruce Campbell, who somehow makes Ash likable and eminently watchable. 

Doug: My wife and I have been watching NBC's Blindspot since its premiere earlier this fall. My personal jury is out on it -- it's OK, but it raises questions for me plot-wise each week. And I'm not usually one to get too deep into a script. Both of us are generally sit-back-and-be-entertained viewers, but this show has me thinking it could be better. We still enjoy reruns of the first 4-5 seasons of ABC's Castle, although I am finding the current season to be a slog. Perhaps eight is indeed enough. So neither show gets a ringing endorsement from me, unless you DVR the old Castles shown on TNT.

Karen: Surprisingly, I have been disappointed by the Supergirl TV show. I just find it too formulaic. It's so much like every other super-hero TV show we already have. Super-secret organization involved? Check. Team of friends helping the hero? Check. Freak of the week whose origin is connected back to the hero? Check. It's just too much like Flash, Agents of  SHIELD, heck, even Smallville. I was hoping we'd get something new and exciting with a female lead -- and the actress is engaging -- but so far it has done nothing for me. 

Doug: I'll agree -- I've tried to come back to Supergirl but just haven't felt like investing the commitment. I totally agree that Melissa Benoist is quite charming in the lead role, but the show didn't seem to take many risks... what I've seen of it that is. I am hoping that today William will be along to state some of the criticisms he holds of the show and did not divulge when we ran this as a topic a couple of weeks ago.


Doug: So there you have it, kids. Today let's get some thoughts on media with which you've recently engaged that surpassed your expectations, and some that fell short and/or left you cold.

BAB Classic -- Ploog Power: The Frankenstein Monster 6

NOTE: This post originally ran on October 29 2011

The Frankenstein Monster #6 (October 1973)
"In Search of the Last Frankenstein!"
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Plot and art: Mike Ploog

Karen: Marvel was monster-crazy in the early 70s, and Mike Ploog was the undisputed king of monster artists at the time. His work on Werewolf By Night, Ghost Rider, and Man-Thing was perfectly suited to those books. But today we're going to look at his work on another interesting, if short-lived monster book, The Frankenstein Monster. This would be Ploog's last issue of the title, but he goes out with a bang. His layouts and panel design are innovative and fresh. Of course, it goes without saying that he manages to give the story an appropriate mood and feel -much like a classic Universal film.

Karen: The Monster is seeking out the last of the Frankensteins and returns to his creator's birthplace, Ingolstadt. Before he reaches the dilapidated ancestral castle, he comes across a young lieutenant from the village. The soldier is investigating some missing prisoners and suspects they might be in the castle. Although the Monster means the man no harm, he finds himself attacked and fights back. The soldier is knocked unconscious and the Monster enters the castle.

Karen: For those of you who haven't read any issues from this series, it should be mentioned that the Monster here is not the dull brute of popular culture but a thoughtful and articulate being, more in line with the novel.

Karen: Inside the castle, the Monster finds nothing but ruins. He's about to give up when he hears a sound and spies a group of strange men marching along a dark corridor. The men are deformed and frightening -he concludes that they must be the work of a Frankenstein. They carry a bound man, whom they drop in a pit. Suddenly a man in a uniform with a visored helmet shows up, barking orders. The Monster decides to confront him, convinced he must be his creator's descendant. The masked man sics his servants on the Monster, and despite his strength, their sheer numbers bring him down. Just before he blacks out, he falls to the edge of the pit- and sees a gigantic spider! Ploog's art here is very strong; he gives the Monster an expressive if horrific face, and the twisted men are creepy as heck. 
Karen: The Monster awakens, chained to a wall in the cellar. His captor tells him that he too will become a mindless servant; the spider feeds on men's souls, leaving them husks of men with no wills of their own. The man leaves and the Monster struggles with his chains. Ploog does a great job conveying the Monster's power as he struggles against his restraints. He manages to pull loose one of the stones he is chained to, but when he does, a stream of water squirts through a crack! The Monster is stuck to wonder whether he should risk flooding the cellar with water or waiting until the man returns to take him back to the pit. As he ponders this, the young lieutenant he faced at the beginning of our story arrives on the scene. None too bright, he accuses the chained monster of killing the missing prisoners. The Monster tells him about his captor and the spider in the pit. The soldier sees the spider but refuses to believe a Frankenstein is responsible. "Jason Frankenstein left here more than 20 years ago!"

Karen: Right at that moment the mysterious masked man re-appears with his mob of soulless men. He is quickly revealed to be the colonel in charge of the prison. The colonel and the lieutenant engage in a sword fight while the Monster strains to break his chains. As water begins pouring into the chamber, the spider crawls out of its pit and comes towards the two men. The colonel, completely insane, believes he can control it. The young soldier implores him to leave with him but he ignores him. The Monster urges the young man out, telling him he will take care of the spider, even if it costs him his life. With that he makes a terrific effort -it reminded me somewhat of Spider-Man's struggle to raise the giant piece of machinery that pinned him in Amazing Spider-Man #33- and the wall comes tearing apart, with a huge wave of water instantly filling the room. Ploog's depiction of the water and underwater scenes are masterful -I would have liked to see what his Sub-Mariner would have looked like!

Karen: The colonel is carried down by the weight of his helmet and drowns. But the spider survives and grabs the Monster, squeezing him and carrying him back under. After several panels the Monster manages to break free of the arachnid's clutches and he wraps his chains about it, choking off its oxygen supply. But all is not peachy for the Monster -he needs air and he needs it fast. Things are looking grim -can a dead man die again? - when suddenly the chamber explodes in a great water spout that hurls the Monster up and out. Now free of the castle, the Monster looks back and wonders where he will find the last Frankenstein.

