Summer Slam 2007 or What I Read Last Summer
The Last Fantastic Four Story – Stan Lee & John Romita Jr. – One Shot $4.99
Colors by Civil War veteran Morry Hollowell
Mild Spoilers Follow
I didn’t expect much from this comic and I have to say it delivered exactly that. The packaging, the art, and the included script for the story were excellent it is just too bad that the actual meat of the book couldn’t live up to the high production value of the total package. I won’t give away the full story but suffice it to say that Stan Lee didn’t really stretch himself to weave this tale. The characters seemed flat and the portrayal of the Thing was so far out of character I wondered if Stan remembered the heart he created in Ben Grimm. On the upside the interior colors and art were fun and I especially enjoyed the cameo by the Inhumans. This was the second time this summer I watched Blackbolt open his mouth in an effort to save a world. The major disappointment for me was the resolution of the conflict. It was pure 1970’s DC. The battle unexpectedly turns to favor our heroes, we don’t know why until Reed explains what had happened off panel that turned the battle. This device is neat and clean and oh so easy to write. There is more to the story so if you are “True Believer” you may want to pick this issue up now; otherwise I suggest waiting for the dollar bin.
Bad Boy Trouble! Part 3 – Melanie J. Morgan & Steven Butler – Betty and Veronica Double Digest #153 $3.69
Inks by Marvel legend Al Milgrom
Mild Spoilers Follow
Grim and gritty has finally made it to Riverdale High. This summer Archie Comics celebrated a birthday and radically updated characters that have remained largely unchanged for decades. The four part Bad Boy Trouble has been billed as an experiment to see if there is fan support for reading Archie stories that include current themes and situations. The story revolves around a school yard shakedowns that culminates in one of the wildest fight scenes this side of World War Hulk. Page after page of big punches and a surprise finish that really satisfies this old man. I grew accustomed to the new look within a few panels and the influence of Al Milgrom’s inks gave this updated Archie story an old Marvel feel. The rest of the digest is in the traditional Archie style which should quiet the Betty and Veronica purists out there. If we can support 52 universes at DC then I think we should also make room for the new class of Riverdale.
Amazing Spider-Man #1 / Fantastic Four #1 US Postal Service Limited Edition - Stan Lee & Steve Ditko / Stan Lee & Jack Kirby $19.99 includes sheet of 20 Marvel stamps and 1st day issue envelope
The US Postal Service just released its second series of superhero themed postage stamps. Along with the stamps the USPS also released a number of additional items to commemorate the occasion. I purchased the limited edition reprint of Amazing Spider-Man 1 / Fantastic Four 1 package which included a sheet of the new stamps and a 1st day issue envelope. The best part of the package was the comic, of course. We all know both of these stories but when was the last time you actually sat down and reread the pages in comic form? Steve Ditko’s art is still crazy wonderful and it made me believe that Spidey could hold on to a space capsule re-entering earth’s atmosphere. The Fantastic Four stories also hold up surprising well. The Mole Man reveal and origin still choke me up and the sacrifice he makes at the end is the first of many tragic ends that flow through the Marvel universe to this day.
In addition to three classic reprints the comic also contains enlargements and credits for the covers used on the postage stamps. It is great to see the artists and writers of the classic tales acknowledged this way. This is an easy way to get the next generation interested in the heroes we love.
Sean Wheatley has been reading and collecting comics for over 35 years. Send comments and suggestions to: Seanwheatley1@earthlink.net