Star Slammers Day!

 

Walt Simonson was born on this date in 1946. Simonson first came to my attention on the utterly fantastic run of Manhunter stories with Archie Goodwin. He also stood out on the adaptation of Alien. His later stories for both Thor and the Fantastic Four proved that he was just as fine a writer as he was an artist. One of Simonson's earliest proofs of that talent was Star Slammers. 

It only took thirty years, but I finally got around to reading Walter Simonson's Star Slammers. This Marvel Graphic Novel made an impression, even if at the time it hit the stands, I was not in a mood to sample it. It's been out there ever since, a book I was sort of curious about, but never so much so, that it pushed its way to the top and a need to buy it. It's not the price which has never been all that much, but for some reason my interest and my finding it never coincided. But some years ago, when I found it lurking in a back issue box for a mere two bucks. That was too good a price to ignore. For the price of a Coke, I could finally read this story which I'd known about for decades.

It's pretty good. The Star Slammers are a hidden race of magnificent warriors who are threatened by a much more abundant race of humans who seek to wipe them out. They have made a name for themselves by hiring out their impressive warrior skills as mercenaries, acquiring over the years an arsenal against the inevitable day when their enemies would come seeking their destruction. This is the story of that ultimate battle and of three Slammers in particular who spearhead the defense of their people.

(Thesis Version Page)

It's strange story of warriors who don't fear death, but only defeat. And it is a secret weapon they all possess but cannot use which is the key to their victory if they can only unlock its secret. Walt Simonson's artwork is impressive, and while his page layouts are at times bizarre, I never found my eye lost on the page as I strolled through the tale. Turns out, this is a revision of material he'd produced and used as a thesis at the Rhode Island School of Design. It was this material, which Simonson used as a portfolio which impressed Carmine Infantino and go him a gig at DC and eventually Manhunter. 

In the 90's Simonson dusted off the concept and produced four issues for Malibu's Bravura brand. 

There was supposed to be a fifth issue, but that had to wait a couple of years until it was published as a special by Dark Horse. 

Dark Horse also published a Star Slammers story in Dark Horse Presents #114. 

All of this material as well as Simonson's original thesis version were collected by IDW in 2015 and go for wild prices now. 

It took me thirty years to read Star Slammers. If you can find it cheap, don't let it be that long for you.

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Sherlock Holmes - Return Of The Devil!

Return of the Devil is a relatively short two-part tale from Martin Powell and Seppo Makinen, revisiting again the world of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective Sherlock Holmes. This yarn follows on the success of Scarlet in Gaslight and A Case of Blind Fear.  In this one Watson and Holmes are nearing the end of their long partnership when word gets to Holmes that Irene Adler once again needs his assistance. It turns out it is not Adler directly but a colleague, a beautiful contralto named Violet Fortier who has been  hallucinating apparently and reveals that the Devil himself, in his horned and cloven-hoofed glory has visited her. Violet's sister Veronica appeals to Holmes for assistance and frankly just flat-out appeals to Watson who misses his late wife Mary terribly. Things get much more serious thought when Violet kills herself. Later Holmes himself is suffering from delusions, or at least he thinks they must be since he sees his old enemy Moriarty seemingly returned from his death so many years before.

There is an answer to all this, a somewhat mundane answer after it's all said and done, but this story introduces Alestair Crowley to the scene, a character who will play a much larger role in the next Powell-Makinen Holmes story, their last. More on that later.

I originally read Return of the Devil in its two-issue format years ago from Malibu's black and white Adventure Comics brand. I have never found the collected edition from Caliber's Tome Press seen above. But I feel fortunate to have the story in the second volume of Moonstone's Sherlock Holmes Mysteries.

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Sherlock Holmes - A Case Of Blind Fear!

Following on the success of Scarlet in Gaslight which dramatically pitted Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes against Bram Stoker's Dracula, Martin Powell and Seppo Makinen teamed up once again to take Doyle's great detective in a slightly different direction. This time the antagonist was plucked from the broad  and vivid canon of H.G. Wells, specifically his villainous creation, "The Invisible Man".

