It’s always interesting when comic collectors of a certain age wax nostalgic about comics of their youth. Ever notice the comment, “Got that one off the rack!” when collectors post or comment about old comics? I wonder if today’s youth will be saying the same thing, with the same gusto, considering that today’s comics are still sold off…..racks.
So, yes, to my fading knowledge: I did get my first comics off the rack, at a drug store, even! That small collection of tattered, re-read, and beat-up comics from the mid-seventies are some of the most valuable in my collection. Not monetarily, but just to me. Detective Comics #463 (September 1976), featuring the “Socko Slugfest of ’76” (and the first appearance of the Black Spider); Avengers #160 (June 1977), “The Trial!” with an all star cast of Beast, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, the Vision as witnesses for the prosecution of
Wonder Man by his very own “brother” the Grim Reaper; Metal Men #46 (June 1976) with the elemental heroes battling WAR ROBOTS and CHEMO! These were the comics that caught my eye. It’s understandable…they had amazing covers. It wasn’t until later that I realized I was looking at (mostly, I was five, after all) and later READING the work of legends. Gerry Conway, Mike Grell, Jim Shooter, George Perez, Pablos Marcos, Gerry Conway, Dick Giordano, Walt Simonson. None of this mattered to kid me. I saw splashy pages and bright colors and a whole lot of punching! It was only much later I realized how I was witnessing established creators at the peak of their powers and the early work of artists who would reshape and change sequential art in major ways by the 1980s!
Flash forward to around 2010. This was before Cousin Mike had brought me up to work, and I had not read comics in quite some time. The newly formed Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) had comics in the popular news for the first time since the “Death of Superman” was in morning paper. This news came across the Internet: Marvel was making a Movie about … the Guardians of the Galaxy. To quote a certain chonky Instagram cat, “Huh?” People were asking, “Who the heck ARE the Guardians of the Galaxy?” My first thought was, the heroes of one of my first comic book?!?!? (Hey, I was behind the curve, unaware of Keith Giffen’s revitalization of the Guardians during Annihilation. And, I had forgotten about the 1990s reboot, beloved as it was.) Thankfully, I was wrong. Instead, we got the team James Gunn and Nicole Perlman so lovingly brought to the screen!
But, that won’t change my love for my first comic: Marvel Presents #5 (June 1976). The creative team was Steve Gerber with Al Milgrom providing the cover. Al Milgrom? But, for those who don’t appreciate Milgrom’s pencils, have you ever seen his breakdowns finished and inked by Howard Chaykin!!! This was space adventure pre-Star Wars! This was an in-your-face splashy cover of Charlie -27, Vance Astro, Yondu, and Nikki fighting their way out of a riot of aliens!
We join the story mid-stride! With their space ship stranded in orbit, the Guardians seek refuge on a nearby planet. There, they run-amok from one misadventure to another, all while trying to find the rare component that can get their ship running again! I believe the best comics are ones that remain true, despite their age. In this case, I think Marvel Presents #5 qualifies. Many times I have felt, as the Guardians did on the cover “trapped on the Planet of the ABSURD!” How does the story end, well, I’m not going to spoil it for you, but let’s just say allegory!
Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me. The great thing about the Guardians is that they’ve touched a lot of generations. In some ways, they’re like the sushi of comics…there’s a version of them that might appeal to everyone. If you like funky, allegorical 70s stories, check out Marvel Presents. Crosshatched, extreme Guardians? Read Valentino’s long running epic! Deep, dark space opera, go for Giffen’s Annihilation! Or, if you want the Guardians in a Firefly-esque Space Western, check out the current series! You can find it on the rack!