Manhunter

by Archie Goodwin

When former big-game hunter and intelligence officer Paul Kirk was trampled by an elephant in the African outback, it seemed as if the legendary adventurer's life had come to a poetic close. But when a fanatical organization called the Council repaired and altered Kirk, he began a new chapter in his existence. In the international conspiracy adventure MANHUNTER: THE SPECIAL EDITION, Kirk breaks free of the Council's confines and vows to destroy their evil organization. Enhanced with greater reflexes and a miraculous healing factor, the Manhunter is joined by a female Interpol agent and Batman as he sets out on his mission to destroy his Council-serving clones and thwart their plot of world domination.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Comic Book, Superheroes, Batman, Adventure

104 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1974

About the author

Archie Goodwin was an American comic book writer, editor, and artist. He worked on a number of comic strips in addition to comic books, and is best known for his Warren and Marvel Comics work. For Warren he was chief writer and editor of landmark horror anthology titles Creepy and Eerie, and for Marvel he set up the creator-owned Epic Comics as well as adapting Star Wars into both comics and newspaper strips. He is regularly cited as the "best-loved comic book editor, ever."

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the early ‘70’s, writer Archie Goodwin and artist Walt Simonson were looking for a back-up story for the Batman books and they came up with the Manhunter. Manhunter, aka Paul Kirk, was a superhero back during World War II…



…was killed, cryo-frozen by a group called The Council, cloned (back when it was cool), given self-healing abilities, equipped with weaponry and a cool disco outfit…



…and sent on a kill mission. Manhunter balked at the senseless task and was now not only in The Council’s crosshairs but also had to fight off an army of clones – of himself.



He picks up a team along the way that includes, Interpol agent Christine St. Clair, a martial arts dude, a gun-running dude and the Batman.



The limited series ran for eight issues, with the culmination of the story published under the Batman title.



Manhunter and Batman don’t see eye-to-eye on the best way to resolve crime.



Did Manhunter just out-bad ass Batman?

Yes. Yes, he did.

Manhunter won some awards back in the day and Goodwin and Simonson are credited with advancing the art of comic book storytelling just a bit.







Goodwin and Simonson wanted to revive the title, but Goodwin passed away. Simonson created a tribute issue, sans dialogue as a testament to his time spent collaborating with Goodwin. It’s included in this volume.



Bottom line: I generally don’t go out on a limb with recommending Silver Age comics, but this one is worth checking out. My copy is the one with the shiny, gold cover. Ooh, shiny.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a hunting accident, the Council revived Paul Kirk and made him their assassin. But Manhunter has other ideas and the Council must be stopped!

I remembered Manhunter's entry in Who's Who back in the day. The Manhunter story is an award winner and I finally stumbled across a copy at a comic convention. The hunt is on!

Manhunter is almost the opposite of today's comic. Told in eight page morsels in the back of Detective Comics, Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson cram everything they can into every page. Instead of the typical six panel grid, Simonson goes for twelve to fifteen panels per page.

The backstory is told in flashbacks as Manhunter and Christine St. Clair find their way to The Council's headquarters. With a certain Dark Knight Detective in tow, Manhunter meets his makers and the story comes to an explosive climax.

This is an early Simonson effort but the magic is apparent already. In the foreword, Archie Goodwin said he and Simonson attacked the comic Marvel style, with Archie providing a slim plot to Simonson and filling in the dialogue once Simonson finished the art. The resulting product feels more like a Marvel book than a DC one.

The fact that Detective Comics was suffering from low sales at the time gave Goodwin and Simonson a lot of freedom. That, and the fact that Manhunter hadn't been seen in thirty years at that point and was a pretty obscure character to begin with, gave them a unique opportunity. To top it off, Archie got a job at Warren comics and DC let him finish off the series the way he wanted to. The stars were aligned just right when Manhunter was created.

Manhunter is an interesting piece of comics history and a sharp contrast to today's decompressed comics. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1973, Archie Goodwin teamed up with new artist Walt Simonson on a groundbreaking story told in the 8-page backup stories of Detective Comics. Manhunter was an old hero given new life by the Council, a group of the world's smartest men secretly attempting to take over the world for mankind's own good. When Manhunter finds out, he works to bring down the Council even teaming up with Batman. There's some interesting storytelling and inventive panel work going on this. It's a great, short read that can be read in one sitting.

[Bob Fish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I show and talk about the fabulous IDW Artist's Edition here:
https://youtu.be/PelKE-4fZug

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts with a 5 page foreword from the author and it ends with a one page afterword from the illustrator. So, this becomes a book which tells us two stories, one of Paul Kirk, the Manhunter, and the second of his creators duo and how they wrote the series.
I personally found both of these stories truly fascinating.

