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Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #1-5
Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel
An unstoppable super-villain attacks New York City - and the Mighty Avengers fall before him! Where did Anti-Man come from? And who can stop his overwhelming rampage?! Now, Iron Man races to find the only man who's ever defeated Anti-Man - THE BLUE MARVEL... a hero the world hasn't seen since 1961! Will Tony Stark uncover the truth behind Blue Marvel's disappearance... and will Blue Marvel ever recover from it? Kevin Grevioux (New Warriors) and Mat Broome (The End League) join forces to create Marvel's newest powerhouse super hero! Collects Legend of the Blue Marvel #1-4.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
23 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Grevioux
133 books25 followersKevin Grevioux is an American actor, screenwriter, and comic book writer. He is best known for his role as Raze in the Underworld film series, which he co-created.
Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kevin Grevioux was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in various other states including Alaska, Oklahoma, Boston and New Jersey. He graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. with a degree in Microbiology, afterwards attending graduate school and this time working towards a Masters in Genetic Engineering. While studying, he congruently took screenwriting and cinematography classes as well, and by the time his first semester of grad school had finished, Kevin had chosen film as his preferred career and moved to Los Angeles, where he began to work as a writer in earnest. To this end he has written several scripts in various genres and has written and directed two short sci-fi films Indigo and Thanatos.
Kevin met 'Underworld' director Len Wiseman while working on the sci-fi hit Stargate: la puerta del tiempo (1994), when Len was a prop assistant and Kevin an extra. The two formed a friendship and later collaborated on a host of other ideas and concepts leading to the completion of two scripts, one of which was Underworld (2003). The idea for the concept was Kevin's; in addition, he wrote the original screenplay and treatment for the film in 2000.
Kevin has also studied acting and has had several small roles in television, film and commercials. Most recently in Planet of the Apes (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000), Marvel Comics' The Hulk and in Underworld (2003), playing the formidable Lycan character Raze. He also serves as an Associate Producer on the film and is currently working on several other screenplays as well as his first novel, a science fiction thriller.
Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kevin Grevioux was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in various other states including Alaska, Oklahoma, Boston and New Jersey. He graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. with a degree in Microbiology, afterwards attending graduate school and this time working towards a Masters in Genetic Engineering. While studying, he congruently took screenwriting and cinematography classes as well, and by the time his first semester of grad school had finished, Kevin had chosen film as his preferred career and moved to Los Angeles, where he began to work as a writer in earnest. To this end he has written several scripts in various genres and has written and directed two short sci-fi films Indigo and Thanatos.
Kevin met 'Underworld' director Len Wiseman while working on the sci-fi hit Stargate: la puerta del tiempo (1994), when Len was a prop assistant and Kevin an extra. The two formed a friendship and later collaborated on a host of other ideas and concepts leading to the completion of two scripts, one of which was Underworld (2003). The idea for the concept was Kevin's; in addition, he wrote the original screenplay and treatment for the film in 2000.
Kevin has also studied acting and has had several small roles in television, film and commercials. Most recently in Planet of the Apes (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000), Marvel Comics' The Hulk and in Underworld (2003), playing the formidable Lycan character Raze. He also serves as an Associate Producer on the film and is currently working on several other screenplays as well as his first novel, a science fiction thriller.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
October 19, 2022
Vote: 3,5 stars
What if Superman was black?
The premise of this comic book was really good and the story is a nice tuckle against racism and discrimination: a Superman-like hero in the 60s, when racism was not just a despicable and nasty point of view, but an insidious, accepted and institutionalized one, quit by Kennedy's order after is costume is torn apart in a battle revealing his black skin and turning against him the same people he was defending.
A real shame that art was not much as appealling as the storyline and that adding an hero as powerful as Superman in modern continuity by retconnetting was already abused by Marvel with the Sentry.
And imagining the Blue Marvel doing nothing, waiting for a call from the President, while Galactus and other overpowered menaces were threatening Earth in the years of his retirement, was just too much for me.
But of that, Kevin Grevioux created a very interesting character and I really want read more about Adam Brashear in the future.
What if Superman was black?
The premise of this comic book was really good and the story is a nice tuckle against racism and discrimination: a Superman-like hero in the 60s, when racism was not just a despicable and nasty point of view, but an insidious, accepted and institutionalized one, quit by Kennedy's order after is costume is torn apart in a battle revealing his black skin and turning against him the same people he was defending.
A real shame that art was not much as appealling as the storyline and that adding an hero as powerful as Superman in modern continuity by retconnetting was already abused by Marvel with the Sentry.
And imagining the Blue Marvel doing nothing, waiting for a call from the President, while Galactus and other overpowered menaces were threatening Earth in the years of his retirement, was just too much for me.
But of that, Kevin Grevioux created a very interesting character and I really want read more about Adam Brashear in the future.
