Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Carmine Infantino — History Calling (Flash Rerun)

Original Art and The Artists

Flash #112, May 1960

Continuing our celebration of the Fastest Man Alive with a few classic “reruns” — pun absolutely intended— from the early days of the blog.

Some of the most talented superhero storytellers in comics couldn’t figure out what to do with the narrative and exposition elements that move the story along when no one is wearing spandex or a cape.  

Many older comics were filled with pages and pages of standard medium-angle shots of talking heads.  Six panels per page. Rinse. Repeat.

Not Carmine Infantino’s pages. His innovative sense of panel composition and design, and use of varying camera angles, made the “yada yada” part of the story much more engaging than most of his peers. 

In this very early Flash story from issue #112, he even manages to innovate a phone call.  Nowadays we take narrow “widescreen” (horizontal) panel layouts for granted, but in 1960? Less so. A page design like this is revolutionary 60 years ago.

Of course, superhero comics are ultimately about conflict and action, and re-reading these early Flash stories, his innovative style really jumps out. Those crazy speed lines that help give the illusion of 3D motion in a 2D medium. That sleek space age costume… designed before the space age really began. 

And those amazing covers? Carmine gave up pencilling The Flash when he was promoted to DC’s art director. His innovative cover on the final issue of his 11-year run as Flash artist blew my mind as a kid in 1967 — and still does today.

What else would you expect from the lead designer of the Silver Age of Comics?

Mike Sekowsky — Of An Era

Original Art and The Artists

Justice League of America #23, November 1963

Mike Sekowsky’s art and 70s pop music have characteristics in common for me: 

As a kid, I didn’t like either of it, and now I look back on both with a sentimental warm feeling.

It’s not easy to explain. But I was warned by one of my older colleagues this would happen.

Sekowsky’s art always felt too loose (and blocky) for me.  I realized he could draw any character of course, which made him the perfect illustrator for Justice League, but the end result never grabbed me.

Now as time has passed, and I smile when I see it. Possibly a primal nostalgic impulse. It seems like a perfect fit for the DC comics of the era.

This example, a cool Flash-focused page, with Wonder Woman on deep background, showcases some clear and inventive storytelling.

As for the draftsmanship? Like I said — things change. Now, it seems charming to me.

Excuse me a moment while I flip over Abba’s greatest hits on the turntable. 

Rober Quijano — Infantino’s Great Race

Original Art and The Artists

Recreation, Superman #199 Cover, 2005 (Original By Carmine Infantino, August 1967)

I read, and re-read, a handful of comics over and over again as a little kid. Avengers Annual #1 and #2 both come to mind, as do a few other annuals and specials. The first JLA/JSA crossover I discovered (JLA #56 and #57) was a favorite story, and I remember both Batman #200 and Superman #200 fondly. 

But Superman #199? That was definitely my most frequent go-to. It doesn’t hurt that Carmine Infantino’s cover (Murphy Anderson on inks) is definitely my favorite (non-Neal Adams) DC cover of all time.

Fast-forward to about 15 years ago, just when I started getting my toes wet in the original art collector’s market again. My pal, Pete Koch (art collector/dealer/aficionado) and I are about to complete an art swap when I see that he has this stunning cover recreation by Rober Quijano in a stack of pages.

Trade completed. 

Thanks, Pete.

Not-so-fun Fact: The scanned image doesn’t do the art justice, because I couldn’t remove the art from the frame without destroying it. Sad!

DC was apparently still planning on using the “Go-Go Checks” trade dress on books this month, but pulled it at the last minute.

Bob Brown & Nick Cardy — Circles

Original Art and The Artists

The Brave And The Bold #99, January 1972

As a kid, my first thought on any Flash team-ups was this: He needs to join forces with someone with actual super powers, otherwise he will end up running circles around his partner.

Sure enough, on this page, he proves the point showing off his super speed to the worlds greatest, but definitely not fastest, detective. (I assume Batman is — wait for it — a speed-reader.)

Bob Brown pencils (pretty much layouts only) the action here, and Nick Cardy provides the inks, which means the art looks like… Nick Cardy. 

