I was glancing at the latest press releases by Marvel on their website and see there's a big monster push for the current title "Journey into Mystery" starring SIF.... but the hook is that the artist is 're-imagining several of the early JIM monsters.
There are a pair of monsters from JIM #68 and #81 that are being retooled and introduced in a storyline.
So, I thought I might go look these guys up in the Atlas Era Masterworks...and discovered that the hardbound reprint book hasn't gotten that far in their efforts to reprint the early Marvel works.
In fact, as of this writing, there are only 4 JIM Masterworks in print... and each contains about ten issues a piece. This means, they have only reprinted up through #40, and I'm at least three volumes away from seeing the monster from #68 reprinted in the original form. Ditto, I'm FIVE volumes away from seeing #81, unless the page count shifts, and it might, considering Thor started in #83.
After completing my foolish quest for the TOS and TTA masterworks around Xmas, I doubt that I'm going to invest in the JIM volumes, even though the last volume contains the first Marvel work for Wally Wood!
Does anyone know or recall who these guys are/were? Can you fill us in?
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This is up my alley, so here goes nuthin',,,
The moster from JIM #68 is "Spragg - Conqueror of the Human Race!" He may strike a chord; he was that giant, living hill. If memory serves, some fun was had at his expense in She-Hulk.
His plan to subjugate us with his all-powerful mental, hypno-power was thwarted by a guy who happened to be wearing a helmet that sheilded him when everyone else was enslaved. Helmet-Guy then tinkers with Spragg's "dynamo" master-weapon, turning it into a rocket platform that shoots Spragg safely into space. Presumably.
Issue #81 offers "R.O.E. Ruler Of Earth!" The solution to Earth's troubles caused by the unthinkable occurring; The Cold War reaching all the way to 1990. ROE is a giant computer that ushers in an era of wisdom and peace, so naturally the Reds try to sabotage it. ROE rejects the commie's greed, and Stan gets all preachy.
Hey, thanks for the summaries, Uvu-Lad!
That told me just about what I wanted to know.
I had forgotten that Spragg had been revisited in the Byrne She-Hulk run. I don't recall it clearly, but I'm sure Byrne made it fun, nudge-nudge, wink-wink. As for ROE, I read your summary out loud, and other than asking who "Stan" was initially, my wife caught it and chuckled appreciatively.
Thanks for chiming in, even at this late date!
Pre-hero is right in my wheel house. I am your source for all things that "walk like a man".
He-he... that can be taken more than one way, guy....
WELCOME!