October 9, 2014
I first encountered Blue Marvel in Mighty Avengers Volume 2: Family Bonding. (Great book, I highly recommend it.) Maybe this is all there is when it comes to Blue Marvel, I'm not sure. As a character, he's really interesting: a black superhero in the 60s, he walked away from the cape at the president's orders. Because the world wasn't ready for a black superhero. This part of his story is told quite well, and Adam himself really carries the book.
But. The storyline with Anti-Man is almost yawningly cliche. This would have been a much stronger book if it had stuck with the past storyline, which is really good. I also didn't buy the Avengers (plus Reed) going from, "We're so sorry come work with us!" to "That's a dumb idea go home!" over the course of just a few pages. Then again, this was during Tony's Director days, so...
The Blue Marvel is a really interesting character, and this miniseries is worth reading for him. But the modern part of the story is severely lacking, and it drags down the far better part of the story.
But. The storyline with Anti-Man is almost yawningly cliche. This would have been a much stronger book if it had stuck with the past storyline, which is really good. I also didn't buy the Avengers (plus Reed) going from, "We're so sorry come work with us!" to "That's a dumb idea go home!" over the course of just a few pages. Then again, this was during Tony's Director days, so...
The Blue Marvel is a really interesting character, and this miniseries is worth reading for him. But the modern part of the story is severely lacking, and it drags down the far better part of the story.
September 1, 2021
3.5 stars. I always thought Blue Marvel was a cool character after reading Al Ewing’s Ultimates. Finally got to read where he started. Pretty solid. Gives you his background of being a super powerful being who happens to be black during the 60s. Yeah not a good time for that. Super Powerful guy who has saved people all over the country and people still fear/hate him. What the government ended up asking him to do was jacked up. Years have gone by and Adam has been off the radar retired. One of his old villains who is also super powerful has returned and the Avengers are no match for him. The learn of Blue Marvel and go looking for him for help. They do some nice things with this narrative and end up putting together a solid book. Shame Marvel doesn’t use this guy at all in anything. Although so far I’m not a fan of Cantwell’s books, I do appreciate that at least he put Blue Marvel in his Doctor Doom book.
June 13, 2020
Eh, this was pretty unspectacular. The whole idea of creating a "classic" character from an earlier time period and inserting them into existing continuity has become such a cliche--I blame Brian Michael Bendis for popularizing the technique--and likewise the idea of the Avengers being unable to beat a villain until along comes a new character at just the right time who triumphs where they failed. Add a veneer of '60s racial equality over the top and you've pretty much got this GN in a nutshell. Neither the art nor the story are any better than they need to be and the result is a fairly lackluster effort. Not terrible, but not great either.
May 19, 2022
I wanted to like this "what if Superman were black" comic far more than I did. The idea is very good and the plot in terms of what happens to Blue Marvel when he first starts super heroing was good. The problem is the modern day bits and the fridging of Blue Marvel's wife (like how she got there made no sense, she just appears and having them work though their issue, her betrayal, would have been far better. The story also basically is saying women are just honey traps and need to look sexy but they will really love you in the end) and the modern story is largely moved by Tony with no interaction of any female superhero except when Sue brings Blue Marvel's wife to see her husband. It also feels like one of those stories that says everything is better now what really looking at now.
I also really didn't like the art.
I also really didn't like the art.
March 30, 2025
1.5 STARS - MARVEL doesn't retcon as much as DC but when they do, with the likes of Agents of Atlas, The Sentry and even Iron Fist, it's usually interestingly done. With strong writers and/or artists which help carry the high concept ideas into the MARVEL mainstream.
And while the concept of the Legend of the Blue Marvel was interesting, it honestly reads as though it was written by a child or even by a computer... for it may have most of the elements of an origin story it has none of the depth, which someone who understands nuance might give it.
It is a shame, however, that the author was not at the level (in this outing) a story of this weight and complexity deserved. Unlike those which have tackled this type of story in the past: the epic Truth: Red, White & Black comes to mind as an example of what this book might have been, had the writing been of higher quality. Whereas this book almost feels like a poor clone of Astro City.
I'm not sure if this book was deliberately written the way it was as a homage to Stan and the old crowd's scripting style but, for whatever the reason, the end result is that this book was almost unreadable. At even their most complex and satirical comics should not be chore to slog through.
The end result of Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel, while derivative and middling does introduce a new (old) black hero who 'dates' from the 60's and can be added to the texture of the MARVEL Universe. A character with a lot of potential, even if he's a poor mashup of Quantum & The Sentry. Hopefully other writers will tell future stories with more to them then what was presented in this origin series.
RECOMMENDED: I enjoyed the "story" of The Blue Marvel, it had weight to it, but the writing... not so much. I'd say if you have the urge to read this DO NOT but instead read something like Truth: Red, White & Black it does a much better job doing what Blue Marvel attempted here, without involving a Superman clone who has none of the nuance which sets someone like The Sentry apart.