Karen: This was a really solid, done in one story. The search for the last Frankenstein was on-going of course, but you didn't need to know what came before to enjoy this book -which is good, because I don't have issues 1-5! I know many might argue that Gene Colan was Marvel's premiere horror artist, and while I respect his work on Tomb of Dracula, he really didn't handle any of the other horror books. Ploog did nearly all of them at one time or another and his work always has the proper tone and atmosphere -there's an eeriness to his art that can't be matched. Just look at some of these characters when handled by others -obviously, Don Perlin on Werewolf comes instantly to mind. There's simply no comparison. So here's to Mike Ploog, monster artist supreme!

Rider on the Storm: Marvel Spotlight 5

Marvel Spotlight #5 (August 1972)
"Ghost Rider"
Written and conceived by: Gary Friedrich
Drawn by:  Mike Ploog
Aid and Abetment: Roy Thomas

So, most of you know the BAB staff tries to work about two weeks ahead on our comic reviews.  As we were in the middle of today's write-up, what should cross the newswires but the following statement (as per Comic Book Resources):
 
Marvel Comics and writer Gary Friedrich have agreed to a settlement to their long-standing legal dispute over ownership of Ghost Rider, as reported Monday by Reuters. If finalized, the settlement will mark the end more than six years of litigation between the two parties.

Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but according to Reuters, Friedrich's lawyer, Charles Kramer, said the writer and Marvel "have amicably agreed to resolve all claims between, among, and against all parties."

Here is how we began the post prior to this information, and you'll see us tackle issues related to this news as we move through today's book and our thoughts on such.

Karen: We're moving on to the "Anti-Hero" part of our "Invaders and Anti-Heroes'" month. So much to talk about before we even get to the story here. First off, those credits. They become significant when you consider all of the legal issues surrounding Friedrich and Marvel in the last decade or so over who can take credit for creating the Ghost Rider character and who is entitled to what exactly financially from the films and other licensing of the character. All three parties involved in crafting this story -Friedrich, Ploog, and Thomas - have different takes on how the character was created and who came up with what. It's doubtful we'll ever really know exactly what happened. But I find those credits intriguing to say the least. 'Conceived' sure seems to indicate that Friedrich came up with the initial idea; but what does "aid and abetment" mean? Is it the addition of ideas to an existing one? And was Ploog solely responsible for the Ghost Rider's fantastic look, or did Friedrich and/or Thomas contribute to that as well? I don't want to get mired down in what seems to have become an endless argument, but I think those credits do need to be looked at when considering the situation.

Doug:  Funny thing about the ownership of the character, isn't it?  While visually striking, his origin linked to Satan and Satanism would seem to be a barrier to any sort of financial windfall.  However, as the horror genre built and built in film through the 1990s, characters like Johnny Blaze became en vogue.  Let me plead my ignorance here -- Friedrich did not file any lawsuits concerning the character in the 1970s and '80s, did he?  To the best of my knowledge, the lawsuit that was recently settled was brought only after the success (that's a relative term) of the two Ghost Rider films.

Karen: Before I can dive into the story, I have to comment on the art. Ploog!! I love Mike Ploog and I cannot lie. He was the perfect artist for the monster and horror titles. He does a terrific job on this book, and to be honest, I think it's the best thing about this book. I've always felt that the Ghost Rider has a great look, but never had great stories to go with it. His origin is really no exception. Thankfully, we have some beautiful Ploog artwork to look at to get us through it. Not sure if my partner will feel the same way, but for me, it was pretty much what kept me going through a fairly mediocre story.

Doug:  I'm not as big a Ploog fan as you, but I have to agree that he's perfect for the weird or macabre.  His work is sort of illustrative, sort of cartoony, sort of channels the younger Barry Smith, and...  I don't at all dislike it.  It's a different cup of tea that I do find pleasing.  I don't know if I'd like him, however, on a traditional superhero book.  Here -- he's certainly getting the job done!  As to the Ghost Rider's look, I have long felt that his bike was as big a part of him as Cap's shield or Thor's hammer.  We see a "regular" looking motorcycle in this story, rather than the "skull cycle" he'd use later and that might be more familiar to fans of The Champions.  I didn't ever really care when the bike turned to fire, but it fit the demonic motif of the character.

Karen: The story opens on a rainy night. We see a motorcycle approaching through the rain in a sequence of three panels, which then open up on the splash page to show the Ghost Rider. GR rides past a couple of thugs in the act of shooting a man. While he tries to ignore them, they fear he will go to the police (they can't see him clearly and think his flaming head is a glowing helmet), so they jump in their car and pursue him. GR tries to throw them but it's no use. He ducks in an alley -a dead end - and the two men come in, guns drawn. GR pulls his spook routine, telling them he is the servant of Satan, and casts hellfire at their feet. The men now get a good look at him -"He ain't got no face -just a blazin' skull!" - and they are starting to freak out. GR uses this opportunity to race up a conveniently placed board and jump over them and their car and escape. Soon, he reverts back to his human form of cyclist Johnny Blaze.

