Kirby? Buscema? Perez? What if you can’t choose?
I don’t buy a huge number of omnibi because they can be unwieldy when you read them and it’s tough to commit to a lengthy series.
But some titles just cry out for that kind of completist packaging and Marvel’s classic What If? is one of them.
Well, with the MCU’s animated show on the horizon, Marvel is giving its Bronze Age cult-fave the omnibus treatment — with three different covers — according to the publisher’s latest solicitations.
Dig the official description:
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WHAT IF? THE ORIGINAL MARVEL SERIES OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by ROY THOMAS, JIM SHOOTER, DON GLUT, JACK KIRBY, GARY FRIEDRICH, MARV WOLFMAN, STEVEN GRANT, PETER B. GILLIS, TOM DEFALCO, BILL MANTLO & MORE
Penciled by JIM CRAIG, HERB TRIMPE, GIL KANE, FRANK ROBBINS, GEORGE TUSKA, RICK HOBERG, ALAN KUPPERBERG, JACK KIRBY, SAL BUSCEMA, JOHN BUSCEMA, CARMINE INFANTINO, TOM SUTTON, PAT BRODERICK, GENE COLAN, FRED KIDA & MORE
Covers by GEORGE PÉREZ, JOHN BUSCEMA & JACK KIRBY
What if the Marvel Universe was not as you know it? Infinite realities offer infinite possibilities for classic creators to unleash their wildest imaginations — and ponder: What if Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four? Or Captain America rescued Bucky in World War II? Or Doctor Doom became a hero? The FF get different powers! Other people get Spidey’s powers! Jane Foster finds the hammer of Thor! The Avengers assemble in the 1950s! Jack Kirby bombards the Marvel Bullpen with cosmic rays, Conan walks the modern day Earth and Doctor Strange becomes a disciple of Dormammu! Peter Parker stops the burglar who killed Uncle Ben, the Hulk keeps Bruce Banner’s intellect, the Invaders fight on after World War II and the Invisible Girl marries Namor — plus more thought-provoking tales that make you ask: What If? Collecting WHAT IF? (1977) #1-15 and #17-22.
776 PGS./Rated T …$100.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-92993-0
Trim size: 7-1/4 x 10-7/8
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A few thoughts:
— Marvel says the main cover is by George Perez — but that solicitation image above, with Issue #1 on the cover, isn’t believed to be by the Bronze Age master. (Who exactly drew it is a bit of a mystery.) So that’s either a placeholder or wires got crossed somewhere. Or maybe those are Perez’s pencils lurking under there, though there’s nothing I see to indicate his style. Time will tell.
— Meanwhile, here are the other two covers — by John Buscema and Jack Kirby — which will be available only through the direct market:
Left: John Buscema. Right: Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.
— The book is scheduled to be released Aug. 18.
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MORE
— MARVEL to Re-Release CAPTAIN AMERICA’s BICENTENNIAL Treasury Edition. Click here.
— MARVEL Adds Even More EPIC COLLECTIONS to 2021 Lineup. Click here.
January 23, 2021
Yeah, that’s Perez. The Sinnott inks make it had to tell, but his Thing always had a unique look to his face and it’s there in that drawing of Ben.
January 23, 2021
That’s great insight, thanks!
January 23, 2021
So glad this is getting collected. But any clue as to why the gap for issue 16?
January 23, 2021
Fu Manchu
January 23, 2021
Ohhh. Gotcha! Thank you!
January 23, 2021
What If? Was one of my favorite series in the Bronze Age. I loved the alternative possibilities and creativity that went with them.
And they were double sized which was even better.
I have these in the Classics tpb, so will not get the omni’s. But really hope this will be successful and good sales.
January 25, 2021
Why was it okay for Marvel to print three MOKF omnibuses with Fu Manchu — but not reprint one issue of WHAT IF? in which he appears (especially given that it was reprinted in one of those aforementioned MOKF books)?