Further Reading: If you're interested in comics like this, but written well, see if you can find a copy of The Crew by Christopher Priest or look for a series or two from the, defunked, DC imprint Milestone; where books like ICON, Hardware and Static (Virgil, I miss you man) might just blow your mind!
And while the concept of the Legend of the Blue Marvel was interesting, it honestly reads as though it was written by a child or even by a computer... for it may have most of the elements of an origin story it has none of the depth, which someone who understands nuance might give it.
It is a shame, however, that the author was not at the level (in this outing) a story of this weight and complexity deserved. Unlike those which have tackled this type of story in the past: the epic Truth: Red, White & Black comes to mind as an example of what this book might have been, had the writing been of higher quality. Whereas this book almost feels like a poor clone of Astro City.
I'm not sure if this book was deliberately written the way it was as a homage to Stan and the old crowd's scripting style but, for whatever the reason, the end result is that this book was almost unreadable. At even their most complex and satirical comics should not be chore to slog through.
The end result of Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel, while derivative and middling does introduce a new (old) black hero who 'dates' from the 60's and can be added to the texture of the MARVEL Universe. A character with a lot of potential, even if he's a poor mashup of Quantum & The Sentry. Hopefully other writers will tell future stories with more to them then what was presented in this origin series.
RECOMMENDED: I enjoyed the "story" of The Blue Marvel, it had weight to it, but the writing... not so much. I'd say if you have the urge to read this DO NOT but instead read something like Truth: Red, White & Black it does a much better job doing what Blue Marvel attempted here, without involving a Superman clone who has none of the nuance which sets someone like The Sentry apart.
Further Reading: If you're interested in comics like this, but written well, see if you can find a copy of The Crew by Christopher Priest or look for a series or two from the, defunked, DC imprint Milestone; where books like ICON, Hardware and Static (Virgil, I miss you man) might just blow your mind!
Read
September 30, 2016Necessarily heavy-handed retcon miniseries introducing the Blue Marvel, a Superman analogue obliged to retire from Marvel Universe superheroics in 1962 because his blackness was scaring people. The injustices it addresses were (and are) real, and exactly the sort of issues Marvel did address in the sixties but couldn't face quite this directly until now. Still, unlike eg Truth (which noted that the experiments used to make Captain America would have been unlikely to get their first test on a white boy, given the US military's tendency to regard its black men as handy guinea pigs), this never quite works as more than a sermon. Plus, it's littered with silly mistakes (the Mariana Trench is in the wrong ocean) and bad ideas (if the US government could blow a superhero's secret identity based on a few tears to his mask in the early sixties, how come any modern character can maintain one?). Still, it did birth a character of whom Al Ewing has been making brilliant use in Mighty Avengers and Ultimates. Not that this is atypical, given he's also been making much better use than the creators did of characters originated by everyone from Casey & Dragotta to Stan & Jack.
January 6, 2021
Mah.
Certo, c'è un fondo di denuncia sociale e antirazzista in questa mini che presenta una specie di Superman afroamericano, geniale quanto Reed Richards o Henry Pym, con un costume che ricorda molto il Dr. Fate della DC. Che è stato dimenticato, e reintrodotto in retrocontinuity.
Come Sentry.
Il quale è stato un enorme fallimento come personaggio, perchè l'idea di base era bislacca.
Comunque, per quanto la storia qui possa avere una motivazione maggiore, i disegni non sono granché e nel complesso mi chiedo perché?
Perché continuare a riproporre Superman in mille salse? Cos'è, tutta una serie di banchi di prova degli autori che vogliono farsi notare dalla DC affinché affidi loro una delle serie del boyscout blu che, lo dico francamente, a me non è mai piaciuto granché?
Bah.
2 stelle.
Certo, c'è un fondo di denuncia sociale e antirazzista in questa mini che presenta una specie di Superman afroamericano, geniale quanto Reed Richards o Henry Pym, con un costume che ricorda molto il Dr. Fate della DC. Che è stato dimenticato, e reintrodotto in retrocontinuity.
Come Sentry.
Il quale è stato un enorme fallimento come personaggio, perchè l'idea di base era bislacca.
Comunque, per quanto la storia qui possa avere una motivazione maggiore, i disegni non sono granché e nel complesso mi chiedo perché?
Perché continuare a riproporre Superman in mille salse? Cos'è, tutta una serie di banchi di prova degli autori che vogliono farsi notare dalla DC affinché affidi loro una delle serie del boyscout blu che, lo dico francamente, a me non è mai piaciuto granché?
Bah.
2 stelle.
July 17, 2020
One of the worst comics I’ve read in quite some time. I love this character and this run did not do him justice. The writing was very cliche and not a word of it felt like natural conversation. A lot of the characters acted completely out of character (looking at you, Avengers), and the motivations of the villain felt so incredibly shoehorned-in that it wasn’t believable in the slightest.
