Issue(s): Marvel Comics Presents #55 (Collective Man story only)
Cover Date: Jul 90
Title: "The sons of Mary Tao-Yu"
Credits:
Scott Lobdell - Writer
Greg LaRocque - Penciler
Harry Candelario & Brad Vancata - Inker
Kelly Corvese - Assistant Editor
Terry Kavanagh - Editor

Review/plot:
The Collective Man is in the strange situation of having been introduced (in 1980!) without ever having had a story that featured him. Marvel Comics Presents is in a position to remedy that. But since this is by Scott Lobdell, whose approach on his Marvel Comics Presents vignettes has been very jokey, i didn't have high hopes.

Things start off very serious, with what seems like a Tiananmen Square situation.

But that's not the case at all.

We've already learned that the Collective Man can teleport to any one of his "brothers", and that they are literally blood brothers, and that they aren't always merged together in a "Collective". That's the most i've ever seen of him in-comic.

And yes, this is going to be a silly story.

The Collective Man(s) are going to visit their mother, who is dying. But Ho Ti, the God of Happiness, is here to bring them back from the unapproved absence from base.

Four of the brothers merge to fight Ho Ti while the fifth goes to see their mother. One by one, the other brothers leave their Collective and go to the mother. And eventually the God of Happiness realizes that this is right and he shouldn't be fighting them.

Ok, so i guess it was just a little silly. It's nice to finally see the characters(s) in action, even if it's just him struggling against his own government (and Fat Happy God). It would still be nice to see what the Collective Man does most of the time, i.e., what does the Chinese government do with its super-soldier?

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A