Comic book legend Kurt Busiek has a new project, entitled Marvel Snapshots. The newly announced series will assemble multiple creative teams producing eight double-sized issues centering around iconic Marvel characters from the eyes of ordinary people. Each issue will feature a different chapter from Marvel’s eighty-year history, with covers from Kurt Busiek’s MARVELS collaborator Alex Ross.
Classic Marvel character Namor the Sub-Mariner is the first to get the new treatment, with Sub-Mariner: Marvels Snapshot #1. The issue will be written by Emmy Award-winning author Alan Brennert (L.A. Law), with art from comics legend Jerry Ordway (Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Power of Shazam!). The story is set to feature several Golden Age characters, including Betty Dean and the All-Winners Squad.
The project bears more than a passing similarity to the original Marvels, a 1994 four-issue mini-series by Busiek and Ross which chronicles key events from Marvel’s Golden, Silver and Bronze Age comics as seen through the eyes of reporter Phil Sheldon. In addition, Warren Ellis penned Ruins, a 1995 alternate universe story that finds Sheldon in a dystopian Marvel Universe. A sequel entitled Marvels: Eye of the Camera, written by Busiek and Roger Stern with art by Jay Anacleto, was released in 2008. Finally, Busiek and Ross also collaborated on Marvels: Epilogue #1, released in January.
Neither Marvels nor Snapshots are Busiek’s first time focusing on ‘the man on the street.’ Much of his success on the critically-acclaimed Astro City series comes from his focus on various characters throughout his fictional metropolis – from sidekicks to reformed villains, to call center responders, all dealing with the implications of superhero life. Beyond this, Busiek also penned a number of high-profile projects, including a four year run on Avengers.
Snapshots looks to be the perfect series for anyone interesting in a nostalgic stroll down the Marvel of yesteryear. It also couldn’t have come at a better time, with Marvel turning 80 last January. Kurt Busiek is certainly one of the most credible writers for the job, given his past work on Marvels and Astro City. Still, it remains to be seen how many of the issues Busiek is actually writing. While having Busiek in an editorial position is definitely a good start, one or two issues written directly by Busiek would be a major selling point.
On the other hand, the project definitely isn’t having trouble attracting talent, especially with the likes of Jerry Ordway, Alex Ross and Alan Brennert on board. Time will tell what other names fill out the creative teams throughout Marvel Snapshots, but the series sounds like a fun time for Marvel fans young and old. Sub-Mariner: Snapshots #1 goes on sale in March.
