Marvel Legends #1 - December 2006 - £2.50

Out last Thursday (21/12) was Marvel Legends #1, the all new Collector's Edition from Panini UK. The title came about when Panini lost their DC licence to Titan Magazines and Batman Legends was pulled from their publishing schedule (more on that in another entry). The format of this CE is somewhat straightforward. 3 stories per issue, 1 Captain America, 1 Iron Man, 1 Thor. The choices of story however are rather odd. Due to Avengers Disassembled beginning next month in Panini's Avengers United one might think the tie-ins would be featured. This is not the case. Instead we get Vol 5 of Cap, Iron Man from 1999 and the very, very recent (TPB out this week) Thor: Bloodoath mini series. This doesn't mean the comic is bad though.

Captain America's story is an instant hit. Steve Epting pencils and does so effectively. He creates the style of an action thriller with his dynamism during the fight scenes but does just as well with the talky bits. His use of shadows across the faces of familiar characters retains pieces of intrigue. As Ed Brubaker writes the characters so well, showing a darker Captain America, the art accompanies this superbly. The writing is consistently good throughout and the ending is a shock when the seeming villain of the story meets a sticky end. This is the best part of this issue and likely the best part of the CE to come.

Iron Man is obviously a set-up for a story but I still can't shake the feeling that we are unnecessarily going back in time. Where Cap's tale was up-to-date, fresh and presented what makes Marvel's newest comics so popular we were sent back to the old days when Marvel was regularly consulting it's bank manager. The story itself is enjoyable, and the art fits well but they could have done better.

Thor went back in time also, but this was a newly written story telling a tale of Thor' past. I generally disapprove of these 'Hidden Years' style comics but this is much different. I was suprised that I wasn't moaning to myself about Scott Kollins artwork which has been shown so many times over the last year in the CEs that if the receives royalties for it he'd be having a good Christmas. I think it was because his art was enhanced by very good colouring from Wil Quintana. Bit disappointed with the lack of 'thous' and 'yons' (they're what make Thor IMO) but there was a very nice 'I say thee nay' in there.

Overall this was quite an impressive debut. I should also mention that it has a very nice shiny cover. I doubt that will a recurrence though.

Next issue will have part 2 of Cap's 'Out of Time' saga, Thor: Bloodoath Part 2 and the continuation of the Iron Man story that ends on a cliffhanger.

Upcoming reviews: Batman Legends Vol 2 # 1, Runways TPB Vol 2, Marvel Holiday Special 2006.