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Marvel 75th Anniversary Celebration #1

5

This isn't your ordinary anniversary celebration. It's a super-charged issue with a lot of good stuff.

The Good

I'm not the biggest fan of anniversary-type issues. A lot of times it feels like they're a bunch of filler. Once you see the creators involved, you know that won't be the case.

We're treated to an extremely delightful first story dealing with Marvel's biggest celebration. The story focuses on the question, "Where were you and what were you doing when the Fantastic Four first came to be?" James Robinson and Chris Samnee give us exactly what we would want and hope to see in story like this. We get tiny glimpses of so many characters and there's a nice classic feel to them all as we go back to the momentous day in the Marvel Universe when the First Family gained their powers. There's even some nice surprises included.

The second story is a really interesting treat. In 1941, Stan Lee wrote a two-page text story in CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #3. What could make this even cooler? How about art by Bruce Timm? It's pretty crazy. The original two-page text feature is even included to compare.

If that wasn't enough, how about a new Jessica Jones/ALIAS story by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos? It's a nice nine-page adventure for Jessica and will make you miss the original ALIAS series.

Also included is a Spider-Man story by Tom Defalco with art by original Spider-Man colorist Stan Goldberg as well as a Wolverine story by (creator) Len Wein with art by Paul Gulacy. There are also several spoof covers for "The Best Marvel Comics Never Made" by artists such as Mike Deodato, Alan Davis, Bill Sienkiewicz, Sara Pichelli, and many more. Marvel also included some reports on key moments throughout its history.

The Bad

Some might scoff at the $5.99 price tag. We are talking about over fifty pages of content here. Some may not see the wonderful nature of looking back and celebrating the different characters featured here.

The Verdict

Anniversary issues are often hit or miss. With Marvel's 75th Anniversary special, we get a taste of some of the great things they've given us over the years. While it's obvious so much more could have been included, we get a nice variety of stories, pin ups, historical notes and more. This comic may not change the face of today's comic market but it's a great look at some of the characters we love by several great creators. The opening story by James Robinson and Chris Samnee should definitely win you over. After that, there's plenty more to bring a smile to your face. This is a 'celebration' issue done right. Even if you only just "like" Marvel Comics, you'll want to check this issue out.