As Perfect as Comics Can Be

Spider-Man Classics #5 (Marvel, August 1993, $1.25)
"Nothing Can Stop the Sandman!" By: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Coloring: Andy Yanchus.

This comic reprints Amazing Spider-Man #4, a 29-page story that introduces the Sandman. After being frustrated by a handful of hoodlums who've "got larceny written all over you" but don't actually commit a crime, Spider-Man approaches a man climbing up a fire escape ladder—only to meet the Sandman. His mask torn in the scuffle, Peter Parker has to get away so he isn't recognized.



The Sandman robs a bank, and a news announcer recounts his origin on the TV news. On the run from the police, the villain hides in a nearby high school, where he again meets Spider-Man, who tricks and traps the criminal.

Lee and Ditko's early Spider-Man issues are about as perfect as comics can be. They've been reprinted widely over the years, and this series—while worth reading—is no better than the Marvel Tales reprints. Chris Marrinan contributed a new cover for the newsstand, and the original cover is reproduced after the story. The new cover doesn't make the comic any better, and the color-paper combination is not as strong as Marvel Tales.

Regardless, what a comic!

Accosted by Aliens

Pitt #1 (Image, January 1993, $1.95)
"Fight and Flight!" Pencils and inks: Dale Keown, Writer: Brian Hotton, Letterer: Chance Wolf, Colorist: Joe Chiodo.

The Detroit chapter of the Vipers motorcycle gang are "makin' the rounds" when they encounter a broad-shouldered mysterious figure who ends up having glowing red eyes, claws—and the ability to toss around motorcycles and take a blast from a shotgun. This, it seems, is Pitt.

Meanwhile, a young boy in Connecticut wakes from a nightmare. Police officers are investigating a superhuman they think might be a "Youngblood," examining a train car damaged in a fight—when they are accosted by aliens.



Having just come off working on The Incredible Hulk with Peter David before joining Image, Keown's book is a little heavy on the Hulk-style character design and action, but the alien assassin plot line seems promising, if underdeveloped in this first issue. (Who is the Seer? What are the Creed?)

Hotton's writing works well with Keown's art, and the issue is capped by a couple of pinups, including one by Sam Kieth.



Read Also: Youngblood #4.

Availability: This issue was collected in Correspondence of William Pitt Volume 1. You can check out Keown's start on the Hulk in Incredible Hulk Visionaries - Peter David, Vol. 5.

This issue comes from the Henry's Green Cape collection of comics. Thank you for your donation!

A Multi-Team X-Book?

Cyberforce #2 (Image, March 1993, $1.95)
"The Tin Men of War, Part Two": Pencils/inks: Marc Silvestri, Script: Eric Serge Silvestri, Colors: Joe Chiodo, Letters: Mike Heisler, Color Separator: Olyoptics, Editor: Cynthia Sullivan.

Bounty hunters (including Ballistic and Killjoy) threaten Velocity's wellbeing just before Cyberforce arrives to rescue her, and the two groups clash. During the combat, Stryker finds two lost children, Chip and Timmie. There are a couple of false endings to the battle—Stryker getting the drop on Ballistic, then Megawatt on Stryker, and then Heatwave snatching Velocity—but in the end, Cyberforce is not defeated.



They decide to relocate Cyber-Tek's Advanced Robotics Division given the attack, and readers—who perhaps haven't read #1—learn that Timmie is an android. "A truly intelligent machine like Timmie couldn't function without [feelings]." Meanwhile, having obtained two small computer disks, Splitzkrieg, Wyldfyre, and Slam pretty much bump into Velocity and Timmie at the grocery store—deciding to kidnap them. "You never know when we might need some hostages."

Not having read #1, this issue is mostly an exercise in learning the characters for me. Who are these people? What the heck are they doing? Having come off of Wolverine to join Image, Silvestri's art is very similar to what one might expect from an X-Men book, and the series largely feels like a multi-team X-book. At least so far. Silvestri's art does please with several one- to three-panel pages and two-page spreads, and it's neat to see so many large-scale panels.

Notable and worth reading because of Image's history and evolution over time. There's also a four-page letter column that features fan art. They even offer fan art guidelines to encourage submissions: "We can only consider Cyberforce characters in black and white for publication. Please do not send originals unless you do not want them back! Good photocopies are OK!"

Availability: This issue was collected in Cyberforce: The Tin Men of War.

This issue comes from the Henry's Green Cape collection of comics. Thank you for your donation!