The book was written as something akin to filler for Detective comics with only 8 pages dedicated to it each week, but it manages to tell such a beautiful story. Oh and the art! It is so beautiful. I fell in love with the colors. And to imagine that it is nearly 50 years old!

I'm going to recommend this story to many people and I'm sure I'll reread it someday.

P.S.: I can bet that the Three Blind Archers from Samurai Jack was inspired by this. Just imagine! Even the side characters in this 'side story' were good enough to act as inspiration for future works.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is sort of a hidden gem nowadays, even though it was very popular back in the early 70s when it was first released. This story was told as back ups in Detective Comics before finally having a grand finale full length Batman team up. The art from Simonson was very good, and I think even though this artwork isn't as polished as some of his later work, the rawness may make it even better.

The story is based on the Golden Age Manhunter from Simon and Kirby, but I'm not familiar with that character. The original Manhunter, Paul Kirk, is though to be dead, but instead has been cryogenically frozen by a "Council" set to control the world. They cloned Paul Kirk to create an army to help them, but the real Paul Kirk isn't down with the plot to control the world so he sets out to stop the council.

Great adventure series that seems a little ahead of its time considering it came out in 1973.

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolute gem.

Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson's seven little 8-pages back up pieces for Detective Comics in 1973 and 1974 (#437–443) have come to be regarded as classics, and rightfully so. This collection also includes a foreword by Goodwin for an earlier collection, an afterword by Simonson for this one and "The Final Chapter" which the two co-plotted, but which Simonson never got around to drawing until after Goodwin's passing (and consequently, Simonson eventually did draw but left it as a silent comic as an homage to Goodwin).

In short, it is a type of spy/thriller fiction, secret organisations, assassins and eventually guest appearances by Batman. Most notable, perhaps, for Simonson's wonderful way of managing to pack the pages with an abundance of panels, yet never making the pages feel too crowded or heavy on the eye, this is one of those comics that I simply cannot recommend enough, really.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story then and now. Simonson's art is stellar as usual. Goodwin's story and plot is to the point and action packed. This is a timeless work of art.

[Blindzider · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time reading this material, I was very surprised and pleased at it! Written in the early 70's, it has a bit of that early James Bond feel to it, spanning the globe, sinister organization, advanced science and also some martial arts which was still just spreading into the US. It also uses nonlinear storytelling, jumping back and forth through time, and not always from the perspective of the hero. Walt Simonson draws some incredible action sequences and utilizes creative panel layouts. This is early in his career and isn't quite the distinctive style it would later become but still fantastic. My only complaint would be the extremely bulky weapons carriers that were designed around Manhunter's lower legs.

It's a very special book. Both the forwards and afterwards are worth reading too, the first being written by the late Archie Goodwin and the latter by Walt Simonson.

[Ekenedilichukwu Ikegwuani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent. Interesting story, but it feels very rushed. Could've benefited by being a little more spread out

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This just might be the original mini-series from DC. Manhunter from Archie Goodwin ran as a back up in six issues of Detective Comics in 1973 and moved to the front to team up with Batman for the 7th and final installment.

First of all, the Simonson artwork is great in the oversized presentation. I think this is the third time I have bought this book. Back in the 80’s, before trades were the cool things, DC reprinted this as a comic on nicer paper then the newsprint it was printed on in the 70’s. Then the trade from 1999 when they added the silent epilogue plotted by Archie Goodwin before he passed away. Then when this Deluxe hardcover on the oversized paper was announced, a put that copy up on eBay and preordered this. (Edit to add: forth time- it’s in another Batman collection I own as well). While his art is not as dynamic as it would be a decade later in Thor, this early work from him really shines in the this format.

This is a slight book. As I said, it was reprinted in the 80’s as one giant sized comic book. The added epilogue stretches that out some, but it’s still a book easily read in one sitting. And it’s a pretty enjoyable sitting.

[Nick Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of everything published about this 1970s cult character from Archie Goodwin and a debuting Walt Simonson, who each provide (reprinted) commentary to bookend the comics.

Yet another argument to be made in favour of the 1970s Detective Comics as being a premier title to redefine Batman.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this back when it was published (1999) and it sat in my library unread until a few weeks ago when I decided to give it a try (I have little free time of late and short daily bursts of leisure reading are all I can manage). It is a wonderful thing to pull a book from a shelf and discover hidden treasure (well, I knew the series had great acclaim, but still).

Manhunter was a seven-episode backup feature in the then-struggling Detective Comics back in the 1970s. This was back before corporate over-management, when editors and executives would allow creators to try new things on the fly and just tell a good story in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle and perhaps drawing in a few new readers.

