Painter Alex Ross is famous for his amazing interpretations of the universe of super-heroes, rendering art in a realistic style.
Now Marvel Comics has allowed his to "cut loose" on an anthology series that brings an assortment of creative talent into the tent, allowing them to provide their take on heroes throughout the time and space and heft of the Marvel Universe, from the beginning to the modern day.
The cover and framing sequences for the series titled Marvel are by Ross. The cover is based on the first appearance of the original Human Torch in the pages of the comic titled - what else? - Marvel Comics in 1939.
The story inside offers a basis for the stories that may or may not be set in continuity, and the rest of the issue is handed over to two very different stories.
One features Spider-Man, facing classic villains and wrestling with his relationship with Mary Jane. The story is by Frank Espinosa with dialogue by Sajan Saini, and it's a very different take on that hero (visually), though the story itself feels like a classic tale.
The other story - and my personal favorite - is a story of the original Avengers and the Hulk, as written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by the amazing Steve Rude, both of whom manage to channel the spirit and energy of those original comics from the '60s without creating a slavish impersonation of it.
Overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag, but well worth sampling. It's a rare comic that captures a love of the industry and passes it along to the reader.
Grade: A-
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