A Case of Blind Fear (outstanding title) actually works better as a Sherlock Holmes story than did the earlier Scarlet in Gaslight (which I still adore nonetheless). The super-scientific base for the murderous Griffin is challenging but somewhat less shocking to the 221B Baker Street milieu than the supernatural undead of Bram Stoker. The universe of Wells mingles better with the super-rational universe of Doyle.

Also unlike Scarlet in Gaslight, Holmes this time is in full command of his wits, save for those which are slightly blunted by the confusing absence of Dr. John Watson and the untimely arrival of "The Woman" herself, the beautiful and distracting Irene Adler. In fact it is the personal story of Watson and his wife Mary which is the center of attention this time out, as Watson's old life comes back to literally haunt him. 

Powell's writing is at his usual excellent standard here, if anything firmer and more nimble with loads of echoes from the classic Holmes canon. Makinen's artistic storytelling is improved since the earlier effort, reading cleanly and doing a wonderful job of rendering the hardest thing imaginable, the unseen itself. Making an invisible man a threat can be more difficult in the broad comic book world, but it is accomplished with gusto here. The story also makes superb use of vintage Holmes villain Captain Moran, making him something truly vile and repulsive. The villainy is ripe and potent in this one.

Hard to find, but worth the effort, I heartily recommend A Case of Blind Fear. Here are the covers for the original Eternity Comics limited series (Malibu's black and white brand).

And here's a striking cover for the Caliber Comics 1996 collected version of the tale.

I read this story in Volume One of Moonstone's Sherlock Holmes Mysteries which collects the Powell-Makinen stories. There is a second volume in this set, and I'll be attending to that soon.

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Sherlock Holmes - Scarlet In Gaslight!

Where and exactly when I picked up Scarlet in Gaslight I don't recollect. But this masterful story of Sherlock Holmes facing off against Dracula made a huge impression. I first read the story as a collection from Malibu Comics from 1988. This slightly smaller version of the tale does some injustice to Seppo Makinen's elegant and vibrant artwork but the tale remains intact.

There have been many stories written pitting Arthur Conan Doyle's supremely logical consulting detective against Bram Stoker's supremely evil lord of the undead, but in this comics telling Martin Powell gives adds a flavorful dash of humanity to Holmes and oddly enough to Dracula too. Both are rich personalities with specific motivations and particular worldviews. In the case of Holmes, his confrontation with the startling reality of the undead rocks his world of reason and carefully groomed intellect and his mind falls into disorder. In the case of Dracula, his craving for control is frustrated by evil folks who seek use him as a weapon in their battle against a peaceful world. Both of our protagonists overcome their conflicts and that makes this story hum so effectively.
 

Seppo Makinen's artwork in these stories has a real flavor to it. Unlike so much of the comic art produced in the modern day, there is a real style and whimsy to Makinen's supple lines. The artwork improves as the story progresses, suggesting that Makinen gains his footing a bit through the tale, and by the end he is in full control of the storytelling and the textures. This is a black and white story, produced originally for Malibu's black and white "Eternity Comics" brand in waning days of what we now dub the "Black and White Boom". It's a story best told in black and white, not only to preserve Makinen's lush linework, but to retain the frosty atmosphere the story so successfully develops.

The story has proven a success and has been reprinted a number of times over the intervening years by several publishers.

I most recently read the tale in the Moonstone version of Sherlock Holmes story by Powell and Makinen. There are two volumes in this handsome set despite the rather mundane and uninspired cover artwork. Building on the critical success of Scarlet in Gaslight, the two did several more Holmes stories pitting the detective against some very odd foes. I'll have more to say on those at a later date.

But I give Scarlet in Gaslight my highest recommendation. If you have not yet read this stunning tale of reason versus madness then seek it out and give it a go. It's one of the best stories of Sherlock Holmes not written by Doyle and one of the best stories produced in the comic book format ever.

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Sherlock Holmes - The Missing Martian!

