Customer Reviews

Essential Dazzler, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials) (v. 1)

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"Essential Dazzler"? Isn't that an oxymoron? In any case, this first Essential collection for the much maligned mutant disco diva is surprisingly good. Essential Dazzler re-prints her first appearances in X-Men and Spider-Man, as well as the first 21 issues of her solo series. However, when you first open this book up, you may be turned off by what you read. First introduced during Chris Claremont and John Byrne's iconic run on Uncanny X-Men in the midst of the landmark Dark Phoenix Saga, Dazzler was introduced with some laughable powers, i.e., she shoots disco lights. After you get past the first few issues collected here, we end up getting some surprisingly compelling adventures as Dazzler tangles with all kinds of classic Marvel characters (from the Hulk to Galactus) and really comes into her own during the last few issues of her solo series here, and there's a bevy of talent behind it all as well, including Marv Wolfman, John Romita Jr., and Walter Simonson. Though Dazzler is one of the few Marvel characters who hasn't stood the test of time too well, don't let that put you off from checking this out. All in all, Essential Dazzler is a surprisingly good installment in Marvel's Essential line, and is definitely worth checking out or picking up.

"Essential Dazzler Vol. 1" is simply one of the most surprising collections Marvel Comics has added to their Essential line. Dazzler has been something of a comics in-joke for years -- "That silly disco rollerskating heroine!" -- but one glance over this new collection, reprinting 21 issues from the self-titled solo adventures, proves that, hey, Dazzler was actually pretty good!

The collection follows the life of one Alison Blaire -- the Dazzler -- a mutant who turns sound into light. The clincher is she doesn't want to be a superhero, but wants to be a singing sensation, using her abilities to make fancy lightshows for her stage acts. But in the process, Dazzler deals with family drama, emotional rollercoasters (oh, the men!), and action-packed superheroics. The result is a dynamic, engaging mix.

Dazzler's mix of stories, largely relying on guest stars from Marvel's big-names, reads like a fantasy trip through the Marvel Universe. When reading through the issues, you realize that Dazzler is an excellent point-of-view character for readers new and old, acting as our own liason through the best of the 80s -- and most of these guest stars are again the best of the present day!

Dazzler's status as being outside of the spandex allows readers to become familiar with the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, She-Hulk, Hulk, Spider-Woman, Quasar, Doctor Octopus, the X-Men, the Absorbing Man, Galactus, and Terrax all over again -- or for the first time! It's continuity-heavy, but in an accessable way. Often times there's more plot in one issue of DAZZLER than most modern-day story arcs combined -- and once you hit Issue 6 of her solo series (vs. The Hulk!) Dazzler has you hooked. The backbeat pulses and you start to care about the character most readers barely know. Author Danny Fingeroth (who, despite low billing, penned the majority of this collection) creates strong links from issue to issue, making the series read like a serial rather than as simple superhero vignette. Great work all around.

Art by John Romita Jr., Frank Springer, John Byrne, and Keith Pollard is great in the black and white format. You can especially see the love Springer had for the Dazzler -- he draws one hot Alison Blaire.

The downside includes the wonky origin issues of Dazzler. The character was forced into the X-MEN and SPIDER-MAN series before her own launch, and it shows. Dazzler is hardly a compelling character in these issues. The X-Men stories by Claremont (as often is the case in trades that collect one or two issues by Claremont) particularly do not collect well as stand-alones. The Spider-Man issue is just wonky. And the first two issues of Dazzler may make you roll your eyes to the point you may not get into the good stuff.

By issue 6, and especially 10, you'll be a Dazzler convert.

Easily one of the best TPBs published by Marvel. Take a gander at this book, and feel the fever of Dazzler fandom.

I found this essential to be quite an enjoyable read. It was like one of 'In the day of...' stories we got in other bigger comics ala X-Men and Teen Titans, but that was the main focus of her overall story. Sure, she was a herald of Galactus for a minute, but she also had trouble getting stable work as a sessions singer, and often had to eat peanut butter and jelly for dinner.

It was also quite enjoyable because, even though she was a mutant who was just trying to make it in the entertainment industry, when she did face a super-villain, it was a more mainstream villain from the Fantastic Four, or the Avengers, rather than being battling Magneto every weekend, or a human who wanted to destroy all the mutants in the world.

The costume(if you can call it a costume) fits in so well to not only back then, during the disco days, but if you look at a lot of pop stars ala Jennifer Lopez, and Kylie Minogue they often wear outfits very similar to her original costume.

BTW, if you're a fan of Oz, you will LOL @ the prison issue! Overall, I would say buy the issue if you're interested in learning about a very interesting, and different hero for the the new 'modern' woman from the 80's, I say pick up the book!
I also enjoyed that

Alison (Dazzler) Blaire was going to be a star of movies, music and comics...until the boogie nights ended up in a cutout bin.

The character was initially part of a planned cross-promotion between Casablanca Records, Filmworks and Marvel Comics, with Blaire drawn to capture the style of Grace Jones and then Bo Derek. But by the time the disco diva - with mutant powers to turn sound vibrations into light and energy beams - made her debut in Uncanny X-Men #130 (February 1980), all the glitz of the real Hollywood was gone and the plans for a comic book was nearly axed.

