Mike Kaluta — Mr. Orlando’s Neighborhood
Secrets of the Sinister House #6, August 1972
Joe Orlando brought his EC Comics horror sensibilities with him when he landed at DC in the late 60s.
Talk about being in the right place at the right time.
DC became a company where artists and visual storytellers (Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, Dick Giordano, et al) started moving into upper management and making editorial decisions.
As Joe told writer Jon Cooke in the very first issue of Comic Book Artist in 1998:
“…Many times we were asked to do impossible things by writer/editors who had no sense of the visual-to do things that wouldn’t work and have to argue our way out of it. We just thought that as artists, we would do a better job working with talent.”
In just a few years, Joe turned around the moribund House of Mystery and the already-cancelled House of Secrets with tales of mystery, suspense and of course, horror. He and his team took advantage of the more-relaxed standards at the Comics Code, sometimes creating even more relaxed standards in the process.
(A few years later, Marvel would follow suit with a glut of horror titles that included vampires, werewolves and zombies. But, as always, we digress.)
And sure enough, Joe’s comics nearly instantly became artistic showcases for veterans like Gil Kane and Orlando’s EC mentor Wally Wood, along with young Turks like Bernie Wrightson, Nestor Redondo, and Mr. Kaluta here.
(Plus great covers often by Neal Adams. Definitely worth 12 or 15 cents.)
By 1972, Joe had built yet another house in the neighbored, and this great Kaluta page featuring both DC horror hosts, Cain and Abel, is the delightful intro to Secrets of Sinister House #6.
Classic.
Ron Frenz & Sal Buscema — Ragnarok & Roll
Thunderstrike # 4, May 2011
FRenz Kirby etc
Ron Frenz goes full on Jack Kirby (with perhaps a dash of John Buscema) with this wonderful Mangog splash from the second Thunderstrike (Thor — sort of) mini-series.
Just because the “Monster Age” at Marvel ended when the superheroes took over the publishing schedule (early 60s), that didn’t mean that Kirby stopped creating great monsters during the era.
In fact, the monsters had to be fiercer, meaner, and smarter — to provide antagonists worthy of our intrepid heroes.
Take Mangog here. His appearance typically means the end — of everything. Hence, Ragnarok. Stan and Jack introduced him in Thor 154 and 155 back in 1968 and he’s created havoc from time to time ever since.
As for Mr. Frenz? Another great looking effort, with terrific inks by Sal Buscema.
Kirby Crackle included, no extra charge.
John Buscema & Tony DeZuniga — Skull On The Seas
Savage Sword of Conan #191, October 1991
Roy Thomas returns to Conan for the first time in 10 years, and partners with superstar artist John Buscema, pretty much picking up where the pair left off in terms of innovative and exciting Conan stories.
In addition to astonishing talent, Buscema could be very productive in terms of his total output — in this stretch of Conan he is providing layouts and rough pencils only, freeing him up for other projects. Here Tony DeZuniga provides some nice finishing touches for John. (I think here you can see John’s obvious handiwork, which was not always the case with DeZuniga inks.)
Lots of ink — as it were — has been spilled on who was Buscema’s best embellisher on Conan. See here, here, and here for illustrative discussions.
My opinions have varied over time, and sometimes from issue to issue. The debate itself is fun.
And the talking skull? Spoiler alert: It belongs to King Kull’s arch nemesis Thulsa Doom. (In fairness, Thulsa eventually gives Conan much grief as well.)
Richard Corben — In The Swamp
Swamp Thing #20, December 2005
I discovered Richard Corben’s art at about the not quite ripe age of 12. I can’t remember if I saw it in the Warren magazines or in the underground comics first, but doesn’t matter. I was hooked.
(Undergrounds at age 12 or 13? A longer story, for another day.)
The late Harlan Ellison, award-winning author — and often-vocal critic — had this to say about Corben:
“It was obvious to anyone with the sensitivity of a doorknob that Corben was a rara avis, that right from the git-go he was first-rank, with a technique and an artistic sensibility wholly original, a technique and sensibility that created their own genre; and if there were to be imitators as there have been ⏤they were doomed forever to live in the shadow of the originator. It was as if Rich was born to illustrate my stories about the world of the hoverpaks and downunders.”
Many art fans feel the same way about Corben’s work, and original pieces are rarely offered for sale, so I consider myself fortunate to have this great splash page from Corben’s brief visit with Swamp Thing.
Richard Corben turned 80 years old earlier this month. How in the heck is that even possible?
Gil Kane — Face of Evil
Captain Action #4, April 1969
Our ode to Halloween and the creatures of the comic books continues…
Dr. Evil — a good looking villain with a terribly cheesy name, even by the standards of the 1960s.
