Marvel Visionaries: John Buscema HC (Marvel Visionaries)

Book Description

The Incredible Hulk, the devastating Dragon Man, the epic end of the gods themselves... none of it was too much for Big John! One of comicdom's most acclaimed creators takes center stage in this genre-spanning gathering of greats! Nick Fury vs. Hydra! Thor vs. the Silver Surfer! The origins of Wolverine and Dracula! The twilight of the Masters of Evil! Includes crime, horror, romance and western work from the pre-Marvel era! Plus: rare Silver Surfer stories unseen for decades! Collects Crime Fighters #4; Western Outlaws & Sheriffs #60; Strange Tales #22 & #150; Tales To Astonish #85-87; Avengers #41-42, #75-76, #277 & Annual #2; Silver Surfer #4; My Love #2; Fantastic Four #111-112; Thor #200; Dracula Lives #3; Marvel Spotlight #30; Epic Illustrated #1; Wolverine #10 and Marvel Shadows & Light #3

Customer Reviews:

Not necessarily his best.......2007-05-03

I thought this would be a nice compendium of Buscema's best stuff all in one volume, but it's really just a fairly random collection of stories with his artwork. I don't know what criteria was used in choosing these stories over the much better work he has done-- it seems as though the material was chosen randomly. The only truly great work here is Silver Surfer vs. Thor, though Thing vs. Hulk is also good. Buscema looks best when inked by either himself, his brother Sal or Frank Giacoia. Where is the Sub-Mariner in this collection? Where are the great Avengers issues with the Vision vs. Ultron-5? Where is the truly stupendous work Buscema did in Thor vs. Mephisto? Instead we get ordinary, work-a-day issues inked by guys with no inspiration and little grasp of how to handle Big John's pencils. I can see reprinting a panel or two of "early work" to see how far he came with maturity, but to take up space with two whole stories from before his art was up to par is just using it as filler. Some stuff in here I've never seen before, and it barely looks like anything I would call classic Buscema. One awful- and long- section where somebody did 'colored pencils' over John's layouts- allegedly- is completely out of place here. I could have put together a far more historically significant book than this from memory. What was the editor thinking? I'd like to check out the other "Visionaries" books, but if this is an example, forget it.

Average customer rating:

Kirby fans will enjoy it but many of the choices are mediocre
A Bittersweet Career Retrospective...
The King Deserves Better Than He Ever Got From Marvel...
Return of the KING!
Long the live King Kirby.

Marvel Visionaries: Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , Joe Simon , and Stan Lee
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0785115749

Book Description

In celebration of its 65th anniversary, the House of Ideas proudly presents a timeless testament to a true Marvel visionary! Comics' premier storyteller for more than 40 years, Jack "King" Kirby brought new vitality and imagination to the medium, and set the standard for every artist to follow. This deluxe keepsake edition collects some of the most monumental moments, created in concert with the likes of legendary writers such as Joe Simon and Stan Lee - some never before reprinted: "Mercury in the 20th Century," RED RAVEN COMICS #1, Kirby's first work for Marvel; "The Vision," MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #13, Kirby's first regular Marvel series; "Meet Captain America," CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #1, the first Captain America story; "UFO the Lightning Man," YELLOW CLAW #3, from a strip Kirby wrote and drew during the '50s; "I Defied Pildorr, the Plunderer from Outer Space!," STRANGE TALES #94, from the moster era; the first time Joe Sinnott inked the King; "I Am the Amazing Dr. Droom!," AMAZING ADVENTURES #1, the origin of Stan and Jack's first super-heroic character of the '60s; "Beware the RawhideKid!," RAWHIDE KID #17, the first revamped Rawhide Kid story and the beginnings of the Marvel style; Plus: "The Origin of the Hulk," HULK #3; "Spidey Tackles the Torch," AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #8; "Captain America Joins the Avengers!," AVENGERS #4; "The Fangs of the Fox,"SGT. FURY #6; "The Coming of Galactus," FANTASTIC FOUR #48-50; "This Man. This Monster," FANTASTIC FOUR #51; "The People Breeders," THOR #134-135; "To Become an Immortal," THOR #136; "This Is A Plot?," FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #5; "The Inhumans!" AMAZING ADVENTURES v.2 #1-2' "America Will Die!," CAPTAIN AMERICA #200; "The Fourth Host," ETERNALS #7 and "What If the Original Marvel Bullpen Was the Fantastic Four?," WHAT IF #11.