Don’t even get me started on the art style - every action scene was drawn incredibly poorly (the artist has no idea how to draw someone throwing a punch; every frame involving that is either right before or right after, and the positioning of the bodies makes it look so strange). There’s another part where Adam is running with a handgun shooting at soldiers, and its one of the most unrealistic scenes I’ve ever seen in a comic.
Don’t even get me started on the art style - every action scene was drawn incredibly poorly (the artist has no idea how to draw someone throwing a punch; every frame involving that is either right before or right after, and the positioning of the bodies makes it look so strange). There’s another part where Adam is running with a handgun shooting at soldiers, and its one of the most unrealistic scenes I’ve ever seen in a comic.
September 8, 2020
By Actor and filmmaker Kevin Grevioux who is a comic fan himself. This is how to write a story with issues of racism and real problems,a lot of DC and Marvel writers fail at these days and make a boring story but Grevioux delivered. He actually created the character as a youth. The closest thing we got in the Past was DC/Milestone's Icon by Dwayne Mcduffie. It starts off with the avengers getting beaten by a new threat,soon they learn about Adam Breashear/Blue Marvel and how he was hero of the 60s,however due to racism he was asked to step down. They find Breshear and ask for his help. The art is amazing. I hope this can get a reprint in the near future cause the individual comics are as low as 20 bucks and the TPB is 200 bucks or higher,the cheapest way to read is a tablet,but i personally like physical copies of comics.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2013
Grevioux makes a compelling story. The only thing that bothered me was how "holier than thou" Iron Man was during the whole thing. I just wanted Adam to punch him but then you realize he doesn't because Adam is a better person than all of us.
May 21, 2019
The idea is intriguing, but would require a far better writer than this. Heavy handed, uneven. Established characters act out of character. Finally, the central conceit comes too close to the Sentry, who even appears in this book.
Would not recommend.
Would not recommend.
January 12, 2022
গ্রাফিক নভেল রিভিউ
এডাম : লেজেন্ড অফ দ্য ব্লু মার্ভেল
প্রকাশনা : মার্ভেল কমিক্স
প্রকাশকাল : নভেম্বর ০৫, ২০০৮
লেখক : কেভিন গ্রেভিয়াক্স
পেন্সিলার : ম্যাট ব্রুম, ক্যায়ার এনড্রুস
রিভিউয়ার : ওয়াসিম হাসান মাহমুদ
