Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: Marvel Comics

Dave Bullock — Man For The Job

Original Art and The Artists

Ultimates #21, April 2013

1965. We entered the age of acronyms. 

SPECTRE. SMERSH. UNCLE. THRUSH. THUNDER. Et al.

The spy craze had given birth to super secret organizations for both good guys and the bad.

Enter SHIELD, 55 years ago. Nick Fury had already joined the Marvel Universe as WW 2 commando Sgt. Fury in 1963. And he showed up later that year in Fantastic Four, 20 years in the future (present day) as a CIA officer.  But now he was ColonelFury, head of the super secret spy agency SHIELD. (Originally, Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage and Law-Enforcement Division.)

In 12 short pages, we are not only introduced to SHIELD, but the villainous Hydra (Not an acronym, one of the few) and of course those great gadgets like the crazy heli-carrier. Comics, as noted previously, do not have budget constraints. Artists can go wild, and as we know when it came to wild tech, Kirby always delivered. All the bells and whistles of the Bond films, plus much, much more.

As a very young reader, I appreciated that Fury was a unique character; living in two different eras, in Sgt. Fury and in Shield.  And that he interacted with Captain America and Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) in both of those eras.

SHIELD was another great Lee and Kirby creation, but the series became something extraordinary when Jim Steranko took over, first pencilling over Jack’s layouts, and eventually writing, pencilling, inking and even coloring some those epic SHIELD stories himself. (More on that in the next post.)

Dave Bullock’s modern cover is a pseudo-homage to one of Steranko’s great Shield covers, SHIELD # 4, with the uniform almost identical, minus the dagger on the boots. The background references the groundbreaking pop psychedelic look that Steranko himself was creating at the time.

If Marvel ever decided to create a SHIELD animated series, I’d want it to look exactly like this.

Nick Fury started as a WW2 commando and evolved into director of SHIELD. Marvel ultimately retconned a war injury to fully explain the eyepatch.
Fury weaved into the bigger Marvel universe, past and “present”(60s) with Captain America, Tony Stark, Reed Richards and others.

Alex Maleev — A Long Time Ago…

Original Art and The Artists

Star Wars: Princess Leia #2, March 2015

Forty years ago today, life was definitely simpler. All I had to do was how to figure out how to get to the opening night of Empire Strikes Back.

Well, maybe not that simple.

Big films often did not open “wide” in those days, which meant ESB would not be playing anywhere near my college town of Binghamton, New York. Closest theater? In Syracuse. 75 miles away.

Fortunately, I had a car. Gas was (relatively) cheap. And finals had just ended.

That was the good news.

The bad? No on-line ordering. (Ha. We were still using punch cards and booking computer time in the lab.) No advance orders by phone. This was 1980. Horse and buggy era, tickets and technology wise.  And in those days, no bank was offering credit cards to broke college students anyway.

So we had to wing it. The “we” in this case, my buddy Bob and I, pretty much the only people that hadn’t packed up for the semester.

Off we went.  Up through farm country on Interstate 81. Somehow, even though we didn’t leave that early, and the legal speed limit was still 55mph, we made it to the “purchase tickets” line, and then the “entry” line in time, and had reasonable seats.

Good thing, too.

We had waited three years. I didn’t really want to wait another day.

I enjoyed it. A lot. Despite the fact that the story had been “spoiled” for me by the Marvel Comics adaptation, because I didn’t have the discipline to avoid reading it. (Lesson learned there. I never made that the mistake again, including, and especially, for Return Of The Jedi. Hell, I’ve occasionally forced friends who work on films into vows of silence.)

Alex Maleev’s beautiful painted cover features of one my favorite things about ESB: The battle on Hoth. I have a distinct memory of the first time I saw the Empire trailer tacked on to a Star Wars re-release in 1979.  The audience absolutely lost its mind at the Hoth tease. (Well at pretty much everything, I guess.) And the finished battle did not disappoint, stop-motion and all.

