Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics, Vol. 3

Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics #3

by Carl Burgos, Bill Everett, Paul Gustavson

Collects Marvel Mystery Comics #9-12.

The wait is over, and the stage is set. It's fire vs. water in the most famous battle of comics' Golden Age! Breaking new ground like none other, MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS, the flagship title of Marvel's earliest days, started a craze that defines super-hero comic books to this day. With hero pitted against hero in a fight to the finish, you'd better place those bets and settle into your seats. 'Cause it's the final round of the Human Torch vs. the Sub-Mariner! Headlined by the lavish, manic and truly amazing Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett and the high-flying Human Torch by Carl Burgos, MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS is a bona-fide treasure trove of Golden Age action and adventure. The awesome and idiosyncratic Steve Dahlman brings you Electro, the Marvel of the Age, the monster-stomping robot featured today in THE TWELVE, while Paul Gustavson's Angel woos damsels in distress and battles the undead evils of the subterranean realm, and the jungle adventurer, Ka-Zar the Great, protects the Belgian Congo from the threats of the outside world. Also featuring the wild Western tales of the Masked Raider, boy-adventurer Terry Vance and a host of four-color companions -- each painstakingly restored to provide you with the best experience of these truly classic tales.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Marvel

264 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2008

About the author

Max Finkelstein created Jim Hamond, the Human Torch, for Timely Comics (later evolved into the Marvel Comics) in 1939, using the pen-name Carl Burgos. He also created the Thunderer for Daring Mystery Comics. Both series were published by Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel. He was drafted in 1942 and did mostly commercial art in subsequent years, occasionally drawing science fiction stories for Marvel, by that time known as Atlas. He also drew the first story featuring the Beetle (Abner Jenkins) in Strange Tales #123, starring Johnny Storm, the second Human Torch. Two years later, in Fantastic Four Annual #4, Marvel published a battle between the two Human Torches, resulting in the death of Jim Hamond. Although his daughter tried to preserve as much as possible, Burgos set fire to much of the Human Torch materials he had retained from the 1940s, considering the story an excuse to reassert trademark on a character they were not using simply to spite him.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the best volume so far--continuing stories with greater depth. The coloring is so heavy on primary and secondary colors that it looks like pre-school toys. The contains the famous battle between the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner that was started last volume, and ends on a cliffhanger with the Ka-Zar story. Still primitive stuff, but even The Angel, which has some of the best art, is getting better story-wise.

[Rich Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent golden age volume from Marvel. It shows how much more Marvel has valued its own history in recent years, unlike there competition over at DC. Marvel's taking a chance with reprinting some series dominated by second tier characters, which DC didn't do often (though I have to give them props for the Seven Soldiers reprints).

This book also features several extended storylines, which actually get a reader excited about the next issue. As usual. the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and the Angel star, with back-ups featuring Terry Vance, Ferret, the Masked Raider, Ka-Zar, and Electron the robot. Surprisingly good stories and artwork.

[Lser · Rating 5 out of 5]

E P I C. This is why it's called GOLDEN age of comics. These stories we're soooo good.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the kindle book. Some stories are continuing to the next issue. There are Torch, Sub-Mariner, Ka-Zar, Masked Rider and others.

[Robert Kimberlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION. I LOVED ALL OF THE STORIES AND CHARACTERS. MY FAVORITES WERE THE SUB-MARINER, KA-ZAR AND THE ANGEL. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT COLLECTION.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 1 out of 5]

These stories didn't age well.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a two plus year wait, we finally get Volume 3 of this series! Lots of cheesy Golden Age fun with Electro, the Marvel of the Age, an "Iron-Man" robot, The Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett, the Human Torch by Carl Burgos, the Angel, Ka-Zar, the Masked Raider, and others. I have to be in the mood for most of this stuff, but when I am, these are fun reads. The Sub-Mariner is worlds better than the rest of the stuff here and worth the price of admission alone.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic reprint of these Golden Age of Comics issues. The first appearance of such iconic characters as the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner appear here. Great collection of rare comics. Very recommended