Marvel:
The Lost Generation #12-1
(Marvel, cover dates March, 2000- February, 2001)
Writers:
Roger Stern and John Byrne (co-plotter)
Artists:
John Byrne with Al Milgrom (Inker)
Two
of my all-time favorite creators, Roger Stern and John Byrne, teamed
up for a twelve issue mini (maxi?) series while I was on sabbatical
from the hobby. For reasons unknown, this series has remained
uncollected in a trade paperback. Marvel has brought most of Byrne's
work back into print over the past decade, and the fact that this
series wasn't a part of that gnawed at me. There was only one way to
find out, and that was to dig through dollar boxes on and off for a
year until I pieced together the entire run. And here we are.
Dr.
Cassandra Locke is a historian from the late 22nd century
with a nagging question. Why is so much information about the
Skrulls' early interaction with humans missing? She travels back in
time and uncovers the story of a team called The First Line who
predate the Fantastic Four. This a precursor to Agents Of Atlas
as well as Secret Invasion, the latter of which was a bloated
retread of this concept.
This
series began with issue 12 and then counted down to #1, seven full
years before DC's 52 did it You see the end at the beginning
of the first/last issue, and learn more about what is going on as Dr.
Cassandra Locke time jumps further back in each issue. Lots of Easter
egg moments and nods to Marvel Universe continuity and Atlas Comics
of the 1950s.
Byrne's
artwork during this era was solid, as he made a return to form after
making a turn for the worse in the late '90s. He remains one of my
all time favorite artists and Roger Stern remains the Avengers
writer in my mind.
I
still have no idea why Marvel hasn't collected this in a trade
paperback yet. They seem to have an unofficial policy to collect
every single comic that they ever published, so I would guess that it
is a given that this will be reprinted sooner than later. Time will
tell. I know that I'll buy it if or when it comes out.
Junk
Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.
