Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Terry & Rachel Dodson — Leia Steps Up

Original Art and The Artists

Princess Leia #5, September 2015

Of all the characters in the classic (original trilogy) Star Wars Universe, Leia is the most intriguing.

Nearly all of the other characters in the saga are archetypes found in dozens, if not hundreds of myths, fables and tales. George Lucas revered the late author Joseph Campbell who dissects these concepts ad nauseum in in his brilliant and well-known tomes on mythology.

But Leia… She’s a bit off model, certainly from a Hollywood depiction of a damsel in distress. (Possibly with the exception of Dorothy in Wizard of Oz, who gets her act together in similar but less assertive fashion.)

As one pop culture podcaster put it recently: “She (Leia) hijacked her own rescue.”

And from there, it only gets better. She’s clearly the smartest, most pragmatic member of the Star Wars gang.  She’s also strong, decisive and strategic. And she can out wise-ass Han, no easy feat.

After Alderaan goes boom, Leia is the one holding entire rebellion together. No offense, Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, or anyone else in the rebellion ruling class. It’s pretty clear Leia is a — pun intended — driving force of the story.

Here we have a knockout Star Wars page from Terry and Rachel Dodson featuring a lovely half splash of Leia. It’s from the eponymous — and terrific — Mark Waid-authored series, published not long after the franchise reverted back to Marvel from Dark Horse.

More on Leia on Thursday and Saturday.

See you then.

John Cassaday — May The 4th Be With You

Original Art and The Artists

Star Wars #2, April 2015

Well, it’s May, that time of year when thoughts turn to… Star Wars.

Here we have a great page by superstar artist John Cassaday, depicting the very first time Luke and Darth Vader confront each other in the “new”(current) Star Wars continuity. 

This story takes place shortly after the (first) Death Star is blown to bits in “A New Hope.” Luke does not know that Vader is his pop, and Vader does not realize that Luke is the rebel that was responsible for said Death Star going “boom.”

Heh. Much to learn, they both have.

It’s the 45th anniversary of Star Wars this month, and perhaps more significantly, the release of yet some more backstory revision with the launch of the new Obi-Wan Television series later this month.

That’s really more of an observation than a knock, but I really hope the show is narratively clever. Because no one (honestly, no one) thought that Obi-Wan would have logically fought Vader yet again. One of them should have been not just toasted, but complete toast.

But of course, let’s see how this all plays out.

In the meantime, we’ve got a full slate of Star Wars posts for the rest of the month.

May The 4th be with you.

Dan Adkins — Was It Nightmare All Along?

Original Art and The Artists

Doctor Strange #170, July 1968

Nightmare prepares to reveal himself to a fallen Doctor Strange in the second issue of the Sorcerer Supreme’s solo title.

Ever since Marvel Films announced that Sam Raimi was going to direct the Doctor Strange sequel, I’ve thoroughly convinced myself that Nightmare would be a (or “the”) nemesis of the film. Horror, darkness and weirdness? Bring on Nightmare.

And then, we had a Scarlet Witch (w/Vision) TV series, where it appeared that Agatha Harkness was the big bad? C’mon, there’s more to that than meets the Eye of Agamotto, right?

After that, Shuma-Gorath (the giant one-eyed creature) appears in the Doctor Strange trailer? The same Shuma-Gorath (now called Gargantos because of legal reasons) who once “employed” Nightmare in the comics? 

And the same trailer where both Strange and Wanda talk about…Nightmares?

Yep, I’m a Nightmare conspiracy theorist, apparently.

I have zero inside information. 

I don’t even read most of the spoiler “news” on-line.

I am just convinced that some time before those last post-credit scenes in Doctor Strange 2 are finished rolling, Nightmare will have raised his hallucinogenic head. And I guess by this time next week, most of us will know whether I’m right, or I’m the one hallucinating.

And one more thought on the subject of hallucinogens and impersonations:

Who says that was actually “our” Doctor Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home?

Just sayin…

Agatha all along? Maybe, maybe not.

Neal Adams — R.I.P.

Original Art and The Artists

I’m still processing the loss of the legendary Neal Adams, who truly was a one-of-kind artist and person. Dozens of stories and anecdotes come to mind, and at some point in the near future, I will post one or two of my favorites.

Which leads me to one of the most quoted lines of dialogue in film history, from the classic John Ford western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance:

 “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend” 

In Neal’s case, the legend and the fact are pretty much the same thing. Any story you’ve heard — you can safely believe it.

Or, to quote from another film: (Harrison Ford/Han Solo in The Force Awakens)

“Its true… All of it.”

Thanks for everything Neal. Godspeed.

https://greggoldsteincomicartgallery.com/?s=neal+adams

All our posts on Neal Adams and his arts in the link above.

Ron Frenz — Lost In The Negative Zone?

Original Art and The Artists

Thor #405, Original “Lost” Cover, July 1989

Legend has it that this is the “lost” original cover for Thor #405. 

As the story goes, Ron sent the pencils to Marvel, and it was misplaced before Marvel could send it to Joe Sinnott for inking.

So Ron quickly redrew the cover and sent the replacement off just in time for deadline.

Eventually, this “first” original surfaced and Marvel returned it to Ron. 

Ron ultimately sold it, and the purchaser had Bob McLeod finish it up.

I also think its entirely possible that Thor editor Ralph Macchio (or EIC Tom DeFalco) simply decided he wanted to change Thor’s positioning on the cover, which is pretty much the only material difference between the two versions.

Thor appears to be in more trouble in the published version, although that change could have come from Ron himself. (I like the figure positioning slightly better in the “original” version.)

It’s a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

Or, just a fun story, take your pick.  Either way, it is a nice piece of cover art.

The actual published version with its original as well.

Chris Sprouse & Karl Story — Thor Vs. Thor

Original Art and The Artists

Thors #3, November 2015

Rune Thor decks Ultimate Thor in the Secret Wars spinoff, “Thors.”

Chris Sprouse and Karl Story deliver a cool action splash from this series where members of the Thor Corps investigate the deaths of many, many Jane Fosters.

If you Google “Rune Thor,” you’ll find a close-up of this page used as the “bio-pic” on the Marvel Fandom Wiki.

Cool indeed.

Thor vs. Thor, the first time, courtesy of Walter Simonson from 1983 in the Wayback Machine. (With contemporary coloring.)

Sal Buscema — Chanelling Walter

Original Art and The Artists

Thor #373, November 1986

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.)

Walter Simonson — Mighty, Indeed

Original Art and The Artists

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.)