Iron Man #7
I know Greg Land likes the underwear shots, but I’m not sure it’s really working for Death’s Head here, yes?
You guys remember that time that Death’s Head went into Unicron’s head and it was full of rainbows and sparkles and candy?
As much as I love Kieron Gillen’s Death’s Head, I was rather pleased to see the original, Furman-era DH make a return in the latest issue of Avenging Spider-man. While I can’t claim it was much more than an extended cameo, Chris Yost had some fun with Death’s Head’s history, throwing convoluted time travel, his familiarity with the Baxter Building and the Time Variance Authority, along with a game attempt at his speech pattern. (Although it would be nice if a non-Furman writer picked up on the fact that he doesn’t end every other sentence with a “yes?” He ends random sentences with questions, right? That’s something few people seem to pick up on, huh?)
Anyway, a nice attempt to reintroduce a Furman-esque Death’s Head back into the Marvel Universe and a bit of fun. I dunno, you wait decades for Death’s Head to make a reappearance, and two come along at once. And they’re different versions.
The first (and only, so far) sight of Death’s Head in Kieron Gillen and Greg Land’s Iron Man, featuring Tony getting some good advice.
Wait, Death’s Head is a Transformers character, yes?
It’s somewhat… complicated.
Simon Furman wanted a disposable bounty hunter character for the UK Transformers comic, who was supposed to die at the end of the story, but changed his mind when he saw Geoff Senior’s designs and he became a recurring character. Supposedly, to ensure that he remained the property of Marvel UK rather than Hasbro, they printed a one page story with the character across the other Marvel imprints before he made his debut. (But I kinda doubt that version of events, which I’ve never seen proven, since the story in question was drawn by Bryan Hitch, who didn’t work for Marvel UK until later, if my facts are right, but, whatever, it’s the accepted version.) So, the character was then used by Marvel UK, first in guest slots in the Doctor Who comic, which they then had the license for, Dragon’s Claws, (Marvel UK’s then US format comic), into his own 12 issue title, before crossing to the US and appearing in Marvel Comics Presents, She-Hulk and Fantastic Four as well as his own graphic novel. The character was then rebooted as a 90s-style cyborg as Death’s Head II, but Kieron Gillen brought back the original styled Death’s Head, or the 616 version anyway, in his short-lived S.W.O.R.D. title, back as a 30 foot tall mech.
Told you it was complicated.
And that’s not even getting into all the time travelling and dimension hopping shenanigans.
But, short version, yes, he had his origins in the Transformers comic. ;)
Death’s Head, apparently due to have a bad day in the upcoming issue #17 of Avenging Spider-man by Chris Yost and Paco Medina. Questions may be asked how he can appear as his 7 foot tall post-Dragon’s Claws rebuild in this title and as his 30 foot tall pre-Transformers version in Iron Man, and, apparently, instantly reappear entirely intact after getting decapitated in this title, to which I respond, “He’s a time-travelling sentient mechanoid who’s spent time alternately trying to kill and hanging out with the Doctor. He’s evidently picked up some tricks along the way.”
(Either that or it’s just an FF training programme, but, hey, good to see someone remembers him, beside Simon Furman and Kieron Gillen.)
The first (and only, so far) sight of Death’s Head in Kieron Gillen and Greg Land’s Iron Man, featuring Tony getting some good advice.
Original art for the one-page Death’s Head story “High Noon Tex”, which was run prior to the character’s Transformers UK appearance in order to secure the rights with Marvel rather than Hasbro. Though artist Geoff Senior created Death’s Head along with writer Simon Furman, art for this page was by Bryan Hitch. The note penciled along the top says “Death’s Head Thingie”.
I purchased this from Simon at BotCon ‘97 (hence the signature), and it’s remained framed in a place of honor ever since.
(Not like “creepy shrine” place of honor, more like “near my desk” place of honor.)
Lucky bugger.
So, basically, whenever I’m bored and have a pen in my hand I nearly always end up doodling Death’s Head.
Death’s Head versus Death’s Head II from Marvel What If? #54
“Fists and a bad attitude alone don’t cut it anymore, right?”