And that's what this is: a (very) good story. It reminded me of the spark that drew me to comics as a young child and keeps them as an entertainment option for me to this day. Manhunter is a prime example of why comic books are an art form, and should serve as a reminder of the potential of the medium. The series has dynamic visuals (artist Walt Simonson), great characters and a riveting mystery plot (writer Archie Goodwin). It has a beginning, a middle and an end. It does not involve cross-overs, a vast knowledge of prior continuity and most importantly goes in the opposite direction of something that drove me away from new comics over a decade ago: decompressed storytelling. (Decompressed storytelling is where writers drag out stories and artists replicate panels in order to meet a certain page count suitable for making a trade paperback collection down the road). In fact, the plot twists, character development and suspense that Goodwin and Simonson managed to fit into installments of eight or nine pages is phenomenal...and proof that comics as a medium can deliver value for the reader's time and money.

Oh, the plot? Interpol agent Christine St. Clair is on the hunt for a man named Paul Kirk...a man long thought dead. Christine isn't the only one after Kirk, and Kirk is on a quest of his own. These searches intersect and reveal a sinister conspiracy of global proportion...

[Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ecco un bel personaggio DC di cui praticamente non sapevo nulla, se non che era apparso in appendice a Detective Comics. Disegnato da un giovane Simonson, a parte l'ultima storia che è una specie di epilogo spirituale di questa versione del personaggio, la storia è interessante e il personaggio ambiguo al punto giusto.
Avevo acquistato l'albo solo perché sono un fan di Walt Simonson, ma non sono rimasto affatto deluso. Archie Goodwin pure scriveva bene.
3 stelle e mezza.

[Christopher (Donut) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had reread this seminal collab in the Archie Goodwin Batman collection, and so did not need to buy a separate edition, but the price was right, and the series is a gem.

It absolutely holds up. It wears its indebtedness to Will Eisner on its (excessively flared) sleeve; but it is the way it lays the groundwork for Elektra, Wolverine, Sin City, the Ninja Turtles, and whatever else (Spider-woman?) that makes it so noteworthy.

[Mark Stratton · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are classics, and then there are Classics. Atypical of American Comic characters, this Manhunter story was started and told in 8 chapters. This was done in keeping with the premise of the character, and made logical sense. I'd not read it in many years, and it was still as enjoyable and in some ways as fresh today as it was in the early 70's.

Highly recommended

[HowardtheDuck95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those things you learn is a classic by osmosis. Manhunter is not a household superhero name. In fact, arguably the evil robots in Green Lantern based off the concept are better known. But this particular version of the character was the brainchild of two legendary comic creators, Archie Goodwin, writer and editor extraordinaire, and a then young and hungry artist Walt Simonson. This book is the comic equivalent of listening to a Yardbirds album. Really solid stuff, but the best is yet to come from everyone involved.

Let’s get the ugly out of the way first. It’s entrenched in now-problematic concepts such as orientalist tropes that were at the point in time of this work’s publication in the 70s s throwback to old pulp characters and a lean in to then current trends like the popularity of king fu movies. It’s not what I would call particularly egregious in these areas, mostly being the standard westerner in martial arts stuff, but it might cause some discomfort or consternation.

Now for the fun. The story may be old hat, but what makes it special is in how it’s told. It was originally published as 8 page backups in detective comics, so each chapter is short, punchy, and dense. They may be short in length on paper, but they never feel less than full stories. The first of which even won an award for it. Goodwin’s prose is snappy and pulpy, and Simonson’s art is loose (definitely shaggier than his later work) but full of energy and mood. In fact, I wonder if bad scans made it shaggier than it should be, like with some other recent collections of the era. The shadows are living and deep. This all comes together because as admitted in the intro, it was a more equal collaboration than most DC books. This was an experiment and it was one that on an artistic level (if not commercial) paid off.

The narrative devices connecting the stories also deserve mention. It’s connected through an Interpol agent’s chase for Manhunter, and from her perspective mostly. So we don’t necessarily see the interiority of Paul Kirk, which was novel in a time of thought bubbles and inner monologues. It being a visual medium however, allows for our storytellers to show us more than she sees, which adds a movie like layer of tension to it all.

All in all, dated as it may be, it’s well worth a look if you like either creator, or are interested in pulpy fun.

