Michael Turner Creations Hardcover: Featuring Fathom, Soulfire, and Ekos

by Michael Layne Turner, Frank Mastromauro (Editor), Bill O'Neil

Michael Turner Creations brings you the visionary creators most cherished properties as they've never been seen before, presented in this over-sized hardcover format edition. Journey beneath the surface of the ocean in FATHOM, the best-selling comic book of 1998 and the milestone creation of artist Michael Turner. Witness the debut of SOULFIRE, as Malikai, Grace, and friends traverse a futuristic world built upon technology but ruled by magic! And get a rare glimpse at one of Turner's most ambitious creations with the short, introductory story of EKOS. Showcasing three of Turner's most popular and beloved properties with some exciting surprises along the way, this is the most comprehensive collection of MICHAEL TURNER CREATIONS ever!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

720 pages, Hardcover

Published April 6, 2021

About the author

Comic Book Artist. He studied pre-medicine at the University of Tennessee, and then moved to Aspen, Colorado, and later San Diego, where he taught martial arts, became an award winning water skier, and began drawing comic books. In 1994, he was hired by Top Cow Productions in Century City, California, where he was the co-creator of "Witchblade", a comic about a voluptuous female detective who fights evil with the aid of a mystical weapon that attaches itself to her arm and gives her superpowers. Turner later founded Aspen MLT, a Santa Monica publishing company that created online comic adaptations for the NBC television series "Heroes" and titles including "Fathom", a deep-sea story about a female superhero. He was also a regular cover artist for "Superman/Batman" and "The Flash". Turner's work was in demand for special editions and similar projects, and he drew covers for DC Comics' "Justice League" and Marvel's "Civil War". The milestone 500th issue of "Uncanny X-Men", released in July, 2008, featured one of Turner's special edition covers. He died of complications from chondrosarcoma, a form of bone cancer he had begun treatment for in 2000.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This massive tome from a Kickstarter collects all of Michael Turner's work at Aspen Comics from 1998 until his death in 2008. It's all been reprinted and repackaged ad nauseam by Aspen since Turner's death (often in such a confusing manner that you have no idea of the reading order).

Michael Turner had a penchant for drawing scantily clad women. Turner came up in the Top Cow world of comic's almost "soft porn". He was a very talented artist, but his women are always posed in ways that don't fly in today's comics, with backs arched and breasts pushed out. So give it what you will. To each their own. The stories are kind of awful with stilted exposition and the art is always very posed with little sense of movement.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This is a lovely flashback to the 1990s - when digital art was shaking up the comic scene with its vibrancy and Top Cow's 'soft porn' style changed the industry. What we have here is the result of a successful kickstarter to collect Turner-drawn work after Witchblade. As such, we're talking about the titles published between 1998 and 2009, ending with Turner's tragic death to cancer in 2007.

Included is the original Fathom complete arc (and several teasers) that Turner drew.

Blue Sun
The Spelunker
Resurrection of Taras
Michael Turner Presents Aspen

Soulfire contains the original teasers/series arc and includes the issues drawn by Joe Benitez for completion purposes.

For both Fathom and Soulfire, there have been many sequels and continuations - none are included here. The purpose of this collection is to limit the titles to ones done by Turner himself.

Although he died far too young, he was an inspiration for many artists who followed and helped move the industry in a new and more vibrant direction. Certainly, his work hastened the puberty of many young men through his signature suggestive posing and scantily clad bodies.

Each chapter in this book is given a short introduction and all the teasers (4-5 page introductory comics) are included as well. Turner died before he could finish Soulfire; the final issues were completed by protégé Joe Benitez based on Turner's notes and drawings. At the end of the book, there is a 2-4 page teaser for an unstarted series, Ekos. A long gallery of cover images completes the book. The meat of the book are Fathom and Soulfire since Ekos was just a concept that never went beyond a few panels.

This was a nice trip down memory lane and it was lovely to have everything collected into one place. I appreciated the perspective we were given with each of the brief introductions. I am especially impressed that the work has really stood the test of time: when so many comics look dated within a decade, this is as fresh and modern in 2021 as it was in the mid 1990s. I could not tell this was 20+ years old.