Doug:  Mike Ploog really varies his camera angles in the sequence with the goons.  It gives the reader a sense of speed in the chase.  I loved the Kirby Krackle in the hellfire, and regarding the "conveniently placed board", did you notice that Ploog drew in two panels prior to the big jump?  I thought that was nice, rather than some silly deus ex machina that just popped up.  Marvel was all over pop culture trends in the early 70s, weren't they?  Martial arts, Evel Knieval-inspired daredevils, etc. were everywhere.  Ah, the legacy of Martin Goodman.

Karen: Before we get too far, I want to mention how Ploog's version of Ghost Rider is actually much cooler and scarier than the later version we're used to. For one thing, the eye sockets are empty -just black holes, and I thought this was really effective. I suppose it removes some of the characters' ability to emote, but it made him a lot creepier. Also the skull is a lot more, well, skull-like; again, it's less like a face and more like a real skull, which I'm sure made it harder to convey emotion. But the whole thing makes for a more frightening character.

Doug:  I think this iteration of Ghost Rider really gives the reader a sense that this guy is a skeleton under that biker suit.  And you're right, some characters just shouldn't have eyeballs, whether in their skull or as seen through a mask (I'm thinking of Batman with the latter comment).  I suppose that the depiction of emotion was not unlike the challenges that drawing Iron Man's faceplate presented.

Karen: Blaze puts on a jacket and goes over to Madison Square Garden, where he is performing his stunt cycle show. He sits back in his dressing room, and it's flashback time. We learn that Johnny's father, Barton, had been a stunt cyclist too, and had died performing. He was then taken in by another rider, Crash Simpson, and his family. Johnny grew especially close to Crash's daughter, Roxanne, and he hoped to join their show. But one day while they were practicing, a bike the two of them were on caught fire. Rocky (Roxanne) jumped off, but Johnny had to get the bike out of the show tent and away from people before it exploded. He managed to do this, and jumped clear of the bike, but Mrs. Simpson came running out of the tent to find him and was caught in the blast when the bike blew. At the hospital, as Mrs. Simpson took her final breaths, she made Johnny promise not to ride in the stunt show. Johnny promised, even though it was his fondest dream. Now for some reason, he kept his promise for the next five years, but didn't tell Rocky nor her father about it -he just refused to ride in the show, and the two of them, being such  kind, wonderful people, decided he was a coward and began treating him like dirt. He hangs around and works as a mechanic while Rocky and her dad continue their show. Then Johnny realizes he can still ride-just not in the show. So he starts riding late at night, and doing goofy stuff, such as riding on his head facing backwards (don't ask me - I didn't draw it). Rocky catches him and realizing that he isn't a coward after all, she's thrilled (what a girl). Johnny finally fesses up about the deathbed promise he made her mom, and Rocky jumps into his arms and kisses him.Oh, how nice.

Doug:  I'm telling you, I could have cued up Kenny Rogers' "Coward of the County" while reading this and it would have been an apt soundtrack.  The middle quarter of this story played a bit more like Young Love than a horror/action book.  I didn't find much depth to any of the characters in this origin story.  Maybe it's no wonder Friedrich didn't want a slice of the pie until after the films!  Have we mentioned yet that the narrative form, with Blaze being addressed directly during the flashback sequence, was annoying?

Karen: Johnny, Crash, and Rocky are together when they get a call from their agent -they've hit the big time, Madison Square Garden. Johnny and Rocky are over the moon, but Crash is despondent. He tells them his doctor said he has maybe a month to live. "I've got the disease...and it's going to get me!" Good grief -this goes beyond soap opera! What's the deal with this unnamed disease? I can only assume Friedrich was thinking of cancer, but why the hesitation in naming it? Or was that in bad taste? It's just so melodramatic. In any case, Johnny and Rocky are crushed. Crash says he wishes he had a son to take over the show, so of course Rocky, even though she knows about Johnny's promise to her mother, turns to Johnny and asks him to do it. He says no, and that she knows why. Rocky then storms out proclaiming Johnny a coward. Oh come on! Crash tells Johnny to get out. These are just wonderful people. Really, why should Johnny even care about these cretins? If I were him, I'd get on my bike and leave them in my dust. But I'm not, so instead, he makes a deal with Satan.

Doug:  I have no further comment, your honor.

Karen: One might reasonably ask how a grease monkey in a traveling cycle show would have a wealth of knowledge about the occult. This is never explained. We just see Johnny surrounded by piles of books (and a couple of skulls), and are told that he has heard "since childhood" that Satan can perform miracles. Uh, I thought it was God who performed miracles, but OK. Johnny burns some sort of gunk on top of an ox (?) skull and draws a pentagram on his chest in blood and then beckons the Prince of Darkness to appear. A shadowy Satan-like figure shows up and says he'll assist if Johnny will serve him. Now we all know how any deal with the Devil goes down -you always get the short end of the stick. But Johnny makes the deal anyway, asking that Crash be spared from the disease that is killing him. The Devil agrees and then tells him he'll be back soon to collect his fee. Now at this time, this really was supposed to be Satan, THE Devil, which blows my mind, because it just seems like Marvel would be risking the ire of so many religious groups. But things were different in 1972. You had Rosemary's Baby in 1968, The Exorcist would come out in 1973, and nuts like Anton LaVey running around San Francisco...there was definitely a pop culture edge to the subject matter. I know later on GR's origin was retconned and I believe Mephisto substituted for Satan, probably for all the reasons one might imagine. But having Satan in comic books still seems both weird and ballsy to me. I know as a kid things about Satan or demonic possession disturbed me so I tended to avoid them.

