My first exposure to Doc Savage was the first issue of Marvel’s b&w magazine. I read some of the novels, but they just didn’t capture my interest the way James Bond or Tarzan novels did. I really like the characters and associated elements; I just wish I had read more of them when I was young. I read Philip Jose Farmer’s Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life when I was too young to appreciate it, but I never found any of the novels as exciting as those b&w comic magazines.
I really don’t care much for the (extremely literal) James Bama depiction of the character; I much prefer the Emery Clarke look. The Alex Ross cover of Dynamite’s new series features both looks, but the more realistic depiction prevails inside. The story takes place in 1933 and is very true to the style of the pulps. The story is done-in-one, with a spot of foreshadowing in the final panel. The second issue is to be set in 1949, so perhaps they’re setting up a story “bookending” Doc’s career…?
My initial impression is positive. I’m on board for another issue.
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My fingers are crossed for this one, too.
May Doc have the success that the Shadow enjoys now!
"I really don’t care much for the (extremely literal) James Bama depiction of the character; I much prefer the Emery Clarke look."
Me too.
Bama is a very good artist in his own right, but the very loose or open-shirted (or often, very ragged shirt) Doc of his is absolutely ridiculous, and is in no way an accurate reflection of the descriptions in the pulps/books themselves. In fact, Doc usually carried various concealed gadgets or items inside his shirt or vest, not to mention, when the plot called for it (which was quite often), a light, mail-type bullet-proof vest, which he'd be extremely hard-pressed to conceal under Bama's "almost not there at all shirts," leaving aside the risks of pneumonia, or being arrested for "indecent" exposure in much stricter times!
I only heard about this comic the other day, and I will probably get it, provided it catches the atmosphere, and the flavor of Lester Dent's (and a few minor others) 1930s and 1940s Doc Savage pulp tales.
I have been collecting Anthony Tollin's Sanctum Books' Doc Savage (now up to Volume 69) and The Shadow reprints since they began, and have enjoyed most of them.
Jeff of Earth-J wrote:
One of my enduring regrets is that I had and got rid of Philip Jose Farmer’s Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life in some ill-considered pruning of my personal library.
One of the things on my wish list is Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life. I have a paperback of Tarzan Alive which I treasure because when I was younger I had more of a connection to the Ape-man than to the Man of Bronze. All I knew of Doc was his reputation, his eight issue Marvel run (with Marvel Two In One #21 and Giant -Size Spider-Man #3 thrown in) and what I learnt from Tarzan Alive, including Farmer connecting Doc to a Sherlock Holmes story!
I didn't read Tarzan Alive! for the longest time because I took the word of one of my junior high school classmates who critiqued it. He couldn't take it "seriously" because of Philip Jose Farmer's introduction in which he (apparently) did. When I did read it, I read it in conjunction with the novels.
If either of you is interested, I've seen Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life quite frequently at local used bookstores. Let me know if you want me to keep an eye out for you.
ClarkKent_DC 10 hours ago
One of my enduring regrets is that I had and got rid of Philip Jose Farmer’s Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life in some ill-considered pruning of my personal library.
What I liked about Tarzan Alive is that Farmer didn't sugar-coat Tarzan's adventures. If they seemed too out there, he would give some explanation for it, even calling some of them fiction made up by Burroughs!
Though maybe having three "Koraks" might have been pushing it....
Thanks for the offer, Jeff but only if it's not too much trouble for you!
Jeff of Earth-J said:
I have never been much of a Doc Savage fan. That being said, I loved the Batman/Doc Savage one shot from a while back. I am also in the middle of reading one of the Doc Savage prose reprint books from Sanctum Books.
It's OK, but I find the only thing I don't much like is Doc himself.
I've been to the two Half Price Books closest to my house, but no luck finding His Apocalyptic Life. (I did find several Star Trek photo-novels, though.) It may take a while, but I'm sure I'll find a copy (or two) eventually.