But Blaire made it into her own comic book, with this volume reprinting Dazzler #1-#21, along with Uncanny X-Men #130-#131 and the Amazing Spider-Man #203. The book covers 1980-1982 and features a number of guests, including the X-Men, Spider-Man, Human Torch, The Hulk and Galactus, which was an excellent means to cross-promote the new character through established superstars.

And Dazzler #1 was initially released only to comic book specialty shops, which created a buzz and made that issue a highly sought after item. The stories are solid and art work slowly inched away from disco themes, since that music genre was quickly fading from the record charts. She may have not stayed the dancing queen for long, but Alison Blaire was a dazzling - and underrated - addition to the Marvel Universe.

An entertaining gathering of stories about the shapely mutant skating soundwave zapping songstress.

The best parts are at the start, where she crosses over into the X-Men's Dark Phoenix saga, and hence has Claremont and Byrne, and some a little after that with John Romita Jr.

Later on some pretty average talent in the art department means the only thing that is consistent is prominent cleavage, but the romantic misadventures and scuzziness of the music industry remain a feature throughout.

Through in Doctor Doom, the Hulk, singing battles with the Enchantress judged in Asgard, not to mention Galactus, gives an outlandish collection of fun that is probably more entertaining than you would think, if most definitely on the silly side.


3.5 out of 5

I have every issue of the comic and was hoping to see this book come out and now here it is. Dazzler is my favorite Marvel character and it is so exciting to see her getting such an awesome treatment! This book is a must have for anyone who is vaugely interested in great stories and art-Dazzler has an unique perspective in the Marvel universe and is highly reccommended to all. A must buy! I order all the time from Amazon but have yet to put up a review-but my unyielding love for this character has sprung me to action. Here's hoping for volume 2!

Disco may be dead, but when the Dazzlers around, disco is still Alive. The mutant is back in her own thrilling novel. Featuring the X-men,Spider-man,Gangsters,The Phoenix,Wolverine,Gods,Galactus,The Inhumans,The Hellfire Club,Project:P.E.G.A.S.U.S.,Spiderwoman,Doctor Doom,and the Sensational She-Hulk. Something Shocking happens at the end... it may be a super reunioun with every marvel hero in one apartment, or a horrifing death of the dazzler in her apartment in New York. The answer is very simple...BUY THE BOOK, AND FIND OUT AND BE DAZZLED!!!!

Dazzler (who only barely escaped being named 'the Disco Dazzler') was originally going to be a collaberation between Marvel comics and a record company, the idea was Marvel would create a disco-themed superhero and the record label would release songs in her name. Alas that never happened but we're still left with some interesting stories and a cool character.

Alison Blaire is a mutant sonic transducer (I wonder if the Rocky Horror reference was deliberate) who can turn sound into light. But rather than become a superhero, she wants to be a disco diva and idol of millions but for a mutant life is never that easy. Within her first few issues Dazzler takes on everyone from the Hellfire Club to Dr Doom and Galactus and teams up with half the heroes in the Marvel universe.

As the book goes on it's clear the writers are straining a bit for excuses to get Dazzler into superhero situations but it's also clear everyone is having fun with this. There's a bit of angst about Dazzler giving up law school to be a singer, a bit of a mystery about her missing mother but nothing too heavy. The writers make make some reference to the hedonistic culture of discos - after Dazzler is kidnapped by Galactus and returns babbling about the cosmos everyone just assumes she was off on a bender is coming down from the drugs. It's a cute scene played for laughs.

The early art is by John Romita Jr, then the rest is by Frank Springer. Springer's work has some problems, he tends to draw heads too small, but is fine traditional superhero work that looks great in black and white.

This book is an interesting artifact of it's time, it's a bit dated, a bit campy but a lot of fun.

My all-time super favorite super heroine. Dazzler kicks-a and does it in spandex and roller skates! I only wish it were in color but you get so many old issues this is a bargain. So good I bought two copies.

This collection compiles of when Dazzler was first introduced in the X-Men series, a cameo in Spider-Man and then debuting in her own comic series. In her own comic book series, there are lots of cameos from various Marvel series (Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four, and more).

Dazzler is a mutant with the power to convert sound into dazzling (sorry for the pun) light that can damage people's sensory systems. Even though her light powers are very powerful against foes, Dazzler does not wish to become a crime fighter. Instead, Dazzler always had her heart set on being a famous singer--despite her father's wishes for her to go to go to law school and go into the law business.

The Dazzler series has Dazzler struggling to live on the modest (or lack of) income of singing at various gigs. She fights various foes while trying to become a singer and deal with her feelings about her father and her life.

Okay, the stories are VERY cheesy, Dazzler's powers are just weird, and Marvel characters tend to act very Out of Character whenever Dazzler's involved. And then of course, there are the cheesy disco-era slang, etc. Dazzler is a bit of a Mary Sue with male characters always worrying about her in the first half of the stories, but Dazzler grows on you.

If you like EXTREMELY cheesy, disco fun, with a characters whose powers are a little unusual, then Dazzler is for you!