Marvel Firsts The 1970s Volume 2

Marvel Firsts 1970s Volume 2 hit the stands this week and its chock full of wonderful and wonderfully obscure Marvel comics from the Bronze Age years of 1973 to 1975. Here's a link to my look at the First Volume. The emphasis on monsters is still quite evident.

Alongside the titles and characters which have rarely if ever been reprinted are the debut of the X-Men by Dave Cockrum which has been reprinted countless times. Also the Invaders featuring art by Frank Robbins and Howard the Duck by Frank Brunner have been available in multiple volumes over the years.

We have the first chapter of Panther's Rage, the debut of the Living Mummy, and the first installment of Deathlok, all featuring rugged Rich Buckler artwork. There's a real focus on black and white material this time with Buckler's Morbius leading the way, but also including Tigra, Sons of the Tiger, and Devil Hunter featuring lush Billy Graham artwork. The devil's kids are featured with both Satana by John Romita and Son of Satan by Herb Trimpe making their bows. My personal favorite pick is IT, the Living Colossus by Dick Ayers who also draws the one story I've never ever read, the debut of John Kowalski in War is Hell.

Jim Starlin is on hand with the debut of the Thing's series which would become Marvel Two-In-One. The late Gene Colan did some of his best work on Brother Voodoo's debut, included here. John Buscema and Jim Mooney handle the Golem and George Tuska offers up Man-Wolf. Dick Giordano is represented nicely with the Sons of the Tiger and as inker over Gil Kane on Iron Fist, and the much underrated Tony DeZuniga has an outstanding story featuring Tigra.

Here are the covers in their proper historical order and the way the stories appear in the volume.

Vampire Tales - Morbius the Living Vampire - 1973
Supernatural Thrillers - The Living Mummy - August 1973
Strange Tales - Brother Voodoo - September 1973
Marvel Feature - The Thing - September 1973
Jungle Action - The Black Panther - September 1973
Vampire Tales - Satana - October 1973
Marvel Spotlight - Son of Satan - October 1973
Astonishing Tales - IT! The Living Colossus - December 1973
Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu - The Sons of the Tiger - April 1974
Marvel Premiere - Iron Fist - May 1974
Strange Tales - The Golem - June 1974
Creatures on the Loose - Man-Wolf - July 1974
Astonishing Tales - Deathlok - August 1974
Haunt of Horror - Gabriel Devil Hunter - July 1974
War is Hell - John Kowalski - October 1974
Monsters Unleashed - Tigra the Were-Woman - February 1975
Giant-Size Man-Thing - Howard the Duck - May 1975
Giant-Size Invaders - June 1975
Giant-Size X-Men July 1975
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