Greetings Netizens, Fracadactyl here highlighting Will Lill Comics newest series, Lightning Marval. Debuting in the pages of Monty’s World, Warren Montgomery himself needed something to go along with the semi-serious Firefox. To do so, he had to take every responsibility; keep in mind Montgomery has way more experience as a letterer than any other creative field. But when does that stop anybody from having a good time?
Lightning Marval Beginnings
Lightning Marval begins in 1996 as a Superman parody as Lightning Man and later submits a proposal to Dark Horse Comics only to be rejected. After setting up Will Lill Comics, Montgomery renames his character Lightning Marval and debuts in Monty’s World. Of course Ron Stewart gives him a more serious design unlike the cartoony one Montgomery planned. Yet even in these early days, this Captain Marvel (Shazam)-esque character doesn’t take himself too seriously. So what does Montgomery do when he decides to revisit this character in Fun Adventure Comics? He takes over everything including writing and art; complete with the cartoony design. There’s just something about this more kid-friendly design that feels relaxing on all sides. No overarching plots, just dumb superhero fun.
The Yin To The Yang
Lightning Marval‘s light atmosphere, dialog, and general nonsense are all in stark contrast to Montgomery’s other work. In John Kirby: Firefox, there’s a personal tale of two people in the same body struggling to coexist. John just wants to live his life normally while Firefox is out to battle a galactic overlord. It’s a dichotomy tale about doing what you want and taking the necessary responsibilities to support it. It’s something Montgomery does in his real life between creating comics while making sure he’s stable enough to support his business.
As for Lightning Marval, it turns out he too has two halves; and I don’t just mean a civilian and superhero identity. Like John and Firefox they are two people sharing the same body. But Freddy and F’rel don’t fight each other for control of their body like John and Firefox. Instead they treat it like it’s no big deal. With an origin involving being stuck together in golden duct tape; what can you take seriously? For Montgomery, I see this as a way to blow off steam from the more serious business of his comics. Something to say, “I did all of the hard work so now I’m just gonna treat myself nicely”. After a rejection and some compromises, he certainly earns it.
Check Out Lightning Marval For Yourself
If you’re interested in Lightning Marval, check out this free preview from Will Lill Comics: http://www.wlcomics.com/TheAdventuresOfLightningMarval_01_Preview_WLC.pdf. If you like it stay tuned for the full release appearing at digital comic retailers: Comixology, Kindle, DriveThru, and Indyplanet. And if you want a print version with an exclusive cover visit Will Lill Comics.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always, remember to look between the panels.