Is the MCU about to deal with a risk in the type of the increase of the Bronze Age steady of Atlas heroes? the most recent news about the movie-comic connection is that Paramount, under the aegis of Steven Paul’s SP media group (see here), has purchased a majority stake in the Atlas comics library. Paul, the producer of ‘Ghost Rider’ has been put in fee of the offer that will see Paramount obtain the rights to utilize the Atlas heroes. What does this imply for comic book speculation? I’ll break it down for you in this post.
The very first thing many people unfamiliar with Bronze Age comics may be believing is: what the heck is Atlas? The Atlas story begins after Martin Goodman, one of the founders as well as long term managers at marvel Comics, left marvel in 1972. Goodman had already started a publishing business called ‘Seaboard Periodicals’. He hired Stan Lee’s sibling Larry Leiber as well as Jeff Rovin to handle the new business as well as revived a part of golden Age history by reusing the old original ‘Atlas’ title, as well as by 1974, the Atlas comics brand began with 23 titles to its name. None of these lasted beyond three or four problems when the whole thing collapsed in late 1975.
The irony right here is that, throughout its short active period in the mid-1970s, Atlas was – to put it bluntly – a marvel wannabe clone. Okay, that’s harsh. particularly since, as well as to be fair here, Atlas was likewise in numerous methods (especially as regards creator’s rights as well as payment of their talent) really ahead of the times. during its short existence, comic talent’s on the purchase of Steve Ditko, Wally Wood, Neal Adams, Russ Heath, rich Buckler as well as Howard Chaykin, all worked as well as contributed to the Atlas’ output.
Still, objectively speaking, the Atlas steady of heroes were extremely noticeably modeled on Bronze Age marvel comic characters.
In the Bronze Age, marvel was having phenomenal success with their revival of the Sword as well as Sorcery genre by method of publishing their Conan the Barbarian comics. Atlas, therefore, introduced Iron Jaw, a Barbarian. The horror revival of the seventies led to marvel putting its critically acclaimed tomb of Dracula series out. Atlas, in turn, introduced their child of Dracula. If marvel had a swamp creature called Man-Thing, leave it to Atlas to find up with its own version of a swamp monster as well as presto we have Morlock 2001 (although to be fair, DC had likewise come up with their version of Man-Thing understood as Swamp Thing, so perhaps Atlas copied DC on that one).
Why is the purchasing of Atlas characters going to be saw as a difficulty to Disney’s marvel Studios? According to the short article in Variety, linked above:
“The business mean to create as well as release at least one superhero job every year thereafter. The films will be created by Paul, Goldsman as well as Atlas’ president of production, Spike Seldin (“The A-Team”). advancement for Atlas will be supervised by Seldin. Greg Lessans will supervise for Weed Road.”
It seems like, according to the reports, Paramount wishes to utilize the Atlas properties to build an interwoven film universe. Ideally, as well as extremely likely, Paramount will want this world to much more look like the phenomenally economically as well as creatively successful MCU than the DCEU. So- from a comic book speculator perspective- which Atlas books ought to you dig up from your long boxes to resurrect?
Morlock 2001 #1 (January 1975) – very first problem of Atlas’s Man-Thing like hero
I would begin with the characters that might appear before their marvel counter-parts hit the huge screen. Of soon to appear marvel characters, Man-Thing hasn’t truly been spoken of. For that reason Paramount may beat the MCU to a Swamp creature function film utilizing Morlock 2001. Sales on this comic have been scarce. 46 copies on the CGC census as well as the greatest understood sale was a 9.8 on eBay on 03/30/2018 for $129.00.
Iron Jaw #1 (December 1974) – Atlas Conan like Barbarian warrior
We understand that marvel is created Conan once again in comic form. however there’s been bit news of anything like an MCU Conan feature. Paramount may beat Disney to the chase as well as release an Iron Jaw movie. one of the much more prominent Atlas books, Iron Jaw #1 has a present FMV of $150.00 as well as 68 copies on the CGC census to date. The last three sales on eBay went for $169.99 (on 12/09/2017), $116.49 (on 02/04/2018), as well as $149.95 (on 05/11/2019). Its spin off title, Barbarians #1 (May 1975), has really been one of the much more important titles in the Atlas steady as well as has offered for as much as $275.00 (eBay sale on 03/19/2014).
Fright #1 (May 1975) – Atlas comic featuring the child of Dracula
Marvel’s critically acclaimed tomb of Dracula may have influenced this Bronze Age horror book. instead of Dracula by Marv Wonull