What makes the best comic book covers? It is a great topic for debate. For us, as individuals, there is no wrong answer, of course; it is purely subjective. But, with a little thought it’s possible to explain what it is about a particular image that grabs you. The best images are the ones that make you stop and check out something you weren’t previously planning to purchase – and in some cases, you even end up picking up a title you’ve never even heard of before.
It’s been said before. At first look, James Robinson’s Firearm appeared to be nothing more than a British version of Marvel’s Punisher; a tough guy with a bad attitude and a big gun. But first impressions can be deceiving.
Published by Malibu Comics for its Ultraverse imprint, Firearm wasn’t the typical “shoot-em up” comic that pandered to the speculator mindset of the early ‘90s. It was instead a very character driven book, where the story mattered as much as the action – and Firearm certainly wasn’t short on action.
Robinson’s Firearm was Alec Swan, an ex-operative for a covert branch of the British secret service called The Lodge. Sent primarily on missions against “Ultras” (the Ultraverse term for superhumans) that posed a threat against the British crown, Swan eventually left both The Lodge and England after some “unpleasant business,” which led to his taking up residence in Pasadena, CA, as a private investigator. Yet even as a P.I., Swan found most of his cases dealt with Ultras, thus bringing him right back to where he started.
Featuring a spectacular cover by comic book veteran Howard Chaykin – who also designed the character – Firearm #18’s frontispiece pits Swan against his archenemy Rafferty (who is outside the scene) as stained glass falls all around him. Like a storyboard from the most popular John Woo movies, this cover grabs the eye and stirs the senses to great effect!
While it was not as lucrative as Image or Valiant, the Ultraverse – known as “The Writer’s Universe” – was arguably more successful relative to other universes such as those published by Triumphant and Defiant. The line boasted improved production values over traditional comics (especially digital coloring and higher-quality paper), and a roster of respected and/or talented writers and new, cutting edge artists. Following the Valiant formula to some degree, Ultraverse emphasized tight continuity between the various series in its line. For example, Malibu made extensive use of crossovers, in which a story that began in one series would be continued in the next-shipping issue of another series. Various promotions for special editions or limited print stories also encouraged readers to sample issues of the entire line. Many comics fans enjoyed the sheer scope of storytelling this approach allowed, while others complained of the effort and cost of buying the issues necessary to keep track of it all. Regardless, the Ultraverse line – thanks to titles like Robinson’s Firearm – came to dominate Malibu’s catalog.
As Robinson said in an interview in The Malibu Sun #29 (September 1993), “I think Howard Chaykin’s character design paints him very much more as an everyman trapped in a fantastic world.”
Tough to find after the comic book implosion of the 1990s, this book featuring the work of one of comicdom’s finest illustrators and is a hidden treasure for sure. Seek it out.
-Scott Braden
