Targitt #1
Published and © by Atlas (Seaboard), March 1975
Title: “Boston Tea Party”
Synopsis: When FBI agent John Targitt’s wife and daughter are blown up in a mob hit, the agent seeks bloody revenge.
Writer: Ric Meyers
Artist: Howard Nostrand
Review: This Atlas (Seaboard) crime outing is much like the company’s other titles: a B-list knock off of other material popular at the time (in this case, book series like “The Avenger” and “The Executioner.”) Ric Meyers script offers little originality and even less in the way of emotional realism; the protagonist’s family is blown up before his eyes and it scarcely throws him off his game. But the weak story gets strong art support from Howard Nostrand. The veteran artist’s Harvey-Kurtzman-and-Will-Eisner inspired storytelling is some of the best of the entire Atlas line.
Grade: B
Second opinion: “Targitt started out as a stylish rip-off of Kenneth Roberson’s ‘The Avenger.’ ” – Ken Jones, Amazing Heroes #81, Oct. 1985. … “A candidate for the most neurotic title of the line.” – J.C. Vaughn, Comic Book Marketplace #77, April 2000 … “(A) truly terrible series.” – Frank Plowright, FantaCo’s Chronicle’s Series Annual #1, 1983 … “(Targitt’s) adventures are as exciting as watching paint dry in Tedium, Nebraska.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003
Cool factor: ’50s artist Howard Nostrand returns with some inspired storytelling.
Not-so-cool factor: Hey, Targitt. Your wife and daughter were just blown up. Take a minute, dude.
Character quotable: “I’m not looking to be a hero … just looking to do my job!” – John Targitt, soon to be Man-Stalker
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Jan. 21, 2013.
I thought for sure I was reading Marvel’s The Punisher!