Manhunter by Archie Goodwin and Walter Simonson

[Will.S]

Has anyone read this?

http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/91/49313_20060707113358_large.jpg

This originally came out in 1974 in Detective Comics when it was composed of mostly anthology material. I picked up this Special Edition a couple of weeks back and after having read it, I must say that it's quite a good read. I've never even read a previous Manhunter book but the book reads very accessibly.

Archie Goodwin makes Paul Kirk a fascinating enigma of a character and as the story further unravels we see how he came back to life as well as showing how he became such a deadly warrior. The book has a guest appearance by Batman who helps Manhunter and his crew out in taking out The Council (basically a bunch of super smart people who want to "better the world"). Batman also shows up again in the silent story that was written and drawn by Walter Simonson at the end of the book.

And speaking of Walter Simonson, wow was his art here amazing. It wasn't quite like his Thor work in style in that its less exaggerated and much more down to earth but it almost looks and reads like a pulp comic. I loved the design of Paul Kirk's Manhunter gear and all of the characters in the book such as Christine St. Clair and Asano Nitobe who I'm guessing inspired Marvel's Ogun over in the X-books.

Here's hoping that DC releases another edition somewhere down the line because this definitely should be out there for everyone to read. But I have a question about this and the current Manhunter, are there any particular ties between the two?

I bought the first volume of the Marc Andreyko's female Manhunter book but I haven't read it yet so I'm curious as to whether both characters are related in some fashion (but I doubt it).

[Shellhead]

I read this many years ago, possibly the first time that DC released this a collected volume. It's great, and I'm pretty sure that a couple of the issues won some comic awards back in the early '70s.

[Adam K]

I wish I could read it. I don't think it's in print now though.

[FanboyStranger]

Goodwin and Simonson's Manhunter is fantastic. It was very sophisticated storytelling for the time period, and it still stands up well today. I think I read that there will be a new reprinting sometime this year, but I can't remember when or where I read that, so I may be imagining it.

[Will.S]

Goodwin and Simonson's Manhunter is fantastic. It was very sophisticated storytelling for the time period, and it still stands up well today. I think I read that there will be a new reprinting sometime this year, but I can't remember when or where I read that, so I may be imagining it.
I definitely wouldn't mind buying it all over again.

[Pól Rua]

It's a fantastic story. I tend to go back and re-read it every 6-8 months and it's still as sharp as ever.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Has anyone read this?

Bugger that - THIS IS REQUIRED READING! YOUR OPINION IS VOID IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT!


The book has a guest appearance by Batman who helps Manhunter and his crew out in taking out The Council (basically a bunch of super smart people who want to "better the world").

Technically, Manhunter guest appearance in Batman that month - he had just been the backup to the main Batman story at that point.
This book would be the best argument for DC to use whilst trying to sell their current co-features.



Batman also shows up again in the silent story that was written and drawn by Walter Simonson at the end of the book.

The story was plotted by Goodwin and Simonson, like they did with the others, it was just left silent as Goodwin had passed on.


And speaking of Walter Simonson, wow was his art here amazing. It wasn't quite like his Thor work in style in that its less exaggerated and much more down to earth but it almost looks and reads like a pulp comic.

Hmmm, I wouldn't hve said realistic, but this was my first introduction to his art - I haven't read his Thor run.
I think the design aspect to the pages in this book is revolutionary, and the only reason it didn't catch on would really have to be that it takes so much talent to pull off.
The pages work as a unified whole, and tell the story with least possible amount shown - and yet are packed to the brim with stuff happening.
It really shows up decompression as pointless doesn't it?
Why would you want that when compressed compression can look like this?



I bought the first volume of the Marc Andreyko's female Manhunter book but I haven't read it yet so I'm curious as to whether both characters are related in some fashion (but I doubt it).

Name only, and unfortunately, Andreyko tries to write it as 'realistic' as possible, and it turns out like some 1989 post-Watchmen type drivel.
Actually, the first arc was alright, but it's all downhill from there.