Marvel Masterworks: Deathlok

Writers: Rich Buckler, Doug Moench, Bill Mantlo, J.M. DeMatteis & friends; Pencils: Bucker, Keith Pollard, Arvell Jones, Mike Zeck & friends; Inks: Buckler, Pablo Marcos, Klaus Janson, John Beatty & friends

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Funny coincidence time. Two weeks ago, I was re-reading Back Issue Magazine #25, which had an in-depth interview with Rich Buckler about the origins of Deathlok. Reading that again, I thought to myself that it really was long past time that Marvel reprinted those stories, because I really was interested in reading them. And those back issues of Astonishing Tales are expensive & difficult to come by. And, what do you know? A couple of days later, I was at Forbidden Planet, and where I found a Marvel Masterworks collection of the original Deathlok stories.

Although I'm not 100% certain, I believe Deathlok was the first major cyborg character in comic books. Created by Rich Buckler and Doug Moench, Deathlok debuted as an ongoing feature in Astonishing Tales #25, published in 1974.

Set in the dystopian future year of 1990 (I'm sure that seemed far-off back in the mid-70s) amidst the devastated ruins of Manhattan, the series features the anti-hero Luther Manning. A soldier who violently died five years previously, Manning's brain and remaining flesh are bonded to a cyborg body code-named Deathlok.

The undead cyborg Deathlok is a tormented, horrific figure. Snatched back from the abyss, his body a mix of cold metal and semi-decayed flesh, his consciousness cohabited by a logical computer, Luther Manning's new existence is a living hell. Deathlok desperately seeks to break free of the military's control, and gain revenge on the man who resurrected him as a cyborg, Major Simon Ryker.

The ruthless Major Ryker is obsessed with control. Seeing the country falling into chaos after the destruction of Manhattan, Ryker seeks to impose a new order. Ryker justifies his actions to Deathlok, saying "It was for their own good!" People need someone to watch over them!" To which Deathlok shouts back "So you elected yourself! Dictator and God all rolled into one!"

It is explicitly stated that no one knows who actually bombed Manhattan. It could have been foreign terrorists, or domestic insurgents, or a Communist power, or perhaps just some madman. Deathlok even alludes to the possibility that Ryker himself may have caused the disaster, to give him the opportunity to initiate his fascist policies.

Buckler's plots are rather prescient, as they mirror real world events of the last decade. One could draw parallels to what happened after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Certain politicians used the tragedies as an occasion to pass controversial, perhaps even unconstitutional, laws that greatly increased government power while curtailing civil liberties. And this was done in the name of liberty and security.

In terms of the story, the Astonishing Tales issues bounce around, with Deathlok wandering up & down devastated Manhattan, running into numerous enemies. Reading these issues, I get the feeling that Buckler and his co-writers, Doug Moench & Bill Mantlo, were making it up as they went along. It doesn't seem they had a detailed story arc planned out, just a loose idea of where they'd be heading. While this does lead to something of an unfocused overall story, I suspect that this did allow Buckler & co to be innovative and go off in new directions as the series progressed. It probably resulted in more creativity than if they had adhered to an iron-clad plot.

The artwork by Buckler on Deathlok is incredible. Buckler is an underrated artist, I think in part due to his drawing Fantastic Four in a very Jack Kirby-influenced style. This led some to incorrectly conclude that Buckler was incapable of drawing anything other than a Kirby pastiche. But if you look at Buckler's art on Deathlok, you see some amazing, dynamic, innovative work. His layouts and storytelling are dramatic and unusual. Buckler's character design for Deathlok was innovative. Likewise, his design for Hellinger, the even more insane cyborg brother of Major Ryker, are horrific, with a metallic skull face and exposed brain.

In recent years, Buckler has found acclaim as a surrealist painter. Looking at the art on Deathlok, I can definitely see the roots of that. Especially notable is a surreal battle between Deathlok and Ryker within a computer network. Keep in mind this was years before The Matrix, before the concepts of cyberspace and virtual reality became popular. In other words, this is experimental work by Buckler.

A number of different inkers worked on the Astonishing Tales issues over Buckler's pencils. Klaus Janson's inking probably works best, giving the art a gritty, atmospheric feel entirely appropriate for the grim settings.

The war between Deathlok and Ryker comes to a conclusion towards the end of the Astonishing Tales run. It is apparent that Buckler was setting up a new direction for the series, with Deathlok to come into conflict with Hellinger, and the hippie Tarzan-like figure named Godwulf.

Unfortunately, Astonishing Tales was cancelled with issue #36 in July 1976, and the contents of what would have been #37 didn't see print until nearly a year later in Marvel Spotlight #33. After that, Deathlok fell into limbo, making only sporadic appearances in Marvel Two-In-One, in stories that did little to advance the character.

In wasn't until 1983 that Deathlok was finally given proper closure. J.M. DeMatteis penned a three issue arc in Captain America that saw Deathlok treaming up with the Star-Spangled Avenger. Cap travels with Deathlok to the future year of 1993. Along with Godwulf and a motley resistance group, they set out to thwart Hellinger's plan to wipe out humanity and replace it with a race of logical cyborg beings. The story is illustrated with incredible flair and drama by Mike Zeck & John Beatty.

While it would have been great to see how Buckler would have ended the saga of Deathlok, at least DeMatteis does a bang-up job at the task. Aside from DeMatteis apparently confusing Hellinger with his brother Major Ryker, anf fiddling with Hellinger & Godwolf's characterizations, there is little to find fault with.

As Buckler himself charitably writes in his introduction to the Marvel Masterworks collection, "J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck did a fine job wrapping things up." (And it's great that Buckler was given the opportunity to pen a brand-new introduction for this edition.)

Reading the original stories by Bucker, Moench & Mantlo, it isn't clear whether Deathlok was intended to be part of the main Marvel "superhero" universe. The Buckler-plotted issues are bereft of any references to Marvel continuity. Marvel Spotlight #33 does feature Devil-Slayer, a character who later join the Defenders, but this was his first appearance, so that doesn't prove anything.

Deathlok's first proper meeting with "mainstream" Marvel is in Marvel Team-Up #46, written solely by Mantlo, although Buckler did draw the cover. A time-traveling Spider-Man lands in apocalyptic 1990. After the usual misunderstanding and fight, Spider-Man and Deathlok team up against a horde of eerie mutant children. That does give Deathlok's world more of a horrific overtone, adding to the already established bands of roving cannibals populating devastated Manhattan. Besides, the art is by another underrated artist, the great Sal Buscema, another favorite of mine.

Whatever the case, by the 1980s, Deathlok was firmly entrenched in Marvel continuity. Various other creators took a crack at the character, with varying degrees of success. Buckler himself has expressed a desire to return to the original Luther Manning version. I'd love to see that, as Buckler is an even better artist now that he was in the 1970s. Regrettably, Marvel does not appear interested in taking Buckler up on his offer. But at least we finally have his classic Deathlok stories collected together.

The price tag on this volume is a bit steep, but it is definitely worth picking up for some truly distinctive, groundbreaking, and entertaining material.