Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: Greg Goldstein

SDCC 2026 — Once More Unto The Breach…

Original Art and The Artists

July 22-July 26, 2026

Pro tip: If you want a few decent photos before falling into the inevitable pattern of no sleep and endless hoofing across concrete floors, take them before the convention actually begins.

And yes, the first one—with Bill Cox and Steve Kriozere—is a bit of a cheat. It’s from the Sunday before the show, at a “pre-show” convention in Los Angeles. 

But the more “resort-style” photo—with Dirk Wood and Tim Lenaghan—was taken at the Marriott, just moments before the madness began next door at the San Diego Convention Center.

If the entire convention had actually been like that, I would have come home much less tired, with a nice tan—and a few more dollars in my checkbook.

As always, much more to come.

L-R: With Pete Koch, Art Adams, Jane Mitchell (& Other-Worldly Friend), Scott Eder, Ash Wood, Eric Powell, Whilce Portacio and Scott Dunbier.

Sean Chen — Into The Spider-Verse

Original Art and The Artists

FCBD Regional Specaility Print, 2023

Here is a great Spider-Man original from my pal Sean Chen, featuring Miles Morales front and center, with Spider-Gwen—Ghost-Spider—right behind him.

Peter Parker gets a more casual nod through the classic Spidey image on the side of the building, and “Peter Porker” makes an appearance the same way, just for good measure.

It’s a terrific composition—and whenever Sean draws buildings, the level of detail is outstanding.

Sean originally created the piece for a regional Free Comic Book Day print in 2023, and he also brings a version with him to conventions.

Fun, somewhat tangential fact: Someone started a rumor—at least locally here in California—that the first comic-book team-up of Miles, Gwen and Peter may have appeared in our Marvel Action: Spider-Man series from IDW Publishing.

I have no idea whether that is actually true.

I did see speculators buying copies in bulk at a local show around the time the last Spider-Verse animated film was released, but I don’t think they succeeded in cornering the market. You can still find the books pretty readily at cover price or just slightly higher.

I’m not crazy about the coloring on the published print. It obscures too much of Sean’s terrific detail, and while the palette might seem appropriate for the animated film series it doesn’t feel especially “Spider-Verse” here.
But hey—everyone’s a critic, right?

Berkeley Breathed — Robots! Muppets! Slashers!

Original Art and The Artists

Bloom County, April 10, 1983

It’s summer movie season, which seems like a good excuse to pull out this great Bloom County Sunday strip by Berkeley Breathed.

Published in 1983, it’s a classic jab at Hollywood’s endless need to recycle formulas and chase the next big thing.

As usual, Breathed’s real gift isn’t just the punchline—it’s the way the dialogue spirals completely off the rails while still sounding oddly believable. Hasn’t everyone had some version of this conversation at one time or another? (Okay, maybe not with a talking penguin.)

Forty-three years later, movie fans are still having the same arguments. The difference is that now a lot of them happen online—or from the couch. With giant TVs, terrific home theater setups, and more streaming options than any sane person could ever watch, it’s easier than ever to skip the theater entirely.

But if you do make it out to one this summer—and you should—

Don’t forget the Goobers.

(I actually do love those.)

Breathed, enjoying some quality time with the EC Artists Edition at my old IDW Publishing office (Liberty Station, Point Loma, San Diego), circa 2015.

Joe Kubert — Sure Shot

Original Art and The Artists

Our Army At War #145, August 1964

Joe Kubert likely drew more pages of war combat than any other artist in the history of comics.

And you would be hard-pressed to find any of his covers or stories that glorified combat.

Gritty? Yes. Realistic? Absolutely. Action-oriented? Of course. Suspenseful? Nearly every time.

But Kubert’s stories — typically collaborating with writer Bob Kanigher — focused on the horrors and tragedies of war. And his distinctive, roughhewn art, was a perfect fit for the genre.

If anyone created a “War Artists Hall of Fame” the inaugural class would likely feature Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Wallace Wood, and Russ Heath. 

And Kubert should absolutely be at the top of that list.

Happy Veteran’s Day, 2025. 

Today sees the arrival of a new reprint series: DC Finest — War, The Big Five Arrive, joining others that include the DC War Artist’s Edition a much earlier reprint, America at War. All four volumes of a DC archive collection reprinting Sgt. Rock are long out of print, and naturally, much sought after.

Drew Friedman — Mars Attacks, Live, On Film

Original Art and The Artists

Cover, Mars Attacks #3, 1994 & Trading Card, Mars Attacks Archives, 1994

Wallace Wood. Norm Saunders. Robert Crumb. Basil Wolverton. Jack Davis. Art Spiegelman. Bill Griffith. Gil Kane. Jay Lynch. John Pound. Bob Powell. Tom Sutton. Bhob Stewart.

Topps (staff and freelance alike) artistic line-up of the late 20th century reads like an unbeatable all-star team of talent. (And that’s not even close to a complete list.)

The list of course also includes the incomprable Drew Friedman, who among other assignments, drew the hilarious Toxic High trading card series for Topps, using his trademark stipple effect.

I’ve been looking for a good Friedman original and found this great cover completely by accident browsing in a flat file at Scott Eder’s gallery in New Jersey.  It became a must -have. Scott loves it as well, so it took some heavy duty haggling to pry it away.  But…I published the damn thing, so it must have been fate. Like I said, a “must-have.”

I believe this Mars Attacks cover is the only comic book cover Drew created for us. 

Hey Scott, find out if the Hollywood mogul is based on an actual person. 

I’ll keep it between us.

(Happy Halloween, everyone!)

In addition to the comic book cover, we included Drew’s art on a trading card — part of a series of new images that were included in the 1994 Mars Attacks Archives set.

New York State Of Mind, 2025 (Part 2 Of 2)

Original Art and The Artists

New York Comic-Con, October 9-12, 2025

Some more fun pics from this year’s NYCC…

Photo of Roy Thomas And Greg L Goldstein at New York Comic-Con, 2025

I didn’t see half the people I wanted to see, But I was very happy to run into (rascally)Roy Thomas who I’ve known as a fan, professional and colleague the last 50 years or so, give or take. Random fun fact: About 30 years ago, Roy, Len Brown, Jim Salicrup and I went in a Topps chauffeured-driven car to grab hot dogs at Nathans in Coney Island.

Another fun fact: Nearly all of the buildings outside the convention center in the pic on the right existed 10 years ago. In some places, that’s an entire city. In New York, it’s a neighborhood.