The character was the antagonist in the Captain Action “doll” product line, which launched in 1966. (More on that in a future post.)
DC adapted the toys into a short-lived series and Kane drew much of it. Ironically, the toy sales themselves were rapidly waning by the time the comic series launched in late 1968.
In this specific issue, Gil writes, pencils and inks the entire story — a first for him for either of the “big two” publishers.
And speaking of cheesy and the 60s: That amulet. The Nehru jacket. Those sandals. It just doesn’t get any better than this.
One very fashionably mod alien.
Jose “Pepe” Gonzalez — Blood For Profit
Vampirella #44, August 1975
Our ode to Halloween and the creatures that inhabit the comic book pages continues…
I could prattle on and on about the astonishing art of Jose Gonzalez, but…
I think it’ better if we hear from another amazing art talent, Joe Jusko, on this one. He knows a thing or two about Vampirella.
And he expressed his admiration for Jose’s art, in the intro for the terrific Gonzalez art book (Dynamite Publishing), more eloquently than I possibly could.
Excerpt from Joe’s intro:
“Gonzalez brought such life to Vampirella and made such an indelible mark on the character that it’s become impossible for longtime fans to think of one without the other. He possessed an illustrative line that elevated the strip from mere comics to high art and often experimented with mixing techniques within the same story.
“He went from crisp line art to subtle washes, to wondrously soft and delicate pencil renderings with the intent of conveying the mood or emotion of a certain scene…
“Gonzalez took the character seriously, and despite the obvious unconventionality of her attire, never played her as a joke…. Gonzalez had a true respect for her, and even when the later stories began to border on the absurd, he never lowered himself or his approach to the same level.
“There were other wonderful artists who took over the strip for various lengths of time (Esteban Maroto, Gonzalo Mayo and the always amazing Jose Ortiz) but fans always eagerly awaited the return of Gonzalez and rejoiced when his art eventually reappeared.”
Vampi in 5 panels (with some terrific close-ups), the undead, great wash-tone — a cool page, all around.
Eric Powell — Justice League Of Bizarros
Action Comics #857, December 2007
Our ode to Halloween and the creatures that often inhabit the comic book pages continues…
Bizarro Doomsday, at the bidding of Bizarro Lex Luthor, destroys the newly created members of the Bizarro Justice League.
Huh?
Trust me, it’s a wild ride. You just have to read it for yourself. Written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner (Yes, that Richard Donner), the three-part story unravels (er, unfolds) in graphite, ink and wash-tone in perfect fashion by Eric Powell.
Donuts not included.
Gabriel Hardman — Of Monsters And Magic
Savage Hulk #6, January 2015
Doctor Strange battling the Hulk? Seems like a great page to kick off our 2020 Halloween salute. As suggested previously, Gabe Hardman would likely be one of the best known talents in comics — if he were a full-time comic book storyteller. His main gig, though is film storyboard artist, and his many credits include Logan, Spider-Man 3 and The Dark Knight Rises. (And many well known non- “comic book” films as well. But we digress.)
He creates his storyboards digitally, but fortunately, for us, he creates his comic book art using traditional physical methods. Something he does very well.
The story itself is co-written by Gabe and his wife, Corinna Bechko who have collaborated on a number of projects, perhaps most notably the Hugo-nominated SF series Invisible Republic.
Ed McGuinness and Mark Morales — Marvelous Avenger
Avengers #5, September 2018
Ed McGuiness and Mark Morales provide us with an iconic image of Captain Marvel — Carol Danvers — from the latest iteration of the Avengers.
Also along for the ride on this page specifically are Captain America, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and Ghost Rider.
And of course, Loki (quite literally along for the ride) is up to his usual mischief as well.
This latest version of Avengers has been well received: Classic characters, larger than life antagonists, and lots of energy and creativity from Jason Aaron and McGuinness.
You Don’t READ Comics summed it upon the launch issue in 2018:
“Sometimes, the classics just work. Sure, the new thing is…new. It’s fun and exciting and different. The new thing can show you something you didn’t know you’d love but you do as much as the classics. But sometimes you just need the classics. And that’s exactly what today’s new #1 for Avengers offers...
“Superstars Jason Aaron and Ed McGuinness, accompanied by inker Mark Morales and color artist David Curiel, have done an exceptional job of returning the Marvel Trinity–Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man–to the center of the Avengers in this premiere issue, and it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t just feel right.“
Other art teams have handled some stories on this run, but Ed McGuinness… well, he’s just Ed McGuinness. And Morales fine brush work adds depth, drama and focus on a busy page.
(Ed pretty much looks like he did when I met him 25 years ago while he was working on Vampirella for Harris Comics. I wonder what kind of Dorian Gray situation he has going on in his attic… Actually Mark does too. Hmmmm.)
