Review by Frank Plowright

While begun with good intentions, the 1970s material reprinted in these Masterworks has rarely impressed over the five previous collections. Here’s where that begins to change, opening with an introduction from primary writer Chris Claremont incorporating a moving eulogy to Bill Mantlo, who writes the first few stories and wrote most of Volume 5.

Claremont provides a lengthy explanation of an annual teaming Spider-Man with the X-Men plotted by himself and Mantlo with ideas thrown in from Bonnie Wilford, and then scripted by Mantlo. Intended as a way of promoting the then newly revived X-Men, it’s confused and confusing, and that the newly created villains have never been seen since tells its own story.

There’s little subtlety to Mantlo’s work, which undermines his admirable use of guest stars who’re not headliners, which applied to the X-Men in 1976, Woodgod and Warlock, although the Hulk was a blockbuster. The team-ups have moments, but even with John Byrne’s art don’t connect as more than period pieces. Mantlo’s best is drawn by Sal Buscema, and involves villains Blizzard and Electro holding the Daily Bugle’s staff hostage as they await delivery of the payroll cash. Spider-Man and Daredevil put paid to that in a story that’s well choreographed and funny if you allow for the bombast and thought balloons of the era.

When Claremont takes over he takes a while to settle in, and it’s with the return of Byrne as artist that things begin to pick up. Again, Yellowjacket and the Wasp aren’t obvious headline guest stars, but Claremont explores the idea of New York being overpopulated with superheroes as they see Spider-Man falling into the river from their apartment and rescue him. It’s followed by still readable team-ups with the Human Torch and Ms Marvel, before Claremont and Byrne are given the chance to conclude their cancelled Iron Fist series. It’s the collection’s highlight, a taut two-part thriller, the first starring Iron Fist, the second the Daughters of the Dragon, wrapping up the series plots in a way that’s accessible to readers who’ve never heard of Iron Fist.

Volume 5 finished with the welcome inclusion of Marvel’s 1976 calender, and this features the welcome inclusion of their 1977 sequel. The most obscure guest star here is Woodgod, who never caught on, so also welcome is the reprinting of his only solo appearance. Mantlo writes an origin drawn by Keith Giffen via Gil Kane, but Klaus Janson’s inking adds a feral edge.

Next time in Volume 7, the Claremont and Byrne collaboration really catches fire. This material is also available in black and white in Essential Marvel Team-Up Vol. 3.