Review: Amazing Man #1
One clever way for up and coming comic book creators to gain attention is to take a character that’s in public domain and write new stories. Fans of the original and curiosity seekers are sure to take notice of new stories using old characters. Comic book companies like Dynamite and Boom use older franchises that still have a wide audience (The Shadow, Big Trouble in Little China) to guarantee initial sales. However, just using characters that have a cult following doesn’t necessarily guarantee success. Amazing Man came about in 1939, conceived by Bill Everett, who is best known as the creator of The Sub-Mariner and co-creator of Daredevil. Is the new Amazing Man worth buying? Let’s look at issue #1. You can obtain a digital copy of this comic book for free on Indyplanet.
The Creative Team:
Butler and Gregory’s story opens with investigative journalist Zoe Henderson on a tour of Emmelman laboratory where Dr. Eric Emmelman is showing off his crowning accomplishment: Plants that look like people. Emmelman assures the journalist that they are not intelligent creatures and will only behave in a way to do their creators bidding. However, one creature reaches out and grabs Zoe! Emmelman panics and assures her that this isn’t possible. Something is wrong. I won’t reveal any plot points here suffice to say, “This looks like a job for…Amazing Man!”
Steve Butler’s art is top notch and worthy of any professional comic book company. The battle scene with “Dr. Vampire” is fun and showcases Amazing’s abilities in a unique way. Comic relief arrives in the person of Agent Sylvia Manners from the “X-Bureau” who is trying to convince Amazing Man to join her during the fight. But our hero is skeptical and lets her know directly that she has given him no reason to trust her. This team works great together and the art is a clear compliment to the words. It’s great stuff.
In Conclusion:
The issue brings us several tropes from the golden age of comics. Mad scientists bent on global conquest. Crazy inventions that are used to subdue our hero and misguided use of scientific knowledge. But the issue brings about a modern sensibility to all the fun involved. I thoroughly enjoyed this issue and will probably review more Amazing Man comics in the future. *** (7.8 rating)
Amazing Man #1
Writer – Barry Gregory
Art – Steve Butler
Letters – Butler/Gregory
Colors – Butler/Gregory
Publisher – Galant Comics
Publication date – 2013.
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About the Author
Kevin Given Kevin Given has studied with "Longridge Writers Group" and "Writer's Boot Camp" a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the "Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter" franchise which includes 2 novels and 8 comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of "Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter" #1 and "Files of Karl Vincent" #1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series "Dracula Rising" (working title) and developing "Foul Blood" into comic book form.
