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Monster Masterworks
Collects material from Where Monsters Dwell (1970-1975) #2-3, 6, 10, 15, and 21; Journey into Mystery (1952) #10; Where Creatures Roam (1970) #1, 4, and 7; and Creatures on the Loose (1971-1975) #13.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
38 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
6,720 books2,340 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 6, 2012
“The lightning bolt, composed of the fiery elements of nature itself…”
I'd like to consider the role these comics play in culture, the complex context out of which they arose, and find them to be amusing while recognizing how imaginative and thrilling they must have been for the wide-eyed youth who read them. But I don't think I have the willpower to not dismiss them as just. incredibly. stupid. And even when you get past the ridiculous anti-science use of sciency ideas which is their charming hallmark, it's really the cringeworthy, self-aggrandizing socio-political messages they are loudly screaming at us, and the nearly offensively formulaic lack of imagination they all show, at least when more than one or two of them is read, that really gets to me.
I'd like to consider the role these comics play in culture, the complex context out of which they arose, and find them to be amusing while recognizing how imaginative and thrilling they must have been for the wide-eyed youth who read them. But I don't think I have the willpower to not dismiss them as just. incredibly. stupid. And even when you get past the ridiculous anti-science use of sciency ideas which is their charming hallmark, it's really the cringeworthy, self-aggrandizing socio-political messages they are loudly screaming at us, and the nearly offensively formulaic lack of imagination they all show, at least when more than one or two of them is read, that really gets to me.
January 3, 2011
I love Jack Kirby monsters, and I was lucky enough to pick this up at a Vintage Stock and have gotten tons of enjoyment out of it. The presentation could be better in spots (there are some poor reproductions of the original work) and the selection is somewhat random and without historical context, but at the end of the day, it's a pretty great selection of some of the pretty great ridiculous monster comics that I will always love.
October 24, 2020
This was strangely delightful ! I picked it up in my local comicbook store because it was on sale and I sometimes enjoy reading old comics just because of how absurd they are, and this one is even more absurd than anything I have read so far, which I enjoyed a lot. I truly want to know if people who were my age when these were first published found it as funny as I did, or if it was supposed to be scary ... or something else entirely ? Wondering about that while reading is it's own kind of entertaining, I suppose.
Warning : since these are old stories, they are full of bad representations, mostly sexist and racist. There's also the trope of "nerdy man save the day with his nerdiness and wins the girl because of his win"(which might be a special flavor of toxic masculinity mixed with sexism I wasn't aware of). I think it's important to be mindful of that while reading.
Warning : since these are old stories, they are full of bad representations, mostly sexist and racist. There's also the trope of "nerdy man save the day with his nerdiness and wins the girl because of his win"(which might be a special flavor of toxic masculinity mixed with sexism I wasn't aware of). I think it's important to be mindful of that while reading.
December 3, 2019
Excellent monster comic collection from the 1960’s and 1970’s by authors Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Dick Ayers and Bill Everett.
September 5, 2021
A fun collection of old monster comics.
November 24, 2023
This is a collection of monster comics. This has the origin of Groot and other monster characters.
March 11, 2024
3.5/5 Stars
February 17, 2014
All Kirby and Ditko stories in this collection of early '60s stories. Nearly every artistic "trick" and trope Kirby used in the glorious '70s is all here in more simplified form. There are different levels at which this work can be enjoyed; for me it was studying the art. I wish I could say the repetitive Stan Lee stories were at the same level.
Minor complaints: it would have been nice to see some Kirby and/or Ditko art on the cover. Also, most of these stories seem reprinted from their early '70s reincarnations (themselves reprints). Still, Jack Kirby wrote a new essay for this book in 1989 - his last work for Marvel - so, for Kirby completists, this is one to grab.
Minor complaints: it would have been nice to see some Kirby and/or Ditko art on the cover. Also, most of these stories seem reprinted from their early '70s reincarnations (themselves reprints). Still, Jack Kirby wrote a new essay for this book in 1989 - his last work for Marvel - so, for Kirby completists, this is one to grab.
October 17, 2013
Great trade paperback reprints of old monster tales from Marvel's fifties output; plenty of Kirby and Ditko for any fan!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews