I’ve really enjoyed all of these 70th anniversary specials (see my review of Marvel Mystery) that Marvel has been putting out, highlighting the what I think is an underrated heritage. It may be because Marvel is today’s industry leader and has been so for at least the last two generations of comic fans that we never really give proper credence to their rich history. If we do, we rarely go beyond Fantastic Four#1 or Amazing Fantasy#15 in our considerations, and it’s a shame because it is before that era that Marvel was establishing the prototypes to what would would become their modern pantheon.
We’ve recently witnessed a modern continuance of the Destroyer in the Marvel Max series by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker (check out BSC reviews of those issues). Here, John Arcudi and Steve Ellis gives us a story in the setting that the early Stan Lee creation was born into. One of the differences between Marvel and DC was how they handled the World War II backdrop. Make no mistake, DC had stories that dealt with WWII and Hitler, and while certainly the DC Big 5 War books were both popular and wonderfully drawn, these were very much post-WWII looks backs if dealing with that war (as these were books from the ’50′s). From a super hero standpoint, DC created plot points to limit superhero involvement (giving Hitler the Spear of Destiny etc). Timely wasn’t bullshitting around. Captain America, The Sub Mariner, and Destroyer can be seen knocking Nazis out, and often via covers delivered by the kinetic fist of Alex Schomburg.
You know how comics now spawn wannabe-cryptic interviews with creators trying to tell you how crafty, faux-post-modern, and cinematic their work is? Most of them are all really just writing pulps with modern dialogue. The ones that seem like they spend more time thinking about about their interview questions than on the work itself ? Arcudi and Ellis don’t show their ass in USA Comics 70th Anniversary Special. They give proper homage, by simply kicking ass (which is fast becoming my own and only barometer of entertainment–I know). Sure, in the end it perhaps disappointingly plays into too familiar point making, but in getting there we get a narrative from Arcudi that has no hitches and never loses our interest. Ellis is a bit of a revelation as while I can look him up now and see that he’s worked quite a bit on more than a few worthwhile projects (even doing stints on my beloved Valiant/Acclaim) I wasn’t familiar with his work. Much like the other artists I’ve seen in these 70th anniversary issues, I find another who I wish i saw more of from month-to-month–these are beautiful, fun, books.
The story is told mostly via the perspective of a German reporter who was taken by Destroyer while on a mission in Nazi-occupied Poland. The reporter is a proud even patriotic German who isn’t a Nazi supporter. This is a nice touch because Destroyer’s origins (in the Golden Age) are linked to a character of the same mold (his powers are granted to him by an anti-Nazi German scientist that – linking it to this story – was a prisoner in a camp we see in this issue). Remember what I said about the Schomburg fist earlier? It’s here, and perhaps a bit too blunt, but for a story that a creative team knew going in was a one-shot it does refocus and give an emphatic purpose to the story. I’m not sure if the story needed it as I thought what was already powerfully understood was slightly lessened by being said. We still have a great action packed story that’s emotionally driven, even if anchored slightly too heavily.
The bottom line is that you learn what you need to know about the Destroyer without him having to lose an enigmatic aura, and you walk away from this book wanting to see more new adventures of the Destroyer in that era.
Marvel, I’m all-in for a Timely imprint.
Note: In June we posted a preview of this issue.