Neither Fathom nor Soulfire are great literary works and yes, I'm old enough now that it was hard not to roll my eyes at the absurdity of the plots. That said, this is the comic format and Turner knew his audience well. The smarter folks went to Gaiman, Watchmen, Frank Miller - the masses turned with glee and tittering toward Witchblade and Fathom. They sold very, very, well.

It would be hard to give this five stars due to the price. Even as a kickstarter premium, it comes with none of the Kickstarter extras. But fans who want Turner's works in one book will certainly appreciate what has been done here. It is a loving homage to a talented artist, by those who knew and cared about him. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

There's a lot to say about Aspen Comics under Michael Turner, depictions of women in scantily clad outfits and drawing them in ways that say artists don't know how to draw them out of heels. At the same time, there's a scale of mesmerization that beckons the reader to experience a big brand new world. It's rather nice to see how the art and storytelling techniques change in how they present a plot over the years. The current series barely even need history lessons. This book just invites readers to see the world of Michael Turner for themselves.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note that I have not been privy to the whole book here, rather a comprehensive edit of the volume, showing how the output of the late, great Michael Turner has been presented. And let's face it, that if nothing else is what these guys are experienced in doing, for there's been no end of iterations, reprints and deluxifications of his titles since his passing due to bone cancer in his mid-thirties. Bizarrely called "Volume One" in the credits, this would appear to be everything except "Shrugged", which remains a title I've not seen. I've seen a lot of this before, however, and so will have many of his fans, which means this premium-and-then-some edition will take some justification with the bank manager and/or wife or husband.

Either way, we get the entire "Fathom" from his hand, starting with all the previews, prequels, teasers, issue zeroes, issue a halfs, and more. Then "Aspen", the start of "Soulfire", and more or less the only bit that was new to me, namely the six-page teaser of the uncreated "Ekos". Oh, and every single possible cover – if not presented full-page, as sometimes they're in a 3x3 grid. A heartfelt tribute from Turner's mother, and individual introductory pages to guide us through the chronology of production and so on, is all that is new. Oh, that and the fact this was kickstarted to buggery and a thousand doodads got thrown at it. Either way, the price tag is proof that only those who know what to expect (and know they're getting what they already own) will be here, making pretty much all my comments redundant. I am sure there was a chance of more new material to make this more special, if only for the producers to get gripe at how the high asking price meant too many were priced out. But as an ultimate edition tribute, this is definitely four stars.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say it was a little stange to read. But I loved it a lot. the story, the plot, the characters it was so amazing. I have to say Ekos is my favorite but the whole thing so amazing and I hope there will be more to come.

[Arch Bala · Rating 4 out of 5]

This creative journey of the late Michael Turner is such a nostalgic throwback as we get a collection of his works as a result of a very successful Kickstarter which into a 720 pages of art showcasing Fathom, Soulfire and Ekos – Turner’s most beloved works.

We also get interesting introduction about each work. It feels so nostalgic because as someone like me who grew up in the 90’s – I was able to witness the development of the art. I am not a comic connoisseur in any way but I have deep appreciation of it – the artistic concept, the story, the development of characters and of course its impact to a wider audience.

Turner’s works are rather provocative than what I’ve been used to reading. It is his style and I think it works well with majority of his target audience. “Fathom” and “Soulfire” in particular have great art and concept but they’re not actually as mind-blowing, story-wise, which is my only gripe towards his works. In the scope of things, it really doesn’t matter much for the mere visuals of works are to die for.

[lic marza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read.
I recived an arc that only had 178/700 pages so I was very confused on what was going on in the story. The artwork is beautiful, yet the women wear really skimpy outfits.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the stories were fairly interesting overall, it suffered heavily from "Same Face Syndrome" one feminine, one masculine. Paired with a lot of basically naked women, even in situations where the lack of clothing or the tightness of what little they are wearing doesn't make sense.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

this kickstarter is so pretty! and HEAVY! and the extras! If I ever get my Grace plushie I'll be so happy!