[Alex Sarll]

Archie Goodwin's detailed introduction compares his milestone of Bronze Age comics to Master Of Kung Fu, and while there's certainly something to that in the way both books drew on the 1970s fascination with martial arts at the same time as they began the great blurring of superhero comics' rigid morality, it also seems to miss a more obvious comparison. Paul Kirk is a Westerner with a training in Eastern martial arts, a man who wears a bright and flamboyant costume but who is more comfortable in the shadows and won't hesitate to kill. He has a backstory which involves lab experiments and cloning, and a power explicitly described as a healing factor. Sound like any Canadian mutants you can think of? Ones who made their debut in autumn 1974, not long after this series wrapped? I say 'series'; it was a back-up introduced in an effort to revive faltering sales on Detective Comics, though Goodwin admits he was soon spending more time on these eight-page strips than on the main story, and quite right too, because like any DC character apart from the Legion, Manhunter is far more interesting than that silly little rich boy with the half-arsed Shadow tribute act. Who does, alas, show up for the finale, but a) you can't have everything and b) at least he wasn't quite so annoying back then as he's since become. Besides, for all that I don't like the character, it's always interesting to see Walt Simonson's take on someone new. This was one of Simonson's first gigs, and key to making his name; the most surprising thing is that, despite the original Manhunter being a Kirby ko-kreation (with Joe Simon, just like the slightly more famous Captain America), the visuals here are way less Kirbyesque than Simonson's style would subsequently become, instead tending towards a sort of moody, cross-hatched noir not a million miles away from Hugo Pratt or photorealist newspaper strips. And of course with the amount of story being packed into so few pages, the panels tend to be small and clear, with scant room for the fabulous sound effects that would later become Simonson's trademark. No cosmic confrontations, either, just down and dirty killings and conspiracies, pulp action, and plenty of world-weary glances. A welcome if poignant reminder of just how good DC could be, back before they were reduced to a flailing IP farm for a less engaging remake of The Producers.

[Keith Bowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1973 Archie Goodwin (his real name!) was editor of DC Comics' Detective Comics series which featured The Batman. He decided to introduce a quirky story featuring a revival of a Golden Age character from DC's library, Paul Kirk: Manhunter. Originally a hunter, he became a superhero when revised by the legendary team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

The new story featured intrigue, an underground cabal, and a dash of science fiction. Relative newcomer Walter Simonson was brought in to illustrate and the series debuted in Detective Comics #337 as the backup feature to the main Batman story.

With the next issue, Detective Comics expanded from a regular 36-page comic (including covers) to a 100-Page Super-Spectacular, filled with reprints from the '40s, '50s, and '60s to round out the issues with new Batman and Manhunter stories.

Manhunter was a serialized single story, with a touch of James Bond but in a costume. It continued through #442 and then in #443 the feature merged with the main Batman story to give a longer final chapter that wrapped up the experimental story.

Widely, and deservedly, praised, the story stands as one of the pinnacles of both men's careers. Walt Simonson experimented with his early style and packed great detail and much story into every page.

It's been collected before. But this is the first stand-alone collection of the saga in hardcover, and has the best quality of reproduction and color that has been seen to date.

For completeness, it includes all the text features from previous collections as well as the textless final story plotted prior to Archie's death but never scripted. Walt illustrated it to stand on its own with Archie's story and his art, not intruding on Archie's domain as writer for the series. Walt has become reveared as a writer in his own right over the years, and this made for a beautiful tribute to Goodwin on top of being an excellent story.

Highly recommended.

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim hardbound volume—published in 2020—collects all the Manhunter stories from Detective Comics in the mid-1970s. Writer Archie Goodwin had been in comics for close to 15 years, starting at Warren Publications with Creepy and Eerie, but artist Walter Simonson was a relative newcomer. These short 8-page stories appeared mostly in the $1.00-100 page issues of Detective (#s 437-443), which also included new Batman stories and scads of reprints, and are a lot of fun to read. I kind of prefer Simonson’s early work from this era; there was a lot more texture in it, but he immediately displayed the imaginative page layouts he later became famous for in books like Fantastic Four and Thor at Marvel. The story is a little muddled at times, involving the return of a Simon & Kirby character from the 1940s as a clone, fighting an evil organization intent on taking over the world (aren't they all?). Eventually, Batman shows up (it’s his book after all), and we see Simonson’s first take on the Dark Knight, which—to me, at least—is surprisingly reminiscent of Marshall Rogers, even though that artist wouldn’t tackle the Bat for another three years. This is a beautiful little collection though, with a great price—$17.99—if you can find a new copy. Lucky me found a new copy at a local comic shops half-price sale!

