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As 2009 speeds to its conclusion, the final Marvel’s 70th Anniversary variant covers have been revealed. These are part of a set of monthly covers we’ve posted about previously in January and June. While they’ve been difficult to find, I still think these are amazing images that Marvel should have made more readily available.
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Just read the first issue of The Marvels Project, the crown jewel of Marvel’s 70th Anniversary celebration.
Before reading it, I took the time (and it did take time) to read a reprint of Timely’s Marvel Comics #1 from 1939. This was released on the same day as TMP #1 and tells tales of “Marvel’s” Golden Age characters including: The Original Human Torch, The Angel, The Sub-Mariner, and Ka-Zar the Great. It’s a little crazy to think about how old these stories are, and the changes that have occurred in the comics medium are astounding. This thing was densely packed with material and every story had an incredible amount of substance to it. It was almost a little too much for my modern mind.
The book served as a great primer for TMP #1 as the story is set in 1939 and told from the perspective to Dr. Thomas Halloway, the masked detective known as The Angel (not to be confused with the X-Men’s winged Angel who wouldn’t appear until years later) and focuses on The Original Human Torch and Namor The Sub-Mariner. The premise is that in the early days of World War II, the United States and Germany were racing to create the first super-human (the series’ title is a reference to The Manhattan Project), and all of the pulp adventures published during that era are a part of this world and very connected to the modern Marvel Universe.
In the opening issue, we also see the Western hero The Two Gun Kid, Nick Fury, Dr. Emil Erskine (who developed the Super Soldier Serum that powers Captain America), and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
I’ve been reading Marvel Comics for most of my life, and this is like a hidden history that I never knew about. I don’t think I would have ever given it any attention if it weren’t for the amazing work that writer Ed Brubaker and artist Steve Epting (whom I have great memories of from his X-Factor run) have done with Captain America over the last five years. The Marvels Project has the potential to be one of the great tales of the Marvel Universe and is well on it’s way with issue one. I wish I hadn’t held off reading it for the past few weeks, but I’m not kidding about how long it took me to get through Marvel Comics #1.
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The last of Marvel’s 70th Anniversary Frame variants shipped this week. I’ve made my feelings about these books pretty clear, but as a true Marvel Zombie I couldn’t just let them pass by. So, consider this my digital revenge as I add them to my “virtual collection.” Take that, Marvel!
See if you can spot some sneakiness on Marvel’s part with a few of these covers…
The following issues feature Marvel 70th Anniversary frame variant covers:
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What a disappointment. When Marvel first started promoting their 70th Anniversary (despite more dubious math) I was very excited. I knew some cool things (like The Marvels Project) were planned, but what immediately came to mind was the prospect of another set of Anniversary covers in the same style as the 25th Anniversary books I have such fond memories of. A few months back, these “frame” style covers were confirmed and the artwork was revealed. The frame is honestly a great image by Jim Cheung and works as a fitting homage to the original.
A few weeks later, we started to see some of the specific cover artwork that was to be used. While they were pretty hit or miss for me, there are definitely some that I would like to own. At the same time we started seeing these, Marvel also revealed a set of regular covers for the same books, meaning these would be variants of some nature. Disappointing, but I assumed the best and these would be what are called 50/50 variants, meaning an equal number of each cover would ship to stores.
As August is the pinnacle of the 70th Anniversary celebration, this is the month we’ll finally be seeing these books on the shelves. Next Wednesday is the first comic book day of the month and the first of these issues will ship Amazing Spider-Man 601 (which should be a lot of fun, 600 was great), Black Panther 7, Exiles 5, Hulk 13, and Invincible Iron Man 16. Well, I just learned that the “frame” cover is an incentive variant, so it well ship in some < 50/50 ratio. This means the books will carry a higher price tag at most stores (Midtown Comics has them listed at $7 before their typical 15% discount) and will be more difficult to find.
So I think I’m out for these. I’m assuming stores are going to have issues getting them, keeping them in stock and pricing them. Couple that with the fact that I’m not even that crazy about the artwork (I think I just really preferred the portrait style of the originals) and it’s just not worth it at all. Part of what was so great and memorable about the 25th Anniversary books was that they were on every title in the publishing line, every single one. It was a complete set that looked great on the shelves at the time. I realize 1986 was a time before cover variants and incentives and collector speculation ravaged the hobby I love, but I can’t help but be a little disappointed. The custom MLD variants help though!
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This week not only saw the release of Marvel’s Incredible Hulk #600 but Amazing Spider-Man #600 as well. It looks like I made a poor decision in what to read on Wednesday (especially considering I only had time to read one book). While Hulk #600 had more problems than I care to recall, Amazing #600 was truly amazing. Featuring a massive 104 pages of new material, this book was well worth its $4.99 price tag.
The feature story by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. told a tale of a frail and aging Doctor Octopus trying to leave his legacy to the world. Of course, this was a gift the people of New York were wishing they could return as it all goes wrong and chaos ensues. Set against the back drop of Aunt May’s wedding to John Jameson Sr. (J. Jonah Jameson’s father) Spider-Man has even more motivation to save the day. This is a great story for an anniversary issue as it has an epic quality to it while being very much set in current Spidey continuity. Some plotlines are wrapped up and a number of new ones are set in motion. The artwork is top notch and it’s the kind of story that could have been spread over three regular sized issues.
The rest of the book consists of short stories including: Spider-Man’s trip to a psychiatrist by Stan Lee and Marcos Martin, and a museum by Zeb Wells and Derec Donovan; a couple of touching stories featuring Uncle Ben by Mark Waid and Colleen Doran, and Aunt May by Marc Guggenheim and Mitch Breitweiser; “If I Was Spider-Man” by Bob Gale and Mario Alberti where some kids in a playground daydream about what it would be like to be Spidey; and a final story featuring Madame Web sets things in motion for the Spidey event the Gauntlet continuing throughout the year in Amazing Spider-Man. Between the pages of each of these stories are series of “Spider-Man covers you’ll never see” that were good for a laugh.
All in all, I can’t say enough good things about this book. I’m reading Amazing Spider-Man on a regular basis and this was really satisfying both as an issue that fits right into ongoing events and as an event itself.
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