Where was I? Oh yes. Great cover. Terrific artist. Wonderful memory.

And somehow Bob and I made it back before the cows came home. But not by much, I imagine.

All three main original ESB posters are terrific.

Paul Gulacy — Kung Fu Fighting

Original Art and The Artists

Master of Kung Fu #20, September 1974

By now, we should be in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but unfortunately, we have a six-month delay. So, for the first time in a dozen years, no Marvel film to launch the summer movie-going season. But, we won’t let that delay slow us down here — this week, we’re looking at some comics art related to the next three scheduled films.

Marvel’s ability to spot trends, and capitalize on them, definitely helped their their 1960s rise from second (more like fifth) banana to publishing powerhouse in the 60s and 70s.

Case in point: Martial arts and specifically “Kung-Fu.”. First flooding film houses, and then television, the craze rapidly spread through pop-culture in the early 1970s. Bruce Lee — and dozens of imitators — had clearly caught the public’s imagination.

Marvel quickly launched three genre series in late 1973 and early 1974. First up was Shang-Chi, originally by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, and shortly thereafter by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy.

Shang-Chi’s backstory was intriguing — in the comics, he’s the son of Dr. Fu Manchu, famed villain from the Sax Rohmer novels. This plot detail, ultimately a rights issue, helped derail Marvel from reprinting the series for more than 40 years.

And, it’s been changed apparently for the Shang-Chi film now scheduled for May, 2021. He’s re-written now as the son of the Mandarin, an early Marvel (Iron Man) mastermind who was “impersonated” in Iron Man 3. We will see how that plays out.

As for this page itself: Shang- Chi barely makes an “appearance”, but so what?  It’s a cool example of Gulacy’s Steranko-influenced storytelling.

And, as for the criticism that perhaps Gulacy’s style was too influenced by Jim Steranko in these early issues? I say, so what to that too. Jim had already bowed out of comic book stories by then, and if you liked his work, this was possibly the next best thing.

Marvel leaps out of the Kung-Fu gate , with Shang_Chi, The Deadly Hands magazine, and Iron Fist in 1973 and 1974.

John Romita Jr. — Eternally Yours

Original Art and The Artists

Eternals #1, August 2006

By now, we should be in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but unfortunately, we have a six-month delay. So, for the first time in a dozen years, no Marvel film to launch the summer movie-going season. But, we won’t let that delay slow us down here — this week, we’re looking at some comics art related to the next three scheduled films.

Jack Kirby’s Eternals was a natural extension of Jack’s interest and abilities in all things cosmic — Norse Gods, New Gods, et al. In my mind, this series was the most engaging of Jack’s efforts during his brief return to Marvel in the mid 70s.

When Jack left Marvel again in 1978, Eternals went into mothballs and only made a brief reappearance in 1985 (without Kirby) before disappearing again.

Then in 2006, another take, this one, a mini-series (7 issues) by Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr. appeared. It seemed like an odd team-up — the Vertigo “alternative” star writer, paired with the more “meat and potatoes” (superheroes) star artist. But ultimately, the talents meshed and it’s a well-done series, bringing the Eternals into the “modern” Marvel Universe, with some twists.

If anything did the series a disservice, it was the main covers by Rick Berry. Berry is super talented artist of course, and in a vacuum the covers are wonderful paintings. But they don’t match the stylistic content of the stories. I’m guessing he was hired because the editors wanted the covers’ artistic style to match the established Gaiman “brand” – despite the fact the stories are so much more traditional than Neil’s Sandman work.

Nonetheless, great Romita Artwork is still great Romita artwork, and this splash of Ikaris and Thena (inks by Danny Miki) is one of the best pages in the series. The page (pencils version) was used as the cover for a sketchbook from the series.

Eternals (the movie) is currently (re)scheduled to open February 2021.

Jack Kirby’s original series, followed seven years later by a second series by Peter Gillis and Sal Buscema. (Cover of that first issue by Walter Simonson.)
Eternals match game, comics and film.