Doug:  My mind boggled during this whole satanism scene.  It's personally detestable to me, that A) anyone would know about his "miracles" one's whole life, and B) feel that turning to the dark side (literally, no Force intended) would be the answer to any of life's travails.  That being said, this is of course the pivotal scene in the character's origin and it's really well-drawn by Ploog.  As we both said at the top of today's review, stuff like this is right in ol' Mike's wheelhouse.  So if we had to do this in order to get Johnny Blaze to become the Ghost Rider, I can accept the inclusion of these elements in the story.  However, as you allude to above, it's beyond clunky and just makes Blaze seem so shallow and really makes me question his upbringing.  As you mention Mephisto, when we originally set up the post Mephisto was included in the labels you find at the bottom of each of our posts.  We did that because he was named as a character in the story as per the Comic Book Database.  However, when I read the story I thought that although Satan was drawn and colored as looking like Mephisto, I didn't think we had enough to make that conclusion -- consequently we deleted the name from the labels.

Karen: After his deal with Satan, three weeks pass. Johnny heads to Madison Square Garden the night of the big show, and Rocky finds him. She pleads with him to stop her father from attempting the world record jump. It seems Crash has decided if he's going to die, he'd rather do it on a bike than in a hospital bed. Johnny tries to talk Crash out of it but he just calls Johnny gutless and Johnny basically walks away. He figures Crash will be fine, due to his deal with Satan. Hey - wait a minute dummy! You asked the Dark Lord to spare him from the disease, not from jumping over 22 cars! Sure enough, Crash rides out and comes up short on the jump. He crashes and is killed.Rocky is in tears. Johnny feels betrayed by Satan (duh), and then for some reason, he figures it's a good idea to attempt the jump himself! With Rocky screaming at him not to try it, he races off and succeeds, becoming the new world record holder. But now Rocky is furious with him. After the show, Johnny goes back to the dressing room and sits, distraught. Who should appear but Satan. Johnny is ticked off, saying the Devil betrayed him. Satan, like any good lawyer, points out the details of the contract and that he upheld his part. Now he's there to collect his due: Johnny's soul! He tells him that from now on, he will be his servant and begins the transformation into the Ghost Rider. Suddenly Rocky enters the room and says that she suspected this! What?? She then commands Satan to return to Hell, as he is in the presence of someone "pure in heart"...oh boy. Satan books it, but says he'll be back for his. Johnny begins to recover and is confused over how Rocky saved him (as are we). She explains that she had read his books on Satan when he wasn't around and therefore knew how to order him away. The two then declare their love for each other. Cue the violins...

Doug:  Johnny Blaze isn't too long on the brains, is he?  After reading this story (for the first time for this review), I'm wondering what is the quality of this character that would make me care for him?  He's not a sympathetic character, and I certainly do not empathize with his decision-making prowess.  So at the beginning when you commented (and I agreed) on the great look of the character -- along with the popularity of motorcycle daredevils in the early 1970s -- that's really all I'm left with.  Unless I would have been a completist as a 6-year old, I'm not sure I'd have gone out of my way to find the next issue.

Doug:  Ploog again does a fantastic job during the Madison Square Garden scene -- I particularly like the panel when Crash elevates over the 22 cars.  How about Blaze telling the stage manager to have the crowd held?  After a man just died on the scene?  And then they allow him to make the exact same jump??  My suspension of disbelief was tried as much in those six panels as it was when Blaze went after the devil so seemingly quickly.  And Rocky's knowledge of the occult?  Ugh.  Just dumb.  I'd also argue her purity of heart, as she was pretty cruel to Johnny at times earlier in the story.  I'm all for the merits of tough love, but she was nasty at times.

Karen: We then see how Johnny first turned into the Ghost Rider later the next night, which lead into the beginning of our story. With our flashback over, we're back to square one, with Johnny still wondering what he can do, trapped in this cycle of man by day, monster by night. What will happen if someone finds out? He picks up the paper and on the front page is a story about the two thugs and the mysterious "Ghost Rider". Johnny decides he needs to leave New York, find a place where he can hide, and think about what to do. But then the change comes over him, and once again, he is -the Ghost Rider.

Doug:  This feature followed the Werewolf By Night strip, and I have to wonder if fans back in the day felt like they'd gotten the same deal, different look?  We previously reviewed the Werewolf's debut, and this tale doesn't really separate itself from the traditional day-OK, night-monster motif.  It also evokes a Hulk-vibe, with the protagonist as a wandering fugitive, trying to exempt himself from situations where he might cause harm to others or be found out.

Karen: As I said at the top, I thought this origin was pretty crappy. I love the Ploog art though, and it's all that kept me going. But the characters are such awful people, and the fact that Johnny Blaze turns to Satanism as casually as a person might try Weight Watchers is pretty bizarre. Still, I'd recommend reading it just to see Ploog's work -he does interesting things with panel layouts, his light and shadow effects are terrific, and overall it's just fun to look at.

BAB Frightfest: Monster of Frankenstein 1

Monster of Frankenstein #1 (January 1973)
"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein!"
Gary Friedrich-Mike Ploog

Doug:  Welcome to October, boys and girls, where we hope to provide a little monstrous fun on your five Mondays.  Karen suggested we use the Marvel Firsts books and do a series on some of our favorite Bronze Age horror stars.  We're kicking it off today with the Frankenstein Monster, and following up with the Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf by Night, the Living Mummy, and then a B&W beauty we've not yet chosen -- could be Morbius, or Tigra...  we shall see!

