Sal Buscema gamely takes over the art chores on Thor, as Walter Simonson prepares to conclude his legendary run as writer/artist on the character. This is some of my favorite Sal Buscema art from this era. He manages to channel Walter’s art without aping it, while keeping core elements from his own style, and the results are terrific.
The issue, like all the Marvel comics that month, celebrates the 25th anniversary of the launch of the “Marvel Age Comics” with the original August 1961(November cover date) publication of Fantastic Four #1.
And speaking of anniversaries, it’s Thor’s 60th anniversary this year, so we still have a few more upcoming posts lined up to celebrate Marvel’s God of Thunder. (Of course, technically, the Thor legend is eon’s old, but, as always, we digress.)
Thor Artist’s Edition, Original Art Cover “Remarque” Limited Variant, 2011/2012& Sketch, 2012
Here are two terrific Walter Simonson Thor pieces with equally terrific “origin” stories.
First up: IDW Artist’s Edition Editor Scott Dunbier developed a unique concept with one of his earliest volumes — A blank cover that the artist could then draw on, making a limited amount of copies of the book true originals.
A challenge for the printer, but mission accomplished, at least with this volume.
Walter and Scott agreed on a price, and Walter drew approximately a dozen of these covers. I say approximately, because of some confusion about whether it was going to be 10 or 15 of them, and Scott ultimately chose to offer them privately to some well-known original art collectors in a addition to a handful of IDW’s senior management team. I have no recollection how many were actually ultimately created. And I’m not positive all the completed drawings were scanned.
(Yes, that is the way comics works sometimes, folks.)
In addition to the piece I own, I’ve seen about four others, and like this one, they are all terrific. The only challenge is figuring out a creative way to display one properly and safely. If anyone has solved that puzzle, feel free to chime in.
The second Walter piece is looser, but extra special. Walter generously drew it in my office after SDCC while I was tied up in a meeting elsewhere, with the plan to personalize my “regular” edition of the Artist’s Edition.
It was only after the art was completed that I noticed it was the book was damaged printer’s proof version, instead of my actual personal copy.
A bummer, certainly, but a solution presented itself with the help of a handy X-Acto blade. I removed the page, trimmed it to a more precise 11×17 size, and framed it.
Voila. Now I can view it all the time, instead of just upon opening the book.
As they say, it’s in the permanent collection.
It’s Thor’s 60th anniversary this year, so we have a few more posts lined up to celebrate Marvel’s God of Thunder. (Of course, technically, the Thor legend is eon’s old, but, as always, we digress.)
A few days late… and definitely a few dollars short. (Parts 2 and 3 coming tomorrow and Thursday.) So nice to be at conventions again, and you can quote me.
Concluding the 60th anniversary celebration of Ant-Man/Giant-Man.
John Byrne provides his own spin (that pun was intended) on Spider-Man’s early days with the “maxi-series” Spider-Man: Chapter One. This series created some controversy, as many fans believed the early Stan Lee and Steve Ditko stories did not need a refresh. (Unlike say Byrne’s own Superman revamp years earlier, which was the right reboot at the right time. But… we digress.)
This fun page from issue #11 guest stars Giant-Man and Wasp in a revamping of Spider-Man’s very early Spidey crossover in Tales To Astonish #57. (How early was the original story? It’s the same month as Spider-Man #14, which also featured the Hulk. Spider-Man had a very busy month in the Marvel Universe, as Annual #1, featuring the Sinister Six, was also published at about the same time.)
Continuing the 60th anniversary celebration of Ant-Man.
Bob Layton (pencils and inks) creates a terrific looking title page for a short story featuring the second Ant-Man, Scott Lang. (Of course Lang’s version of the character is the one most familiar to most audiences since he’s the version currently inhabiting the Marvel Universe, played by Paul Rudd.)
I seem to own a number of pages from these short stories from Marvel Comics Presents and Marvel Fanfare, and none of this material has yet to be collected. I’ve probably said it previously, but it seems easy enough to create collections that are themed around specific characters, etc.
I hope that actually happens one of these days.
Fun fact: David Michelinie, John Byrne and Layton share co-credit for the creation of the Lang vesrion of the character, who first appeared solo in Marvel Premiere #47(April 1979), a month after he had a guest spot in Avengers #181.
2022 is the 60th anniversary of Marvel’s shrinking and enlarging superhero Ant-Man (Giant-Man), sometimes hyphenated, sometimes not. Either way, we’ve got a cool page from Dandy Don Heck to lead off a mini-anniversary celebration.
That middle right panel has big (pun actually not intended) appeal to me — it appears that Giant-Man is about to break right through it, as he grows o his larger size.
Plus we have he lovely Janet Van Dyke (Wasp) and the ridiculous villain El Toro to boot.
What’s not to like?
Fun Fact(s): Henry (Hank) Pym invents his shrinking serum in Tales to Astonish #27, cover dated January 1962, but actually appearing on newsstands that previous September. But he doesn’t actually become the Ant-Man character until his second appearance in issue #35. The Wasp appears first in #44, and Pym becomes Giant-Man in #49. Whew.
Forget about The Batman for a moment, who is the best cinematic Bruce Wayne?
Michael Keaton’s hairstyle might be a bit off, even for 1989, but his Bruce Wayne interpretation is otherwise compelling and terrific.
Irony.
Even without the Internet and social media, the trolls managed to make so… much… noise.. about Michael Keaton cast as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 feature.
The long knives were definitely out for Burton, Warner Brothers, DC, and pretty much anyone and everyone associated with film prior to release.
And you know what?
Keaton is still the most enjoyable version of Bruce Wayne on screen.
Not to take anything away from Christian Bale, who, overall is terrific and definitely has his Bruce Wayne moments, there’s both a charm and weirdness to Keaton’s Wayne. (And who wouldn’t be weird, dressing up as a bat and fighting crime at night? But we digress.)
And Pattinson might turn out to be a terrific Bruce Wayne. But we didn’t see much of him as Wayne in The Batman so the jury is still out.
Keaton’s Wayne is very self-aware, less brooding, has a sense of a humor and charisma, but still — on the edge, and likely psychotic. He provides many shades to the Wayne persona.
He might not be the best-looking Batman in a cowl (I specifically never warmed up the style guide art based on his Batman likeness) but as Bruce Wayne, just a blast.
