Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: Incredible Hulk

Dale Keown — Mind Games

Original Art and The Artists

Incredible Hulk #371, July 1990

Previously, on the blog…

Our 12 Days of Hulk special has featured some great splash paged from the likes of Gabe Hardman, Gary Frank, Ed McGuiness and others.

To change things up a bit, day six features a terrific panel page form Dale Keown, who imaginatively utilizes a variety of panel sizes and “camera angles” to keep things fresh for writer Peter David — and the audience.

I love this page — in addition to the feature listed above, it uses lettering and sound effects to maximum effect. Also, it features some terrific lighting, especially on that first panel of a freaked out Hulk.

Plus, a Defenders reunion.

David’s astonishing 12-year run on the Incredible Hulk title featured great art from the likes of Todd McFarlane, Jeff Purves, Liam Sharp and others, but I confess a certain bias towards Keown’s work on the title. As evidenced here, he has an artistic wit that complemented David’s stories perfectly.

Back here on Tuesday… with Day 7 of “12 Days of Hulk.”

Gary Frank — Dead Wrong

Original Art and The Artists

Incredible Hulk #416, April 1994

Day 5 of “12 Days of Hulk.”

Some days, you smash.

Some days, you get smashed.

Like here, for instance, on this great splash page by the talented Gray Frank from Peter David’s epic run as writer on the main Hulk title.

Nice clear art from Frank (and inker Cam Smith), plus balloons and sound effects on the board.  Merry Christmas, indeed.

Ed McGuinness — Boom!: There Goes “Original Hulk”

Original Art and The Artists

Hulk #30, April 2011

Or, maybe I could have titled this post… “That’s gotta hurt!”

Welcome to Day 4 of “12 days of Hulk.” It’s a bad day for Xemnu the Living Titan (Marvel’s “Original Hulk”), who just got clobbered.

Ed McGuinness continues to remain one of my favorite contemporary artists. Plus, as they say, he’s a swell guy too.

When conventions come back in full force, make sure you visit with him at any show he happens to attend. It will definitely be a pleasant and fun experience.

Tell him the blog sent you.

The “original Hulk” appeared in 1960, about two years prior to our ever-lovin’ Hulk.

Tim Sale — Er…That’s No Robot

Original Art and The Artists

Hulk Gray #4, February 2004

Welcome to the day two of “12 Days of Hulk.”

Tim Sale (with writer Jeph Loeb) creates a cool and dynamic page from an early clash between Gray Hulk and “Gold” Iron Man in the classic Hulk Gray mini-series.

The Hulk surprisingly didn’t battle with IM in the early years of the original Silver age, with the very notable exception of the first few issues of Avengers — which was the first team book that seemed to have more fighting within the group than without.

Of course, Loki helps manipulate their clash in issue #1, and the Space Phantom does the same in issue #2. By issue #3, Tony has switched into the first version of his now famous sleeker red and yellow model. (They duke it out there, too.) And by the end of issue #3, Hulk will disappear altogether from the book for quite a while.

As a side note, I miss hand-drawn sound effects even more than I miss traditional lettering. Thoom indeed.

Hulk and Iron Man spend most of issue #1 of Avengers fighting each other, then, astonishingly do it all over in issue #2.

Mark Bagley — Hulk Vs. Hulk Vs…

Original Art and The Artists

Ultimate End #2, August 2015 and Hulk #15, June 2015

Welcome to the official day one of “12 Days of Hulk.”

Mark Bagley —- with the help of inker Andrew Hennessy — tackles two different Hulk battles in a few short months; Green Hulk vs. Red Hulk and Gray Hulk vs. Green Hulk. Both pages feature Bagley’s dynamic and imaginative storytelling skills.

I’ve seen a ton of Bagley originals during the last 15 years (One reason: he’s definitely prolific) and I have to say Hennessey’s inks are among my favorites, especially on Hulk. His bold strokes and use of blacks definitely add fierceness to the festivities.