Customer Reviews:

Kirby fans will enjoy it but many of the choices are mediocre .......2007-01-13

I was expecting more from this book considering Jack Kirby did more for Marvel and comic books than anyone outside of Stan Lee. There is a brief introduction that reads like it was written in 5 minutes and lacks any insight or historical distance to Kirby's impact on comic book art. Yes, there are some key 1960s glossy reprints that show off Kirby's magnificent and muscular pop-art -- particularly FF 51 (w/Sinnott's inks) that gets my vote for the best work ever by Kirby/Lee. The other FF reprints are outstanding examples of Kirby. The Thor reprints are good but his earlier Thors, particularly Tales of Asgard with inker Vince Colletta, are better examples of Kirby's dynamism. Similarly, the Captain America choices in this book are OK but not his best CA. Ditto for Sgt. Fury and the Avengers. The Golden Age stuff is worthwhile and needs to be in here, but the most baffling reprints are the schlockly 50's horror/SF work, which are utterly forgettable. This should be Kirby's best work. Far from it. Try again, Marvel.

A Bittersweet Career Retrospective..........2005-12-31

Without a doubt, Jack Kirby brought some of the most majestic and powerful illustrations to comic-books. No doubt he was also a driving force behind much of the plotting and pathos that so marks many of Marvel's finest stories. Still, this collection should lay to rest any of the oft-told stories that it was Kirby who did the writing (while some went so far as to say that Stan Lee could not write a simple sentence in plain English). While the art-work remains stellar throughout the entire collection, one does see a decline in the writing once Lee leaves Kirby to script his own stories. While the art-work seldom suffers (if anything, it remains as glorious as anything Kirby ever produced), the scrips for the Kirby-penned issue of CAPTAIN AMERICA and THE ETERNALS are wooden/stilted, at best. In the case of the Kirby-penned "What If..." issue (one that tackles the concept of what if the Fantastic Four were made up of members of the Marvel Bullpen), the writing is downright cringe-worthy. While this book is a fine primer to introduce the unintitiated to the grandiose and marvelous artwork of Jack Kirby, it also serves to remind one that Kirby was often at his very best when he had a talented writer on hand to help him guide his unique vision and talents.

The King Deserves Better Than He Ever Got From Marvel..........2005-01-05

As delighted as I might be to see this sweeping together of work into a kind of career overview of the comic book genius, the deal-breaker for the project comes, for me, in the truth that every Kirby fan knows: Jack Kirby and Marvel ended their relationship in acrimony, at least from the King's side. --And he had plenty of reason. He felt deeply, to the end, that someone else at the company took substantial credit for some of the best work he ever did, and he could never get over the fact that thousands of pages of his art, art that was being held in the company vault, were never returned to him. (The eventual grudging return of a tiny fraction of his pages for Marvel before his death raised more questions than it answered-- to where on earth had all this art, under lock and key for "safe-keeping" for decades, disappeared? Most frustratingly, through the period when he campaigned to get his art returned, Kirby said that he kept seeing his vintage Marvel boards for sale at conventions!)

I can, with effort, set aside the way Marvel treated Kirby. --It's a question of keeping the karma good. But, on the other hand, I will never give them another dollar for anything that cashes in on Kirby's name. No way. I have too much respect for the man's work, for his personal memory and for what I would assume to be his wishes in the matter.

Those interested in prime Kirby can check out his Fourth World books for DC, currently available in a nice set of fat trade paperbacks, at very affordable prices. Of course, Kirby's time at DC during his Fourth World period was not always a walk in the garden. But any mistreatment of Kirby by DC at this time seems to have been more like mishandling, the result of the company's growing desperation and panic reaction at the fact that nothing, not even Kirby with his magic hit-making touch, could pull them out of their perpetual number two sales spot. But there was certainly no theft of credit or of his actual boards.

Return of the KING!.......2004-12-28

See why Jack Kirby became known as the "King of Comics". This archive covers 40 years of Kirby's work for Marvel. It is a good introduction to see how his style and storytelling evolved.

Including the now classic introduction of Captain America, the Fantastic Four with Galactus and Silver Surfer, Thor, and the whimsical take on the "What If" with the Marvel Bullpen.

