Random Happenstance

We saw Malibu Comics Rune giving Conan the hassle some time ago, and Barry Windsor-Smith made the titular vampire look great. Perhaps not surprising, since BWS created Rune. Today, we check out another great artist's take on the character, as Big John Buscema...

...draws Rune like Blastaar in a diaper. Rune had wings in the other half of the book...

From 1995's Rune/Silver Surfer #1, which I recall was hyped up the wazoo by Marvel, Wizard, people yelling on rooftops...Admittedly, some of the excitement is understandable: John Buscema returning to the Silver Surfer was always welcome, and a good hook to get people interested in the crossover between Malibu and Marvel. (Marvel had bought Malibu the year before.)

Hook notwithstanding, it's not very good: Rune's half of the book is very early work from artist Henry Flint, and it shows in parts; but the writing doesn't help either. Thor makes a brief (and off-model) appearance; as do Warlock, Thanos, and the Infinity Watch. The latter are completely jobbed out, as Rune makes off with the Infinity Gems. (Warlock's Soul Gem, always a bit evil, practically jumps at the chance to get with someone who will more readily use it.)

Meanwhile, in his half, the Silver Surfer unwillingly gets an assignment from the Living Tribunal: don't let any space vampire monsters use the Infinity Gems as a unit (the Infinity Gauntlet) and maybe don't let an agent of oblivion get them, either. The Surfer spends most of the story fighting Deathurge, but catches up with Rune in the end; blowing his hand off (or at least burning it) and scattering the Infinity Gems in the Ultraverse. The Surfer is a little worried, but the Tribunal just didn't want the Gauntlet used again, so mission accomplished.

Anyway, this was a $5.95 book, cover price, in 1995; I got it for a quarter. Same year. That should tell you what you need to know about it, actually.