#mack bolan

Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan, The Executioner. Cover to Hong Kong Hit List (1987) by Gil Cohen.

Observe, the decline of Mack Bolan

The original run, with art by the legendary Gil Cohen, a man who I consider alongside Mort Künstler to be the best action artist of the 20th century.

The "New War" era, still done by Cohen but with a larger scale as he was no longer confined by Pinnacle Books' smaller paintings. Does show Bolan as older and evolved, much like the stories themselves depict him as. No longer are women to be handled like luggage!

The "Man With Gun era", where Bolan became a spinoff of himself. Art done by a rotating cast, although you can tell that they also worked on the 80s Conan novels and comics. The stories have become more "grounded", featuring a much more Ripped From Today's Headlines! conceit.

Man With Gun Era continues, melding with the "Stony Man" subuniverse that was created by Gold Eagle around this time. Bolan is now no longer a lone vigilante, but is now operating with the black-budget of the Pentagon and the support of Able Team and Phoenix Force, the spinoff teams created by Don Pendleton. Has a heavy Cobra vibe, despite being from the late 90s.

Now we come to the low point in art, the modern day runs and re-releases. Gone is Gil Cohen, what we have is this stock image jackass. By this time, Bolan has entered the "Punisher MAX" era, where he's unbelievably old yet still pulling ops.

And why? Cheapskate publishers!