The Visonaries is a great addition to the Marvel Masterwork library.

Long the live King Kirby........2004-11-16

Would there have been a comics industry without Jack Kirby? Yes, I think there would have, but it might not have been as fun. This book reprints a wide format of stories (see the Amazon description above) in a format worthy of Kirby.

Particularly nice was the inclusion of the "What-If?" story that has
Kirby and Stan Lee becoming members of the Fantastic Four. It is great fun to watch the King of Comics actually join in the action in the comic universe he helped create.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic & MARVELOUS

Marvel Visionaries: Stan Lee
Stan Lee , Jack Kirby , John Romita , and Steve Ditko
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0785116931

Book Description

In celebration of its 65th anniversary, the House of Ideas proudly presents a timeless testament to another true Marvel visionary! In 1961, writer Stan Lee penned Fantastic Four #1, an historic issue unlike any comic book that had come before. This super-hero team had true personalities - they doubted their own abilities, battled problems of money and illness, and even fought among themselves. The monumental popularity of this realistic comic-book style inspired Lee to create similarly themed titles - including Hulk, X-Men, and Avengers with artist Jack Kirby; and Amazing Spider-Man with artist Steve Ditko. By 1965, Lee had successfully established Marvel Comics as a cohesive universe populated by world-famous comic-book characters. Now, this deluxe keepsake edition collects his greatest moments - some never before reprinted: "Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge" (Captain America Comics #3): Stan's first story, a two-page text piece! "The Red Skull's Deadly Revenge" (Captain America Comics #16): The defining Golden Age Red Skull story! "The Raving Madman" (Suspense #29): Stan's satire on Frederick Wertham and the comics witch hunts of the '50s! "Your Name Is Frankenstein!" (Menace #7): A modern Frankenstein story, featuring many of the elements of the later Marvel books! "Where Walks the Ghost" (Amazing Adult Fantasy #11): A short, twist-ending story by Lee and Ditko! Plus: "Spider-Man" (Amazing Fantasy #15); "A Visit With the Fantastic Four" (Fantastic Four #11); "How Stan and Steve Create Spider-Man" (Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1); "In Mortal Combat with Sub-Mariner" (Daredevil #7); "The Final Chapter" (Amazing Spider-Man #33); "Bedlam in the Baxter Building" (Fantastic Four Annual #3); "And Who Shall Mourn for Him?" (Silver Surfer #5); "Brother, Take My Hand" (Daredevil) #47; "And Now, The Goblin," "In the Grip of the Goblin," and "The Goblin's Last Stand" (from Amazing Spider-Man #96-98); "No Longer Alone" (Captain America #110); "No More the Thunder God," "When Gods Go Mad," and "One God Must Fall" (from Thor #179-181); "While the World Spins Mad" (Marvel Premiere #3); and "The Circle of Life" (Spectacular Spider-Man Super-Special 1995)!

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic & MARVELOUS.......2005-12-31

(REVIEW WRITTEN BY BILLY INNES)

For the generations whose first exposure to stellar comic-book writing came from reading the likes of Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, the Hernandez Brothers or Art Spiegelman, then Stan Lee might seem a bit wooden or stilted by comparison. Still, it is pretty important to remember that many of the fine writers listed above may not have ever written a word for comic-books if not for the ground-breaking innovations brought forth by Stan Lee.

During the height of the "Marvel Wars"...when the artists who had worked for Marvel (including such greats as Jack "King" Kirby) were fighting to get their original artwork (a way of generating extra revenue for these artists is to sell their original penciled pages)...there was much criticism hurled towards Stan Lee. Criticism towards Stan Lee regarding his business practices...after all, it was Lee who failed to relinquish access to the Marvel artists' original artwork...may have been justified. In the midst of that controversy, though, came criticism aimed at Lee regarding his writing abilities. Rumors began to spread that Lee seldom fully scripted or plotted a full issue of the comic books that bore his name. Some rumors went so far as to claim that Stan Lee could not write a complete sentence in English to save his life.

