Amazing Heroes Issue #10 Pg. 27
Dublin Core
Title
Amazing Heroes Issue #10 Pg. 27
Subject
Periodical
Comic Strips
Comic Strips
Description
Page 27 of Amazing Heroes Issue #10 is the first page to an article written by J. Collier, titled “On the Rise: Denys Cowan.” The article describes comic book artist Denys Cowan’s job history, explaining how he started out drawing stick figures of Superman before actually having ever read a comic book. Once he decided that he wanted to be a comic book artist, Cowan attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan. For a while he alternated between working for Marvel and DC, drawing covers, extra pages, and a few stories for a wide variety of characters. Finally, he was offered a full-time job at Marvel, working on a few issues of Moon Knight before becoming the regular artist for Power Man/Iron Fist, which is what he was working on at the time of the article’s publication. The author of the article expects him to be very successful on that title and to continue rising in the industry. Cowan also expresses an interest in inking as well as penciling so that he can have more artistic control over his work. The article is accompanied by an image of a page from a Power Man/Iron Fist comic, drawn by Denys Cowan, in which the two heroes battle a mob of men wielding swords.
Denys Cowan’s run penciling Power Man/Iron Fist is reflective of the influence of movie fads on comic books and their depictions of blackness. Iron Fist, otherwise known as Danny Rand and whose appearance and name are Caucasian, was an effort to profit from the kung fu movie craze of the 1970s, while Power Man, otherwise known as Luke Cage, was a clear instance of blaxploitation. When the American audience’s fascination with the two genres died down, the characters were teamed up in an attempt to boost sales. There were positives and negatives to the pairing in regards to racial representation. The black man was not the sidekick or the villain to the white male hero but was arguably his equal. Rand’s more conservative view of justice and Cage’s radical view complemented each other, leading to an effective team. However, Luke Cage was often depicted as an angry vigilante and was associated with the prison system, both of which contributed to stereotypes about black men. Additionally, Iron Fist and Power Man began a group of superheroes called Heroes for Hire, Inc., which continued a pattern that questioned Cage’s heroic motivation. Unlike other superheroes who did their work out of altruism and a desire to help others, the Heroes for Hire worked solely for financial reimbursement. The article implies that many of Cowan’s actions, within the company and on the page, were dictated by what Marvel wanted from him, thus taking some of the culpability away from him.
Denys Cowan’s run penciling Power Man/Iron Fist is reflective of the influence of movie fads on comic books and their depictions of blackness. Iron Fist, otherwise known as Danny Rand and whose appearance and name are Caucasian, was an effort to profit from the kung fu movie craze of the 1970s, while Power Man, otherwise known as Luke Cage, was a clear instance of blaxploitation. When the American audience’s fascination with the two genres died down, the characters were teamed up in an attempt to boost sales. There were positives and negatives to the pairing in regards to racial representation. The black man was not the sidekick or the villain to the white male hero but was arguably his equal. Rand’s more conservative view of justice and Cage’s radical view complemented each other, leading to an effective team. However, Luke Cage was often depicted as an angry vigilante and was associated with the prison system, both of which contributed to stereotypes about black men. Additionally, Iron Fist and Power Man began a group of superheroes called Heroes for Hire, Inc., which continued a pattern that questioned Cage’s heroic motivation. Unlike other superheroes who did their work out of altruism and a desire to help others, the Heroes for Hire worked solely for financial reimbursement. The article implies that many of Cowan’s actions, within the company and on the page, were dictated by what Marvel wanted from him, thus taking some of the culpability away from him.
Creator
Writer: J. Collier
Editor: Kim Thompson
Assistant Editor: J. Collier
Contributing Writers: Dwight R. Decker, George Guay, Jim Korkis, Mindy McAdams, Gene Reed
Consulting Editor: Dwight R. Decker
Art Director: Peppy White
Contributing Artists: Bret Blevins, Denys Cowan, Nequi Dharsee, Rudi Franke, Pat Gabriele, 'Bert Hernandez, Gary Kwapisz, Branko Matkovic, Kevin Nowlan, Sam de la Rosa, Don Rosa
Advertising: J. Michael Catron
Editor: Kim Thompson
Assistant Editor: J. Collier
Contributing Writers: Dwight R. Decker, George Guay, Jim Korkis, Mindy McAdams, Gene Reed
Consulting Editor: Dwight R. Decker
Art Director: Peppy White
Contributing Artists: Bret Blevins, Denys Cowan, Nequi Dharsee, Rudi Franke, Pat Gabriele, 'Bert Hernandez, Gary Kwapisz, Branko Matkovic, Kevin Nowlan, Sam de la Rosa, Don Rosa
Advertising: J. Michael Catron
Source
MSU Special Collection Comic Art, PN6725.A47
Publisher
Redbeard Inc.
Date
1982-04
Contributor
Sarah M Geist
Rights
Rights Restrictions Apply
Format
8 3/8 inches by 10 7/8 inches
Language
English
Type
Periodical
Coverage
1981-1992
Files
Collection
Citation
Writer: J. Collier
Editor: Kim Thompson
Assistant Editor: J. Collier
Contributing Writers: Dwight R. Decker, George Guay, Jim Korkis, Mindy McAdams, Gene Reed
Consulting Editor: Dwight R. Decker
Art Director: Peppy White
Contributing Artists: Bret Blevins, Denys Cowan, Nequi Dharsee, Rudi Franke, Pat Gabriele, 'Bert Hernandez, Gary Kwapisz, Branko Matkovic, Kevin Nowlan, Sam de la Rosa, Don Rosa
Advertising: J. Michael Catron, “Amazing Heroes Issue #10 Pg. 27,” Critical Fanscape, accessed October 17, 2026, https://chambl91.msu.domains/CriticalFanscape/items/show/17.