17, 16, 15, 14 …
Continuing my review of Marvel’s Top 25 comics (as chosen by a fan poll, and as published by Marvel over the next few weeks).
For some odd reason, this week’s copy has Captain Marvel (the present incarnation) on the cover, even though he has nothing to do with any of the books inside.
For some even odder reason, this issue continues the hit-and-miss dating of the issues in the text. Some are dated, others aren’t, which is a puzzling inconsistency, since the covers are printed and the indicia gives the copyright dates. Bad editing, I guess.
Though the intro text indicates that Wolverine was from the beginning part of a Marvel plan to create a Canadian Avengers, there was nothing to set this Wein/Trimpe tale apart from any number of other lackluster, goofy opponents that were thrown at the Hulk, in endless succession, until Peter David took over the book some years later. Nonetheless, this issue is worthy of mention, if only because it represents the introduction of one of the most famous Marvel characters of the last three decades (yes, do the math). Sure, the general public knows Spider-Man, Captain America, even the Fantastic Four. But Wolverine has probably appeared in more comics than all of them combined over the intervening years, at least once he’d been polished by Chris Claremont. Still, aside from his mask, Wein and Trimpe’s Wolverine is recognizeable as the character he would eventually become, and though he eventually vanishes from the tale before the end, it’s still a decent introduction.
According to the intro, it was Peter David at a Marvel retreat who commented that Magneto could probably magnetically rip the adamantium from Wolverine’s skeleton. That comment led to the climactic, overwrought battle in this oversized issue, filled with meaningless sound and fury, and ending with Wolverine crippled as described, and Magneto’s brain shut down by an outraged Xavier. Ho-hum. Both storylines led to others, and, eight years later, neither need have happened for the present continuity to work. Oh, well. For all that, it is probably a big enough event (coming near the pinnicle of the Tulip Mania which was the X-franchise) to be worth having in this position.
If you like Spidey, this is a powerful tale, toward the end of the Lee/Ditko era, focusing on the personal willpower and emotional strength of Peter Parker, as he struggles against all odds to get the medicine his Aunt May needs back to the hospital. As such, it’s a worthy part of this collection. ‘Nuff said.
Todd McFarlane cashes in on his art fame to both write and draw Spidey. Ho-hum. Lots of cool McFarlane spider-webbing, but nothing that made me think this was anything more special than the other issues already described. This title was probably most noteworthy for being the then-highwater mark on cover variants. Over one million copies were sold … which, of course, makes its collectors value nearly zilch. Fittingly.