All one needs to do is look at other of the books in the MARVEL VISIONARIES series to dispel such rumors. Granted, Stan Lee was often as good as those with whom he collaborated (and with artists such as Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Wally Wood...just to name a few of many greats...one could not ask for finer artists) and, without a doubt, such artists were often elemental in helping Lee with plotting and pathos. Still, if one looks at the MARVEL VISIONARIES book devoted to the work of Jack Kirby, one notices that the finest stories are those where Kirby is given the credit as artist and Lee is given the credit as writer. When Kirby is credited as writer (issue 200 of CAPTAIN AMERICA or the issue of THE ETERNALS), the art remains majestic, but the writing is stiff and wooden. In other cases...such as Kirby's "What If" take on what life would be like if the Fantastic Four were the Marvel Bullpen, the writing is downright cringe-worthy.

The collection devoted to Stan Lee is probably the finest of the MARVEL VISIONARIES series. Much of this is due to our being able to see Lee's development as a writer (going from one-dimensional stories from Marvel's Golden Age to stories of great might and power as represented by the DAREDEVIL and SILVER SURFER issues included in this collection). And, of course, another joy of this book is being able to feast one's eyes on the wide range of talent that comes from the palette of wonderful artists who laid pencil to paper for Marvel.

As one who remembers many of these issues when they first appeared, reading this volume was much like a happy trip back in a Time Machine. It brings to mind the days when I found the soap-opera-like story of a superheroes true identity to be every bit as engaging (if not more so) than the grandiose battles of good versus evil. It brings back memories of story-lines that crossed over various comic-book titles, so that one had the feeling that the Marvel Universe really existed on some other plain (all one need do is read the titles from DC titles...or the lesser Charleston or Dell to see how profound this method was). Lee elevated many of the characters from cardboard caricatures and breathed life and believability into them. Sure, they've probably not aged as well as our imaginations remember many of these comic-books and characters, but they still are often breathtakingly a wonder to behold when one considers just how innovative and revolutionary these works were!

Average customer rating:

Not a good enough collection.....
Hauntingly Weird and Wonderful...
beautiful, but frustrating

Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko
Stan Lee , Steve Ditko , Bill Mantlo , Michael Fleisher , Tom DeFalco , and Roger Stern
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0785117830

Book Description

In celebration of its 65th anniversary, the House of Ideas proudly presents a timeless testament to another true Marvel visionary! Best known as the first artist to bring Spider-Man to life in the pages of Amazing Fantasy, Steve Ditko illustrated Amazing Spider-Man for four years - helping create characters such as Doctor Octopus, the Lizard, the Vulture, and dozens more of Spider-Man's classic villains. In contrast to the grounded realism of Spider-Man, Ditko also drew the adventures of Doctor Strange, a master of the mystic arts who defended Earth's citizens from bizarre otherworldly threats. Now, this deluxe keepsake edition collects his greatest moments. Stories from Tales To Astonish #26, 42; Strange Tales #94, 97, 110, 115, 126-127; 146; Amazing Adult Fantasy #7, 10, 12-13; Amazing Spider-Man #1, 31-33, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1; Hulk #6, 249; Tales Of Suspence #48, Daredevil #162; MSHS, Speedball #1.

Customer Reviews:

Not a good enough collection............2007-02-05

I agree with some of the other reviews. Ditko really shines on his Spider-Man and Doctor Strange work, along with his weird menace tales for Atlas. The Hulk and Daredevil stories here were rather dull and not representative of his best work.

Someone should collect all his monster stories and weird tales. His independent work, too.

Hauntingly Weird and Wonderful..........2005-12-31

At his best, Steve Ditko's artwork was initially deceivingly pedestrian...only to later take the reader through twists and turns into wonderfully strange and haunting worlds. While the likes of Jack Kirby made everything grandiose and larger than life, much of Ditko's charm was his knack for being able to take the most mundane situations and render them with an artist's eye than seldom failed to captivate the reader. This collection assembles some of the best examples of Ditko's brilliantly bizzare worlds, jettisoned, no doubt, by some incredible scripts as penned by Stan Lee. The only drawback to this collection is found towards the end of this collection. Here we see the magic all but gone in stories such as "The Coming of the Squirrel Girl"...a dismal work that could not be salvaged by an artist at his very peak (let alone one who is headed towards a downward spiral). Still, the middle section of this book...with wonderful stories from SPIDERMAN and DOCTOR STRANGE...make this a beautiful collection and a fitting tribute to one of comic-book's true masters!!!

beautiful, but frustrating.......2005-05-30

A beautiful but frustrating book. Ditko left a deep impression on me when I was young, and his work is one of the things from my youth that I still enjoy greatly now that I'm deep into middle age. The layout of this book-- the size of the panels, the color, and so on-- is better than the original comics were.