৪০ এর দশকে যেমন ক্যাপ্টেন আমেরিকা, ৫০ এর দশকে যেমন মার্ভেল বয় ঠিক তেমনি ৬০ এর দশকে ছিলেন কিংবদন্তী সুপার হিরো ব্লু মার্ভেল। অ্যাডাম বার্নার্ড ব্রেসিয়ার ইলেকট্রিক্যাল ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং এর গ্র্যাজুয়েট এবং পরবর্তীতে পার্টিক্যাল ফিজিক্সের পিএইচডি এবং সেই সময়কার একজন আমেরিকান কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ সৈনিক যিনি কোরিয়ান যুদ্ধে বীরত্বের সাথে অংশগ্রহণ করেছিলেন এবং পুরস্কৃত হয়েছিলেন। তাঁর সাথে একই যুদ্ধে অংশ নিয়েছিলেন কনোর। ১৯৬০ এর প্রথম দিকেই এই অত্যন্ত ক্ষমতাধর সুপার হিরো রহস্যজনক কারণে নিরুদ্দেশ হয়ে যান।
এদিকে বর্তমান সময়ে আইরন ম্যানের নেতৃত্বে অ্যাভেনজার্স সদস্যরা এক নতুন ভয়াবহ হুমকি অ্যান্টি ম্যানের (কনোর) সাথে সরাসরি ফাইটে জড়িয়ে পড়েন। অ্যান্টি ম্যানের সাথে এই মোকাবেলায় অ্যাভেনজার্স সদস্যরা বেশ বেকায়দায় পড়ে যান। এমনকি সেন্ট্রির মতো মহা ক্ষমতাধর সুপার হিরো অ্যান্টি ম্যানের সামনে যেন কিছুই নন। অ্যান্টি ম্যাটার দ্বারা ক্ষমতাপ্রাপ্ত এই নতুন ভিলেন ফাইটের একপর্যায়ে হাওয়ায় মিলিয়ে গেলে মার্ভেলের সুপার হিরোরা সেই যাত্রায় বেঁচে যান।
টনি স্টার্ক এই প্রায় অপ্রতিরোধ্য ভিলেনকে থামানোর জন্যে বেরিয়ে পড়েন তথ্য অনুসন্ধানে। নিজের বিভিন্ন উৎসের মাধ্যমে স্টার্কের সামনে এমন ইতিহাস বেরিয়ে আসে যা অবিশ্বাস্য। ব্লু মার্ভেল একমাত্র সুপার হিরো যিনি অ্যান্টি ম্যানকে সফলভাবে হারিয়েছিলেন। এছাড়া সেই সময়ে এডাম এক বিপদজনক উল্কা থেকে পৃথিবীকে রক্ষা করেছিলেন। অনেক বড় বড় দুর্যোগ হতে ব্লু মার্ভেল পৃথিবীকে অনেকটা বর্ম হয়ে বাঁচিয়ে দিতেন। মার্ভেলের এই হিরো যেন একজন কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ সুপার ম্যানের ইমেজ পেয়ে গিয়েছিলেন।
তৎকালীন বিশ্বে তখনো বর্ণবাদ অনেক প্রবল ছিলো। এডামের এরকম দুর্দান্ত ইমেজ রাজনৈতিক বিশ্বে ব্যাপক তোলপাড় সৃষ্টি করে। একজন কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ এত ক্ষমতাধর এবং প্রভাবশালী হয়ে উঠাতে আমেরিকার প্রশাসন চিন্তায় পড়ে যায়। প্রেসিডেন্ট স্বয়ং প্রচন্ড চাপের মুখে বাধ্য হয়ে এডামকে হোয়াইট হাউসে ডেকে রাষ্ট্রপতির সর্বোচ্চ সম্মাননা মেডেল প্রদান করেন এবং এডামকে অবসরে যাওয়ার অনুরোধ করেন। একজন দেশপ্রেমিক নাগরিক হিসেবে প্রেসিডেন্টের এই অনুরোধ এডাম মেনে নেন। সেই সময়কার বর্ণবাদ পরিস্থিতি ব্লু মার্ভেল ভালোই বুঝতে পেরেছিলেন।
এদিকে আইরন ম্যান অ্যান্টি ম্যানকে থামানোর জন্যে এডামের বাসস্থানে গিয়ে পৌঁছান এবং তাঁর স্ত্রীকে অনুরোধ করেন সুপার হিরো স্ট্যাটাসে এডামকে ফিরিয়ে আনার জন্যে। মজার ব্যাপার হলো ব্লু মার্ভেলের স্ত্রীও একজন সরকারি এজেন্ট যার উপর দ্বায়িত্ব ছিলো এডামকে চোখে চোখে রাখা। ব্লু মার্ভেলের কাছে এই ব্যাপারটি সম্পূর্ণ অজানা ছিলো। যদিও একসময় ঐ চোখে রাখার প্রজেক্ট বন্ধ হয়ে যায় এবং তাঁর স্ত্রী প্রকৃত ভালোবাসার টানে এডামের সাথে সংসার করে যান। অসাধারণ ব্যক্তিত্বসম্পন্ন এবং নীতিবোধ দ্বারা আবদ্ধ ব্লু মার্ভেল এই অপ্রিয় সত্য জানার পর কি আইরন ম্যানকে সাহায্য করবেন? নাকি অ্যান্টি ম্যান পৃথিবীর আবহাওয়াকে অ্যান্টি ম্যাটার দ্বারা ধ্বংস করে দিবেন?
৫ পর্বের এই কমিক বইয়ের স্টোরিলাইন আমার পড়া অন্যতম সেরা। বর্তমানে বর্ণবাদ দ্বারা বিষাক্ত পৃথিবীতে এই কমিক্সের গল্প খুবই সময়োপযোগী। সকল বর্ণের কমিক্স অনুরাগীরা এই কমিক বইয়ের গল্প পড়ে সঠিক দিকনির্দেশনা পাবেন।
এডাম : লেজেন্ড অফ দ্য ব্লু মার্ভেল
প্রকাশনা : মার্ভেল কমিক্স
প্রকাশকাল : নভেম্বর ০৫, ২০০৮
লেখক : কেভিন গ্রেভিয়াক্স
