Marvel Fanfare #4

After 4 issues, the Spidey-Kazar-X-Men team-up story is completed. It had good art and the story was fairly good. It just rambled on a little too much. It should have ended an issue sooner. I think there as just too many cooks in the pot.

In the second story, we’ve got Iron Man in dream land, fighting personifications of his dark side. Obviously, this is a take on Demon in a Bottle in which Stark battles alcoholism. Yet, it’s not mentioned anywhere here. A true missed opportunity. I didn’t like the imagery or the symbolism. Art was good. Story was lame. Not the best issue in this short of a series.

Not Worth Consuming.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Fanfare #3

Issue 3 sees the Claremont story head into familiar territory with the arrival of Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Colossus into the Savage Land in hopes of saving the expedition. I’ve forgotten how well Claremont had crafted not a bunch of characters but an entire universe during his lengthy run on the X-titles. Claremont makes a point that the reader doesn’t forget either, reminding readers every few panels that Storm hates tight spaces, Colossus is Russian, and that Wolverine has a temper.

In the back-up tale, Hawkeye’s got into the security consultation game. Only his new client might be operating some sinister experiments. Not a bad story. The art could use some work and the plotting is so quick, the story ends up lapping itself in order to explain some gaffs.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Marvel Fanfare #2

In the second issue of this 1980s Marvel anthology series, X-Men scribe Chris Claremont continues his Savage Land story having the Peter Parker expedition run afoul of evil mutants that were once loyal to Magneto. Armed with the madman’s genetic accelerator’s, the Angel, Spider-man, and the former love of the man who would be Sauron, find themselves the instrument’s next target.

Then in the back-up issue, a very frazzled Mr. Fantastic forgets Sue’s anniversary again after tiredly opening the Negative Zone portal. With Annihilus waiting on the other side, the scientist may never see home or his dutiful wife ever again.

Both stories were very good. Though, I feel Claremont’s tale is dragging out a little too much and I know I've read the Mr. Fantastic story before when Lee and Kirby were doing the book. The art is very good, but it’s the inking in both stories that powerfully stand out.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Fanfare #1

In the premiere issue of this 1980s Marvel anthology series, Editor Al Milgrom and Chief Jim Shooter look to use Grade A talent and rising stars to making essentially their dream stories. 

In the very first multi-issue arc, Peter Parker is sent on assignment to the Savage Land to follow the Angel and a very desperate woman on a quest to find a man named Lykos. This Lykos guy has a habit of turning into a mutated pteradon named Sauron. Written by Chris Claremont, I am not sure why the editors didn’t roll out their best-selling characters, the X-Men.

In the second tale, Daredevil makes a rather ho-hum stroll through Hell’s Kitchen. The story and the art aren't that memorable.

Not a bad first issue. I hope it doesn’t become a place where miniseries that don’t get the green light go to die. Instead, I hope it’s filled with quality stories and art by those longing to work with characters and situations that they’ve never gotten a chance to work on prior.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.