Marvel-ous Monday: "...And Once Removed from Never!" by Mantlo, Buckler, and Janson

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! For the penultimate issue of Astonishing Tales (#35, February 1976), creator Rich Buckler, ably aided and abetted by scripter Bill Mantlo and inker Klaus Janson, created one of the wildest, and for Ol' Groove at least, most far-out comics of the Groovy Age! (By the way, do ya think this mish might've inspired The Matrix just a little?) With "...And Once Removed from Never!" our anti-hero Deathlok defeats his nemesis Ryker, gains his freedom--and his humanity! Or...does he?

Marvel-ous Monday: "Reflections In a Crimson Eye!" by Mantlo, Buckler, and Janson

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Ol' Groove has gotta say that Bill Manlo, Rich Buckler, and Klaus Janson knocked outta the stratosphere with Astonishing Tales #33 (October 1975) and "Reflections In a Crimson Eye!" It's one of Ol' Groove's favorite Deathlok sagas and one of my favorite comics ever! Mantlo and Buckler just meshed so well on this story. Buckler's exciting, experimental, exquisitely cinematic layouts and storytelling is astounding here, and Mantlo definitely came out from under that "Stan Lee lite" shadow with his thoughtful and thought-provoking prose. Buckler and Janson meshed extremely well, too. Their uses of reflections, shadows, black gutters between the panels, and detail makes this mag live up to its name (Astonishing, Irving! Sheesh!). Deathlok issues like this are why I rank Deathlok with other 1970s icons like Killraven, Adam Warlock, Manhunter, Swamp Thing, Black Panther, Jonah Hex, Unknown Soldier, and Shang-Chi. For Young Groove (and Ol' Groove, still), these comics were what the Groovy Age was all about! I don't know why I'm gushing here--you just wanna see the comic, don'tcha? Well, here ya go!

Marvel-ous Monday: "The Man Who Sold the World!" by Buckler, Mantlo, Pollard, McLeod, and Friends

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! We're back with another far-out Deathlok adventure! "The Man Who Sold the World!" sees Bill Mantlo come onboard about midway through the story to take over the scripting chores of our favorite cyborg ex-soldier. You won't see a huge change in this issue, but you'll see things get even wilder starting next ish! Speaking of wild, just try identifying the all myriad inkers who helped Buckler, Keith Pollard, and Bob McLeod on the pages of Astonishing Tales #32 (August 1975). Ol' Groove spotted Al Milgrom and (methinks, anywho) Dave Cockrum on some panels in pages 17, 18, and 23. Can you spot more, Groove-ophiles?

Cover art by Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins