Make Ours Marvel — reprint style…
—
UPDATED 5/21/22: DC on Friday announced the Detective Comics #27 Facsimile Edition, due in August. Click here for the fancy details. Marvel, on the other hand, has been back in the Facsimile Edition game for a while now. With that in mind, we re-present this piece by Anthony Durso from September 2019. The only thing I’d add is that Werewolf By Night #32 has by now been published as a Facsimile Edition. The rest we’re still hoping for! Dig it. — Dan
—
Man, we dig Facsimile Editions in these parts — those groovy full-on reprints that include ads, lettercols, backups and whatnot. They’re like little time capsules of comics history for maybe four of five bucks a pop.
Not. Too. Shabby.
Anyway, we’re set for another round of Facsimile Edition announcements in the next couple of weeks from both Marvel and DC, so we thought we’d jump the gun with 13 MARVEL COMICS FACSIMILE EDITIONS WE’D LIKE TO SEE. (And you can click here for 13 DC FACSIMILE EDITIONS WE’D LIKE TO SEE.)
I invited 13th Dimension contributor Anthony Durso to take on the task since his column 13 CLASSIC COMICS RUNS THAT NEED BOOK COLLECTIONS (click here) and its sequel (click here) were such big hits last year.
By the way, Anthony’s the owner of the awesome Retropolis Tees (click here) and The Toyroom toy package customizing company (click here). Check ’em out!
Oh, and one more thing: The fine folks at Marvel have provided us a stack of recent Facsimile Editions to give away to you, dear reader, including X-Men #1, Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men #137, Alpha Flight #1 and The New Mutants #98. All you need to do is put your idea for a future Facsimile Edition in the comments below and if we dig your response, we’ll send you a random issue while supplies last.
Cool? Cool.
Now, here are 13 MARVEL FACSIMILE EDITIONS WE’D LIKE TO SEE:
—
By ANTHONY DURSO
Werewolf By Night #32 (Aug. 1975). It seems that every eight months or so, Marvel reboots Moon Knight with a new series. In fact, there might very well be one launching… now. So why not reprint MK’s first appearance in Werewolf by Night?
—
Marvel Premiere #1 (April 1972). Adam Warlock was hinted at in the end credits of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Will he finally make his MCU appearance in GOTG Vol. 3? If he does, this would be a great tie-in to re-release.
—
Captain America #193 (Jan. 1976). Admittedly as a kid I had no use for Jack Kirby or Captain America. But I couldn’t escape this image. It was everywhere on Mead notebooks and binders and is one of the most iconic Cap covers ever. I’ve long since come around to my appreciation for Cap ‘n’ Jack and am finally ready to read the beginning of the Madbomb Saga. Plus… The Falcon!
—
Avengers #141 (Nov. 1975). Another comic that was immortalized by Mead back in the Bronze Age. And also another dynamic cover on this list by the legendary Gil Kane (Collect ‘em all!). Inside, there’s the JLA analogues the Squadron Supreme, er, Sinister, aptly drawn by a young George Perez. Who wins this battle? The fans!
—
Marvel Team-Up #4 (Sept. 1972). This was one of my first encounters with the original X-Men team (minus the Beast, who was busy elsewhere), courtesy of a reprint in Marvel Treasury Edition #18. But I’d love a fascimile edition complete with ads under yet another Gil Kane cover.
—
Thor #337 (Nov. 1983). Much like Captain America, I really wasn’t a Thor fan during the ’70s. Walt Simonson changed all that with this groundbreaking issue. Why hasn’t Marvel reprinted this already?
—
Micronauts #1 (Jan. 1979). Conan the Barbarian recently returned to the House of Ideas after 18 years abroad. So it’s not a stretch of the imagination that one day the Micronauts (most recently at IDW) may return as well. And when they do, this reprint should herald their comeback.
—
Captain Marvel #34 (Sept. 1974). It’s been 37 years since the Kree warrior Captain Marvel died of cancer, as shown in Marvel Graphic Novel #1: The Death of Captain Marvel (1982). That disease was brought on by a canister of toxic gas that Mar-Vell inhaled as a result of his battle with Nitro in this very Issue. Time for a facsimile edition.
