Random Happenstance

Pretty sure I had a copy of this, but you find something like this in the quarter bin, you kind of have to, right? From 1989, Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe #1, story and pencils by Fred Hembeck, inks by Vince Colletta and Joe Staton.

A down-and-out Hembeck doesn't think things could possibly get worse, when he's faced with the Punisher, who wants to know if he's the guy that destroyed the Marvel Universe. Or, at least, all the heroes and villains, anyway. Well, yeah, but in his defense, he was tricked into doing it by his evil twin, and the pages were never published...until now! Which explains some of the minor continuity issues; like the Hulk was grey by the time this hit stands. Hijinks, of course, ensue.

Some of the jokes are hit-and-miss, like an extended riff on Doctor Doom's true identity as Reed's dad? And Reed's long-lost sister? I think I liked J.Jonah Jameson's reaction to incoming news of assorted heroes dying, which swerves from legit grieving to champagne popping off about when you'd expect. There was another book a year later, Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe, which was mostly reprints of his Marvel Age strips. There was also a 2016 the Marvel Universe According to Hembeck trade, but it's been a few since I've seen new stuff from him.