Decades - Marvel In The '70s - Legion Of Monsters!

The Decades series a novel way of approaching Marvel history. A slender volume of reprinted material was selected from each decade of Marvel's existence and gathered together. These were not intended to comprehensive nor even thoroughly representative of any given decade but rather a snapshot of material which attempted to communicate the flavor of a given time. For the 70's they chose "Legion of Monsters" and focused on Marvel's early 70's monster comic fad. The Comics Code had released its hold somewhat and a flood of vampires, zombies, and ghouls of all kinds jumped out of the shadows and onto the comics racks. 

 

The name of the book and for that matter the name of this month's look at come choice horror comics came from a trio of publications. Legion of Monsters was a doomed one-shot which followed on the heels of the cancellation of Dracula Lives, Monsters Unleashed and other black and white magazines. Material slated for those mags got gathered together for this issue. We are treated to one final story with Marvel's version of the Frankenstein Monster and his attempts to blend in a murderous costume party. We get the debut of Manphibian, which shouted out to the classic Creature from the Black Lagoon and sported some delicious Dave Cockrum artwork. And we got another chapter of the aborted adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel. (See yesterday's post for more on that.)  Add in a one-shot tales and a nifty horror package it was. 

The name was dusted off again for an issue of Marvel Preview. Apparently, some file stories for Blade and Morbius along with some one-offs were cobbled together at the last hour when an adaptation of Philip Wylie's Gladiator did show up in the mail. Still, we get some nice stuff under a really cracking cover. 

Legion of Monsters also came to an actual assembly of Marvel's critters in a single issue of Marvel Premiere. Ghost Rider, Werewolf by Night, Morbius and the Man-Thing all show up to confront a golden-skinned alien who creates a mountain in downtown L.A. With some dynamic Frank Robbins artwork this is a hidden gem, if a strange one. 

Following the three Legion of Monsters mags we get a quartet of early 70's Marvel monster debuts. First up is the second issue of Marvel Spotlight which gave the world Werewolf by Night by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog. This is the first of the classic monsters, though the story of Jack Russell (love that name) is not based on a novel. Under a different kind of Neal Adams cover this one kicks off the story of young beset by werewolf curse with great aplomb. 

Perhaps the most significant debut for Marvel in this era was Tomb of Dracula. Gene Colan finds his comic book home with the very first issue of this comic which was plotted by Roy Thomas and scripted by Gerry Conway. It will take the title a while to find its ultimate groove but it would prove to be the most successful of all the Marvel books save perhaps for one. 

That exception is Ghost Rider. Marvel Spotlight five gave the world the debut of the motorcycle riding Johnny Blaze in a story in which Easy Rider meets Rosemary's Baby. Mike Ploog is again on the artwork bringing his "Eisneresque" style to a rough and tumble comic and Gary Friedrich brings the words. Ghost Rider got its own series a few times over the years and inspired two theatre-release flicks. 

Mike Ploog is on board again with the debut issue of The Monster of Frankenstein. Joined once again by Gary Friedrich, Ploog does a bang-up job with this yarn that digs up the creature and begins a four-issue retelling of his origins. While this comic didn't ultimately sell as well as they'd hoped it was one of Marvel 's most interesting monster titles. 

And that's it. A nifty little package with a gang of monsters, enough to inspire me to want to read more. I have done and I'll be coming forth opinions and reports throughout the month. 

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