—
X-Men #111 (June 1978). I got to read this issue very briefly in sixth grade and it was my intro to the modern mutant team. The skewed circus versions of the X-Men (under the control of Mesmero) are enough to warrant a re-read but it’s the killer last page of – surprise! — Magneto by John Byrne and Terry Austin that seals the deal.
—
Daredevil #158 (May 1979). Frank Miller’s first work on Daredevil. Although the story (script by Roger McKenzie) wraps up the Death-Stalker Saga, it’s pretty clear that bigger and better things are yet to come for Ol’ Hornhead and maybe this Miller kid will have something to do with it.
—
Defenders #62 (Aug 1978). The first installment of the 3-part Defenders for a Day story introduced me to a ton of Marvel super-heroes. Plus it’s got one of my favorite covers of the Bronze Age!
—
Strange Tales #169 (Sept. 1973). It’s only a matter of time before Brother Voodoo shows up on the big screen in the MCU or a TV show, so a reprint of his first appearance wouldn’t be out of the question when he does.
—
Amazing Spider-Man #181 (June 1978). I always thought that this issue (which completely covers Spider-Man’s origin, his history, and his friends and foes) would’ve been a better 200th issue than the one we got. And strangely enough, yet another cover by Gil Kane. That guy sure got around!
—
MORE
— 13 DC FACSIMILE EDITIONS We’d Like to See. Click here.
— 13 REASONS to Love MARVEL in the BRONZE AGE. Click here.
September 5, 2019
Ironman #1 for the cover alone!
September 5, 2019
Likewise for ASM 50!
September 5, 2019
The joy of the facsimile editions is seeing the comics as a sort of time capsule. That is: seeing the art and story as presented when first published, as well as the advertisements, letters pages, editor comments, checklist of other titles out that month, and so forth. In the case of the DC facsimile editions, getting the art and story as first presented is a treat, since some, such as Batman 232 and Batman 251, were Lucasized for their presentations in the Neal Adams Batman special editions some years back, and haven’t been remastered since. Getting the art as it was originally printed is a treat. In the case of many of the Marvel editions you note in your wish list, most have been cleaned up and reprinted in the Marvel Masterworks series or omnibus volumes, so getting the art as it was originally presented isn’t as big a deal as with many DC editions. So I think the big point of a Marvel facsimile should be the extras: the letters pages, the advertisements, Bullpen Bulletins, and such, as well as maybe the importance or rarity of the issue. For example, while I absolutely love Marvel’s Micronauts, the big deal about the title was, really, Michael Golden’s art. A facsimile edition of the first issue, sporting a Dave Cockrum/Al Milgrom – not a Michael Golden – cover seems to me to overlook that. I think Micronauts 2 would be a better facsimile edition, with a great Golden cover featuring that Micronauts “Land of the Giants” feel, and the interior art that is as cracking as the first issue, with those great Jo Rubinstein inks. Werewolf by Night 32? Great choice. For my part, I think a few Marvel facsimiles deserving of the treatment would be: Star Wars 1 (1977), a huge deal for Marvel, and a best-selling issue with a lot of extra editorial commentary on the adaptation process; X-Men 113 (where that Magneto reveal in issue 111 really pays off, all between a stellar Byrne cover); Amazing Spider-Man 96 (1st ‘drug issue’, with Stan’s Soapbox commentary); and Captain America 113 (wrapping up Jim Steranko’s Madame Hydra run behind one of the best Cap covers of all time). There are just so many comics, not just Marvel, that would be great to see dug out of that time capsule with all the minutiae of their eras intact.
May 23, 2022
Geoff has said it so well as to why I like (and buy) the facsimile editions. They are like a time capsule at an affordable cost and don’t require breaking open a plastic slab. The ads, soap box, Marvel Stamps, house ads etc place the comics at a point in time and bring back a flood of memories and place the issue in a larger context. Geoff lists many issues with which I fully agree. To add to it in terms of Marvel comics, I’d love to see issues where new artistic ideas or characters were first tried or experimented upon. So some of the “Pop Art Productions” covered issues (akin to DC’s Go-Go Checker’s) but also some of the issues within covers and/or interiors were done in collages (e.g. Fantastic Four 29, 32, 33, 37, 48, 51, 62, and Annual 6) and then when he went to DC there are New Gods and Jimmy Olson ones, too. Space Odyssey 2001 would also be on this list as well as other artists who experimented with these approaches in this time period.