Karen: The Marvel Firsts are certainly a great source for early Marvel horror. The only problem is, they make me want to go out and get the following issues!

Doug:  We open in the Arctic Circle in 1898 where the explorer Robert Walton IV leads an expedition.  After leaving their cargo ship, what appears to be a brief walk later brings them to their target -- the frozen body of the Monster of Victor Frankenstein!  While Walton is inwardly giddy, he understands that his men do not share his enthusiasm and he is watchful of their nerves -- even the potential for mutiny -- as the men begin to hack the creature from the ice.  Soon, a force which they cannot control may be loosed on their ship.  Fear indeed.  As night falls, Walton orders the men to rest; an Eskimo among them offers to stand watch through the night; Walton tells him to be aware.  But as Canute succumbs to the brutal temperatures, a surprise ice crack snaps him back to consciousness; his warning come too late, though, as half of the crew is lost or killed in the natural calamity.  Walton wonders to himself if he's allowed his obsession with finding the Monster ruin his judgement; but his men know the path they wish to take.  One of the crew begins to chop wildly at the block encasing the Monster.  When Canute moves to stop him, he's struck down and nearly murdered before Walton intervenes.  The mutiny quelled, Walton orders the men to move the huge ice block onto the ship.

Karen: I'm curious why Friedrich - or really, I suspect, Roy Thomas -decided to set the story in 1898, about a hundred years after the original Frankenstein novel. The more obvious choices would have been to set it in the time of the book, or to set it in modern times. Of course, the series would eventually be moved into the modern day -which might have been a big mistake, in my opinion. Thomas did say, in Comic Book Artist #13, that he was pleased with this adaptation of the book, and he wished he could have done it himself, but didn't have the time.

Doug:  I agree with you about the temporal setting -- what about the turn of the 20th century would scream "story possibilities!", as opposed to the turn of the 19th, in Europe?  Once the Monster is aboard (still in ice), it's placed in Walton's cabin.  A young sailor tends to the explorer and inquires of the creature inside the ice.  Walton, fearing "ruining" the young man with the truth, shrugs it off and tells him about the Monster anyway.  We then get an adaptation of the Shelley "origin" story of the so-called Frankenstein Monster".  We learn that the aspiring scientist Victor Frankenstein left his family and friends to attend the University of Geneva.  Frankenstein excelled in his studies, earning the praise of his professors.  But if there was one knock on the young man, it was his impatience.  And when the unit on human cadavers began...

Karen: If my memory is correct, most of this follows the book pretty well. I want to say that Ploog's art is just fantastic. He is certainly an illustrator -by this, I mean I could see his art inside magazines or books. It was really unusual for comics. He brings a wonderfully detailed and evocative look. I could also easily see him drawing a western story, or war story... I don't think I really appreciated him when I was younger, but I love his stuff now.

Doug:  Again, I agree with you -- Mike Ploog's pictures completely complement Gary Friedrich's words.  This is a wonderful collaboration.  By the end of Frankenstein's third year of university, he felt he'd outgrown the knowledge of his professors.  Victor Frankenstein began to rob bodies -- from graves, the gallows, anywhere he could find a newly-deceased person without bodily damage.  And he began to hoard these bodies in his personal laboratory, having dropped out of college altogether.  After six months of labor, he was ready to prove himself.  Unlike in the films, in this story Victor Frankenstein used injections to attempt to bring life to his creature.  Alas, seemingly having failed, the man turned away to look again at his calculations.  But at that moment, the creature stirred, and raised a hand from the fluids in which it soaked.  Frankenstein had created life from death -- his creature did live!

Karen: Ploog does a tremendous job with the use of lighting/shadows to cultivate the mood. Also, it would have been very easy to utilize imagery from the Universal Frankenstein films, which likely were familiar to him, but he shies from this. If anything, the tank reminds me of some of the Hammer films -which would have been much more recent.

Doug:  Frankenstein was at first bursting with pride, but that increased pulse rate slowly melded itself to fear.  For the creation stepped toward him, and those menacing yellow eyes stared into Frankenstein's -- for this was no creation to celebrate, but now a monster to fear!  Fleeing, Frankenstein locked himself in his quarters, and fell exhausted onto his bed.  But suddenly, hours later, he sat bolt upright, his mind racing with the events he'd unleashed.  And there, standing right over his bed, was the Monster.  But artist Mike Ploog gives us the reader quite a different take on this scene than that perceived by Victor Frankenstein -- Ploog's Monster, while tall and strong, has a sympathetic, inquisitive face, as that of a child.  But Frankenstein doesn't see it that way and lashes out with a wooden chair.  In the melee the chair is shattered against the Monster and a large candlestick is reduced to a lump -- and we are told that the creature is fully 8-feet tall with the strength of ten men!

Karen: Of course, sympathy for the Monster is key to the story, in any version. The Monster is the unwanted child, completely rejected by his parent. Frankenstein's reaction seems so unwarranted. I think they did a nice job on the Monster too. They manage to avoid copying any movie version but still make a memorable Monster. And the yellow eyes are pure Shelley.

