Because publishers want you to buy their product every month, comics are typically serial in nature. However, occasionally (and more often nowadays than ever before) publishers launch a comic title that is only meant to last for one issue. While ongoing series often have multiple chances to hook in new readers, the comics highlighted in this ongoing investigations only had One-Shot At Greatness!
Publisher: Amalgam Comics
Cover Date: April 1996
Cover Price: $1.95
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: José Luis García-López
When the DC and Marvel Universes merged in Marvel vs DC, a new one was created: the Amalgam Universe. This one-shot combined Doctor Strange with Doctor Fate.
In Marvel vs DC, Axel “Access” Asher was passed on the powers and responsibility of keeping the DC Universe and the Marvel Universe separate. He quickly failed at this job and the universes did indeed merge together into the Amalgam Universe. Doctor Strangefate is the only person that exists in the Amalgam Universe that knows how it came about … and he wants it to stay that way. So, he sends a squad consisting of the Skulk (Hulk & Solomon Grundy), Jade Nova (Jade & Nova) and the White Witch (Scarlet Witch & Zatanna) to abduct Access. Unfortunately for Strangefate, he discovers that Access has hidden away the keys that will allow him to separate the universes again. Access beats a hasty retreat and Strangefate is left to ponder his failure at securing the existence of his very world.
Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez‘s art here is fantastic! The character designs he’s created are wonderful (especially the Abominite!). Ron Marz‘s story is perhaps the most important of the Amalgam one-shots. If Strangefate had succeeded, it would have eliminated the reinstatement of the DC & Marvel Universes. And, at the very end he reveals Strangefate’s secret identity. You’ll never guess it! The story’s end doesn’t leave much room for continuation but in this case, it’s well-warranted and the chase feeling of this tale sucked me right in.
On Ebay: Amalgam | Ron Marz | Doctor Fate | Doctor Strange
On AtomicAvenue: Amalgam Comics