Blog Archives
Tales from the Longbox – Incredible Hulk #300 (1984)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Incredible Hulk #300
“Days of Rage”
October 1984
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Gerry Talaoc
This “Special Abnormally Large Size Issue!” of the Incredible Hulk is another classic of the 1980s. Not only was it the climax and culmination of writer Bill Mantlo’s two year storyline featuring Hulk with Banner’s intellect, but it also kicks off a bold new direction for the Hulk.
Find out more after the jump!
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Tales from the Longbox – Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man #64 (1982)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man #64
“Cloak & Dagger!”
March 1982
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciler: Ed Hannigan
Inker: Al Milgrom
The origin of vigilantes Cloak and Dagger didn’t involve cosmic rays, radioactive spiders or cosmic rays or gamma bombs. Their origin reflected the brutal reality of the drug trade. Their first appearance and origin was in the pages of Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #64.
Tales from the Longbox – The Micronauts #8 (1979)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Micronauts #8
“Earth Wars”
August 1979
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artists: Michael Golden/Bob McLeod
Prompted by his son’s latest action figures, the Micronauts (released by Mego Toys in 1976), writer Bill Mantlo lobbied Marvel Comics to chase down the rights for a comic book series based on those toys. When they did, a new problem presented itself: the toys had no existing backstory. So Mantlo went to work and not only created that backstory, but created a universe, or as he would call it, The Microverse, and a grand conflict to plunged these action figures into. Read the rest of this entry
