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Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans #2
Marvel Masterworks: The Inhumans, Vol. 2
Collects Inhumans #1-12, Captain Marvel #52-53, Fantastic Four Annual #12, Marvel Fanfare #14, What If…? #29-30 & Thor Annual #12
308 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2010
11 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Doug Moench
2,075 books123 followersDoug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok. Moench has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics and many other smaller companies; he has written hundreds of issues of many different comics, and created dozens of characters, such as Moon Knight. In 1973, Moench became the de facto lead writer for the Marvel black-and-white magazine imprint Curtis Magazines. He contributed to the entire runs of Planet of the Apes, Rampaging Hulk (continuing on the title when it changed its name to The Hulk!) and Doc Savage, while also serving as a regular scribe for virtually every other Curtis title during the course of the imprint's existence. Moench is perhaps best known for his work on Batman, whose title he wrote from 1983–1986 and then again from 1992–1998. (He also wrote the companion title Detective Comics from 1983–1986.)
Moench is a frequent and longtime collaborator with comics artist Paul Gulacy. The pair are probably best known for their work on Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu, which they worked on together from 1974–1977. They also co-created Six from Sirius, Slash Maraud, and S.C.I. Spy, and have worked together on comics projects featuring Batman, Conan the Barbarian and James Bond.
Moench has frequently been paired with the artist and inker team of Kelley Jones and John Beatty on several Elseworlds Graphic Novels and a long run of the monthly Batman comic.
Moench is a frequent and longtime collaborator with comics artist Paul Gulacy. The pair are probably best known for their work on Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu, which they worked on together from 1974–1977. They also co-created Six from Sirius, Slash Maraud, and S.C.I. Spy, and have worked together on comics projects featuring Batman, Conan the Barbarian and James Bond.
Moench has frequently been paired with the artist and inker team of Kelley Jones and John Beatty on several Elseworlds Graphic Novels and a long run of the monthly Batman comic.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 4, 2018
I was always a big Fan of the Inhumans. Marvel never seemed to be able to find them a secure place in their comic universe. They appear and disappear in various plots and stories and are always interesting characters. Nice collection. Recommended
October 26, 2025
2.2 stars
October 21, 2017
This is an okay read. I wouldn't call it a "Masterwork" by any measure, but if you enjoy sci-fi superhero comics with a 1970s flavor then you'll certainly enjoy it. My main criticism of the story would be the one dimensional characters, who were very difficult to get interested in.
May 29, 2017
The 1975's Inhumans series started with a bang. But too soon the book lost George Perez and then, in need of trying something new, Dough Moench sent the Royal Family into some sort of space opera trip. Nothing wrong with some science fiction... only as long the story is good.
From there, it went downhill and it led into an early cancellation by issue 12.
I'm glad the loose ends got tied up somewhere else. But, frankly, I found the whole thing dull.
I guess it would take the Inhumans some years to get a story they deserve.
From there, it went downhill and it led into an early cancellation by issue 12.
I'm glad the loose ends got tied up somewhere else. But, frankly, I found the whole thing dull.
I guess it would take the Inhumans some years to get a story they deserve.
November 18, 2021
Collection of the 1975-77 one year series by Doug Moench and pencils by Perez, Kane and Pollard. Also, several other brief appearances alongside Captain Mar-Vell, Hulk and FF. What was most memorable to me was the cover of issue #8, an all time classic. But the Shatterstar, Phae-Dor, Thraxon, etc pantheon of villains were one dimensional and forgettable, nor did the series forward the story arc and advance the characters much at all. Still, contains a Bronze Age snapshot of favorite characters.
September 5, 2017
Due to my limited budget as a teenager, I missed all but one of the Inhumans' 12-issue series in the mid-1970's. Glad to read these stories after all these years. Also great to see some early work by George Pérez, as well as work by Gil Kane, Keith Pollard and others.
November 18, 2017
Marvel’s first Inhumans series, reprinted in MARVEL MASTERWORKS: VOLUME 1, was short lived. A short four years later, in 1975, Marvel tried again, and this new series lasted a full two issues longer than the previous one. Dangling plot threads were wrapped up in two issues of CAPTAIN MARVEL and in FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #12. Take all that and a few later short stories from WHAT IF?, THOR ANNUAL and MARVEL FANFARE, and we have this nice, hefty Marvel Masterworks volume.
