Baltimore 2022 — Back To The Future (Part 3 of 3)
October 28-30, 2022
Tag: Mark Morales
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.)
Paul Pelletier And Ken Lashley (With Mark Morales) — Battle For The Ages
Commission, 2017
It all started with Hulk vs. Wolverine.
Beginning on the last page of Incredible Hulk # 180 and continuing through the now iconic (and ultra–expensive) Incredible Hulk #181 the introduction of Wolverine foreshadowed the “new” X-men a few short months later.
(FYI, he also appears on the first page of #182, where get’s forced to leave by the Canadian authorities he works for. Remember when it was a big deal that Wolverine was “Canadian?” But I digress…)
Since that moment 46 years ago, Hulk and Wolverine have crossed paths more than a few times. And why not? Feels like a reasonable match-up.
This commission jam piece by Ken Lashley on Wolverine, and Paul Pelletier on Hulk — with Mark Morales on inks — captures he dynamics of this battle perfectly.
The original commissioner had a very specific vision in mind —- and obviously realized it — but then chose to sell / trade it shortly thereafter to a comic art dealer. Apparently, the original collector has MANY pieces featuring Hulk vs. Wolverine.
I don’t normally collect commissions (unless it’s a recreation or re-imagination) with some notable exceptions by comic art veterans, but this one called it out to me, and it ended up in my possession as part as a larger acquisition.
All three artists knocked it out of the park.
Which, based on the scene itself, is about to happen to ether Hulk or Wolverine — or both — in a millisecond.
