Marvel Comics Presents ran for 175 issues from 1988 until 1995. Each issue included four eight-page stories with typically two or three on-going features (and no ads). It spotlighted some of the leading creators of mainstream comics over a period of precipitous economic growth and even more rapid decline. Reading through it is an opportunity to revisit any number of weird aspects of 90s superhero comics. This blog is a primitive, oddly regimented, manifestly scattershot crawl through an often disappointing but occasionally splendid comic. All image copyrights are Marvel's. Issue credits linked below. Updated on Wednesdays. Marvel Comics Presents #38: Mid December 1989(6.10.20) Credits: grandcomicsdatabase Mark Badger returns to MCP with a patchwork quilt of a cover after his Dr. Strange feature in issues 19-20. It's tough to avoid comparisons to Sienkiewicz on the heels of the cover to #36 and, in comparison, it's hard to get especially excited. The work here is undeniably distinctive and should, in theory at least, be a natural fit for the goofy feel of the Excalibur feature. Unfortunately, it's a misfire with the action on the front buried in the depth of the frame. Badger's Hulk is, however, entirely charming with a happy go lucky, Chester Gould feel. A. Excalibur, "Having a Wild Weekend" [8/8] Larsen seems to be enjoying himself a bit more in this outing, but the feature concludes with a narrative whimper and head-scratching lack of coherence. Arcade is (not all that shockingly) revealed as the baddy behind the creation of the Looney Tunes doppelgangers and Shadowcat cooks up some counterparts for a double-splash dust-up. There are some lovely touches (e.g., Bugs' peepers), but the doodley, jam feel to the putative pay-off is a bit of a disappointment. A modest side note: since we only now see the team reunited, it's striking to see Larsen's success with a spindly, pretzeled Nightcrawler in contrast to his tepid, slimy Phoenix and Captain Britain. B. Wonder Man, "Stardust Miseries" [1/8] A grim start to what threatens to be a pretty dull affair. Higgins does double-duty, writing this story and the conclusion of the Excalibur feature. Where the latter was devoid of meaningful arc, this outing is crammed with Wonder Man introspectively monologuing through his convoluted backstory. On the bright side, there's a swift pivot to a possession story featuring Enchantress. Saltares and Marzan blow hot and cold here. There's a classic Marvel house feel to the affair, but it's over-inked into oblivion. Interestingly, this does yield some interesting, brighter panels that punctuate the affair. C. Hulk, "Art for Art's Sake" Marshall Rogers' architecture chops make for a strange pairing when it comes to Hulk, and, since we're in Mr. Fixit territory, this thing has wildcard written all over. Billy Mumy has the Hulk shakedown a delinquent debt and then seek out an ersatz Brian Wilson in hopes of securing a private concert for his employer. The comedic twist at the end is Hulk's cagey appreciation of the "masterpiece" Wilson's composing. It's a slight story by some standards, but the layouts and clean feel here are weirdly enchanting. The frozen, Morisi vibe that Rogers leans into is most obviously on display with Hulk's face and the shattered glass panel. A breath of fresh air and the kind of pleasing, oddity that's too rare in the last stretch of issues. D. Wolverine, "Black Shadow, White Shadow" [1/10] An interesting test case on the personnel side. The Madripoor feature that ran in the first ten issues of MCP had Claremont and Buscema with Janson inks. This arc lets Buscema ink his own work and swaps Marv Wolfman in. The early results are--perhaps surprisingly--positive on the visual side. Janson's open, scratchy textures are traded in for more dimensionality and vibrancy. They're helped along nicely by Nel Yomtov's bold color blocking. Wolfman's writing is a different matter, however. He turns headlong into a troubling characterization of Hong Kong that feels uncomfortably close to an indictment of Hong Kongers en masse, though worse has surely been said by Miller and others of New Yorkers in Daredevil and elsewhere. (A low bar, I'm afraid.) No clear idea what's happening story-wise, short of Wolverine investigating a missing city block or something. Hopefully Wolfman can turn a corner. Power Ranking: Hulk (A-), Excalibur (B-), Wolverine (C+), Wonder Man (C)