HEROES I MISS: Paul Kirk Manhunter

One of the best things about doing the “Heroes I Miss” section on this blog is to go back through the old collection (those long boxes gathering dust on the pallet in the back corner of the basement) and “relive” some of each character’s appearance. Hopefully to re-enforce just why I miss them, and to remind myself of what made them great. That’s why Manhunter was a very easy choice for me as a hero that I GREATLY miss.

Originally a back up in Detective Comics created by Archie Goodwin and drawn by (at that time “newcomer”) Walt Simonson, the Paul Kirk Manhunter is one of the few properties that have not been directly bastardized by the so-called “talent” working in comics today. I understand that it is an unwritten “law” at the DC offices that THIS character will NOT be “revised” out of respect to the late Archie Goodwin, though I honestly have no idea why this edict would be followed when so few others ever are, it is undoubtedly his best creation, and one that holds up remarkably well over the last thirty years.

The character itself is a kind of “revamp” of the Kirby-Simon Manhunter from WW2, a smart and ingenious hook as the character is frozen shortly after the war (when the character had tired of chasing crooks and couldn’t bring himself to stop a rampaging elephant) and cloned hundreds of times, then given the opportunity to command an entire army of himself to do the bidding for an Illuminati style organization bent on world domination. The original of course rebels (in true hero fashion) and must not only reacquaint himself with the world, but fight off the evil organization, as well as the army of his clones. Along his short career he takes on a few partners, and after a too short run as a back-up (as well as a change in Detective’s editors) Manhunter goes out with a bang and a book length ending where he crosses over with Batman.

This is one of those all too rare instances in comics when both the art team and writer are not only in sync, but both are at the very top of their game. The back up stories are so packed with plot that most pages are crammed to beyond belief with panels and story that easily rivals Will Eisner’s Spirit in content, then, as if to totally flaunt the fact that the story was over way before it’s time, the book length climax is just as crammed with plot and characterization where you KNOW that this series, and this series of ideas, had MUCH more ground to cover, and much deeper character building than most any other comic before or since.

Forget the “revising” in comics; it totally dismays me why this property hasn’t been translated to outside media. This would be one HELL of a movie, or a great TV series that would not only be cheap to make (especially with CGI at the level it is, they could even layer in the same actor as all the clones), but has the RARE depth of character, action, and plot to keep an audience riveted for many, many seasons. Frankly, I’m shocked that none of the parasites in comics haven’t either convinced DC to allow a “revamp” or even a direct swipe of the treasure trove of potential this character has. Then again, this is one of those rare properties that is probably best left alone.

Sure, a couple of the Paul Kirk “clones” have reemerged, and the name “Manhunter” has ran through at least two series as well as a series of Green Lantern clones, but still nothing has come close to tarnishing this treasure, much and many kudos to whomever at DC is keeping this from happening.

This series was SO successful and such a favorite that DC “licensed” the series to be independently published in black and white in trade form long before they ever did such things themselves, then later DC collected the entire series twice and reprinted it in full color (once great bright paper, then again a few years later on white but slightly cheaper paper) all printings of which I still proudly own I might add. It is way overdue for another printing- if they haven’t already done so- just as an example of what great comics CAN be.

So, let the character stay dead if you can’t find talent equal to Goodwin to write it and Simonson to draw it, but let’s see the movie (franchise) or television series. The property is accessible enough for all to enjoy, and I would love to see the character translated to film. If left faithful to the original source material it would make for a gem in DC’s crown, showing that even their minor, forgotten characters have incredible potential for entertainment, even with today’s fickle audience. It’s a superhero with elements of De Vinci Code, James Bond, and Highlander all rolled into one.

This is one of those series that I cannot recommend highly enough, and it’s well worth whatever you have to pay to read it, truly a rare classic.

Paul Kirk: Manhunter, A Hero I’m glad I miss!