Marvel Premiere #41
Published and © by Marvel, April 1978
Title: “The Dying Sun!”
Synopsis: With humanity’s future hanging in the balance, the crew of the Seeker 3000 rebels against Jason and the Six.
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Tom Sutton
Review: In this issue’s “Bullpen Bulletins,” Marvel all but admits Seeker 3000 is the result of the company’s inability to land the license for a “Star Trek” comic. Of course, that would change by early 1980, which might explain why this outing would be the last for Captain Jordan Shaw and crew, at least for the Bronze Age. That’s a shame, because writer Doug Moench does a great job setting up a potential long-term series here. This issue is chock-a-block with concepts, mixing and matching popular sci-fi tropes. Tom Sutton turns in some spectacular art, too.
Grade: A-
Second opinion: “Seeker 3000 is good science fiction by comic books standards.” – Kim Thompson, The Comics Journal #40, June 1978 … “Immature and scientifically inaccurate.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003
Cool factor: Check out that Dave Cockrum cover.
Notable: First appearance of Seeker 3000.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 12p British variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “You hate me and you despise yourselves. Now we have a chance to do something about it.” – Jordan Shaw, captain of the Seeker 3000
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on March 24, 2009.
