Rank and File: The Year's Best Comic Stories, 1974!

Redartz:  Welcome, everyone! Ready to review, relive, or rediscover a few fine comics? As we've done before, this discussion will center on the year's best comics (as chosen, unscientifically, by yours truly). And of course, my selections aren't graven in stone- you may well have a better list; by all means give us your choices and your reasons. 

And now, let's look backwards at the year 1974 (cover dated Apr. 1974 - Mar. 1975), and see some excellent examples of comic art and story. In no special order:

Captain Marvel 32- "Thanos the Insane God" by Jim Starlin with Gary Friedrich, art by Starlin and Dan Green. The Avengers, Mar-Vell, Thanos, Drax and the rest, by Starlin.  And  what a cover.












 



Man-Thing 10- "Nobody Dies Forever" by Steve Gerber, Mike Ploog and Frank Chiaramonte. A great character study by Gerber, loaded with emotion.











 


Dr. Strange 1- "Through an Orb Darkly" by Steve Englehart, Frank Brunner and Dick Giordano. A truly beautiful, intricate start to a great story arc (and a great series).












 




Detective Comics 443- "Gotterdamerung" by Archie Goodwin and Walter Simonson. A classic, with two manhunters. Think I'd skip DC completely?

Captain America 175- "Before the Dawn" by Steve Englehart, Sal Buscema and Vince Colletta. The epic conclusion to the "Secret Empire" story, with a gut punch ending. 











 



Adventure Comics 435- "The Man Who Stalked the Spectre" by Michael Fleisher and Jim Aparo. This was grim and gritty years before Frank Miller and Alan Moore. 










 



Giant-Size Avengers 2- "A Blast From the Past" by Steve Englehart and Dave Cockrum. Kang, the Celestial Madonna, Rama-Tut, and one of the  best Avengers stories EVER. 










 



Plop 9- A shout out to the whole issue, Sergio Aragones in particular. Twisted humor hearkening back to E.C; and an incredible Basil Wolverton cover.

Savage Sword of Conan 1- "Red Sonja" by Roy Thomas, Esteban Maroto, Neal Adams and Ernie Chan. A fine Sonja solo story, with stunningly beautiful artwork. Every page could be a fine art print.









 



Strange Tales 178- "Who is Adam Warlock" by Jim Starlin. Jim kicks the Golden One's story into high gear, introduces the Magus, and dazzles the eyes as well as the brain. 













Well, there you have it. Some obvious choices, some you may well take issue with. At any rate, it was a good year for Steve Englehart! 

So have at it, what's your 'best of' list for '74?