Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery
Panels and Pages… Art and Artists… Creators and Conventions… Musings and Memories…
Aces High #3, August 1955
An entire case of Champagne might be a bit much for a New Year’s celebration — unless you have a big crowd, and they all like to drink the bubbly.
Either way, Jack Davis brings us a killer EC title page from Aces High. A lovely way to start the new year.
(Fun fact: This page kicked around for a while as part of the complete story. When it was finally broken up, the pages sold very quickly — and at an aggregate price greater than the entire story.)
Promethea #14, June 2001
Criminally underrated artists.
Criminally underrated art team.
Criminally underrated artwork.
Seriously, each 2-page spread in Promethea is somewhere between great… and stunning. And yet, when pages sell at auction, the realized prices rarely reflect the quality of the work.
A definite head-scratcher, certainly. But a boon for collectors who want a terrific piece of art — from an Alan Moore project, no less — at a ludicrously low price.
And a lunar realm like this one seems like a good place to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year.
See you in 2024.
Wonder Woman #104, December 1995
This is obviously a cool splash page from John Byrne’s (story, pencils and inks) run on Wonder Woman. Tremendous detail apparent here.
Less obvious without the published page nearby of course is the terrific coloring here by Patricia Mulvihill. She creates a clear background and foreground with minimal tone, adding depth and clarity to the art.
If you’re curious about plot, Darkseid and his legions have killed quite a few of Diana’s fellow warriors and wrecked Themyscira, but didn’t get what they wanted, so they split.
Good riddance, even if only temporary.
Animal Man #16, October 1989
This page captures so much of the essence of Grant Morrison’s Animal Man series. Fun and weird — and fun.
The perfect art for the perfectly oddball series.
Bonus points for a perfect cover by the legendary Brian Bolland, too.
Nuff said.*
(*Although it does need to be added that these pages rarely pop up, at least in places I see regularly.)
Adventure Comics #471, May 1980
Remember when DC had some space for some comics that were fun, even playful?
How about Plastic Man, written by Marty Pasko and drawn by the talented and versatile Joe Staton. (Also, he and his wife Hillary are two of the loveliest people you will ever meet. Trust me on this.)
DC will bring back ol’ Plas someday — although, given the current state of the editorial mindset in the industry, there is always a chance he will come back as a schizophrenic who only thinks he can stretch.
Trust me on this, too.
(Fun footnote. Someone at DC must have liked this story as much as I do — it was reprinted just a few years later in 1983’s Adventure #503, the final issue of the series.
Superboy #160, October 1969
Bob Brown’s Superboy stories were the Superboy stories I read as a kid.
Wally Wood inks? A very happy bonus.
Even though the stories rarely matched the intensity of the typically featured Neal Adams covers, I’d likely buy a collection of this material on the spot if it ever becomes available. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. (It’s shocking how much DC silver age superhero material remains to be printed. But that’s a story for another day.)
Superman: Blood of My Ancestors, November 2003
Superman: Blood of My Ancestors is an unusual project. Gil Kane was the original penciller, but he passed away before he could finish it, and then John Buscema took over the penciling, and did manage to finish it — before his passing shortly thereafter.
So, when the book finally see print in 2003, both pencillers, giants in the industry were gone.
Kevin Nowlan provides finishes for both. (And as a bonus, because Kevin inked Gil’s pages, they won’t fade away like so many of the other Kane “marker era” pages from his latter DC comics career.)
Not a ton of Superman in this one-shot since much of the story revolves around an early ancestor of the House of El. In fact, most of the Buscema pages look like a classic barbarian tale. Kal-El’s distant relative is a dead ringer for Conan.
Who knew?
Wolverine First Class #15, July 2009
Finishing our mini-celebration of the X-Men’s 60th anniversary.
Here’s a fun page from X-Men First Class, featuring, as part of the story, Kitty a bit out of sorts in an underground drainage system. It’s here she learns the secret of Doc Blake’s cane and his transformation abilities into — well — the last panel tips us off, doesn’t it? (Of course, the cover was a giveaway, too.)
Clear and interesting storytelling, and a wonderful use of shadows and light, make this an exceptionally compelling page. (Once again, although the published page is fine, the original looks much better in black and white.)
Wolverine First Class #13, May 2009
Continuing a mini-celebration of the X-Men’s 60th anniversary.
Here’s a perfect (or as perfect gets) Wolverine cover by underrated artist David Williams. It features a pissed off Wolverine (actually, that might be redundant) and a shocked and terrified Kitty Pryde dynamically heading into — or out of — trouble.
Great background detail (nicely adapted from from photo reference) provides extra depth and interest while still setting off the foreground. Overall, a very nice use of shadows and light. (The digital coloring on the published cover handles it less effectively.)
And cliche’s are cliche’s for a reason: Every time I examine the expression on Kitty’s Face I do indeed think one picture is worth a thousand words.
Poster, Creation Con (#1), November 1971, Art By Kenneth Smith
I’ve posted previously about my very first comic book convention in 1971, which coincidentally, was also the very first Creation convention in NYC, organized by teenagers Adam Malin and Gary Berman. (52 years ago. Oof, I feel old. But better than the alternative.)
Thanks to a doting Aunt, I was able to spend a few hours at the New Yorker that weekend, no doubt channeling a Tex Avery cartoon character: Eyes bugging out at all the wonders in the room. I spent whatever little pocket money I had well before I left.
Last year (2022), I happened to have an extra day in NYC before the Thanksgiving weekend, so I trekked out to the wilds of NJ (actually, close to midtown) to visit retailer Anthony Snyder’s warehouse, following up on some art I was interested in. (It’s an impressive collection of comics and comic art — definitely an interesting place to get lost in for a minute.)
As we were closing in on a deal for multiple items, I discovered this gem buried in a portfolio: A poster for that same Creation Con. (Kenneth Smith’s “demon” art was used for both the poster and convention program.) And wow, does that logo scream early 70s.
Delighted I acquired it — and, given the timing, I’m guessing there must be some sort of kismet about Thanksgiving weekend for me. Appropriate, too, because I am indeed thankful — for a lot of things.
Happy Holiday, everyone.
* Fun fact: Unlike many of the hotels that hosted those early New York conventions, the New Yorker is still here. And close enough to the Javits Center, that visitors to the current-day New York Comic-Con often stay there.