Chuck's Critiques by Charles LePage
Essential Black Goliath Volume 1
Marvel Comics
Roy Thomas, Don Heck, Tony Isabella, George Tuska, Chris Claremont, and many others
Okay, I know what you are thinking... how can I review a trade paperback that doesn't exist? Well, let's be positive: it doesn't exist... YET. But it should. And, if you had a say in how it was put together, what stories would you include? I don't know. This is my review, so all I can tell you is what I would put in it.
First up is the story that introduced Bill Foster to the world, Avengers Volume 1, #32-35. Bill was hired by Henry Pym, as Goliath was stuck at 10 feet tall. He was able to cure Goliath, but ended up in danger from the Sons Of The Serpent and the Living Laser for his trouble. Foster appeared briefly in three other Avengers issues, but they were for a panel or two each, and not worth reprinting in this Essential volume.
Next is Power Man #24 and #25. Interestingly, while the cover to #24 said "Among Us Walks Black Goliath," in both comics, he was referred to only as "Goliath." Bill had joined a circus to raise money, as now HE was stuck, but at 15 feet instead of 10, and didn't want to ask Tony Stark or Henry Pym for help. Unfortunately, he chose the Circus Of Crime. Luke Cage and company bailed him out, and almost a year later, BG earned his own title. I have read he was originally going to be featured in the Champions, but I cannot absolutely verify that notion.
Of course, we would include Black Goliath #1-5. And, once his title was cancelled, he was a popular guest star in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Here's the complete list comics I would reprint in this Essential:
The Avengers (1963)
#32 The Sign of the Serpent! (September 1966)
#33 To Smash a Serpent (October 1966)
#34 The Living Laser! (November 1966)
#35 The Light That Failed! (December 1966)
Power Man (1974)
#24 Among Us Walks Black Goliath (April 1975)
#25 Crime and Circuses (June 1975)
Black Goliath (1976)
#1 Black Goliath (February 1976)
#2 White Fire, Atomic Death! (April 1976)
#3 Dance to the Murder! (June 1976)
#4 Enter Stilt Man -- Exit Black Goliath! (August 1976)
#5 Survival (November 1976)
Marvel Two-In-One (1974)
#24 Does Anyone Remember... The Hijacker!? February 1977
The Champions (1975)
#11 The Shadow from the Stars (February 1977)
#12 Did someone say... The Stranger? (March 1977)
#13 The Doom That Went On Forever! (May 1977)
Marvel Two-In-One (1974)
#53 The Inner Wall! (July 1979)
#54 Blood And Bionics (August 1979)
#55 Giants In The Earth (September 1979)
#56 The Deadlier of the Species! (October 1979)
#57 When Walks Wundarr! (November 1979)
#58 To The Nth Power! (December 1979)
Spectacular Spider-Man (1976)
#41 Meteor Madness! (April 1980)
Marvel Two-In-One (1974)
#76 The Big Top Bandits (June 1981)
#81 No Home For Heroes! (November 1981)
#82 The Fatal Effects of Virus X (December 1981)
#83 Where Stalks the Sasquatch! (January 1982)
#84 Cry For Beloved Canada! (February 1982)
#85 The Final Fate of Giant-Man! (March 1982)
Spider-Woman (1978)
#47 Twisted (December 1982)
After an almost 6 year break, the hero now know as Giant Man appeared in West Coast Avengers Annual #3 (July 1988, which was part of a High Evolutionary tale. I don't believe I've read that story, nor have I read his appearences in Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. I recall him being in Marvel Two In One, but it's been a LONG time since I've held those issues, so I don't remember all the details, but I know he played a reasonably important role in all the comics in the above list.
Whew, that looks like one thick Essential. The last choice would be, is there a Volume Two, and if not, do we include his death that took place during the Civil War? And, if there was a Volume Two, what would it include? Let me know what you think!
My thanks to the following fine websites for their information:
Comic Book Database
http://www.comicbookdb.com/
Grand Comics Database
http://www.comics.org/
Marvel Comics Database
http://marvel.wikia.com