And every time I see a page with both Green Hulk and Red Hulk on it, I always want to hum: “Red Hulk, Green Hulk, one, two, three.”

But, I digress.

Back here with day two of our ongoing Hulk tribute on Thursday.

Walter Simonson — 12 Days of Hulk

Original Art and The Artists

Rampaging Hulk Magazine #3, June 1977 and Avengers #28, September 2012

If December makes you think of red and green, then, wow do we have a month for you. (Well, to be fair, mostly green, some red, and a little gray thrown in for good measure.)

It’s “12 days of Hulk” this month — 12 all new art posts devoted to everyone’s favorite rampaging hero, who turns 60 in early 2022.

But first a flashback to the ghost of Christmas past (two years ago, to be exact) with two great Hulk pages by the legendary Walter Simonson. (With help from Alfredo Alcala on the first and Scott Hanna on the second.)

See you back here on Tuesday with a double feature courtesy of Mark Bagley.

Jim Starlin — Clobbered

Original Art and The Artists

Marvel Fanfare #21, July 1985

Continuing our celebration of the 60th anniversary of the debut of Fantastic Four #1. (August 8, 1961)

Jim Starlin pens a love letter to the classic Hulk-Thing battles of the 60s and 70s with this fun two-parter from Marvel Fanfare.

The Hulk decks Mr. Grimm “off-screen” as it were, bridging the two issues.  (See below.)

I never cared one way or another whether The Hulk or Thing was stronger (I pretty much enjoyed any crossover), but apparently this subject is very emotional for some.

That said, Thor is stronger than either of them. 

Let the hate mail begin. Ha.

CBR has done a great overview of those classic battles, which you can read here.

Jim Starlin lets our imagination fill in the actual punch, as the Hulk has apparently just decked the Thing in between issues.
The Marvel Age of crossovers begins in March 1963, with a very busy FF meeting the Hulk and Spider-Man in the same month..

Dale Keown — Hulk Vs… Pitt

Original Art and The Artists

Hulk / Pitt #1, December 1996

Concluding our series on Hulk vs.… The Universe.

Hulk vs. Pitt? I love this idea. 

Not so much because it feels like a reasonable balanced match-up. (Although it does, with Pitt likely the tougher combatant.)

More so because Dale Keown made his bones with a terrific version of the Hulk on writer Peter David’s long run in the very early 90s, and then went off and created Pitt as his own character and title for Image Comics.

So Hulk vs. Pitt is actually… Dale Keown vs. Dale Keown. 

On this page, the Hulk and Pitt beat the living daylights out of each other. Knockdown, drag ‘em out close-in battling, executed by a pro. (With lovely detailed finishes by the versatile and talented Dan Panosian.)

I would love to see more regular comics work by Keown, but, based on his total output the last 20 years, I have a feeling that’s not in the cards.

I would love to be wrong.

Dale’s first cover for Incredible Hulk, followed by the published version and original art for Pitt #1.

Steve Rude — Hulk Vs… Superman

Original Art and The Artists

Incredible Hulk vs. Superman, July 1999

Steve Rude delivers a terrific action page of Superman vs. Hulk, as we continue to pay tribute to Hulk vs. heroes in other universes this week.

Superman vs. Hulk seems quite a bit more logical than Batman vs. Hulk.  Theoretically, Superman would ultimately win, but at least he would be winded.

And come to think of it, Golden Age Superman, as originally conceived by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, might still win, but it would be pretty close to a draw.

Early Silver Age Superman, who could move planets around, not so much.

Rude, who worships at the alter of Jack Kirby, and shows reverence for Shuster’s Superman as well, is the perfect artist to illustrate this pairing.

And Granny’s expression in the middle panel? Nothing like a bit of offbeat humor to lighten the mood of a titanic fight, albeit very briefly.

Rude is perfect for that, as well.

Technology gets better (and less expensive), and fans apply their creativity accordingly.