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was obsessed with comics when this series appeared in Detective Comics and it was so different at the time. Simonson's early artwork filled the page so much but was so readable. Goodwin's writing, as usual, was clear and absorbing. And this gathering of the 7 episodes just reiterates what a great storyteller we lost when Archie Goodwin died. This version of the book includes the 'silent' version of an eighth episode that Goodwin and Simonson drew up together but got put on the back burner until after Archie had died. Walt Simonson does a great job of extending the myth but not ruining the finale in episode #8
Still a riveting read after all these years

[***Dave Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short-lived backup feature in Detective Comics in the mid-70s, Manhunter was both an excellent tale by Archie Goodwin, but a breakout debut for Walt Simonson on art, netting both of them awards from the Academy of Comic Book Arts. This volume collects the odd blend of four-color hero + noir + adventure series, including its full-length conclusion and a not-before-published denouement story, published after Goodwin's sadly premature death.

I remember being fascinated by the intricate but vibrant art from the single comic I had as a kid that included this backup. The collection is one I've read multiple times, and always enjoyed.

[Clint · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Simonson’s art is the best part of this, with adventurous layouts on most pages and action scenes that feel iconic on first sight. The coloring is interesting; I’m generally not a fan of the coloring in older comics and I didn’t love it here but it’s still better than most. Goodwin’s plotting is very 70s, focused on the titular antihero trained in “ninjitsu, the Japanese spy art which involves mastery of almost all other martial arts” as he takes on a global secret society with nefarious genetic engineering schemes, globetrotting mostly through Asia and North Africa. The story has some neat genre moments and it ends well, but its tropes feel more dated than classic.

[Tony Laplume · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic from the early ‘70s that defined/launched several legendary careers, I was lucky enough recently to find collected in a 1984 reprint comic. “Manhunter” has been the name of many characters at DC over the years, and yet the Paul Kirk version is the one most closely associated with legendary status. The nature of its installment storytelling means it’s incredibly streamlined, and so one can only imagine if the results would be greater if, say, it had come along in the ‘80s era, or presented as a graphic novel. What’s indisputable is that this work led to what followed, and deserves celebrating for it.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Competent 70's/80's action fare. The story doesn't have much more depth than an episode of the A Team, but it's elevated by Walt Simonson's singular and stunning artwork, and I do appreciate the chutzpah of killing off the protagonist at the end and leaving his sacrifice in place instead of retconning it away or leaving the possibility of his survival open. The TPB format shows off the full beauty of the art in the way that the cheap newsprint of the 70's comics failed to do and the new, largely silent epilogue is a magnificent piece of storytelling.

[Vincent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure why this is as famous as it is. I personally don't like the plot background of Paul Kirk fighting an organisation of Paul Kirk clones; it just seems unecessary when a secret organisation devoted to "fixing" the world already exists. I think the reason Goodwin did this is to make killing the clones less like killing many people, but it doesn't work for me as I view the clones as being full human beings just like anybody else.

The costume and weapons are also ridiculous to me.

For this kind of story, I'd much rather read Modesty Blaise or maybe Steranko SHIELD.

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1973-74, Archie Goodwin and Walter Simonson revived the 1940s character Manhunter, as a backup strip in Detective Comics (which was an anthology title at the time). The story involves international conspiracies and a lot of martial arts fighting, finally reaching an ultimate conclusion in a longer story which crosses over with the Batman. The tale suffers a bit from Orientalism, which has aged badly, but is a deftly told adventure and well worth reading. This volume comes with a new story, plotted by Goodwin and drawn by Simonson.

[Andrew Ives · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty decent collection of 8-page short stories that join together, standing well individually or collectively, with rather densely-packed writing and artowrk. This is followed by a longer Batman collaboration that feels like Batman was 'added in' for no particularly discernible reason. Lastly, a 'silent' story by Simonson after Goodwin's death. Alas, this is rather slight, albeit poignant. On the whole, not a bad book at all, but rather hectic and not especially Batman-like. I don't think clones have the same fingerprints either. 3.75/5

[Dylan Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Classic Story

Even though it was printed as a back up story With only 8 pages per chapter, Archie goodwin and Walt simonson Created a really good spy mystery, even though it was originally printed from 1973-1974 It doesnt feel as dated as other books from that Era, The art by simonson was absolutely fantastic and made it a joy to get through with the fact that it was at the very start of his career in comics even more inpressive, I also like that fact DC hasnt brought back the original paul kirk Which keeps the impact the ending of the book has.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unconventional revival of a minor Golden Age character. Manhunter ran as an eight page backup in Detective Comics back when comics still did such things, from 1973-1974. All chapters are written and drawn by then rising stars Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson. The Wikipedia article neglects to tell you that the creators won awards in both years of the original run. I missed the original outing with my comics budget focused on Marvel at the time. Great story, great visuals, action in each chapter. This reprint is well worth a look at your favorite comic shop or your local library.