Lost Marvels No. 3: Savage Tales of the 1980s – Comic Book Review

Classic Marvel heroes take a back seat as these lost tales emerge from the trenches once again! Fantagraphic’s Lost Marvels returns to deliver long-forgotten, gritty tales of savagery and revenge.

I was provided with a free digital copy of Lost Marvels No. 3: Savage Tales of the 1980s for review. The opinions I have shared are my own.

If you’re anything like me, you feel that something has been missing from Marvel comics prior to the 1980s. The superhero genre was in its infancy in the 1930s and later expanded in the 1940s. Future Marvel CEO Stan Lee enlisted in the US Army, where he was assigned to the playwriting division, where he wrote training films for soldiers. Though Lee never saw the war himself, it primed him to continue writing for Captain America as a form of propaganda to sell war bonds. 

However, something was lacking from these early heroes; clad in bright colors and spandex tights. The horrors of war and destruction were never permanent, instead easily resolved by a superpowered crusader. While comic books were meant to raise morale and encourage patriotic virtues, as the reader base grew up, these stories no longer matched their lived experiences. War simply did not end. And violence begot more violence. 

It wasn’t until the 1980s that writer and editor Larry Hamas assembled his own super team to create a series of stories that captured the harrowing grit that would appeal to these new audiences. The collection, called Savage Tales, featured stories across genres including historic battlefields, detective noirs, and black comedies. Despite being largely overshadowed by its superhero counterparts for decades, Fantagraphics has collected and preserved these stories in volume three of Lost Marvels. 

The reason I began my review with this long-winded history is because it encapsulates how perfectly these comics fit into the wider narrative of real-world consumers. These characters exist in a world that is affected by real and fictional wars and address the wider notions of revenge. Gone are the feel-good narratives about virtuous superiority. Instead, Savage Tales offers a glimpse into new worlds that give the reader pause to reflect on human nature, masculinity, and the structure of violence. 

I wouldn’t consider myself someone with an extensive knowledge of Marvel, but many of these stories fit easily into their own universe. The stories are concise, gut-punching, and remarkably illustrated. Anyone could pick up this collection and feel immersed in the narratives.

The collection features some of the most shocking work of artists John Severin, John Buscema, Sam Glanzman, Val Mayerik, Ron Wagner, Gray Morrow, Wayne Vansant, Herb Trimpe, Michael Golden, Joe Jusko, Mary Wilshire, Arthur Suydam, Will Jungkuntz, Vincent Waller, and Ken Steacy, and writers Chuck Dixon, Bill Wray, Don Kraar, Robert Kanigher, Denny O’Neil, Doug Murray, and Archie Goodwin.

Stories include Severin and Dixon’s “By Rail to Vladivostock,” Murray and Golden’s “The Nam, 1967,” Glanzman’s “Of War and Peace: The Trinity,” Jungkuntz’s Blood & Gutz series, and Trimpe’s Skywarriors series. With a remembrance by Savage Tales editor Larry Hama. 

These comics are a must-have for history buffs, horror fans, and Marvel aficionados alike. With more than 500 pages of incredible black and white artwork, Lost Marvels No. 3: Savage Tales of the 1980s is absolutely worth the purchase. 

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To purchase this volume of Lost Marvels and others, you can access their website here.

Author: Abby Kirby

Abby Kirby is an English teacher and fan studies scholar. She holds an M.A. in Media and Cinema Communications from DePaul University.

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