Busiek's Marvels and the End of Innocence
The History of the Comic Industry Through Marvel’s Fiction
Aug 14, 2008
Chapter three of Marvels shows a style shift in comics. Whereas most things were either realistic or fantasy based during the early days of comics, when they returned a focus on science fiction was taken. DC comics brought back Golden Age hero the Flash and made him a scientist. Marvel Comics made the Fantastic Four a product of science, and they would more than often battle space enemies. Marvel tried to make comics more realistic through character interaction and power levels, and would have all the super abilities explained if they could (Benton 9-11).
This movement is showcased through the invasion of Galactus in Chapter Three, "Judgment Day." Scene after scene of scientific wonders are shown, ending with a mysterious device that causes the man eating menace, called Galactus, to leave. This is surrounded by mistrust, fear and other very real emotions in the characters around the action. This helps to emphasize the move towards serious comics, rather than those that are simply looking for a "fun read."
The Day She Died
The final major movement covered in Marvels, is the change from optimistic super hero comics, to dark story lines. It all comes down to the title of Chapter Four: "The Day She Died". Throughout Marvels, narrator Phil Sheldon is becoming very hateful towards the world for not blindly accepting the heroes he calls "Marvels." They have saved the lives of countless of innocents, in his eyes anyway, and should be given the proper respect. While trying to see if he can find evidence to clear the super hero called Spider-Man, of a murder, Phil interviews Gwen Stacy, the daughter of the alleged victim.
Stacy is the embodiment of innocence; of purity. She questions the world around her, but isn't so judgmental as to assume Spider-Man killed her father. The moment she shows that sense of wonder that symbolizes comics through the 1970s is during an invasion of New York. Prince Namor (mentioned earlier in the piece), invades the city to reclaim a kidnapped citizen of his country. The machines used for the invasion create a small misty air around them, and in Gwen Stacy's eyes, are beautiful. She has wonder in her eyes. As Sheldon narrates, "They [the Marvels] weren't here to win the approval of the petty and small-minded. They were here to save the innocent. To save people like Gwen." (Busiek 4.25-26).
Soon after, Gwen Stacy is kidnapped by a villain, and Spider-Man attempts to rescue her. In one of the seminal moments of comic book history, Gwen Stacy is taken to the top of the George Washington Bridge in New York City. As Phil narrates:
"I knew he would save her. That was what he did. That was what the Marvels did. They saved innocents. That was what they were here for. I had my finger on the release, ready to capture the rescue -- the moment of triumph -- and then the Goblin -- and he knocked her off the -- and Spider-Man -- I tried to tell myself she was just unconscious... but a body looks one way alive and another way when it's dead. I'd seen enough of both in the war to know." (4.35 - 37)
A follow up and bibliography to follow in Busiek's Marvels and the Modern Age.
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