BRONZE AGE MINUTE: Amazing Adventures #30

Marvel; May 1975
Cover by P. Craig Russell

Title: “The Rebels of January and Beyond!”
Synopsis: The High Overlord is called before a forum of Martian masters to review an earlier debacle against the rebel Killraven.

Writer: Don McGregor
Pencilers: P. Craig Russell and Herb Trimpe
Inkers: Dan Adkins, Frank Chiaramonte, and Jack Abel

Review: The Dreaded Deadline Doom took on many forms during the Bronze Age: inventory stories, art inked by Diverse Hands, the occasional Golden or Silver Age reprint. But few comics were as brazen in their attempt to sneakily separate young fans from their shiny quarters as Amazing Adventures #30, which reprints material barely a year old. It could have been worse: P. Craig Russell delivers a lovely new framing sequence, and the reprinted stories – from Amazing Adventures #23 and #24 – both earned a B grade in initial release. But make no mistake: Little Me would not have been happy.

Grade: C

Second opinion:  “What a waste of space…1-1/2 out of 4 stars.” – Comics Buyer’s Guide #1655 (July 2009)

Cool factor: Lovely new pin-up-style pages from P. Craig Russell.
Not-so-cool factor: Incomplete reprints from Herb Trimpe.

Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 9p British variant of this issue. According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.

Character quotable: “High Overlord, you know why you were summoned before this forum, don’t you?” – an unnamed Martian master, providing an inadequate excuse for this reprint rip-off

Copyright ©2024 Off the Wahl Productions, all rights reserved. Each week, T. Andrew Wahl offers up a Bronze Age Minute. For more reviews like this one, check out Wahl’s website, offthewahl.com.