Review by Win Wiacek

In the real world Dazzler’s origin was the late 1970s desire of Casablanca Records to create a TV based character whose adventures would also appear in comics. Marvel laid the groundwork by creating an origin story, after which the deal was cancelled. With the material prepared, Marvel launched their version of Dazzler in 1981.

Alison Blaire is a sound-transducing mutant able to convert noise of any kind (rhythmic is best!) into light she can manipulate and direct. She’s also a performer trying to make it big in music. A promising law student, she dropped college studies and forever disappointed her austere father – Judge Carter Blaire – to pursue a frivolous, worthless life on stage.

By far the best of this black and white collection isn’t any of the 21 solo issues, but her introduction in the X-Men courtesy of Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Alongside the then also new Kitty Pryde, she prevents the X-Men’s capture by the Hellfire Club. Also included is her subsequent teaming with Spider-Man as Marv Wolfman and Keith Pollard show old arachnid adversary Lightmaster tapping into Blaire’s inherent abilities to liberate himself from an all-enveloping “light dimension”. Unaccountably absent is Dazzler’s third guest appearance alongside the Fantastic Four and a nipped-in-the-bud flirtation with Johnny Storm. It’s also missing when most content is reprinted in colour as Marvel Masterworks: The Dazzler Volume 1.

The sheer weight of credits over Dazzler’s first two issues betray the creation by committee, but they’re emotionally strong in introducing a sympathetic character earning her big break. Thereafter the series settles into a pattern of Tom DeFalco plots scripted by Danny Fingeroth before Fingeroth takes over entirely. Frank Springer draws almost everything functionally, but no more.

After that promising start the series quickly reverts to hoary company traditions regarding comics read by girls. These tapped into and blended older male-assumed tropes of females seeking independence and careers whilst also seeking love and a settled home life. And lots of shots of women in underwear, dressing and undressing or getting into and out of baths and showers.

Eventually the faithful standbys faded and Dazzler began facing and dealing with ever-tougher challenges, but that’s well beyond what’s reprinted here. Instead Alison’s given a supporting cast to see her through meetings with a constant stream of guest stars, romance with fellow mutant Angel, and foes escalating from the Grapplers to Galactus.

Attitudes and discriminatory content produced in less enlightened times are present, and much of Dazzler hasn’t dated well.