Classic Cover of the Day - Marvel Two-in-One #1

Classic Cover of the Day

Marvel Two-in-One Vol. 1, #1 (January 1974)

Marvel Comics

 

Saturday Showcase: American Eagle

American Eagle in the Savage Land

    Jason Strongbow is a member of the Navajo Nation who was born in Kaibito, Arizona.  He attempted to stop a mining company from excavating a mountain sacred to his tribe.( Marvel Two-In_One Annual #6)  He discovered that the villain Klaw was in league with the mining company. Klaw needed uranium to augment his sonic powers. Strongbow's brother Ward did not agree with him about preserving the mountain. Inside the mine, an argument erupted between the brothers and Klaw which led to violence. During the fight, Klaw used his sonic blaster on the two brothers. Somehow, a combination of the sonic energy of the blast and the exposure to the uranium gave both of the Strongbow brothers enhanced physical abilities. Klaw fled with his crew and Ward to the Savage Land in hopes of gaining vibranium to augment his powers.

Marvel Universe Handbook #1

    American Eagle possesses superhuman strength, enabling him to lift (press) approximately 15 tons under optimal conditions. He also possesses superhuman speed, agility, stamina, and sturdiness as a result of radiation-induced mutation. Strongbow's bodily tissues are somewhat harder and more resistant to physical injury than that of an ordinary human. However, he is far from invulnerable. While he can be injured by weapons composed of conventional materials, he can withstand impact forces that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no injury to show for it. He can run at a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour for approximately 5 hours before tiring to an appreciable degree.

    American Eagle's sensory organs have also been fortified by the radiation-induced mutation. Like his namesake, the Eagle, he has hyper-keen eyesight, able to see at 800 feet (240 m) what the average human being sees at 20 feet (6.1 m). His senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch are approximately three times that of an average human being.

He also carries a crossbow which fires special bolts.

New Look, Same Kick Ass Attitude.  American Eagle takes on Bullseye in Thunderbolts #115

American Eagle Breakdown

Alter ego: Jason Strongbow 

Team affiliations:

Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety

        H.A.M.M.E.R.

        Agents of Wakanda

Abilities:

Superhuman Strength

        Superhuman Speed

        Superhuman Agility

        Superhuman Stamina 

        Superhuman Sturdiness

        Enhanced Senses

        As mentioned earlier, he carries a crossbow which fires special bolts

First Appearance:

• Marvel Two-In-One Annual #6 (1981)

Other Key Issues:

• Contest of Champions #1
• Contest of Champions #3
• Incredible Hulk #279 (Vol. 1)
• Rom #65-66
• Marvel Comics Presents #27
• Marvel Comics Presents #128
• Marvel Comics Presents #130
• Marvel Comics Presents #147-148
• Thunderbolts #112-115

Created by:

         Doug Moench & Ron Wilson 

First Appearance was back in 1981 with the 6th annual issue of Marvel Two-In-One.

Until next time, get your READ on!

Saturday Showcase: the Champion

Who can stand toe to toe with the CHAMPION?

    Normally, when I chose my Saturday Showcase character I look back on my childhood instead of recent characters that you may see in apps or games.  Today is special because this character fits in the realm of my childhood as well as for the kids of today.

    As many of you know, I am a huge NERD and I play games (when I have the time) that focus in the realm of comics.  Well, one such game I play is the Contest of Champions app from Marvel.  When I saw the latest champion spotlight, it took me back to when I was a kid and I couldn't wait until the latest issue of Marvel Two-in-One hit the shelves.  You see, today's showcase made his first appearance in a Marvel Two-in-One annual and he is simply known as the Champion of the Universe.

The Champion as seen in Contest of Champions

    The Champion was born Tryco Slatterus.  He has been around for billions of years.  In fact, he is one of the Elders of the Universe.  Tryco is known as the Champion because he believes in settling matters in a competition to see who is the best.  And as we all know, he is the Champion of the Universe so I would say it is a safe bet he hasn't lost a battle.  

