BLACK GOLIATH #5
(Cover by Gil Kane and [?])
Published and © by Marvel, Nov. 1976
“Survival!”
Synopsis: Trapped on a hostile planet, Black Goliath and friends must team with an alien in an effort to get home.
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Keith Pollard
Inker: Pollard
Review: With cancellation looming, writer Chris Claremont chooses an offbeat done-in-one tale for this final issue of Black Goliath. Finding themselves transported to a hellish world called Kirgar, Black Goliath and company make friends with a marooned alien explorer named Derath. What follows is a pretty by-the-book sci-fi adventure, including a heavy-handed moral about not judging someone based on their appearance (required, you know, of any Bronze Age superhero book with “Black” in the title). Decent but not spectacular, the story is helped out by a strong effort from artist Keith Pollard, who inks his own work well.
Grade: B
Second opinion: “I dunno if it was the amazing Keith Pollard art, or regular scripter Chris Claremont finally cutting loose with a full-out sci-fi story, but after four mediocre issues, Black Goliath #5 just blew me away.” — The Groovy Agent, Diversions of the Groovy Kind
Cool factor: Both super and smart, Black Goliath had potential. Shame how that worked out.
Not-so-cool factor: That costume. Midriff tops for men are sooooo ’70s.
Character quotable: “Move it, woman! I’ll handle him — BLACK GOLIATH style!” — Black Goliath (duh!)
