Power Man #25
Published and © by Marvel, June 1975
Title: “Crime and Circuses”
Synopsis: With Power Man and Black Goliath under the Ringmaster’s thrall, it’s up to the supporting cast to save the day.
Writer (plot): Jenny Blake Isabella (as Tony Isabella)
Writer (script): Bill Mantlo
Penciler: Ron Wilson
Inker: Fred Kida
Review: Following the solid-but-unspectacular debut of Black Goliath in the previous issue (see review), an overhauled creative team serves up a stinker for the second half of this two-parter. This issue misfires at just about every level: Slow pacing (more than a quarter of the pages are spent on backstory), poor fight choreography, inexplicable plot leaps (how did Claire Temple get free?) and cardboard characterization. One of the lead characters is even misidentified multiple times. The crude art by Ron Wilson and Fred Kida does nothing to enhance the proceedings. This circus is definitely not the greatest show on Earth.
Grade: D+
Cool factor: Nope. Nada. Nothing.
Not-so-cool factor: The Circus of Crime. This rag-tag group of D-listers must be one of Marvel’s lamest collections of villains.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 9p British variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “Put her down on the bed, Live Wire, while I find some rope for our guest. It will make her feel more secure!” – Princess Python, cold-blooded humorist