Doug:  I think Ploog has made a nice contribution to the pantheon of Monsters.  Victor Frankenstein fled out into the rainy night where he collapsed once again, and sleep encompassed him.  In the morning his best friend Clerval found him, and nursed him back to health over the next several weeks.  But it was to sad news that Frankenstein awakened -- his brother William had been killed by their father's ward, Justine.  Frantic from his own troubles, Victor nonetheless went to his father.  Victor was overcome with guilt at his creation, and paranoia as to its whereabouts.  As he entered his father's home he was greeted by his Elizabeth.  Briefed on the crimes that had occurred, he hypothesized about the events.  He wondered if Justine could have been framed, and the spectre of the Monster surrounded his thoughts.  But what truly consumed Victor Frankenstein was the paradox that he could save Justine from certain death, yet indict himself for the creation of the Monster at the same time.  No, that wouldn't do...  But what would win out?  His conscience or his fear?

 Karen: Frankenstein lets Justine die, which is a big clue who the real monster of the story is.

Doug:  On the day Justine was hanged, Victor Frankenstein left to hike into the Alps.  Seeking refuge from the horrible reality he'd created, he climbed higher and higher.  And when he stopped to rest, building a fire within a cave, his nightmare caught him -- the Monster was at the mouth.  The Monster had come to judge Victor Frankenstein, to punish him for crimes against nature.  Frankenstein, now frantic, lunged at the Monster with a torch, burning him about the neck.  He quickly obtained his rifle and put a bullet into the creature; but in bringing life to death, Victor Frankenstein had created a sort of unlife that was now an engine of destruction.  Lifting Frankenstein off his feet, the Monster held him high and affirmed who was now the master.  And the Monster began to tell Frankenstein a story...

Karen: The encounter is well done.The Monster is in the "costume" he'd wear through-out his Marvel career, one obviously inspired by the fur-vest look of Son of Frankenstein. The Monster's self-hatred is evident, and personally I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for Victor!

Doug:  The Monster, as I first "met" him, was rendered by Sal Buscema and Dave Cockrum in the "Celestial Madonna" storyline in the pages of the Avengers; so once he shows up in his furry vest, I felt right at home with him.  Back to the present of 1898, Walton stopped in the midst of the narrative.  Suddenly one of the sailors burst into his quarters with news that while the ship had set sail, a terrible storm was blowing in.  Walton ordered all hands on deck to fight the winds; but sensing that it was too much, Walton ordered that the sails be cut.  It was at that moment that the crew mutinied.  And not another moment later, one of the masts broke free.  Ordering his crew to safety in spite of their black hearts, it was Walton in a cruel twist of fate who was crushed beneath the tumbling log.  As the ship tosses on the raging sea, the huge block of ice down in Walton's cabin begins to slide.  To one side, near the stove, and then back.  But when the ship lurches hard, the ice slides strongly against the stove while a lantern topples on top of it.  And the huge block of ice begins to melt away rapidly, revealing a chalky-white hand... that moves.

Doug:  Wow -- this was as good as any of the Classics Illustrated I used to read in the school library when I was a junior high guy.  I was thoroughly engrossed by Friedrich's script.  Obviously Frankenstein, the Monster, Frankenstein's first obsession then paranoia... all are metaphors for societal conditions and ills. Mike Ploog's art was perfect for this sort of story.  I remarked to Karen in an email a couple of weeks ago when we were setting this up that Ploog's pencils seemed reminiscent of the Atlas work of Kirby, Ditko, and Heck.  Maybe it was the coloring of the Marvel Firsts that gave the art a heavy feel, but it seemed perfect for Friedrich's words.  Good stuff!

Karen: Agreed! I've been slowly tracking down issues of this title. But now I really want all of them!

Marvel Firsts: The Lady in Black

Amazing Adventures #1 (August 1970)
"Then Came... the Black Widow!"
Gary Friedrich-John Buscema/John Verpoorten

Karen: The Black Widow has been around a pretty long time in the Marvel Universe. Starting as an Iron Man villain (and a commie!) in Tales of Suspense #52 (published April 1964), she soon switched sides and became a good guy, a frequent ally to the Avengers and Hawkeye's main squeeze. But she eventually left Hawkeye and struck out on her own, changing from her original masked outfit to a sexier form-fitting suit designed by John Romita, Sr. Her first appearance in what has become her standard outfit was in Amazing Spider-Man #86 (July 1970). Amazing Adventures #1, published a few months later, was her first solo feature, even if she shared half the title with The Inhumans (what an odd pairing!).

Doug: I always felt that Natasha was a character that writers had a hard time using. Her appearances in the Avengers were for the most part underwhelming. However, I cannot begin to imagine how Hawkeye would have reacted to seeing her in the catsuit she sports in this story. Fishnets aside, ol' Clint Barton may not have been able to contain himself! And she seems an odd choice for a solo book. Do any of our readers know if Marvel's second go-round with split books had the original intention of try-out series, or were the Inhumans and the Widow supposed to be ongoing?

Karen: Our tale opens with 'Madame Natasha' bored out of her rich little mind. At this stage of her career, she was still just as interested in fashion and fun as she was espionage. She gets a call from a well-known playboy (not Tony Stark!) who asks her to come to Switzerland with him later in the week. She's thrilled and accepts immediately. But as soon as she hangs up, she has that empty feeling again. She realizes that it's action she really craves. She thinks back on her encounter with Spider-Man, and how he defeated her. She needs to get out, to prove herself. You never know when opportunity will knock. She notices that her maid, Maria, has been crying. She asks her what's wrong, and the woman explains that her son owes money to bad men who have threatened to kill him. The Widow immediately offers to give her the money, but Maria insists that her son must work things out himself, and leaves.

Doug: How did you view Natasha in this scene? While she's compassionate toward Maria, she's "all about me" in regard to the rest of her life. She just seems pretty aimless. I thought she appeared pretty self-absorbed. Do we know how she got all of her money?

