The legacy of the original Marvels series continues in the form of a new series of standalone issues. The Marvels Snapshot line was only recently announced to be coming from writer Kurt Busiek, but now the lid has been lifted on the talent assembled for Fantastic Four: Marvels Snapshot.
The debut issue of the new series arrives in March, taking its stated “unusual” perspective on Namor the Sub-Mariner. But once that story has been told, the spotlight will shift to the Fantastic Four’s own Human Torch, in a story by comic book creators Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer. Best known for Beasts of Burden (and writing credits on animated series like Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and Superman: The Animated Series) the pair will be teaming up with artist Benjamin Dewey.
The announcement helps readers appreciate what Busiek meant when he expressed his plan to welcome different creative voices in revisiting Marvel’s greatest and most beloved heroes. Like the original Marvels with artist Alex Ross (who will provide covers for these issues) the goal of Marvels Snapshots is to look at the comic universe fans have always know, it through new, or at least different eyes. And behind the scenes, it will be Dorkin and Dyer’s perspective shaping this next Human Torch story, which the former explains is a perfect fit:
The Fantastic Four story will actually be a reunion of sorts between Dorkin, Dyer, and their Beasts of Burden collaborator. No surprise, Dewey echoes his partners’ enthusiasm:
I’m still blushing that Kurt chose Sarah Dyer and I to tell one of the MARVELS SNAPSHOT stories, especially this one, because the Fantastic Four was my favorite super hero team book as a kid, and MARVELS did a great job of showing how the larger-than-life Marvel characters affect the average person on the street. We’re trying to do right by both series, packing the story with as much heart, wonder and fun as we can for both older and newer fans to enjoy.
The curation of this new Marvels line will hopefully keep the spirit of the original intact, and from Johnny Storm’s story, the odds are high that his Snapshot will be a side of the character few comics fans ever consider. Forget a superhero battle – this issue will be focused on the Human Torch’s ten-year high-school reunion, as seen through the eyes of his ex-girlfriend Dorrie Evans.
Teaming up with Kurt, Evan, and Sarah is delightful, challenging and a real education in the deep-cuts lore of characters I thought I knew! I’ll do my best to bring the same spark of joy and enthusiasm to the art that has clearly gone into the writing process. Ultimately we want to offer a story that gives fans a different angle on a beloved comics universe that they might not get from any other project.
This eight-issue Marvels Snapshots series will release bi-weekly beginning in March, and available at your local comic book shop.
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