Issue(s): Astonishing Tales #31
Cover Date: Aug 75
Title: "Twice removed from yesterday..."
Credits:
Doug Moench - Writer
Rich Buckler & Keith Pollard - Penciler
Klaus Janson - Inker

Review/plot:
The main Deathlok story is only 16 pages and the rest of the book is a reprint: Why Won't They Believe Me? which was from Amazing Adult Fantasy #7 but bookended as a Tales of the Watcher and retold in Silver Surfer #3 (and then reprinted here, with the Watcher bookend). This story was also the basis for Marvel: The Lost Generation #11 with the alien in the story replaced with a Skrull.

The main story has Deathlok hunting down the criminals that created him, but he doesn't manage to get the surgeon - Ryker - he was after. He also runs into Mike Travers, who married his wife when Deathlok was (correctly) presumed dead.

The best part of this story is the banter between Deathlok and his internal computer.

It's also very violent, which is unusual for 1975.

The art is a little stiff despite the team of Buckler and Janson who did such a great job on the early issues of Jungle Action.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - early Deathlok story

Chronological Placement Considerations: Deathlok's early appearances take place in the dystopian 1990s. As such, they don't really belong in my project here. But i happened to have this issue, and Deathlok will eventually come to the "present", so i've included this entry as a preview.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Pollard was doing a nice Gene Colan.

The Watcher story is in fact drawn by Gene Colan. The listed credits for Rich Buckler & Keith Pollard only pertain to the Deathlok story. https://www.comics.org/issue/28883/