Marvel Preview #17: Blackmark

by Gil Kane

Comic

Published January 1, 1975

About the author

Gil Kane (/dʒɪl keɪn/; born Eli Katz /kæts/) was a Latvian-born American comics artist whose career spanned the 1940s to the 1990s and virtually every major comics company and character.

Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and co-created Iron Fist with Roy Thomas for Marvel Comics. He was involved in such major storylines as that of The Amazing Spider-Man #96–98, which, at the behest of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, bucked the then-prevalent Comics Code Authority to depict drug abuse, and ultimately spurred an update of the Code. Kane additionally pioneered an early graphic novel prototype, His Name Is... Savage, in 1968, and a seminal graphic novel, Blackmark, in 1971.
In 1997, he was inducted into both the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame and the Harvey Award Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reprinting of the first "true" graphic novel of the modern age - if you discount Lynn Ward and Frans Masereel and a few attempts in the 1950s. Written and illustrated by Gil Kane, it is a science fantasy sword and sorcery romp across a future Earth where the titular Blackmark, a former slave who seized his current throne, must battle human haters and mutant conquerors. There was a quite a lot of fantasy like that back then, so it's not really remarkable, except for the pictures.

The layout is an odd grab bag. It is mostly a series of text with a few pictures and word balloons tossed in here and there. Again, this is not the original novel, which was published by Bantam Books, in a black and white Marvel magazine from the 1970s. Though if you are interested in reading the story, this might be cheaper than trying to find an original book.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this, as I enjoyed the original Blackmark book. Great writing, over the top and intense but so much fun.