পেন্সিলার : ম্যাট ব্রুম, ক্যায়ার এনড্রুস
রিভিউয়ার : ওয়াসিম হাসান মাহমুদ
৪০ এর দশকে যেমন ক্যাপ্টেন আমেরিকা, ৫০ এর দশকে যেমন মার্ভেল বয় ঠিক তেমনি ৬০ এর দশকে ছিলেন কিংবদন্তী সুপার হিরো ব্লু মার্ভেল। অ্যাডাম বার্নার্ড ব্রেসিয়ার ইলেকট্রিক্যাল ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং এর গ্র্যাজুয়েট এবং পরবর্তীতে পার্টিক্যাল ফিজিক্সের পিএইচডি এবং সেই সময়কার একজন আমেরিকান কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ সৈনিক যিনি কোরিয়ান যুদ্ধে বীরত্বের সাথে অংশগ্রহণ করেছিলেন এবং পুরস্কৃত হয়েছিলেন। তাঁর সাথে একই যুদ্ধে অংশ নিয়েছিলেন কনোর। ১৯৬০ এর প্রথম দিকেই এই অত্যন্ত ক্ষমতাধর সুপার হিরো রহস্যজনক কারণে নিরুদ্দেশ হয়ে যান।
এদিকে বর্তমান সময়ে আইরন ম্যানের নেতৃত্বে অ্যাভেনজার্স সদস্যরা এক নতুন ভয়াবহ হুমকি অ্যান্টি ম্যানের (কনোর) সাথে সরাসরি ফাইটে জড়িয়ে পড়েন। অ্যান্টি ম্যানের সাথে এই মোকাবেলায় অ্যাভেনজার্স সদস্যরা বেশ বেকায়দায় পড়ে যান। এমনকি সেন্ট্রির মতো মহা ক্ষমতাধর সুপার হিরো অ্যান্টি ম্যানের সামনে যেন কিছুই নন। অ্যান্টি ম্যাটার দ্বারা ক্ষমতাপ্রাপ্ত এই নতুন ভিলেন ফাইটের একপর্যায়ে হাওয়ায় মিলিয়ে গেলে মার্ভেলের সুপার হিরোরা সেই যাত্রায় বেঁচে যান।
টনি স্টার্ক এই প্রায় অপ্রতিরোধ্য ভিলেনকে থামানোর জন্যে বেরিয়ে পড়েন তথ্য অনুসন্ধানে। নিজের বিভিন্ন উৎসের মাধ্যমে স্টার্কের সামনে এমন ইতিহাস বেরিয়ে আসে যা অবিশ্বাস্য। ব্লু মার্ভেল একমাত্র সুপার হিরো যিনি অ্যান্টি ম্যানকে সফলভাবে হারিয়েছিলেন। এছাড়া সেই সময়ে এডাম এক বিপদজনক উল্কা থেকে পৃথিবীকে রক্ষা করেছিলেন। অনেক বড় বড় দুর্যোগ হতে ব্লু মার্ভেল পৃথিবীকে অনেকটা বর্ম হয়ে বাঁচিয়ে দিতেন। মার্ভেলের এই হিরো যেন একজন কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ সুপার ম্যানের ইমেজ পেয়ে গিয়েছিলেন।
তৎকালীন বিশ্বে তখনো বর্ণবাদ অনেক প্রবল ছিলো। এডামের এরকম দুর্দান্ত ইমেজ রাজনৈতিক বিশ্বে ব্যাপক তোলপাড় সৃষ্টি করে। একজন কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ এত ক্ষমতাধর এবং প্রভাবশালী হয়ে উঠাতে আমেরিকার প্রশাসন চিন্তায় পড়ে যায়। প্রেসিডেন্ট স্বয়ং প্রচন্ড চাপের মুখে বাধ্য হয়ে এডামকে হোয়াইট হাউসে ডেকে রাষ্ট্রপতির সর্বোচ্চ সম্মাননা মেডেল প্রদান করেন এবং এডামকে অবসরে যাওয়ার অনুরোধ করেন। একজন দেশপ্রেমিক নাগরিক হিসেবে প্রেসিডেন্টের এই অনুরোধ এডাম মেনে নেন। সেই সময়কার বর্ণবাদ পরিস্থিতি ব্লু মার্ভেল ভালোই বুঝতে পেরেছিলেন।
এদিকে আইরন ম্যান অ্যান্টি ম্যানকে থামানোর জন্যে এডামের বাসস্থানে গিয়ে পৌঁছান এবং তাঁর স্ত্রীকে অনুরোধ করেন সুপার হিরো স্ট্যাটাসে এডামকে ফিরিয়ে আনার জন্যে। মজার ব্যাপার হলো ব্লু মার্ভেলের স্ত্রীও একজন সরকারি এজেন্ট যার উপর দ্বায়িত্ব ছিলো এডামকে চোখে চোখে রাখা। ব্লু মার্ভেলের কাছে এই ব্যাপারটি সম্পূর্ণ অজানা ছিলো। যদিও একসময় ঐ চোখে রাখার প্রজেক্ট বন্ধ হয়ে যায় এবং তাঁর স্ত্রী প্রকৃত ভালোবাসার টানে এডামের সাথে সংসার করে যান। অসাধারণ ব্যক্তিত্বসম্পন্ন এবং নীতিবোধ দ্বারা আবদ্ধ ব্লু মার্ভেল এই অপ্রিয় সত্য জানার পর কি আইরন ম্যানকে সাহায্য করবেন? নাকি অ্যান্টি ম্যান পৃথিবীর আবহাওয়াকে অ্যান্টি ম্যাটার দ্বারা ধ্বংস করে দিবেন?