    He was first introduced to us in 1982 with the release of Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7.  He is the brainchild of Tom DeFalco (writer) and 
Ron Wilson (artist).  In the Marvel Two-in-One Annual, the Champion took on a variety of Earth's mightiest heroes, eight to be exact.  The fate of teh Earth was in the balance. He fought and won against the Earth's finest but it was the Thing that saved us all.  He gained respect for the Thing because of how he carried himself in battle.  It was this respect that saved the Earth from annihilation.  

First Appearance: Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7

The Champion's Abilities include:

• Superhuman strength
• Superhuman endurance 
• Superhuman agility 
• Superhuman reflexes
• Invulnerability 
• Master of countless fighting styles and martial arts forms

    The Champion has fought in many battles and will continue to fight until the end of time.  He has fought members of the Avengers, X-men, Fantastic Four, as well as the Silver Surfer and Thanos.  He shows no sign of stopping or losing.

    So I say this, Bravo to Contest of Champions!  Bravo for spotlighting such a treasure from the Marvel Universe!  Thank you for allowing me to go back in my childhood and collect this gem all over again.  My advice to any Contest of Champions players who may be reading this - if you get the Champion from a crystal, put him in your starting line-up.

Until next time, get your READ on!

The Thing earns the Champions respect. *As seen in M2N1 Annual #7

Classic Cover of the Day

Classic Cover of the Day

MARVEL Two - in - One #95

Classic Cover of the Day - Saturday Showcase Edition

Classic Cover of the Day - Saturday Showcase Edition

Marvel Two-in-One #55 (First Giant-Man)

MARVEL

September 1979

Saturday Showcase: Goliath (Bill Foster)

    I thought I would showcase Bill Foster aka Goliath today since he has a spot in the Marvel Studios film Ant-Man and the Wasp.  Now if you are a comic book fan, you know that there has been 5 Goliaths so far in the Marvel Universe.  The first was of course Dr. Pym, then there was Clint Barton (yes, Hawkeye) and the third man to fight as Goliath was Bill Foster.  The other two Goliaths will be mentioned at another time, specifically in showcases of their own.

    Bill Foster made his comic debut back in '66 in issue #32 of the Avengers.  He was a lab assistant and fellow scientist to Dr. Henry Pym.  It wasn't until '75 when we saw the birth of Foster's Goliath in Luke Cage, Power Man #24.  He called himself Black Goliath when he first debuted.  What a way to showcase his powers than challenging the one and only Power Man.  

Luke Cage, Power Man #24 (1st Black Goliath)

    Bill later changed his persona to Giant-Man in '79 in Marvel Two-in-One #55.  He finally changed his alter ego's name to Goliath in 2006 in the Thing #1.  Bill Foster was originally created by Don Heck and the one and only Stan Lee.  It wasn't until Black Goliath came along that we can credit Tony Isabella and George Tuska for their creation.

  Bill was a Defender, Champion, as well as a member of Project: Pegasus in his career as a super hero.  Sadly, Bill's reign as Goliath ended in Marvel's Civil War.  He was killed by a Thor clone and his death made heroes realize that they were fighting a senseless war.  He died as a giant and was buried as one.  Tony Stark paid for the 38 plots it took to bury him.  He lived and died as a hero.

Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster

    Since Bill was a such big part of my life and the world of Marvel Comics, I was beyond happy when I heard that the great Laurence Fishburne was playng Bill Foster in the Ant-Man and the Wasp film.  Finally he (Bill) was getting the respect he deserves.  Now, if we could only get Netflix to put him in the net season of Luke Cage, lol.

Until next time, unleash your inner NERD and get your READ on!

Classic Cover of the Day

Classic Cover of the Day

Marvel Two-in-One #62

Classic Cover of the Day

Classic Cover of the Day

Marvel Two-in-One Vol. 1 #56

Marvel