Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: Spider-Man

John Romita Jr. — Spider-Legacy

Original Art and The Artists

Amazing Spider-Man #26, February 2001

Marvel announced only last month that John Romita Jr. will celebrate Spider-Man’s 60th Anniversary with… a return to drawing Spider-Man.

To quote Matthew Jackson on SyFy Wire:

“Romita Jr. made a name for himself as a key Marvel artist thanks in large part to his work on Spider-Man. He first drew the character in 1977, as the rising star son of the legendary John Romita Sr., and went on to become one of the definitive pencillers to ever work on the character… Now, he’s back in full force at his original superhero home, and he’s teaming up with one of the 21st century great Spider-Man writers for a whole new era on the character.”

For an overview of some of Romita’s greatest Marvel work, see the article at Comicbook.com:https://comicbook.com/news/10-greatest-john-romita-jr-creative-runs/

 

Marc Hempel — Spidey’s Bad Night

Original Art and The Artists

Marvel Fanfare #27, July 1986

Marc Hempel showcases his witty sense of storytelling in an amusing short Spidey story from 1986. Hempel, best know for his work on Sandman, brings some welcome lightheartedness to the character without devolving into Not Brand Echh mode.

Stylistically, think Steve Ditko meets Los Hernandez Brothers.

I didn’t acquire a Ditko Spider-man original art page back when they were simply “very expensive,” and now that prices have soared into the stratosphere, it feels even more unlikely. Homages and tributes will have to do.

And that’s perfectly ok.

(Complete story presented below. As far as I can tell, It’s never been reprinted.)

Planet Money — The Spider-Man Problem

Original Art and The Artists

Podcast, January 28, 2022

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – JULY 02: South Koreans wear Spider-Man cloths during the ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Seoul Premiere at Yeongdeunpo Times Square on July 2, 2017 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Kismet.

I’m prepping a series of posts to celebrate the Spider-Man’s upcoming 60th anniversary, and my favorite podcast series, Planet Money, airs an episode on the complex Spidey film partnership between Sony and Marvel.

It’s a great episode, and covers a ton of round in under a half an hour. If I noticed anything “missing,” it’s the drama that happened a few years ago when we heard posturing (bloviating, actually) about Sony and Disney not reaching a new agreement to keep Spidey in the MCU.

Really?

The last Sony Spider-Man film not in the MCU, Amazing Spider-Man 2, grossed about $700 million worldwide. Not shabby, but no where near expectations.

The current Spidey film, No Way Home, has grossed about $1.7 billion globally, and counting. That’s an extra BILLION dollars.

Think about that. It doesn’t matter how that negotiation ultimately played out, everyone made a TON of money. At least on the film side.

On the comic book side? That’s a tale for another day.

Tony Daniel — Spider-Man’s Amazing Feat

Original Art and The Artists

Commission (Based On Steve Ditko, Amazing Spider-Man #33, November 1965), 2013

Amazing. Spectacular. Sensational.

It doesn’t matter what adjective you put in front of Spider-Man’s name, his actual popularity dwarfs them all.

And he celebrates his 60th anniversary later this year.

So why not celebrate the world’s most famous web-slinger with a whole month of Spider-Man art.

Why not indeed?

First up — Tony Daniel’s terrific tribute to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s most iconic issue of the original series, Amazing Spider-Man #33.  

It’s not that Spider-Man wouldn’t be saved (Heck, even a little kid knows that.) But in that classic story, Ditko masterfully conveyed Spidey’s struggle and necessary force of will to find the strength to lift tons of machinery and save himself. 

No Iron Man or Thor to the rescue. This is all about Spider-Man’s personal will to survive — so that he himself can rescue Aunt May.

It’s likely the most powerful three-page comic book sequence of the era.

Harris is not the first creator to pay tribute to the scene, but he does it masterfully, creating an image that exists somewhere seconds before page three of Ditko’s original sequence.

Additionally, Harris uses a muted color palate, perfect for the art. I don’t typically pursue color art, but this piece grabbed me the moment I saw it.

Amazing indeed.

Ray Lago’s tribute from a “Marvel Portraits Comic”

Alex Saviuk — Spider-Man’s Amazing Friends

Original Art and The Artists

Newspaper Strip, Sunday, January 20, 2008

Pencils: Alex Saviuk. 

Inks: Joe Sinnott

Letters: Stan Sakai.

Story: Stan Lee. (With ghostwriting help likely from Roy Thomas.)

It’s an all-star team of creators contributing to this Sunday Spider-Man strip, and signed by everyone.

(Well almost. If I’m correct about Roy, I hope I can get his John Hancock at a convention. Whenever conventions become the norm again, that is.)

Fun Fact: I acquired this Sunday directly from Alex, who was kind enough to Remarque it for me to distinguish from the few others that had all four autographs. A talented artist and a super nice guy.

Nuff said.

(*You can read about Stan Lee and the legend of “Nuff Said” here and here.)

The very final Spider-Man Sunday, concluding a successful 40-year run.
The first volume of the classic Spidey strips features art by John Romita.
Alex’s very first Spider-Man story featured Mary Jane saying yes to the big question back in 1985.