But it's a Ditko sampler-- bits and pieces from various phases of his Marvel career, hard to settle into when you get past the early Twilight Zoney-type-material (which is great).

The effect of Ditko, in Dr. Strange and Spiderman especially, was cumulative, so these cherry-picked selections are ultimately frustrating for me.

Also: after the first half, or maybe 3/5, we begin to see an altered style, I suppose under pressure, and I suppose this is the reason why Ditko left Marvel, but the later pages of the book are just sad for me, when I think about what he might have been able to achieve if he'd been left alone. Whereas Steranko and Kirby blossomed during this period, Ditko was obviously being asked (or required) to do something contrary to his distinctive vision.

I've seen things he's drawn since he left-- for example, "Steve Ditko's 160 Page Package" (1999)-- and it's visually true to the early Dr. Strange and Spider-Man.

It's clear to me that it was all about integrity for him.

I've ordered the Marvel Masterworks Dr. Strange vol 1.via e-bay, also available w/o color, "the Essential Dr. Strange."

Average customer rating:

A solid book, but could have been better

Marvel Visionaries: John Romita Sr.
Stan Lee , Tom DeFalco , Roy Thomas , Roger Stern , and John Romita Sr.
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0785117806

Book Description

Jazzy John and Marvel's Mightiest together in stories that made them both famous! From the fabulous fifties to the future of the Femizons! The coming of the communist-hunting Captain America! Peter Parker's parents in perilous predicaments! The first of the final face-offs between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin! The debut of the Devil's Daughter! Also featuring the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Nick Fury, Wolverine, the Kingpin, and more! Includes rarely seen horror tales from the pre-Marvel era! Collects Strange Tales #4; Menace #11; Young Men #24, 26; Tales to Astonish #77; Tales of Suspense #77; Daredevil #16 and 17; Amazing Spider-Man #39, #40, #42, #50, #108, #109 and #365; Fantastic Four #105 and 106; Vampire Tales #2; and Untold Tales of Spider-Man Minus 1.

Customer Reviews:

A solid book, but could have been better.......2007-07-04

Overall this book gives a very good review of Romita's main work.

The main sampling is from Spider-man. Half of the 22 stories are related to or feature Spider-Man. Including the main ones I consider the most important #39-40 Romita's 1st issues of spider-Man and versus the Green Goblin, #42 1st Mary Jane or at least where we can see her, #50 classic cover and intro of the Kingpin. Also included is the Daredevil #16-17 Romita's first Spider-Man art (he would take of Spider-man's book a copuple of months latter) and Captain America #138 which features a Spider-Man crossover.

As for my complaints:

There is no commentary other than an intro from Romita JR.

Some of the stories: TTA #77 and TOS #77 are penciled over Kirby layouts which takes away from the Romita look. If they are going to do this they could have had the death of Gwen Stacy, which Romita inked over Gil Kane, but it looked much more like Romita's work than these two and from my understanding he was involved in the decision to kill off Gwen. Another two stories that I do not know why they were included are Strange Tales #4 and Menence #6. These stories could have been replaced by the Femizon story which I think is one of, if the not the best Romita work ever done.

Some of the coloring looks like watercolors, bright in one spot and dark in another. It is really bad on Spider-Man #39 with skin tones and the Goblin's cosume fading in and out really badly.

Lastly there is a nice drawing Romita did and painted over by Alex Ross showing the characters Romita helped design or introduce. Mary Jane is in the center where the pages meet, so it is hard to see her and she is split in half. I wish they had put the sketch on one page and a fold out page so that the picture wouldn't be split in two.