৫ পর্বের এই কমিক বইয়ের স্টোরিলাইন আমার পড়া অন্যতম সেরা। বর্তমানে বর্ণবাদ দ্বারা বিষাক্ত পৃথিবীতে এই কমিক্সের গল্প খুবই সময়োপযোগী। সকল বর্ণের কমিক্স অনুরাগীরা এই কমিক বইয়ের গল্প পড়ে সঠিক দিকনির্দেশনা পাবেন।
May 15, 2020
Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel was a miniseries I thought had an excellent premise. Set during the Civil Rights era a well-known superhero known as the Blue Marvel faces off against an incredibly powerful foe. He barely manages to win, and in the process the full face mask he wore is ripped up, revealing not only his face to the world, but that he was black. The government, fearing what could happen if word of an impossibly powerful black man got out, asks Adam to step down as a hero, and during a mission soon after he flies off into space and fakes his own death so the Blue Marvel is no longer something for people to fear during times of societal upheaval.
When I read the summary I was under the impression that would cover all four issues and deal with him unsure if he should do as ordered or not, but all of that takes place within the first issue alone. In the modern times the villain that Blue Marvel seemingly defeated all those years ago returns, and overpowers the Avengers so aid has to be called in.
The story focuses on Adam's backstory, what he did during the years inbetween these two major events, and what it was like for him to be a superhuman in hiding during a time where simply being in public with his very white wife could get people to assault him. It does some decent dives into racial politics of the time, including one very revealing conversation where Hank Pym says the equivalent of "Racism isn't a thing anymore, so get over it." While it is good for the most part there are a few iffy bits as well, such as the US Government totally being on the side of giving African Americans all the rights they deserved, which was their reason for not wanting Blue Marvel to be around and scaring people while they worked on that.
Adam Brashear himself is a great character and I really liked his backstory a lot. Despite the few embarrassing details there's also clearly a lot of thought put into what it would have been like to be him, and I appreciated that sort of attention to detail. Not the strongest book on the subject by any stretch of the imagination, but an interesting enough read to recommend if you think the premise sounds interesting.
When I read the summary I was under the impression that would cover all four issues and deal with him unsure if he should do as ordered or not, but all of that takes place within the first issue alone. In the modern times the villain that Blue Marvel seemingly defeated all those years ago returns, and overpowers the Avengers so aid has to be called in.
The story focuses on Adam's backstory, what he did during the years inbetween these two major events, and what it was like for him to be a superhuman in hiding during a time where simply being in public with his very white wife could get people to assault him. It does some decent dives into racial politics of the time, including one very revealing conversation where Hank Pym says the equivalent of "Racism isn't a thing anymore, so get over it." While it is good for the most part there are a few iffy bits as well, such as the US Government totally being on the side of giving African Americans all the rights they deserved, which was their reason for not wanting Blue Marvel to be around and scaring people while they worked on that.
Adam Brashear himself is a great character and I really liked his backstory a lot. Despite the few embarrassing details there's also clearly a lot of thought put into what it would have been like to be him, and I appreciated that sort of attention to detail. Not the strongest book on the subject by any stretch of the imagination, but an interesting enough read to recommend if you think the premise sounds interesting.
July 28, 2021
The bits in the past work better than those in the present. It’s an interesting thought experiment to ask what a liberal US Government would have done if, in the middle of the civil rights protests, America’s foremost hero had turned out to be a black man, and the book explores it well. The present day sequences are far less successful, descending into the sort of “proclaiming while punching” sequences that we’re all very bored of (and which don’t actually make sense). There are enough good bits to make me think Marvel could make a decent adaptation out of them, but the book itself is a more qualified success.
February 27, 2024
Blue Marevl: Solid but predictable.
A solid and enjoyable origin story for a black superhero, Blue Marvel. The story does a good job dealing with tough racial conversations such as how would the world react if a cosmic being who had the power to level buildings was a black man in 1960s USA. We also get a chance to see some familiar faces and the avengers from the likes of Iron Man, Mr. fantastic, She Hulk, and Sentry to name a few. When all seems dire when an unstoppable, villain comes to earth, the avengers called upon an unfamiliar character to aid them through their battle.
A solid and enjoyable origin story for a black superhero, Blue Marvel. The story does a good job dealing with tough racial conversations such as how would the world react if a cosmic being who had the power to level buildings was a black man in 1960s USA. We also get a chance to see some familiar faces and the avengers from the likes of Iron Man, Mr. fantastic, She Hulk, and Sentry to name a few. When all seems dire when an unstoppable, villain comes to earth, the avengers called upon an unfamiliar character to aid them through their battle.
June 10, 2021
I really wanted to like this, but the writing is often rough, the story often sloppy, the internal chronology inconsistent, and the choice to fridge a female character for no good purpose infuriating. There’s a good tale at the heart of this: the legacy of race hatred and its persistence over time, and how that endangers a nation, with a side story of how allies, empowered, can become radical enough to be an even bigger menace than what they’re fighting.
