Salutations O' faithful ones, and welcome to the third of my Comicbook Review series!
This time we'll go exploring with a little diddy from Marvel Comics called "SKULL the Slayer"!
This time we'll go exploring with a little diddy from Marvel Comics called "SKULL the Slayer"!
Originally published in 1975, Skull was created by the legendary Marv Wolfman! Marv was an extremely proficient writer at Marvel around that time and seemed to have a zillion cool ideas on comics. Of course, it wasn't till the early '80's when he and George Perez gave us all the New Teen Titans and made comics history.
Along with Wolfman was a little known artist named Steve Gan. His artist was perfect for the style of story being told in the pages of Skull.
Along with Wolfman was a little known artist named Steve Gan. His artist was perfect for the style of story being told in the pages of Skull.
The premise of Skull was an easy one... Jim Scully, Viet Nam vet was wrongly accused of murder and being flown the Miami to be incarcerated. Of course, the plane he's travelling in has to go over the Bermuda Triangle. Along with Scully and the Military police is the anger filled Dr. Corey, the desperate job hunting Ann and teenager Jeff. Once the plane crash lands and everyone gets their bearings, they discover they've been thrown back in time to the Land of the Lo.....ummm, I mean, to the time of the dinosaurs. Actually that isn't completely true as they later find that they've been thrown into a time tossed land with a mixture of different time periods inhabiting it...it was a veritable Land of the...well, you get the idea.
It seemed that most new comics from the 70's period had a lot of shuffling of talent, and Skull proved to be no different. By issue 4, Marv and Steve left the book for greener pastures and was replaced by Steve Englehart and my favorite penciller, Sal Buscema! Unfortunately, Englehart was a temporary fill in as the ever incredible Bill Mantlo stepped in by issue #5 and stayed on the book 'till it's untimely demise by issue #8....not the longest living comic series to be sure....to make matters worse, the book ended in a cliffhanger to be continued in another comic. The tagline on the last page was: "Well, what can we say? This is it pilgrims...the very Last Issue....unless you care enough to make your voices heard!" Apparently....no one really cared and Skull was never to have an issue #9.
It seemed that most new comics from the 70's period had a lot of shuffling of talent, and Skull proved to be no different. By issue 4, Marv and Steve left the book for greener pastures and was replaced by Steve Englehart and my favorite penciller, Sal Buscema! Unfortunately, Englehart was a temporary fill in as the ever incredible Bill Mantlo stepped in by issue #5 and stayed on the book 'till it's untimely demise by issue #8....not the longest living comic series to be sure....to make matters worse, the book ended in a cliffhanger to be continued in another comic. The tagline on the last page was: "Well, what can we say? This is it pilgrims...the very Last Issue....unless you care enough to make your voices heard!" Apparently....no one really cared and Skull was never to have an issue #9.
"So why is this a series you're recomending to all of us in Comicville?" you may ask? Simple...it's a fun read!
There's a ton of great art from Gan and Buscema and there's even a terrific Jack Kirby cover for ish #8 to drool over.
And best of all...you can find these comics fairly cheap at conventions. Buy the entire series and you may pay 4-5 dollars at the most. A new comic today costs at least 3 bucks...it's a bargain!
Now go on and get to readin'!!
Dann
There's a ton of great art from Gan and Buscema and there's even a terrific Jack Kirby cover for ish #8 to drool over.
And best of all...you can find these comics fairly cheap at conventions. Buy the entire series and you may pay 4-5 dollars at the most. A new comic today costs at least 3 bucks...it's a bargain!
Now go on and get to readin'!!
Dann
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