Karen: Yeah, I had the same feeling. It was as if the Widow used Maria's son's plight as the perfect excuse to put on her costume again. We get a page that demonstrates her powers, including her anti-grav shoes (!) and widow's web, which duplicates Spidey's web line. She calls Ivan and tells him to have the Rolls ready, then throws on an overcoat and heads out. As they drive to Maria's home, the Widow looks out the car window and sees the rough conditions of the neighborhood. She does some typical Marvel pondering about government and the common man and then has Ivan pull over. Apparently Ivan is unaware that his boss is the Black Widow at this stage of their relationship, which surprised me. She tells him to go home, leaving him worried, and she clambers up Maria's building.

Doug: This version of Ivan was a very far cry from the protector of his "tsarina" we'd see in the Champions a few years later. Ivan in this story wasn't half as cool as Alfred. If memory serves, it's later revealed (retconned) that Ivan had been with Natasha since her childhood. Am I off-planet in thinking he may even have been her father? Anyway, I thought it was dumb that she went to her crime investigation in the Rolls, especially since it was in the 'hood!

Karen: The Widow eavesdrops on Maria's apartment and hears a couple of typical Buscema-style thugs threatening Maria and her son. They take the kid and tell Maria to come up with the money in 12 hours or they'll kill him. The Widow decides it's time for her to act. As the men leave the building she swings down, kicking one in the face. As the other thug prepares to shoot her, the Widow uses her Widow's Bite (a ray from her bracelet) to shoot him first, paralyzing him. The first thug she attacked has recovered and is charging at her. He's huge, twice her size, and mad as heck. But the Widow takes him down with a well-placed kick. She's actually disappointed that the fight wasn't more challenging.

Doug: You know, they should have just plastered "jumping on point for new readers" all over the cover to this mag. While not a first-issue origin story, it seems to have been written with the grab of new readers in mind. But, there really isn't much of a story here, is there? We get a little history, a little motivation, some very minor characterization (but enough), a complete run-down of Natasha's powers and attributes, her relationship with SHIELD, and that fact that she's superbad when she needs to be. As far as the kidnapping, it may have been a world record for the shortest in history. The baddies don't even get off the front stoop before they're slam-banged by our heroine!

Karen: New York's finest quickly arrive and the Widow realizes her new outfit doesn't have a mask! Uh, maybe she should have considered that before? Wishing to avoid being recognized, she scampers up the building just as the cops help Maria's son up. He explains that a lady in black saved him. The Widow swings off, pondering whether she should continue in her crime fighting career - well, I think we know the answer to that one.

Doug: My suspension of disbelief was put to the test when she got into the Rolls with a trench coat on over what was obviously a black catsuit. Or was she just too good-looking that Ivan didn't even notice her strange clothing choice? Then, as you said, the whole mask thing was dumb. It made her seem way too flighty for me. The Natasha I recall was strong, self-confident, and without doubts. This gal may evolve into here, but there's certainly a ways to go.

Karen: This was an OK little story. To be honest, the Buscema art really saves it from being utterly forgettable. I think the Widow became much more interesting when she partnered with Daredevil soon after.

Doug: John Verpoorten didn't do a bad job on the inks. This Big John was Marvel's production manager, but frequently stepped into his embellishing shoes during this period. I thought in a few instances the faces were flat, but overall there was a little "pop" to the art. I agree with you that the story was unspectacular but not offending. As I said above, it's really a nice little piece of marketing if you wanted to keep new readers coming back. Unfortunately, as we saw before, the Kirby writing on the lead Inhumans feature may have chased some away!

The Gary Friedrich Situation: Of Corporate Ethics, Intellectual Property, and Contract Law

Karen: As I am sure many of you have heard by now, former Marvel Comics writer Gary Friedrich had sued Marvel claiming he had ownership rights to Ghost Rider. Friedrich has been successfully counter-sued by Marvel/Disney, who are now seeking $17,000 from Friedrich; the writer is reportedly destitute. Comics Beat published an article which explains the situation pretty well.

Doug: One of the issues involved is Friedrich's sale of Ghost Rider/Marvel related goods at conventions and appearances. Marvel/Disney is hacked off that Friedrich has been able to make a buck (regardless of how modest his income would be in relation to the multi-million dollar empire that is Marvel Comics) selling items to which he has no legal title.
Karen: The question of who actually created the Ghost Rider character has been much debated in the past. It seems clear that Friedrich, artist Mike Ploog, and editor Roy Thomas all had a hand in it. But of course, they did it during the work for hire era, and technically none of them own the character. However, regardless of that, Marvel's action in demanding $17,000 from Friedrich seems not only petty but incredibly stupid. That sum is nothing to them, and everything to Friedrich. I can only conclude that Marvel is doing this to send a message to other artists and writers out there, to prevent any further suits.

Doug: Of course Marvel's much larger, and more public, litigation is against the Kirby estate.

Karen: But the legal department should have spoken to the PR group first. Here they have three Marvel films coming out this year, and now they are faced with bad publicity, to the extent that people are calling for boycotts. Dumb move, particularly in the time of the 99% vs. the 1%. Marvel comes off as just another greedy corporation, wringing blood from the poor worker.

Karen: I can only hope that someone at Marvel will show both business sense and some ethics and say, "Let's drop this thing." It should be enough for them that Friedrich not only lost his suit, but cannot sell anything with a Marvel character on it. Don't grind the man into the dirt too.

