Martinex1: George Orwell is quoted (perhaps erroneously) as saying, "At 50, everyone has the face he deserves." This is a statement that has stuck with me as I approach the age of fifty. I have about six more months to change my ways if I want to change my face. Maybe some surgery is in order - ha!
I feel that the sentiment may be applicable to comics as well. By the time a book reaches its 50th issue, it has set its course and has for the most part defined its themes, style, and substance to the audience. Often the tone is set early on, and rarely does a book take a substantial path of redirection after that point. In some cases, the X-Men for example there is a real resurgence much later, but for most titles the path is clear.
Let's take a look today at a variety of titles at their 50 issue mark. What do you think about these books? Are they at their best at that point or on a downward trajectory? I tried to stay within the Bronze Age but found it difficult, so I did include handfuls of masterpieces from the Silver Age to round out the offerings. Some are blockbusters and some are head scratchers?
Keep in mind that some classic titles never reached that anniversary. The Invaders, the original Moon Knight series,and the first run of What If? never made it. Spider-Woman ended on its 50th issue. Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D never came close, but Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos blew past it. Stan Lee's Silver Surfer did not have a chance, but Captain Marvel limped along and finally made the cut. The Atom never hit fifty, but Captain Atom did. I had hoped Batman and the Outsiders would make the cut, but no such luck.
Which would you buy if you could only read four? Yes - I know the Silver Age issues skew your methodology for choosing, but try to be adventurous today. Everybody is going to pick that Silver Surfer appearance, so assume that the value stamp is missing and I spilled corn flakes on it!
What do you think about the books that have reached that fifty-issue plateau? Is four years and a couple of months enough time to hit the proper stride? Or did the book peak early and run out of breath? Are these examples already mired in mediocrity or do they still have a spark of something special? Is the 100th issue a more likely measure of success? Or issue number 25? Share your thoughts? Make your suggestions? Leave your dollar in your pocket - this is all for fun; we are celebrating after all! Fifty is quite the milestone! Cheers!
9 comments:
Boy, that X-Men cover--- they just don't get much better than that-! And Aquaman-- even back then that struggling book was sporting some incredibly eye-catching covers.
What I like about this pin-point various number 50's is that we're more often seeing the "meat" of the book as an on-going title. Even the ones that try push the Big Anniversary angle are moored to the fact that there's some interesting story in process (well, for the non-FunnyBooks, at least).
So, I'll take Aquaman, Sgt Fury & the Howling Commandos, FF #50 ('cause I only have a reprint), and that X-Men issue which I used to own, but don't any longer. Yup.
HB
Yes HB that X-Men is one of a kind. I can only imagine how cool and eye-catching that must have been on the comic spinner rack when it arrived.
For me, I'm going to go with a few I no longer have: Power Man and Iron Fist - although this is the 50th issue it evolved out of Luke's book and this is really the debut of that team. Great art too. ROM 50 is a nice showdown between the Skrulls and the Dire Wraiths; classic shape changing craziness. I am not a huge fan of the goofiness of Asst Editor month but I recall this being a decent issue. Ghost Rider 50 was a nice jumping on tale from what I recall. This was the first GR issue I owned. He travelled back in time to meet the GR of the old west. The Don Perlin art was a bit weak but I liked the story and I think the cover is great. And last I would choose the Captain Marvel because I like the Super Adaptoid and don't know anything else about the story. Just outside my picks would be the Byrne MTIO - a great Thing story.
I own twelve of these issues give or take, but so far have only read two or three.
It is interesting to think that some #50 feel like the upward curve, others feel like the absolute peak and yet others are running downhill fast. The difference may be down to the intrinsic qualities of a character (Spider-Man on the plus side) or alternatively the intrinsic failings of an era (like Alpha Flight on the down side)
But for this challenge I will go with covers:
Amazing Spider-Man #50
X-Men #50
Sub-Mariner #50 (love all the Sub-Mariner covers esp. the bright colors)
Marvel Premiere #50 (general thumbs up to trash-pop culture!)
ASM, Two in One, Team-up and FF
Although the two team-up books were down his shortly after their 50ths. I guess so was the bronze age in general. Two-in One 50 is still a great memory of the time.
Many of those covers are pretty familiar- years ago when my collection was at its peak, I kept titles stored in stacks of 50. Thus many of those covers faced upwards half the time. Most are long gone now. So, to choose:
Amazing Spider-man, to replace that former copy.
Aquaman, for that great cover ( and the Deadman appearance).
X-Men, again for the cover (and to replace; I used to own a real gem of a copy).
Marvel Premiere, just for fun.
Colin- yes, many of those titles were moving up or down at the 50 mark. Perhaps reaching fifty issues give es a title a bit more gravitas. So many books folded after 10 or 20 issues, making 50 was ( and still is) an accomplishment. Especially today, when renumbered books are the rule.
Marti- fine choice for a quarter box chat today! Love the inclusion of some less- prominent books (no disrespect to "Betty and Me" or "Cheyenne Kid")...
I'd have to go with:
Amazing Spider-Man (that inside panel of Peter walking away from the garbage can with his costume in it has been ripped off--or homaged--so many times);
New Titans (I like those blockbuster wedding issues);
PM/IF (the start of the team-up and a pretty good story, if I remember right);
Justice League Europe (I liked that era of the comic; Ron Randall's art was great, and I loved how some of the characters were written--Dr. Light, Metamorpho, Power Girl)
Sad Sack (always a spot in my heart for the Sack!)
Richie Rich (cause the kid is just clever)
Subby (If I recall it's got Everett art inside! No one drew Subby better!)
JLA (I'm Marveled out at the moment. B.t.w. what is Robin doing in the JLA???)
And if I could've bummed a quarter off mom or dad, I'd try an Archie!
I really dig the breadth of non-big-2 choices!
Marvel. I would get 4 Marvel 50ths. I'm such a Zombie!!! Marvel Zombie!!!
I have Conan, Captain Marvel, The Defenders, Iron Man and Power Man and Iron Fist. I guess I would go with The Thing, Marvel Team-Up, The Micronauts and Doctor Strange. Does anyone know what volume that was? Weren't there two different runs of Doctor Strange.
If anyone wants to thumb through an old copy of Power Man and Iron Fist 50th, check out BronzeAgeJuniorGroovy, all one word.
(I've been alive forever
And I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music
And I write the songs
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
My home lies deep within you
And I've got my own place in your soul
Now when I look out through your eyes
I'm young again, even tho' I'm very old
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
Oh, my music makes you dance and gives you spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock 'n roll so you can move
Music fills your heart, well that's a real fine place to start
It's from me, it's for you
It's from you, it's for me
It's a worldwide symphony
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
I am music and I write the songs).
PS: As some companies are now making the move to implant their employees with microchips, we are our own robots...
Prowler: That Doc Strange is from the first run, specifically December 1981 by Stern/Rogers. I haven't read Stern's Doc Strange run, but I should probably get to it one of these days, since I generally like Stern's writing.
Post a Comment