This limited series written by Doug Murray and drawn by Topper Helmers with covers by Ian McCraig was published by Eternity Comics nearly twenty years ago. I became aware of the series for the first time prowling a website dedicated to all thing War of the Worlds While doing research for my annual Halloween-season in-class presentation of the classic "panic" radio drama. The series sounded like my cup of tea, but I despaired ever finding such an oddball set of comics. But I found them pretty easily it turns out. 

The story begins several years after the "invasion" and starts with the apparent disappearance of a presumably dead Martian from a museum display. Sherlock Holmes is called away from his beekeeping in Sussex to tackle the case. Meanwhile Watson is having some trouble with his wife who appears to have mental issues and is connected to an infamous criminal in Whitehall. The mystery develops with Sherlock reflecting back on what he did during the War of the Worlds and the role he and Professor Challenger had in defeating the enemy. I won't say much more, save that many classic Holmes details are present and the story does answer a mystery about Sussex.

The artwork is pretty decent most of the time and does a very nice job of telling the story. The action sequences seem to get lost a bit here and there, but the mood elements are very nicely handled. The B&W format doesn't bother me a bit, and this material actually shines because of it. The covers by Ian McCraig are colored by Murray's wife and they are uniformly handsome.

Murray's story is a solid one, not a great one. I caution any new reader not to read the text pieces by Murray until after you've finished the whole tale as he does spoil the plot a bit early on. All that said it was a fun read; I'm glad I found it.

NOTE: This is a Dojo Revised Classic Post. 

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Tarzan - The Beckoning!

Back in those halcyon days of the "Hot" 90's when superheroes were popping up in comic bookstores like so many mushrooms, tasty but alas very much alike, there came the occasional different kind of comic book experience. And from Malibu by way of Sweden came some very different takes on Tarzan of the Apes. Sadly in America ERB's Ape Man is perceived too much through the movie camera lens and much of the background depth of the myriad world's Burroughs created are lost. In Tarzan - The Beckoning by artist and writer Tom Yeates with assist from Danish writer and editor Henning Kure, we get a story about Tarzan that challenges both expectations about the Ape Man and his lovely bride Jane.

This series was first published by Malibu Comics, made famous as the launching platform for Image Comics. In collaboration with the Danes, Malibu brought out several fascinating Tarzan stories, all rich with mythology and fresh exciting takes on the classic Jungle Lord. There was a trilogy by Henning Kure and Peter Snejbjerg called Tarzan - Love, Lies and the Lost City and another by Marc Hempel and Neil Vokes called Tarzan the Warrior. The third and most impressive was Tarzan - The Beckoning which ran a lusty seven issues, all seven of which were gathered up by Dark Horse some years ago. The others deserve a new audience as well. 

The story begins with Tarzan and Jane in San Francisco where they are living comfortably very long lives. Tarzan is at least one hundred years old and still vital, and we learn why before this story is over. Jane too is still young as well. The two are fighting to end the ivory trade which is exterminating the elephants of Africa. Tarzan for his part fights the fight with his usual direct methods. But he is hampered in his struggle by strange dreams which cause him to revert to his most savage nature. 

The powers that be decide that Tarzan must die after he destroys a particularly rich shipment of ivory. For him these tusks are parts of his friends and he'd rather see them burned and sunk to the bottom of the sea than sold. He is targeted by foes both old and new, foes who don't really know the true nature of the man they are targeting. 

He leaves Jane in California and heads to Africa but in a brutal sequence his plane is shot down with all its many passengers. This series as full of fantasy elements as it is still has a shocking realism to it thanks to Yeates remarkable art. He draws figures which feel real. Needless to say Tarzan survives the savage attack. In classic ERB tradition he washes up on the shore near his old cabin in which he was born. We get bits and pieces of his "origin" as the series proceeds. 

His enemies, thinking they have killed him seek to end the threat of the Waziri who also fight to save the elephants. Tarzan is key to turning back a savage helicopter raid the fabulous Waziri village. Death is meted out on all sides as the primitive struggles against the weapons of the modern deadly world. 

