Fred Hembeck – Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Fred Hembeck — Gil Kane, Meta Human

May 5, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Atom #36 Re-creation, May 1968 (original), 2010

Continuing our multi-week celebration of the 80^th anniversary of the Justice Society of America, with each new post featuring a different classic JSA character.

I’m pretty sure this wasn’t the first meta cover to break the fourth wall, and it is most definitely not the last. But it is definitely my favorite.

My young brain exploded when I first saw this amazing Gil Kane cover at the candy store in 1968. I appreciated its cleverness immediately. That’s one helluva punch.

Ultimately, as I later began to differentiate artists and art styles, I came to recognize this specific punch composition as a Kane trademark. Given Kane’s voluminous published output, there must be dozens, if not hundreds of similar examples. The issue itself features the same composition in its interior, with the Atoms reversed.

As always, Fred captures the spirit of the cover perfectly in his trademark re-do style. He tells me this was the first time he took a stab at this one.

Not sure when/if the Kane original will be offered for sale again, and in all likelihood out of my budget range regardless. So… the Hembeck recreation will do nicely.

*The first appearance of the Atom on the cover of All-Star with his “modern” Golden Age costume, and… oops, it goes back to the earlier sleeveless version when he reappears in the Silver Age.*

Fred Hembeck — The King Makes His Move

January 2, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Fantastic Four #100 (Jack Kirby), July 1970, Re-creation by Fred Hembeck, 2010

50 years Ago, Marvel Comics celebrated its first ever milestone issue, with Fantastic Four #100, redrawn here 10 years ago by the very talented and affable Mr. Hembeck.

But the milestone proved bittersweet — because 50 years ago, one of the biggest stories in comic book history shook the industry: Jack Kirby was leaving Stan Lee and Marvel Comics to head to DC.

In March of that year, Jack turned in the pages for FF #102 and told Stan he was out. The most accomplished creative team in comics history was done. In comic book fan circles, it was as if the Beatles had broken up.

Which, actually, they had, with Paul making the announcement official just a few weeks later.

A dramatic beginning to a new decade of pop culture.

More on Jack and the move to DC later on; In the meantime, Happy New Year, and welcome to 2020!