Dazzler #32: "Moon Lighting"

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The only disco singer who ever became a superhero, Allison Blaire was given a Marvel comic of her own early in 1981. A mutant and a reluctant law student, she was first on display in X-Men #130 (February 1980), an issue drawn by John Byrne and written by Chris Claremont. After a few more appearances with the X-bunch, she graduated to Dazzler. Her basic ability involved converting sound, especially music, into bursts of radiant light that were so intense they temporarily blinded her opponents and usually knocked them cold. In other words, she could dazzle people.

According to an article by Richard Gagnon in a 1986 issue of Amazing Heroes, "the idea to create a singer who has super-powers came not from Marvel Comics, but from Casablanca Records... The idea was to have a singer tour the country dressed as the Marvel character, thereby both the comic and the singer would gain free publicity." The project, initiated in the late 1970s, eventually produced Dazzler, but by that time the record company had long since withdrawn. Marvel continued alone and after trying the character out in X-Men launched their Dazzler title with considerable fanfare. They also offered the book for sale only in comic shops, something that could be done in the days when newsstands still handled comics. The first issue sold well.

Allison had a tendency in her early days, when she wasn't acting as a one-woman light show, to speak in a slangy, showbiz manner—"World savin' ain't my style... I prefer singin' my heart out to an audience that really digs me." She eventually modified her speech patterns, particularly in the later issues written by Archie Goodwin.

Dazzler's initial run, mixing singing with combating such villains as Dr. Sax, the Enchantress, and Dr. Doom, ran until #42 early in 1986. Like many another singer, Allison's popularity faded and the cover of that final issue covered the unkind blurb—"Because you demanded it—the LAST issue of Dazzler!"

Dazzler also appeared in a four-part series with the Beast. She has made occasional comebacks since then and even had an affair with Longshot.

Credits

Cover painting: Bill Sienkiewicz

Script: Jim Shooter (Co-Plotter) and Mike Carlin

Pencils: Mark Bright

Inks: Vince Colletta

Marvel Treasury Edition #1: "Spider-Man Tackles The Torch!"

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I was only ten years old, but I can still recall precisely where I was when I first eyed this baby. I had just stepped into The Bottle Shop, which was located on Main St. in the small bedroom community I grew up in (and the only alternative to Rexall's Drug Store's comic book spinner rack), when I spied this beauty on the magazine rack. Of course, I had to buy it and I've have had it in my collection ever since. It's almost difficult to believe that I used to think that $1.50 was a steep price to pay for a comic book!

Not a mutant, Spider-Man has been Marvel's most successful and popular character. After auditioning in Amazing Fantasy #15, he moved into his own title, The Amazing Spider-Man, early in 1963. He was the creation of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with possible input from Jack Kirby.

The original story introduced mild-mannered high school student Peter Parker, who lived with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Clean-cut, hardworking, and bespectacled, Peter was a brilliant science student but was shunned by his fellows and labeled a "bookworm." After being bitten by a radioactive spider at a science exhibit, he gained "spider powers" that included superhuman strength and agility and the ability to cling to any surface and spin webs.

Among the artists who've drawn the old web-spinner have been John Buscema, Gil Kane, John Byrne, Todd McFarlane, and a host of others.


Credits

Cover: John Romita
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Steve Ditko

Reprinted:

• from Amazing Spider-Man, The (Marvel, 1963 series) #8 (January 1964)