Interlude — WonderCon 2024
Anaheim Convention Center, March 29-31, 2024
Category: Original Art and The Artists
Jordi Bernet — Darkly Masterful
Torpedo Collection Volume #3 (IDW Publishing, US), April 2011
On each page of Torpedo, the much-lauded Spanish graphic novel series, artist Jordi Bernet provides a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling.
Bernet transports us into the gritty, noir-infused world of 1930s New York City. His stylized art captures the essence of the era, from smoky back alleys to sleek underworld nightclubs. Even Central Park provides no respite from the grit and violence.
Torpedo is not for everyone; The “hero” is a ruthless hitman — and the term misogynist doesn’t begin to define his violent approach to women. Writer Sanchez Abuli often pushes the envelope too far, which is why Alex Toth, the original artist of the series, bolted.
But Bernet’s art? Always terrific.
Howard Chaykin — ‘Round About Midnight
Midnight Men #4, September 1993
Never let a great idea go to waste.
Howard Chaykin turned an unused Batman pitch into an imaginative new series for the extremely short lived “Heavy Hitters” imprint from Marvel/Epic in 1993.
I’ve seen most of the original art for this title, and each page is beautiful: Great storytelling, terrific draftsmanship, and a generous use of deep India ink and screen tone for depth and effect. He worked his ass off on these pages, and it shows.
Bonus: Great lettering, as always, by John Workman.
Honestly, the only thing I don’t like about the series is the coloring (not by Howard), but hey, it was the 90s.
The four-issue series has never been collected, but individual issues typically turn up in dollar bins, and are worth seeking out.
Remember, you can’t kill the Midnight Men.
Michael Keaton — Batman Redux
Michael Keaton is trending this week because of the Oscars “Batman” moment between him and Arnold Schwarzenegger/ Danny DeVito this past Sunday.
Many of the comments discuss Keaton being the “best” Batman.
Now, as I’ve said previously, I never loved the way his face looked in that original cowl. That’s partly the fault of the costume, and perhaps partly Keaton’s face shape. And the resulting style guide art was… not great.
That said —
Keaton is still the most enjoyable version of Bruce Wayne on screen. By far.
Keaton’s Wayne is both charming and offbeat. He’s very self-aware, has a sense of a humor and charisma, but still on the edge — likely bordering on psychotic. He provides many, many shades to the Wayne persona. His main scene with Bassinger and Wuhl is one of the great moments from the first film.
And hilariously, the whole “Keaton is the best Batman” thread is one of the most ironic critiques in entertainment history.
Why? Because even without the Internet and social media, the trolls managed to make so much negative noise about Keaton cast as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 feature.
“The guy from Beetlejuice? Seriously?”
The long knives were out for Burton, Warner Brothers, DC, and pretty much anyone and everyone associated with film prior to release.
Seriously, I don’t how the casting would have survived if social media had existed in 1988.
Which reminds us of the late, great William Goldman’s classic comment:
“Nobody knows anything.”
Except, at least in this case, Tim Burton.
Jim Starlin & Alex Nino — Wild Rampage
Rampaging Hulk #4, August 1977
Alex Nino proves to be one of Jim Starlin’s better inkers (if not the best) with this one and only fabulous collaboration for Rampaging Hulk magazine in 1977.
It’s a gorgeous Hulk fantasy story, worth seeking out in its original magazine format. (It’s reduced to comic book size, with inferior reproduction, in Rampaging Hulk Essentials, the only available reprint.)
As I was working on this post, Nostalgic Investments listed a beautiful DPS from this story for 15k (see below) and, in today’s market, that definitely seems reasonable.
Darwin Cooke — Getting In The Spirit
Batman / The Spirit #1, January 2007
Darwyn Cooke welcomes The Spirit into the DC Universe with this outstanding cover featuring Will Eisner’s legendary creation, facing off against… well another pretty well-known comic book legend.
Cooke’s take on The Spirit is one of my favorites, and this entire double issue, with inks by J Bone and colors by Dave Stewart is simply wonderful. It definitely deserved its Eisner award (so appropriate) for best single issue of 2007.
This cover is the only Spirit art that Darwyn penciled and inked himself, since this issue, and the subsequent ongoing, was inked on separate blue-line by Bone.
Fun fact: The cover was solicited for sale in its original version, and then ultimately flipped for actual publication. Makes sense, since the title is Batman/The Spirit, not the other way around.
Happy Will Eisner Week!
Joe Kubert — In His Sights
Punisher War Zone #36, 1990
Joe Kubert just kept getting better… and better.
I didn’t realize Joe had worked on a Punisher storyline until I saw these lovely original art pages. And, no surprise, it’s a terrific looking arc, indeed.
Chuck Dixon is the credited writer, but the storytelling here is all Kubert. A unique page with eight small panels and that superbly dramatic half-splash close-up. (A perfect callback to the first panel.)
Kubert was in his sixth decade of professional work when this story appeared; and he was still drawing for more than another 20 years before he passed away at 85 in 2012.
Incredible.
Michael Golden — Able To Leap…
Pin-up (Unused Cover), Superman #600, March 2002
Michael Golden draws a terrific Superman here — likely with the most detailed and beautiful cityscape to ever appear on a comics page.
First it was commissioned as a cover — then it went into inventory — then it came back out as a pin-up in the 600th issue of Superman.
And look, I know it was just after 9/11, and the “American Way” theme made sense. But… when you look at the printed cover, and compare it at this amazing Golden piece, you simply shake your head at the missed opportunity.
(Side note: As noted previously, I am a sucker for “happy” Superman art. If you had those powers, wouldn’t you be happy — at least some of the time?)
Herb Trimpe & John Severin — Love Lost
Incredible Hulk #154, August 1972
Herb Trimpe, inked by John Severin.
Perfect Hulk art team on a pretty perfect Incredible Hulk page.
Ol’ greenskin knows that somewhere in Hank Pym’s laboratory — and Bruce Banner’s brain — hides the secret to shrinking back down to the microverse.
Why is this so important? I’m glad you asked. Our poor Hulk is lovesick and desperate to reunite with his beautiful Jarella.
Hulk in very panel: Raging, smashing, and blinded by love — and the self-awareness that he doesn’t retain enough of Banner’s smarts to work through it.
As noted, pretty perfect.
Wally Wood — Astonishing, As Always
Astonishing Tales #4, February 1971
Wally Wood drew four short Doctor Doom stories in Astonishing Tales. This page, from the fourth and final story is, like all of them, a Wood classic.
And yes, that’s the Red Skull lurking in the last panel. After all, what use is a super-villain story without another, even more twisted super-villain as the antagonist?
This would turn out to be Wood’s final output for Marvel Comics.
Took me a long time to pull the trigger on the “right” deal for one of these, and I’m glad to have finally acquired one.