This of course is consistent with his very specific embellishment style. Almost anything he inked looked like he had penciled it as well. Which, considering he was a terrific penciller, is ok with me.

Fun Fact: Jim Aparo takes over as permanent artist for The Brave and Bold series with the following issue (#100) and pretty much draws the next 100 issues. Whew.

Francis Manapul — Red & Green Forever

Original Art and The Artists

Flash Annual #2, September 2013

Here’s an unusual comic milestone: 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the first Flash and Green Lantern team-up. The classic silver age characters first joined forces in Green Lantern #13, and then again a few months in Flash #131. 

Of course the two characters were already partnered up every month in Justice League, but they didn’t specifically work side by side in JLA.

I always enjoyed their team ups. I didn’t care what the storylines were; I just thought that the red and green looked snazzy together. Christmas in July.

Pretty much all iterations of the characters have remained friends and occasional partners throughout the years, and here, artist Francis Manapul brings us his own dynamic interpretation of the duo as a cover for a “New 52” annual.

And apparently, based on this cover concept, Flash is as worthy of Green Lantern’s ring as Captain America is of Thor’s hammer.

Who knew?

Our next few posts are dedicated to other Flash team-ups throughout the Silver Age. Stay tuned.

John Byrne — “Gronk” (Jurassic Park Rerelease)

Original Art and The Artists

Jurassic Park: The Devils in the Desert #1, January 2011

NYCC, about six years ago:  I had previously heard a lot about John Byrne’s house and all the various art and collectibles that made up some of the décor, but hadn’t had a chance to get up to the wilds of Connecticut to check it out.

This time I was determined.  

So, one rainy day at the end of convention hours Chris Ryall and I trudged our way through monsoon-like rain (seriously, no exaggeration) to Grand Central Station, and headed up north.

After one missed connection (rain again), we eventually made it up to Byrne’s town. 

We dried off during a nice meal with John at a local Chinese restaurant, and headed back to his house.

It was everything as described. Great collectibles and memorabilia, and some great art hanging in his studio by comic book legends John admired. (No surprise, lots of Jack Kirby.)

Chris had already a working relationship with John, and in fact had been to his house previously. But I had actually not seen Byrne since the early 90s, and he had no memory of our meeting, nor should he. 

As many colleagues can share, John can be reserved at times. Regardless, he was gracious, and he definitely warmed up a bit as we discussed art in detail while I enjoyed the tour. (Or, he was just being polite to his publisher. Ha.)

At the end of the night, he pointed us to his flat files of art and told us to each take something. These files were a potpourri of recent projects, pieces he had yet to give to his art representative to sell for him.

Chris found a page from DC’s OMAC series that John was especially proud of. I was a bit more interested in something that we had published at IDW, and after some deep digging, I came up with this great Jurassic Park double-page spread from the mini-series John created for us.

He was delighted that I admired it, and I, of course, was delighted with his generosity. It is a great piece, and to date, I walk past it every day and smile. 

Permanent collection, for certain.

Getting it back to California from New York wasn’t easy, but that’s a story for another day.

Thanks again, JB!

I love the way the covers link up, especially issues #1 and #2.

Michael Golden — Monstrous Mayhem (Jurassic Park Rerelease)

Original Art and The Artists

Jurassic Park Raptor’s Hijack #1, July 1994

Perhaps best known for his work on Micronauts and The Nam, Michael Golden is simply put, a superstar artist.

And perhaps some of his most fascinating art, and possibly least known by anyone other than hardcore Golden fans, are his covers (and portfolios) for Topps’ Jurassic Park series.

Beautifully detailed, wonderful compositions, these covers transcended the JP sequels and side stories that we published at Topps. They are simply stunning. While some are better than others, there’s not a bad one in the bunch.

Michael did 18 different covers, and added two new ones to two separate portfolios. Interestingly, until I looked it up, I didn’t realize that Image actually published the portfolios, which are long out of print and challenging to find on the secondary market place.