Doug: When I read creator biographies that talk about the writers and artists taking on book after book, and how to them it was just a job... This just sounds like that. These guys were trying to put bread on their tables; that there would ever be royalties or profit-sharing wasn't even on their radar screens, so they did their jobs with pride and hoped that they'd get another assignment. Neal Adams worked diligently to change these conditions. In the midst of all of this, the anecdote that Roy Thomas really didn't create any substantial characters while at Marvel -- he often re-tooled existing properties -- seems to make sense. Roy knew that anything he did that might "take off" would be owned by "The Man" (and I don't mean Stan). To a degree, this seems an awful lot like the Siegel and Shuster mess at DC.

Doug: On the other hand, all of these creators did sign contracts...

Just a Stone's Throw Away...

Captain America #142 (October 1971)
"And in the End..."
Gary Friedrich-John Romita/Joe Sinnott

Doug: So I guess I'm not sure the ending was so "unbelievable", but I'll give you that this one was chock fulla "Action in the Marvel Manner!" Pretty good ending to a decent Bronze Age story, was this. Let's have a look!

Doug: Gary Friedrich takes over for Stan Lee, who last issue ended his run on the title. The transition is pretty seamless, as I'm sure Stan and Jazzy Johnny had it all plotted out and Friedrich had only to word it up. The story opens just after the Grey Gargoyle has holed up in the mountain where the ultra-dangerous "Element X" is stored. Remember -- just a few drops of that chemical could destroy the Earth. Only pure stone can withstand this dangerous substance. There is some really strong art by Romita and Sinnott in the opening pages. As I remarked last ish, with their facial representations they'd do any romance artists proud. I have one bone to pick, and it's been bugging me throughout this series -- why in the world does Sharon Carter let Cap speak down to her so much? Yeah, yeah -- I get that he's old-fashioned and she was being written by Stan Lee. But come on -- with her credentials as a SHIELD agent and whatever that PhD is that Fury was talking about last issue... It's just really over the top.
Karen: Marvel women still had a long way to go. I think it would be a few more years until we saw any real change in how women were written. Certainly some of the younger guys, like Steve Englehart, and later, Chris Claremont, would start to write more empowered, strong female characters.

Karen: I have to say I thought it was kind of funny that we get this big romantic reunion of Sharon and Cap, and then Falcon gets his big reunion with...his bird, Redwing!

Doug: As we get rolling in this one, the Gargoyle faces some resistance inside the mountain. A group of soldiers use all of the technology at their disposal to try to defeat this gruesome baddie, but to no avail. I continue to find it laughable that this guy is the strongest, most invincible creature in the Marvel Universe! Come on -- no building, street, or rock formation could withstand even the smallest of explosive warheads available at this time, yet the Gargoyle just thumbs his nose at it all. He's really over-powered in my opinion. Cap and Falc send Nightwing to scout ahead for a place to enter the mountain, and soon spring into action with an aerial assault through the top. I had to smile, though, when Sam called for "Plan D" -- that didn't work so good on the SHIELD helicarrier last isue! There are some great action panels in this sequence.

Karen: The art really is gorgeous. Romita has always drawn great faces, and the action sequences are exciting and unambiguous. But - you knew there was a 'but' coming didn't you? - the Falcon's dialogue is so terrible. It is just over the top with the effort to make him sound like a character out of Superfly. I mean, read this and tell me you don't cringe: "Outtasite! Keep jivin' like that, and I may be able to make a soul brother out of you yet!" Or this: "I hear you knockin' brother! How about lettin' me in? Hold everything! I think I'm homing in on your vibrations! You're thinking maybe we can get him inside the stone receptacle?"

Doug: After we see the Gargoyle finally procurring Element X (which he promptly "stones" to protect it), we get a little vignette with my favorite bi-atch Leila. Wow -- I can't really express how much I don't like her. Her looks are obviously based on blaxploitation star Pam Grier. But that personality... Fortunately, the other characters in the scene aren't buying the venom she's spewing.

Karen: I always had a hard time figuring out what a positive-thinking guy like Sam was doing with a vile, nasty girl like Leila. The way she's portrayed, she just has no redeeming features. I understand what they were doing with her in the book, as a character to open some doors to comment on the social/racial issues of the times, but why Falcon would put up with her was always a mystery to me.

Doug: Back in the mountain, our heroes engage the Gargoyle in some serious fisticuffs, and Sharon Carter displays her women's intuition on steroids again. The Gargoyle is finally undone when tricked into entering what amounts to a rocket capsule, which Cap seals and Fury activates. Blast off, and no more Gargoyle. Because Sam had swiped the cannister of Element X, all's well that ends well! Curiously, the last two panels contain some soliloquizing by scribe Friedrich that would have done Stan, Roy, or even Denny O'Neil proud!

Karen: The comment about men learning to live as brothers was one thing, but where did Falcon's comment about wishing "all nuclear weapons" had been aboard the rocket come from? That really felt a bit forced.

Doug: As a story, this was a fun Bronze Age yarn. Sure it has its faults, but you know what? It wasn't decompressed, the story had a defined beginning, middle, and end, the heroes behaved like heroes and the bad guy was over-the-top, and in the end the good guys won. What more could a comics fan ask for?

Karen: I don't know, Doug, this three parter was a bit hard for me. I was disappointed in Stan's work, and I can't say much about Friedrich here, as he was locked into the story that was already started. The Romita/Sinnott art however, was lush and dynamic, so not a total bummer!