Gene Colan — The Widow’s Sting

Original Art and The Artists

Daredevil #82, December 1971

By now, we should be in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but unfortunately, we have a six-month delay. So, for the first time in a dozen years, no Marvel film to launch the summer movie-going season.

But, we won’t let that delay slow us down here — let’s take a look at some of characters from the next three scheduled films this week.

From the trailer(s) for the Black Widow film, now releasing this November, it appears that many elements from Natasha Romanoff’s 55-year comic book backstory will make into the film. (No surprise, as that has been the Marvel M.O. since day one).

Of course, an exception will be her relationship with Daredevil, which lasted a few years in the original comics. Not sure what the entertainment rights status is for Daredevil and the other Netflix Marvel characters (now since cancelled), but I’d fall right out of my seat if any of them showed up in the cinematic universe in the near future.

This very cool Daredevil page from the great Gene Colan comes from early in the relationship between DD and the Widow; in fact they don’t actually have a relationship at this point in the chronology, but they soon will, and ultimately team-up and move to San Francisco together.

In fact, the comic book changes its cover nameplate to Daredevil and The Black Widow for more than a year.

Let’s see: Matt Murdock suddenly ups and moves to Frisco. Daredevil — suddenly — is now fighting in the Bay Area. No one figures the connection out? Really?

Amazing Spider-Man #86 serves as a “#0” recap and revamp issue (before they had those) for Natasha’s short-lived solo series in Amazing Adventures. Words and pictures by Stan Lee and John Romita.
Black Widow’s first solo series, her first appearance in Daredevil, and a recent collection of her earliest appearances — with a recolored cover drawn by the legendary Bill Everett.

June Brigman And Whilce Portacio — Snik!??

Original Art and The Artists

Alpha Flight #52, November 1987

Concluding — for now — our two-week series celebrating a few important X-Men anniversaries in 2020.

A full-page splash of an iconic superhero… on the phone?

Well yes, why not, if done well?

And here in Alpha Flight it’s done very well, by the talented June Brigman and Whilce Portacio.

I love the look on Logan’s face. And, his coif reminds me of the line from great Warren Zevon song “Werewolves of London:” 

“His hair was perfect.”

Wolverine is not self-quarantining here. I double-checked. He’s just chilling at the moment. Also, note there are two things you won’t see anymore in a Marvel Comic. A phone cord and a cigar; old technology and a bad influence on kids, in the order.

But Snik?!?  Someone apparently forgot the “t” in Snikt? That’s an odd one. Chris Claremont first used “Snikt” way back in X-Men #116. And, apparently it’s become a legit trademark for the sound of Wolverine’ claws.

Fun fact: The story continues — with Wolverine — in Alpha Flight #53 and, while also inked by Whilce, its penciled by none other than Jim Lee, whose very first Marvel work was two issues earlier, in #51. But this time, he draws Wolverine, a sign of things to come.

Fun fact #2: Whilce and I bumped into each other —- both of us with unscheduled visits — on Free Comic Book Day a few years ago. Pretty fun and random coincidence — its not like San Diego is a small county, or only has one comic book store.

Fun fact #3; If for any odd reason you have not read the Power Pack series by Brigman and Louise Simonson, well, stop what you’re doing and get to it. Brilliant. And fun!

More X-men and Wolverine related posts late in the year. Stay tuned.

Claremont and Byrne introduce “Snikt” as Wolverine’s trademark claw sound effects in X-Men #116, December 1978

Paul Pelletier And Ken Lashley (With Mark Morales) — Battle For The Ages

Original Art and The Artists

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.

The commission reminds me of this great cover of World War Hulk by Ed McGuinness — up close and personal.
It all starts here. The Incredible Hulk #180 and #181. The Wolverine definitely strikes MORE than once.
Two different Hulk #181 re-imaginations by John Byrne, and one by Art Adams are among the many versions of this cover in existence.

