Bob McLeod – Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Ron Frenz — Lost In The Negative Zone?

April 28, 2022 Greg Goldstein 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.*

Mike Zeck — Spider-Man: Dead, Again?

February 22, 2022 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

The Amazing Spider-Man: Soul Of The Hunter, August 1992

*With and without the overlay that adds snow to the art.*

Ah, the lure of the sequel/prequel/spin-off.

Kraven’s Last Hunt (1987), considered one of the greatest Spidey sagas of all time, saw a follow-up story appear as “Soul of the Hunter” five years later, reuniting the original creative team: JM DeMatteis, Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod.

This page is one of my favorites from the story and one of my favorite Spidey pieces that I own, period, because, thanks to some hallucinogenic help, you have Spider-Man in both traditional and black costume on one page.

Of course, if someone wants to offer me a reasonable fraction of what the very first page featuring a Zeck Spider-man in black costume recently sold for, well under that condition, I would probably part with it:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2022/01/14/spider-man-comic-book-page-sells-record-3-36-million/6524278001/

*The original TPB and the more recent collection which includes the sequel story.*

Dan Jurgens And Bob McLeod — Flashback

January 14, 2021 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Domination Factor: Fantastic Four #1and #2, December 1999

Dan Jurgens has some fun with time travel in this clever interlocking mini-series featuring the FF and The Avengers.

The part of the story that takes place in the contemporary era (1999) sees Dan storytelling in his traditional artistic style. But when time travel is involved, Dan and inker Bob McLeod purposely ape Jack Kirby. (And Joe Sinnot.) As you can see from the pages below, Dan and Bob re-do the top panel from FF 94, 30 years prior. And then the story takes a turn — literally — as The Thing realizes that Dr. Strange’s time spell has worked.

Bonus points: The pages are hand-lettered by the talented John Costanza. Although John came on board at Marvel too late to work on the original Lee and Kirby Fantastic Four run, he did in fact letter the Lee and Kirby “reunion” Silver Surfer graphic novel. Close enough in my book to at least earn a no-prize.