(I have no memory of how we were able to swing that with Universal, but I’m glad we did.)

This beautiful piece? Dinosaurs. Gorillas. Mad scientists. It’s like some crazy Republic movie serial. Only with a better budget.

Gil Kane — Jurassic Jeopardy (Rerelease)

Original Art and The Artists

Jurassic Park #4, August 1993

In honor of Jurassic World: Dominion opening this Friday, we’re featuring a “Summer Rerelease” special this week of three of our best earlier Jurassic Park posts.

Gil Kane and George Perez teamed up on artistic chores for the original Topps Jurassic Park film adaption. (With writing by Walter Simonson). It was a unique pairing suggested by Topps EIC Jim Salicrup, and for the most part, worked very well. All four issues came out on the predetermined schedule, not an easy feat, especially in those days with newsstand distribution considerations. But the schedule was… tight. (OK, harrowing.)

I was delighted to pick up the original art for Gil’s and George’s variant cover for issue #4 a few years ago at auction.

The scene is from the climax of the film where our young heroes are menaced in the commissary kitchen by the crafty velociraptors. It’s a cool composition that captures the terror of the moment.

Here’s the rub — Is that a chubby raptor missing a neck? Or a deformed T-Rex? I mean, what kind of dino did Gil actually draw?

You can’t tell from the scan, but there’s an art patch on the dino’s face. Clearly some of it absolutely, positively needed to be altered to be approved overnight. But someone in Universal’s licensing department must have ultimately taken pity on our harrowing schedule, and us, because the final version is definitely not on model.

Since this is technically not the “main” cover, which is by Dave Cockrum, maybe they gave us a pass. (I don’t remember who did the art patch — George, our production department, or, for that matter, Gil.)

Ah, Gil. We sent him lots of photo reference. I can’t recall if we sent this exact scene specifically, but regardless, he had reference. Like I said, lots of it. 

Only problem is, as I found out later on, Gil didn’t have much use for reference.

It doesn’t matter. He was one of the best. I consider myself fortunate to know him professionally, albeit briefly. Stories about him were legendary by the time I met him in 1993.

And, I got at least one “Greg, my boy…” out of him, so I could cross that off the list. Whew.

Dave Cockrum’s cover features raptors that are more on model, while Gil’s raptor might need some Ultra Slimfast.
Raptors are lean, mean, fighting machines as seen in reference stills from the film.

Ralph McQuarrie — Luke On Hoth

Original Art and The Artists

Empire Strikes Back Conceptual Art, Large format Giclee, 2006 (Original Painting, 1978)

I wish this were an actual Empire Strikes Back original from legendary conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie. That would be…  just lovely.

But I’m not complaining. Just observing.

It’s actually an oversized canvas Giclee, limited to an edition of just 5 copies, published by Acme Archives about 15 years ago. Scanned from the original in highest resolution, the quality of the reproduction is superb.

Ralph McQuarrie. Star Wars.

Not much more to add here.

(Well, except that a smaller-sized version is still available from Acme here. They deserve a free plug, don’t you think?)

Dan Jurgens & Jerry Ordway — Chewbacca, RIP

Original Art and The Artists

Star Wars: Chewbacca #1, January 2000

A long time ago, in continuity far, far away, Chewbacca apparently does not make it to the conclusion of the Star Wars Saga.

And the classic team of Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway beautifully illustrate this mournful moment in a rare departure from their more common DC team-ups.

I realize we can be broken records about this, but the coloring obviously doesn’t do the art true justice. It might look good on a computer screen, but as for the final printed version… not so much.

This was a DF exclusive to this Dark Horse comic published in 2000.

Of course any storyline that Chewbacca died flies out the window with all the other post Return of The Jedi continuity, once Disney purchases Lucasfilm and declares all the previous “cannon,” non-canonical.

Which is good for Chewie, of course, but not necessarily the rest of the Star Wars Saga.

(As a side note, Marvel has indeed done some terrific comics since reacquiring the license. But tossing out 30 years of stories, in comics and novels, some of them quite excellent… well… I have no words.)