Tom Grummett / Sean Chen — He’s Dead, Jim

Original Art and The Artists

X-Men Forever #10, December 2009

As noted earlier, John Byrne had returned to X-Men with X-Men: The Hidden Years.

His original collaborator, writer Chris Claremont, returned much later on in 2010 via a more direct route, in X-Men Forever.

Basically picking up after he left off in 1991 — and then immediately diverging — Claremont quickly killed Wolverine and had the remaining X-Men team deal with the ramifications of his death.

Tom Grummett’s character-packed cover deals with the team laying their fallen comrade to rest. Grummett was the many artists on the Forever series, which also included X-men mainstay Paul Smith on this issue, and others.

It’s an interseting choice — and a good one, commercially — to leave Wolverine’s uniform on top of the coffin. Contextually, of course, it makes little sense.

Sean Chen’s variant cover takes a look at an imaginary one moment later — when “zombie” Wolverine breaks out of his coffin(In uniform). This event is not in the series. Wolverine in fact stays dead. This image seems a tribute to the popular (and multiple) Marvel Zombies series.

It’s a clever set-up, and one of the few times a main cover and a variant are done in this manner. Kudos to editor Mark Paniccia — or whoever came up with the imaginative idea.

John Byrne — Unhidden

Original Art and The Artists

X-Men: The Hidden Years # 17, April 2001 & #20, July 2001

John Byrne returned to the X-Men in 1999. Not his beloved X-Men of Wolverine, Storm, Colossus and Phoenix, however. This time it was the “original” X-Men — in the period between their cancellation and rebirth. The “Hidden Years.”

It’s an often overlooked series and shouldn’t be. John brought great energy — and closed some outstanding story loops — in the 22-issue series.

Inks are by the terrific Tom Palmer, which gave the series a classic look, reminiscent of those great original Neal Adams issues, while still keeping it clearly Byrne.

Lots of fun guest appearances in the series as well, including the Fantastic Four — inked in one issue by the legendary Joe Sinnott.

X-Men: Hidden Years #20 is a Byrne homage to Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four #1. It was the sixth (and final) Marvel-related FF #1 homage that John drew.

Mike Parobeck — Modern Composition

Original Art and The Artists

X-Men: The Early Years #7, November 1994

Sometimes the reprint cover is just better.

Case in point, Mike Parobeck’s cover of X-Men: Early Years #7, which reprints the original X-Men  #7.

Jack’s original cover (below) is overloaded, and a composition mish-mash. Ok, I know it’s by Jack Kirby, and some fans will bristle about anything negative about the King’s work, but sorry, there’s no real comparison between the original and the reprint.

Mike’s cover is strong and focused.

Jack’s original has way too many characters all over the map, with the X-men oddly positioned in the background and The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants voyeuristically up front, awkwardly. Are they watching from a window? Or on a TV screen? A magical portal? Why the heck are they even on this cover? This is a selling point?

Now, just to be clear, this may not be at all Jack’s fault. Maybe Stan Lee art directed it. And overwrote the cover blurbs to death. (Now, the Stan haters can come out of the woodwork.)

As I’ve said on the record many times, I’m a fan of both Stan and Jack, so let’s all calm down. However this original cover developed, it’s simply not a great one. Even legends drop the ball once in a while.

Mike’s solves the problem thirty years later by focusing only on the X-men coordinating — or attempting to — an attack on the Blob.

Simple. Clear. Clean. Powerful.  Typical of Parobeck’s work.

But… On the published version, the trade dress is a bit heavy handed, so some of the art is obscured — and the entire image had to be flipped to accommodate said trade dress. And, to add to this litany, why the monochrome coloring? Ah Hell, who knows.

Anyway, the original art is great and Mike’s Marvel work is pretty rare; he is best known for some great looking art on the Batman Animated comic books. I was also a big fan of his Justice Society run.

He unfortunately passed away MUCH too early at the age of 31 (from Diabetes) in 1996.

His is a talent that is sorely missed.