Giant-Size Creatures #1
Published and © by Marvel, July 1974
Title: “Tigra the Were-Woman!”
Synopsis: A secret race of Cat People turns Greer Nelson into Tigra, a werewoman who battles Werewolf by Night and Hydra.
Writer: Jenny Blake Isabella (as Tony Isabella)
Penciler: Don Perlin
Inker: Vince Colletta
Review: The Cat (see reviews) seemed bound for obscurity but writer Jenny Blake Isabella transforms her into something pretty cool. Now known as Tigra, the character is given an interesting back story involving a secret race of Cat People. Don Perlin and Vince Colletta’s art is dated but serviceable.
•••
Title: “Where Walks the Werewolf!”
Synopsis: A doctor’s plan to cure a friend’s blindness goes horribly wrong when he accidentally uses spinal fluid from a werewolf.
Writer: Len Wein
Artist: Reed Crandall
Review: This reprint from Creatures on the Loose #13 is pretty typical, EC-inspired stuff – fitting, given the old-school Reed Crandall art.
Grade (for the entire issue): B
Cool factor: Gotta give a tip of the hat to Jenny Blake Isabella. Her Bronze Age work was almost always entertaining.
Not-so-cool factor: The art of Don Perlin and Vince Colletta. It’s not awful, but Tigra deserved better!
Notable: First appearance of Tigra (formerly known as the Cat). … This issue also features essays by Roy Thomas on the origin of Werewolf by Night and Jenny Blake Isabella (as Tony Isabella) on the origin of Tigra. … The Tigra essay includes a preliminary Tigra design sketch by Gil Kane.
Collector’s note: Beware, this issue contains Marvel Value Stamp (Series A) #34 (Mr. Fantastic).
Character quotable: “Hail Hydra, baby!” – Hydra Agent B-4, getting a little informal with Tigra
A word from the writer: “I hate loose ends. I hate to see characters out out to pasture needlessly.” – Jenny Blake Isabella (as Tony Isabella), in the “Tigra’s Year” essay in this issue, explaining his decision to evolve the Cat into something new
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Oct. 25, 2010.