It is arguable whether the second Inhumans series is better than the first. Like the first, it’s enjoyable, but I wouldn’t call it essential to anyone’s Marvel collection. The quality is more consistent than the first, I’d say, if only because the same writer – Doug Moench – stayed for the entire series. He introduces a series-long arc about the alien Kree planning to enslave the Inhumans and within this, he tells smaller stories with a strong science fiction flavor.
I recall Moench as a polished, largely story-driven (as opposed to character-driven) writer, and that’s evident here as well. The stories are enjoyable and often engaging, but if I have a criticism, it’s that the Inhumans themselves could have used more personality. Black Bolt stands out as the “wise but silent” leader, but since he can’t speak, and readers aren’t privy to his thoughts, it’s relatively difficult to identify with him. The other Inhumans are colorful and fun but could have used more development. Gorgon is defined by his gruffness; Medusa by her loyalty to Black Bolt. Karnak and Triton are largely cyphers, and when we later learn that Karnak has an inferiority complex, it feels like a tacked-on trait. Still…if you like the Inhumans, as I do, then you’ll enjoy the stories, as Moench takes our heroes from the Great Refuge to New York City to outer space and then back to New York. Moench is not credited in the Captain Marvel and Fantastic Four stories that wrap up his remaining plot threads, but despite this, I found the transition relatively (if not completely) seamless.
The art isn’t as consistent as the writing, but comic art enthusiasts will be happy to discover work by then-rookies George Perez and Keith Pollard and a veteran Gil Kane. All three worked on the series with Moench, and all three “delivered the goods.” The art on the post-series material is more uneven, but even there, there are highlights (Fan favorite inker Terry Austin, for example, does a great job polishing up Al Milgrom’s penciling.).
Objectively, I can’t say that this volume is a must-have. More subjectively, I’ll confess that I had a ball reading it.
It is arguable whether the second Inhumans series is better than the first. Like the first, it’s enjoyable, but I wouldn’t call it essential to anyone’s Marvel collection. The quality is more consistent than the first, I’d say, if only because the same writer – Doug Moench – stayed for the entire series. He introduces a series-long arc about the alien Kree planning to enslave the Inhumans and within this, he tells smaller stories with a strong science fiction flavor.
I recall Moench as a polished, largely story-driven (as opposed to character-driven) writer, and that’s evident here as well. The stories are enjoyable and often engaging, but if I have a criticism, it’s that the Inhumans themselves could have used more personality. Black Bolt stands out as the “wise but silent” leader, but since he can’t speak, and readers aren’t privy to his thoughts, it’s relatively difficult to identify with him. The other Inhumans are colorful and fun but could have used more development. Gorgon is defined by his gruffness; Medusa by her loyalty to Black Bolt. Karnak and Triton are largely cyphers, and when we later learn that Karnak has an inferiority complex, it feels like a tacked-on trait. Still…if you like the Inhumans, as I do, then you’ll enjoy the stories, as Moench takes our heroes from the Great Refuge to New York City to outer space and then back to New York. Moench is not credited in the Captain Marvel and Fantastic Four stories that wrap up his remaining plot threads, but despite this, I found the transition relatively (if not completely) seamless.
The art isn’t as consistent as the writing, but comic art enthusiasts will be happy to discover work by then-rookies George Perez and Keith Pollard and a veteran Gil Kane. All three worked on the series with Moench, and all three “delivered the goods.” The art on the post-series material is more uneven, but even there, there are highlights (Fan favorite inker Terry Austin, for example, does a great job polishing up Al Milgrom’s penciling.).
Objectively, I can’t say that this volume is a must-have. More subjectively, I’ll confess that I had a ball reading it.
February 11, 2014
While this volume doesn't contain anything remotely resembling a Masterwork, this is a fairly good series of mid-seventies stories. It reads along the lines of "Marvel Cosmic-Lite" - somewhat expansive but lacking the verve of the Kree-Skrull War or Jim Starlin's Warlock saga.
Some good artwork by George Perez, Gil Kane and Keith Pollard. This also features some filler shorts from some What If issues and a Quicksilver tale from Marvel Fanfare (with art by Alan Weiss).
Some good artwork by George Perez, Gil Kane and Keith Pollard. This also features some filler shorts from some What If issues and a Quicksilver tale from Marvel Fanfare (with art by Alan Weiss).
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews