The Classic Marvel Comics Thread

[tony ingram]

I thought we should have a general thread to talk about classic Marvel titles (yes, I intend to start a Classic DC thread, too). For me, classic means Bronze Age, "my" era, but I know we have a surprisingly wide age range on here so what's yours?

Titles that I still really love from that era:

The Defenders (particularly under Steve Gerber)
Man-Thing (more Gerber)
Omega the Unknown (yet more Gerber)
Howard The Duck (and again...)
Captain Marvel (this one)


Jim Starlin's Warlock
Nova, the Human Rocket
Roy Thomas on Fantastic Four
The Invaders (Thomas, again)
Amazing Adventures starring Deathlok
The Micronauts
and books like this...

[tony ingram]

Oh, and I almost forgot this...



...and the wonderful stuff Marvel UK were putting out in their reprint weeklies...

[MajorHoy]

...and the wonderful stuff Marvel UK were putting out in their reprint weeklies...

Now, I could get behind a thread dedicated to Marvel's Invaders, but the only thread about the Invaders isn't about them: https://crikey.forumotion.com/t125-the-invaders-in-uk-comics

Though we do have the slightly more general "Any fans of current superhero comic stories set during World War II?" thread.

By the way, found this on the deviantart.net site:

[tony ingram]

That's a nice piece of art. But what's the Comet doing in there (above Spitfire)? He was a continuity implant from the 1950s, not the 1940s!

[MajorHoy]

That's a nice piece of art. But what's the Comet doing in there (above Spitfire)? He was a continuity implant from the 1950s, not the 1940s!

1950's Marvel Boy is there, too, so I'm guessing the artist used Timely and Atlas era characters (as well as the 1970s / 1980s additions and updates . . . that's Silver Scorpion's Invaders mini-series outfit over towards the right).

[tony ingram]

He even included the Human Top! I'm impressed!

[Mbast1]

That's a nice piece of art. But what's the Comet doing in there (above Spitfire)? He was a continuity implant from the 1950s, not the 1940s!

I think people's view of the past is often odd. Anything before I was born is "the past" and I only need to be accurate within a few decades, since they're all alike.
Well, that's how it seems to me that some people think.

[tony ingram]

I think you're right, and I find it quite irritating.

[MajorHoy]

That's a nice piece of art. But what's the Comet doing in there (above Spitfire)? He was a continuity implant from the 1950s, not the 1940s!

I think people's view of the past is often odd. Anything before I was born is "the past" and I only need to be accurate within a few decades, since they're all alike.
Well, that's how it seems to me that some people think.

Or, it may be a question of actual research (beyond using "Google")?

[tony ingram]

I think the two are linked. I think a lot of the current generation of readers just don't care enough about anything before their own lifetimes to do research.

[Lucy Ingram]

Yeah, yeah, young people are rubbish

[MajorHoy]

Yeah, yeah, young people are rubbish

Hey, you're getting old yourself, sister . . . didn't they use to say never trust anyone over 30?   

[tony ingram]

I don't trust anyone under 30, either.

[Lucy Ingram]

I'm not getting old! I'm 26!

[MajorHoy]

I'm not getting old! I'm 26!

That's ancient to a kid, though.

[Lucy Ingram]

But there aren't any kids on here!

[Philip K Ditko]

I would add these to the series already mentioned:
Killraven by McGregor and Russell in Amazing Adventures (Deathlok was in Astonishing Tales, Tony)
Conan the Barbarian by Thomas, Smith and John Buscema
Captain America by Englehart, Sal Buscema and Robbins
Black Panther by McGregor, Buckler, Graham and Janson
Tomb of Dracula by Wolfman, Colan and Palmer
Dr Strange by Englehart, Brunner and Colan
Iron Fist by Claremont and Byrne
Master of Kung Fu by Moench, Gulacy, Zeck and Day
Power Man by Don McGregor
Eternals by Jack Kirby
Daredevil by Shooter, Kane, Janson, McKenzie and Miller
Rampaging Hulk by Moench, Simonson and Alcala
Iron Man by Michelinie, Layton and JRJR
Moon Knight by Moench and Sienkiewicz
Thor by Walt Simonson

[tony ingram]

All good ones, and your mention of Rampaging Hulk reminded me of Marvel Preview, Bizarre Adventures and the rest of the black & white magazine line, there was some great stuff in those.

I always get mixed up with Amazing Adventures and Astonishing Tales...  

[Mbast1]

Yeah, yeah, young people are rubbish

Not at all, I think. Some of my favorite people in the world are young people. I just think you need to have been around a certain amount of time to see that the world didn't begin at your birth. Human flaw, I think.

[Lucy Ingram]

Yes, you're quite right. And when I'm older maybe I won't be so flippant.

[MajorHoy]

Yes, you're quite right. And when I'm older maybe I won't be so flippant.

Age doesn't have anything to do with that.
(Just ask Tony.)   

[tony ingram]

Yes, you're quite right. And when I'm older maybe I won't be so flippant.

Age doesn't have anything to do with that.
(Just ask Tony.)   

I have no idea what you mean.  

[Lucy Ingram]

Age doesn't have anything to do with that.
(Just ask Tony.)   

A fair point, well made.

[Mbast1]

And when I'm older maybe I won't be so flippant.

Why not? Being flippant is FUN!

[tony ingram]

Apparently, now that they have the licence back, Marvel are reprinting their original 1970s Star Wars series in an omnibus edition!  

[Lucy Ingram]

Why do we need comics when we can just watch the movies?

[tony ingram]

Why do we need comics when we can just watch the movies?

Because the comics told original stories as well as adapting the movies. Marvel's Star Wars title lasted albout ten years, that would have been a very slow adaptation of even three movies...

[Lucy Ingram]

Oh, right. Those comics. Luke gets a girlfriend and Hans and Leia have three children. Surprisingly, the one called Anakin turns to the Dark Side.

[tony ingram]

Oh, right. Those comics. Luke gets a girlfriend and Hans and Leia have three children. Surprisingly, the one called Anakin turns to the Dark Side.

Nope, those were the later Dark Horse Comics. The Marvel titles had a quirky charm all their own. Alan Moore wrote a couple, for the Marvel UK Star Wars reprint title when they were running short of American material. So did Steve Moore.

[Lucy Ingram]

That's interesting.

[Sponsored content]