Marvel Visionaries Jim Steranko TPB (Marvel Visionaries)

Average customer rating:

Worth It Only For Steranko's Art.
Excellent finale to Steranko's Marvel works, despite colors

Marvel Visionaries Jim Steranko TPB (Marvel Visionaries)
Stan Lee
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0785109447

Customer Reviews:

Worth It Only For Steranko's Art........2002-10-31

Marvel Visionaries: Steranko is NOT the book to get if you're looking for a good read. The book is REALLY slim, and story-wise, the choices leave a lot to be desired. There's a two-part X-Men story, which is virtually unreadable- It's a convoluted, overwritten mess, and Steranko's art is very primitive. The three-part Captain America is a much better choice, as it showcases Steranko's groundbreaking visual style to much better effect, but the plot itself is sloppy, and it's way too long at nearly 60 pages; It could have been done in half that, and some of the logical lapses just boggle the mind. The android Vision knocked out by gas...? He doesn't BREATHE!! Why does the cornered Captain America just happen to have an inflatable replica of himself, complete with a lifelike face mask, and how does he get his costume off of himself and onto the dummy in a few seconds????? Stupid stuff...

The horror story that is included is a keeper, though. I remember reading this when I was a kid in Les Daniel's excellent Comix: An Illustrated History, and it still packs a punch. Steranko's visuals are stunning, and you can see his influence in character poses and page layouts to this day. The last story is a Stan Lee/Steranko romance short, and in light of political correctness and Women's lib, it's hilarious. One scene in the story screams out sexual harassment, and I think this cornball classic alone is worth the price of admission. Steranko's art on this piece is simply stunning; WAY ahead of it's time. The color reproduction on all of the stories is nice, better than I've seen in previous reprints of this material. The book is rounded out with a nice selection of Steranko's Marvel cover illustrations.

Overall, fan's of Steranko's art will enjoy this installment of Marvel's Visionaries series. People looking for a good read might want to give this a pass.

Excellent finale to Steranko's Marvel works, despite colors.......2002-09-25

I really anticipated this book being a BIG fan of Steranko. I purchased the earlier tomes from Marvel reprinting Steranko's amazing Nick Fury tales. Marvel Visionaries: Jim Steranko reprints his incredible Captain America issues, a groundbreaking, if not short, horror tale from Tower of Shadows, an unexpected romance tale from Our Love Story, and several cover illustrations from various titles around that time.

Now the stories, illustration, and sheer verve on display here blows the mind. Being a young guy of 22, I see even now how a lot of Steranko's influence has seeped into and expanded the vocabulary of comics storytelling and art for my contemporaries. The Captain America issues are just so cinematic and steady in storytelling. I guarantee that the finale to the Cap story arc will leave you giddy with excitement and amazement, like a great action movie. The horror and romance stories are very much welcome as they are very difficult to find as originals and otherwise. So many of the popular comics creators of the last 20 years such as Michael Golden, Paul Gulacy, and Jim Lee readily admit that Steranko played a key part in their development as artists.

My only gripe with the book is that the coloring is sometimes off-putting, but not wholly awful. Steranko's techniques of color holds and otherwise should have held more than enough, even better with today's technology to keep the colors true.

Book Description

Humor, horror, westerns, war, romance, espionage and, of course, super-heroic adventure... many domains, but only one King. From the Two-Gun Kid, Sgt. Fury and Agent Jimmy Woo to the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and beyond, the talent of Jack Kirby underlies the history and future of Marvel! See Captain America's first appearance... all three of them! Witness the first Avengers/X-Men battle, and learn the origin of Professor X! Cower before Doctor Doom, wielding the power of the Silver Surfer! The Yellow Claw! Mangog! Fin Fang Foom! Otherworldly dinosaurs, mutant seagulls and more await as comicdom's commemoration of Kirby continues! Collects Captain America Comics #1; Marvel Mystery Comics #23; Yellow Claw #4; Strange Tales #89, 114; Two-Gun Kid #60; Love Romances #103; X-Men #9; Tales of Suspense #59; Sgt. Fury #13; Fantastic Four #57-60; Not Brand Ecch #1; Thor #154-157; Devil Dinosaur #1.

Customer Reviews:

King Kirby.......2007-03-18

Jack Kirby was the King. He was the greatest and most powerful of all comic book artists. If you love comics and don't know Kirby, you owe it to yourself to explore his work -- much of which, thankfully, is available between book covers. There have been other great artists, but there was only one Kirby.

Marvel Visionaries Jack Kirby Volume 1 HC

Average customer rating:

Marvel Visionaries Jack Kirby Volume 1 HC
Jack Kirby , Joe Simon , and Stan Lee
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Marvel | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000LSBSY8

Book Description

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books