George Perez — Infinity… And Beyond

Original Art and The Artists

Infinity Gauntlet #3, September 1991

George Perez delivers what George Perez does best: Multiple characters with terrific detail, and imaginative “camera angles” on this great page from the original Infinity Gauntlet mini-series.

It’s almost impossible to believe that this week marks the 2-year anniversary of Avengers Endgame, which wrapped up the Gauntlet saga, and the “early” phases of the MCU. Except for the December 2019 Spider-Man: Far from Home flick (which although in the greater MCU, is a SONY production) no Marvel films in two years just seems… wrong. Thanks, pandemic.

The good news is that we’ve had two quality TV series in recent months, with another one launching in a month.  And if my math is correct, because of delays and rescheduling, there are four Marvel films to debut this year, and four more scheduled for next year.

Whew.

The bad news — if there is any — is that Marvel is setting up so many potential storylines at this point that we are going to have to keep a character encyclopedia and Gantt chart with us at all times.

Dark Avengers?

Thunderbolts?

Young Avengers?

House of M?

Kree Skrull War?

Secret Invasion?

A Multiverse thread in both Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, at a minimum.

Plus, Kang as the next “big bad?”

Like I said… whew.

It’s one thing to accomplish all of this in 80 or so monthly comic books. It’s another to do it in filmed media. But if anyone can, I think Marvel and Disney might pull it off.

Fasten your seat belts…

Despite the comics inclusion of many characters that are not in the MCU version of Infinity Gauntlet / Endgame, this Perez page does highlight three of the films’ most important heroes: Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man.

Sal Buscema & Jimmy Palmiotti — Send In The Clones

Original Art and The Artists

Spectacular Spider-Man #232, March 1996

Ben Reilly is Peter Parker’s clone. Ben Reilly died, Peter Parker lived. 

No, wait. Ben Reilly lived; it was actually Parker that died.

Scratch that. Ben Reilly thought he was Peter Parker, but he actually WAS Peter Parker, who thought he was Ben Reilly.

No, wait, that’s not right either…

The clone saga is one of Marvel’s most controversial storylines from the 90s. I remember having a very spirited conversation about the subject with Tom Defalco back in 1995 or so at SDCC when it seemed like it was going to go on forever and ever. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.

In this issue of Spectacular Spider-Man, this is actually Ben Reilly fighting as Spider-man, (theoretically) while Peter Parker is in brief retirement with the very pregnant Mary Jane.

Regardless, Sal Buscema draws a knockout cover, with inks by Jimmy Palmiotti, as Spidey (real or Memorex) faces Lady Octopus in mortal combat. 

And where did that crazy moon go from original art to final colored, published version? I have no idea. Although I almost titled this post, “Goodnight Moon.”

The 1994-1996 clone saga has its roots in a much more accessible run of Spider-Man 20 years prior.

Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema — Split Screen

Original Art and The Artists

Spider-Girl #97, June 2006

Continuing our celebration of the two-year anniversary of the groundbreaking animated film, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. 

The original Spider-Girl (The “future” daughter of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson) is a member of the Spider-Verse who refused to die. Every time her series was on the verge of cancellation, a small, but very passionate group of fans persuaded Marvel to keep he book going. You can read more about that here and here.

In this story arc, the final one of the first 100-issue ongoing series, the original Hobgoblin returns, and Spider-Girl switches to the black spider-costume. This of course echoes the choice made by her dad way back in the historic Amazing Spider-Man #252 (May 1984), also penciled by the talented Mr. Frenz. (And Ron also drew the original Hobgoblin saga in ASM as well.)

And this vertical split screen “mirror” effect on the final page? Seldom used, but very cool. I don’t own another page like it.

David Williams — Into The Spider-Verse

Original Art and The Artists

Spider-Verse Team-Up, #3, March 2015

Two years ago this week, many of us settled into a comfy (hopefully) movie theater seat to catch Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I think I’m speaking for the majority of filmgoers when I say: “Brain Blown.”

The Spider-Verse concept was so successful in this ground breaking animated film, that apparently some of its alternate Spidey universes appear to be creeping into the next live action Spider-Man film, currently due in theaters in a year from now.

Rumors are swirling in recent weeks that many actors and characters from the two previous Spider-Man film universes will reappear in this film, with supposedly Jamie Foxx (Electro) and Alfred Molina (Doctor Octopus) confirmed.

A multiverse Sinister Six? I say, bring it on! (I’ve confessed my love of multiverse storylines previously.)

Meanwhile, in the comics, you don’t have to wait for Disney and Sony and the talent and the screenwriter and the director to have a meeting of the minds. 

You can simply read any number of Spider-Verse related comic book titles, including this one featuring art by the vastly underrated David Williams.

Here you get six Spider-People for the price of one.  Seems like a good deal to me.

The film poster, the original art for Bill Sienkiewicz’s promo poster, and the cover to IDW’s Marvel Action :Spider-Man featuring the first comic book team-up of Peter Parker, Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen.
All three actors in one Spider-Man film? You never know…