But there is still the mystery of Tarzan's dreams and we discover that the same man who give Tarzan his long life now is invading his dreams. That man, called Loc the Trickster, has also taken Jane captive when she came to Africa hearing of Tarzan's seeming demise but hoping for the best. Loc needs Jane to get him into a strange valley where the secret of long life resides. Again in classic ERB style Jane has lost her memory. 

Followed by the aged son of an old enemy Tarzan does to the ancient valley and battles savages there who descend from Atlantis. The culture he seeks is older still and dedicated to peace. Jane for her part escapes her captor and survives thanks to her instincts and training and while still not knowing her name becomes a savage jungle woman of the most attractive variety. Yeates is at his best when he renders Jane, she's exceedingly sexy but still very much a realistic if somewhat idealized woman. 

Without give too much away the saga concludes in typical ERB form with a somewhat happy ending for most. For those who like the literary Tarzan this series is a real treat, both modern but still evoking those classic ERB themes. Tom Yeates draws a Tarzan I can relate to. He's idealized but somehow of still human proportions --he feels real. The dreams in this storyline are rendered in a looser style and that makes the story telling much clearer than it might've been under less capable hands. Over a hundred years ago ERB created his idealized noble savage in an Africa mostly myth and countless lost civilizations. But in an Africa which is much better known, there is still room for magic and monsters, and most importantly there is still room for Tarzan.

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Earth's Mightiest Comic Book Artist!

No one else could draw the things that George Perez could draw. His mastery of a superhero gathering was unmatched. Others tried and had some success, but always there were indications of crowding and restlessness in the crowded panels. Only a Perez crowd scene seemed literally picture perfect, with every face visible and recognizable. The settings were always teeming with figures but never felt awkward. 

Perez broke in drawing characters like Gullivar of Mars and Man-Wolf. He proved himself on the White Tiger in the pages of Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu. But he found his calling when he was assigned to The Avengers. He had many stints on "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", all of them welcome and in every instance, Perez seemed to be a better artist in all ways. He then graduated to "The World's Greatest Comic" -- the Fantastic Four. 

He migrated to DC where he and Marv Wolfman recreated the Teen Titans making them "New" for a fresh audience and stealing just a wee bit of the glamour that the X-Men had generated in the day. 

Then with the tragic passing of Dick Dillin, George got his most cherished gig, the Justice League of America. His reputation as the greatest team artist in the history of comics was assured. 

There was even talk of a crossover between the JLA and the Avengers and no artist was considered save for Perez. It didn't happen. But the Crisis on Infinite Earths did. 

Crisis on Infinite Earths is Perez's masterpiece. It has never been equaled by any of the myriad limited series that followed it in the decades that followed. The Crisis as it's called transformed the DC Universe and remade in the images that Perez made famous. He went on to work on Wonder Woman with mixed success and then when the Image era erupted, he along with other fan-favorite artists sought to bring their own projects to the marketplace. Once again there was success, his talent was never questioned. And then he came back to Marvel for one more go on The Avengers. 

The Busiek and Perez Avengers rescued the team from a misbegotten turn when the book was handed off to the Image folk. And instead of an Avengers which didn't look much like what we'd seen before but more resembled those countless 90's super-teams of lesser note, we finally got the real deal. The late 90's return of Perez to The Avengers literally took my breath away. I could hardly wait to get each issue, each glorious issue with art that was the best of his career. After that there was only one hill left to climb. 

The Avengers finally crossed over with the Justice League of America and the Busiek and Perez team handled the job with grace and spectacular talent. I consider that last best team-up to be my swan song to modern comics. I'd dreamed of the crossover for decades, and then it had happened. I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted to see from the "Big Two". George Perez had said it all with his fantastic artwork. 

George Perez drew so furiously that it had a negative impact on his health. Now we hear that as sadly expected the great artist has passed on. Farewell George and thanks for making this fanboy's dream come true as only you could do. 

Here are a few of my favorite covers by Perez. 

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