September 5, 2019
Suddenly I’m itching to own Marvel’s — and DC’s — fascimile editions. 🙂
May 22, 2022
Since your column usually is themed, I think is like to see something like “Girl Power — Marvel’s super females’ first appearences.” And honestly, I’d pay money for facsimile editions of Pureheart the Powerful’s first appearance, as well as the other Riverdale super-heroes.
September 5, 2019
Marvel Spotlight #5, the first appearance of the Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider with awesome Mike Ploog art.
September 5, 2019
Thanks for some great memories. I’m pretty sure I had ALL of those issues when they first came out.
September 5, 2019
I have two: Star Wars #7 (1977), the first expansion of Lucas’s sandbox beyond his outlines.
And, X-Factor #1 (1986), it isn’t profound, it.cheapens the Dark Phoenix Saga.for.some and what it sets up doesn’t even last that long, but the original X-Men together again, on their own and pretending to be anti-mutant bounty hunters to find.mutants.and.feed.them into their version of the Underground Railroad?.Good reading!
September 7, 2019
I’d like to see Amazing Spider Man 121.
September 8, 2019
I’m a bit surprised at the dis of Amazing Spider-Man 200. While I realized Wolfman’s run is divisive among fans, I don’t think I’ve ever read where someone didn’t like 200, with some readers (myself included) ranking it as THE best Spider-Man anniversary issue. Confession time : I thought Wolfman’s early issues of ASM are just ok, but 189-200 catch fire and are a great run of Spidey issues.
September 14, 2019
Spider-Man 100. All time favorite cover.
September 14, 2019
Although its probably not going to happen ROM #1 would be an awesome facsimile edition.
My next choice would be Fantastic Four #48 (actually 49 and 50 as well). I think it would be incredible to see this issue the way it originally appeared.
September 15, 2019
Sci-fi was pretty big for Marvel in The Bronze Age. I remember I was reading Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica – the original Battlestar Galactica. I’d love to see a facsimile version of Battlestar Galactica (or maybe Logan’s Run – didn’t Marvel do an adaptation of that?)
How about a facsimile version of The Man From Atlantis?
September 15, 2019
Marvel Comics published a short-lived comic book series, which adapted the movie’s story and briefly continued beyond it until the book was cancelled at issue #7.
September 18, 2019
As a super fan of Iron Fist and Alpha Flight, and also of the X-Men, I’d love to see these reprinted:
1. Marvel Premiere #15
2. Iron Fist #1 (1975)
3. Iron Fist #3 (1975; this was my first ever Iron Fist comic and it introduced me to Chris Claremont and John Byrne)
4. Iron Fist #14 (1975)
5. Iron Fist #15 (1975)
6. Power Man and Iron Fist #50
7. Uncanny X-Men #109
8. Uncanny X-Men #120-121
9. Uncanny X-Men #139-140
10. Alpha Flight #12 (1983)
11. Alpha Flight #17 (1983; this was the comic that got my attention from a bookstore and made me an AF fan for life!)
12. Uncanny X-Men #101
13. The Dark Phoenix Saga (yes, I’d like Marvel to reprint the entire set from Uncanny X-Men #129 to 136 now that 137 has already been done and I’d like to see Marvel release these one per month; can you imagine how many fans will be anxiously waiting month after month to complete the series? And if the sales figures of the six issues are good and some missed out on 137, Marvel can just reprint a smaller number of that, too!)
I actually have so many other titles and issues that I’d love to see as a Facsimile Edition, but these are my top choices.c”,)
September 23, 2019
Incredible Hulk #271 (1st Rocket Raccoon)
September 23, 2019
Avengers #257 (1st Nebula)
May 21, 2022
What if? #31 “What If Wolverine Had Killed the Hulk?” With all the True Believers themes: Hulk, What if? and tons of Wolverine, that issue was always over-looked! I’ve never read it, and it’s not worth Omnibus prices, but I’d love to see it!
May 21, 2022
Fantastic Four 51. The greatest single FF issue ever, maybe the greatest Silver Age Marvel issue
May 21, 2022
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1963), with all that great Steve Ditko art.
May 22, 2022
That one’s coming later this year, Peter!
May 22, 2022
I suggest X-Men # 173, which is the issue with Rogue and Wolverine fighting Viper and Silver Samurai in Japan (with beautiful Paul Smith art). This was the issue that got me hooked on comics!