Tigerman #1
Published and © by Atlas (Seaboard), April 1975
Title: “Tigerman”
Synopsis: Dashing young doctor Lannie Hill uses the tiger powers he developed in Africa to avenge his murdered sister.
Writer: Gabriel Levy
Artist: Ernie Colón
Review: Comic-book historians researching the genesis of the medium’s grim-and-gritty trend should really take a second look at the Atlas (Seaboard) line: The Tarantula eats his prey. The Grim Ghost sends petty criminals straight to hell. And Tigerman? He just shreds his bad guys to ribbons. Harsh stuff, back in the day. But, beyond the violence, Tigerman doesn’t really feel like any other Atlas book, due mostly to the stylized art of Ernie Colón. Storytelling might not be Colón’s strong suit, but his illustration-inspired renderings are certainly unique. This book is also typeset, which further contributes to its odd, outsider feel.
Grade: B-
Cool factor: Hey, it’s an Atlas comic that doesn’t look like a Marvel knockoff!
Not-so-cool factor: Hey, it’s an Atlas comic that doesn’t look like a Marvel knockoff!
Notable: Tigerman first appeared two months earlier in the B&W Atlas magazine Thrilling Adventure Stories #1 (see review).
Character quotable: “Someone must stop the mugging, the murdering, stealing! The pig behavior of swine like you! Someone must stop it all – and I am that someone!”– Tigerman, feeling a bit wordy after slashing up his sister’s killers
A word from the artist: “Yeah, I enjoyed the characters. I didn’t like Tiger-Man that much, but I liked the Grim Ghost.” – Ernie Colón, talking about his Atlas (Seaboard) work in Comic Book Artist #16, December 2001
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on July 10, 2020.
