It had been a reprint book to now, but now it’s reprints plus a new Man-Thing story each issue. The stories are really, really dark.
In this one, a father tosses his baby off a bridge to get rid of him. Man-Thing happens to be standing underneath and catches the baby, and then, of course, burns the father.
We see Manny triggered by holding a baby in to remembering his days as a human, so we’re seeing his connection to humanity. But man, what a depressing comic.
Interesting tidbit: It’s early Howard Chaykin work.
This is actually a re-telling of the origin of Man-Thing, that is a big improvement over the first origin story (the first origin story was in SAVAGE TALES magazine #1, written by Gerry Conway when he was only 16 years old).
It’s natural to have the origin story re-told and updated in the first issue of new regular Man-Thing series in FEAR. The new origin story is again by Conway, and the vaguely credited art being Howard Chaykin pencils, inked by Gray Morrow, an interesting mix of styles. I like this version of Man-Thing’s origin much better than the first.
The back-up stories are as interesting as the lead story. “Spell of the Sea Witch” is scripted by Allyn Brodsky, with pencils by Jack Katz (credited under his frequent pseudonym “Jay Hawk”) , and inked by Bill Everett (credited as “Black Bill”). A great little story, with a cinematic visual style that was unusial and ahead of its time for 1972. Allyn Brodsky scripted a total of about 20 scattered stories for Marvel, I think this was his best.
The third story, “There is Something Strange about Mr. Jones” is by Stan Lee and Don Heck, reprinted from TALES OF SUSPENSE 17, May 1961. I loved the pre-Marvel stories reprinted up till this point in FEAR 1-9, presenting consistently great stories by Kirby/Ayers, Ditko and Heck from 1959-1963, as well as reprinted several other Marvel anthlogy titles in the early 1970’s like CREATURES ON THE LOOSE and MONSTERS ON THE PROWL. This laast Heck reprint was as good a sendoff as one could ask for of that material in FEAR.
Man-Thing lasted from FEAR 10-19.
FEAR 11 has a story that begins Gerber’s run, with art by Buckler/Mooney, and a great (and rare at Marvel) Neal Adams cover.
FEAR 12 has a story by Gerber, with Starlin pencils, inked by Buckler! A really interesting penciller/inker combination, to my knowledge not ever repeated. (See also JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY 1, cover-dated Nov 1972, that has a six-page story, Starlin pencils, inked by Mike Ploog! Also visual feast). Starlin only started working for Marvel in issues cover-dated Oct 1972, these are some of his very first published stories. (See also a two-page story by Starlin in HOUSE OF MYSTERY 207, Oct 1972. )
After that, Gerber continued with Val Mayerick as the penciller in FEAR issues 13-19, and then MAN-THING 1-4.
Gerber continued with artist Mike Ploog in MAN-THING 5-11, that are for me the best of Gerber’s Man-Thing run across both titles, though the series continued after, first with with a few single-issue stories by John Buscema (12 and 13, 16) and Alfredo Alcala (14), Rico Rival (15), and then the rest of the series by Gerber and artist Jim Mooney (17-22).
After FEAR 19 (introducing Howard The Duck) the series moved to its own title with MAN-THING # 1 (that had part 2 of the Howard the Duck story), and continued till issue 22 before cancellation.
To get the full Gerber run, also check out GIANT-SIZE MAN-THING (I love that title! The guys at Marvel who came up with it must be immensely pleased with themselves!) that ran for 5 issues, all by Gerber, issues 4 and 5 resurrecting Howard the Duck in two solo backup stories with beautiful art by Frank Brunner, before Howard the Duck’s popularity spun him into his own HOWARD THE DUCK series, also by Gerber, with Brunner art in the first two issues.
Gerber and Jim Mooney also did a more science-fictional series called OMEGA THE UNKNOWN 1-10, by the same creative team as latter issues of MAN-THING.
So a lot emerged from Gerber’s Man-thing run.
FEAR continued on after Man-Thingended, with “Morbius the Living Vampire” taking over in issues 20-31, with some nice art by Gulacy (issue 20), Gil Kane (21), Buckler/Dominguez (22), Craig Russell/Colletta (23) and Russell/Abel (24), and Frank Robbins art for most of the remaining issues.
Craig Russell went on to fame immediately after his two issues in FEAR, to do his Killraven series with Don McGregor in AMAZING ADVENTURES 27-39, one of my all-time favorites. Before there was Alan Moore, there was Don McGregor on AMAZING ADVENTURES and JUNGLE ACTION, and his SABRE graphic novel with Gulacy.
And great storytelling also by Starlin on CAPTAIN MARVEL 25-34, WARLOCK, and DREADSTAR. Some great early work from the 1970’s, that I still treasure almost 50 years later. Many of its creators represented in these earlier FEAR issues, before they went on to more visibility and greatness on other titles.
Thanks for all the info! Glad you’re reading and contributing!
My pleasure. Thanks for giving us all a fun and nicely designed comics blog.