Hilarious to see Tony Stark, during the Civil War mess, being accused of being a bleeding heart liberal.
Hilarious to see Tony Stark, during the Civil War mess, being accused of being a bleeding heart liberal.
November 28, 2021
Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel issues #1-5
I believe that I first encountered the character of Adam Brashear in Al Ewing's "Mighty Avengers" run from 2013. I was immediately interested in the character, and I enjoyed learning more about him in Ewing's run on "The Ultimates." This collection gives the explanation to where Blue Marvel had been during his quiet years, and the reason why he wasn't an active hero during that time. I found this to be a meaningful read, and I'm looking forward to tracking down more of Blue Marvel's comic book appearances.
I believe that I first encountered the character of Adam Brashear in Al Ewing's "Mighty Avengers" run from 2013. I was immediately interested in the character, and I enjoyed learning more about him in Ewing's run on "The Ultimates." This collection gives the explanation to where Blue Marvel had been during his quiet years, and the reason why he wasn't an active hero during that time. I found this to be a meaningful read, and I'm looking forward to tracking down more of Blue Marvel's comic book appearances.
January 18, 2022
SO many missed opportunities for what could have been an amazing tale. Everything in this story that takes place in the present was bad. Everything that took place in the past was very good. I wished Grevioux would have had the story focus solely on a black hero in the '60s and then him disappearing and reappearing now. Editorially there was a bunch of wonky stuff as well (Candace's age & Wonder Man's costume changes). The antagonist was comically over-powered. Overall, so much to like but more to dislike.
February 27, 2023
Blue Marvel's history is a lot more interesting than the comic that explores it, as it turns out. There are so many solid ideas here that the book just does nothing with, and on top of that it is just a mess of some of the worst tropes that plagues comics of this era. Even from like a basic storytelling POV it can't get it right, with things being either told-not-shown or shown in cartoonish fashion that just gets kind of eye-rolling after a while. The end results is something that is so much less than the sum of its parts and a massive disappointment.
September 29, 2018
Fun.
I feel this monster retcon origin is a move that is made a lot. You can even see it with the Sentry in this book. But when it works, it works.
The racial politics alternate between too simple and rather complicated here. I'd be interested in hearing from the author how much of the complication was intentional.
Great design (except everyone seems to have agreed to drop the Dr. Fate style mask.)
I feel this monster retcon origin is a move that is made a lot. You can even see it with the Sentry in this book. But when it works, it works.
The racial politics alternate between too simple and rather complicated here. I'd be interested in hearing from the author how much of the complication was intentional.
Great design (except everyone seems to have agreed to drop the Dr. Fate style mask.)
January 16, 2020
This was a very interesting story dealing with the idea of a super powered individual in the 1960s..that happened to be black. It's a very realistic story in the regards of race relations in the 60s, even if much of the story is traditional super hero fare. This is somewhat of a sleeper book and that's a shame as this is a much more relevant story than you see in comics for the most part. The art didn't quite live up to the story, but it was okay. Overall I was pleasantly surprised.
February 18, 2018
I thought the story was well thought out and great for a new idea .thank you Gregory
I give the story an eight an it's great to see a superman level black character .I hope to see more of this character.
I give the story an eight an it's great to see a superman level black character .I hope to see more of this character.
August 9, 2020
Like really it’s 2.5. The stuff that’s directly dealing with race and the lead’s experiences as a Black man are well-done, but the art’s fairly lousy and any of the superheroic side of the writing is pretty bad.
July 21, 2023
A really good introduction to the character of Adam the Blue Marvel, with a lot of important commentary on race and racism throughout the decades.
TW for racism from the '50s onwards, 50's-era racist language towards Black people, violence, mentions of genocide, death, grief, murder.
TW for racism from the '50s onwards, 50's-era racist language towards Black people, violence, mentions of genocide, death, grief, murder.
November 22, 2016
A strong and intriguing first half let down by cliche, inconsistent art and narrative that preached more than told story in the final parts.
March 21, 2018
Loved this, and what a relevant story.
September 9, 2018
Should have read this a long time ago
What a deeply moving story. Adam Brasher is the man. With the Ultimates gone he needs his own book. Fantastic
What a deeply moving story. Adam Brasher is the man. With the Ultimates gone he needs his own book. Fantastic
September 14, 2018
Phenomenal Story
This was gifted to me by a friend from work after he realized I had never heard of Blue Marvel or Anti Man. This was thoroughly enjoyable!
This was gifted to me by a friend from work after he realized I had never heard of Blue Marvel or Anti Man. This was thoroughly enjoyable!
June 18, 2020
I'm floored.
I should have read this book a long time ago. It's immensely important now; more than its ever been. Please do yourself a favor and read it.
I should have read this book a long time ago. It's immensely important now; more than its ever been. Please do yourself a favor and read it.
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