MRL: Marvels (1994)
Jun. 24th, 2025 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sonotadreamMarvels #0 and #1 (1994) - written by Kurt Busiek and art by Alex Ross
Marvels is a miniseries showing the big events of the Marvel Universe from the common perspective of the common person. Basically, it's Outsider!POV, which is one of my favorite tropes.
I do find the trope more fun when you know what's going on, but my lack of knowledge about the events of the Golden Age didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story.
Issue #0 tells the origin of the original Human Torch, Jim Hammond. He's the first android. Unfortunately, when his father/creator Phineas Horton introduces him to the public, the exposure to oxygen causes his cells to catch fire. Everyone is so scared that Horton is forced to bury the Torch in an airtight tube, his only company the audiobooks that teach him about the world.
Eventually, oxygen seeps through and the Torch is free, announcing the beginning of a new age.
Issue #1 follows photojournalist Phil Sheldon, who'd rather be in Europe right now (the year is 1939, btw). He's there when Professor Horton introduces the Human Torch, he's there when the Torch escapes imprisonment, his girlfriend is there when Namor escapes to the sea and he spends a day running around New York trying to catch the fight between the Sub-mariner and the Human Torch.
The Torch and the Sub-Mariner make peace, which is good, but neither seems interested in cleaning up the mess and destruction their fight caused, which is not so good.
Phil goes through a little crisis, wondering what's his worth as a regular man with all these new Marvels around.
Things change when Captain America enters the scene. He makes a better first impression, with all the Nazi busting, and soon Namor and the Torch join the fight and become good, all-American heroes.
And then Namor decides to wage war on the surface world and sends a tsunami against New York. Our POV character regains a sense of purpose as he waits for the wave to hit, as becomes a witness for the confrontation between Sub-Mariner and Human Torch, this time up close and personal.
It's not clear (to me, who hasn't read any of the original comics) why the Namor heel and then face turn (after Pearl Harbour) happen, but the story stays focused on Phil, as he simply accepts the new status quo and becomes a war correspondent in Europe, working closely with the Invaders, a team full of Marvels.
My thoughts: love the idea behind this series. These two issues are good, but I'll probably enjoy future ones more. The art makes it worth it, though.
Marvels is a miniseries showing the big events of the Marvel Universe from the common perspective of the common person. Basically, it's Outsider!POV, which is one of my favorite tropes.
I do find the trope more fun when you know what's going on, but my lack of knowledge about the events of the Golden Age didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story.
Issue #0 tells the origin of the original Human Torch, Jim Hammond. He's the first android. Unfortunately, when his father/creator Phineas Horton introduces him to the public, the exposure to oxygen causes his cells to catch fire. Everyone is so scared that Horton is forced to bury the Torch in an airtight tube, his only company the audiobooks that teach him about the world.
Eventually, oxygen seeps through and the Torch is free, announcing the beginning of a new age.
Issue #1 follows photojournalist Phil Sheldon, who'd rather be in Europe right now (the year is 1939, btw). He's there when Professor Horton introduces the Human Torch, he's there when the Torch escapes imprisonment, his girlfriend is there when Namor escapes to the sea and he spends a day running around New York trying to catch the fight between the Sub-mariner and the Human Torch.
The Torch and the Sub-Mariner make peace, which is good, but neither seems interested in cleaning up the mess and destruction their fight caused, which is not so good.
Phil goes through a little crisis, wondering what's his worth as a regular man with all these new Marvels around.
Things change when Captain America enters the scene. He makes a better first impression, with all the Nazi busting, and soon Namor and the Torch join the fight and become good, all-American heroes.
And then Namor decides to wage war on the surface world and sends a tsunami against New York. Our POV character regains a sense of purpose as he waits for the wave to hit, as becomes a witness for the confrontation between Sub-Mariner and Human Torch, this time up close and personal.
It's not clear (to me, who hasn't read any of the original comics) why the Namor heel and then face turn (after Pearl Harbour) happen, but the story stays focused on Phil, as he simply accepts the new status quo and becomes a war correspondent in Europe, working closely with the Invaders, a team full of Marvels.
My thoughts: love the idea behind this series. These two issues are good, but I'll probably enjoy future ones more. The art makes it worth it, though.
