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A Comic Cover A Day (is awesome)

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  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,608
    Finally completing my Spectre covers with a series I never read the Hal Jordan Spectre. For the first 2/3s of the run Ryan Sook did very solid and for the most part very good covers, but nothing made me say wow that's the one.

    At issue 19, P Craig Russell takes over on covers. His covers are equally good; what stands out is the incorporation of the title into the art. Issue 20 is a great example; I recommend scrolling through the covers from 19-27 of the 2001 series no two Titles will be the same.
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  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    mwhitt80 said:

    Finally completing my Spectre covers with a series I never read the Hal Jordan Spectre. For the first 2/3s of the run Ryan Sook did very solid and for the most part very good covers, but nothing made me say wow that's the one.

    At issue 19, P Craig Russell takes over on covers. His covers are equally good; what stands out is the incorporation of the title into the art. Issue 20 is a great example; I recommend scrolling through the covers from 19-27 of the 2001 series no two Titles will be the same.
    image

    I thought it was a pretty interesting series, much better than it had any right to be. But then, I'm a DeMatteis fan, and he really played to his strengths throughout the series.

    Don’t forget Dave Johnson’s two covers! Two of the best of the series as far as I’m concerned. I do have to quibble with you though, when you say Craig’s covers were equally as good as Sook’s. No, they were not—they were much better! Sook’s covers were fine, but I think that was his first regular cover work (he’d done a handful of random covers before this), and his design work was not where it is today. Craig’s covers, on the other hand, were so clean and readable. The negative space was perfectly balanced, and drew the eyes exactly where they needed to be. And as you said, he changed the logo to fit the mood of the cover. Good stuff!
  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,608

    mwhitt80 said:

    Finally completing my Spectre covers with a series I never read the Hal Jordan Spectre. For the first 2/3s of the run Ryan Sook did very solid and for the most part very good covers, but nothing made me say wow that's the one.

    At issue 19, P Craig Russell takes over on covers. His covers are equally good; what stands out is the incorporation of the title into the art. Issue 20 is a great example; I recommend scrolling through the covers from 19-27 of the 2001 series no two Titles will be the same.
    image


    Don’t forget Dave Johnson’s two covers! Two of the best of the series as far as I’m concerned. I do have to quibble with you though, when you say Craig’s covers were equally as good as Sook’s. No, they were not—they were much better! Sook’s covers were fine, but I think that was his first regular cover work (he’d done a handful of random covers before this), and his design work was not where it is today. Craig’s covers, on the other hand, were so clean and readable. The negative space was perfectly balanced, and drew the eyes exactly where they needed to be. And as you said, he changed the logo to fit the mood of the cover. Good stuff!
    I agree with that. I liked the Sook covers more than you (even if his covers are hellboy filtered through 2000s era DC), but P Craig did better covers. The title usage is really something else though, very unique and makes the covers really stand out
  • OriusOrius Posts: 188
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    Spider-Man: The Manga #30
    Release Date: March, 1999
    Pencils: Ryoichi Ikegami
    Inks: Dano Ink Studios
    Colors: Frank A. Kadar
  • OriusOrius Posts: 188
    edited June 2018
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    Marvel Team-Up Vol. 1 #20
    Release Date: April, 1974
    Pencils:Gil Kane
    Inks: John Romita Sr.
    Colors: Danny Crespi

    I wouldn't mind seeing a team-up like this in the MCU.
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    Orius said:

    Cover Artists:Gil Kane, John Romita Sr. and Danny Crespi

    To be specific, it’s pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita, lettering by Danny Crespi.

    Crespi started out lettering in 1948, working mostly for Marvel. He left comics in the late ’50s when Marvel was laying people off left and right. He came back on staff at Marvel in 1972 as head letterer, and he became Marvel’s assistant production manager in 1978. When John Verpoorten died, Crespi was promoted to the coordinator for the art and production departments. Crespi died in 1985 from leukemia.
  • David_DDavid_D Posts: 3,881
    According to a Comics Vine bibliography of published Harlan Ellison's work (and work inspired by his work).

    This comic, Real Fact Comics #6, had the first publication of Ellison. A letter he wrote to the editor in 1947. He was 13.

    Art by Virgil Finlay

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  • OriusOrius Posts: 188

    Orius said:

    Cover Artists:Gil Kane, John Romita Sr. and Danny Crespi

    To be specific, it’s pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita, lettering by Danny Crespi.
    Where do you keep getting such information? lol
  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,608
    Orius said:

    Orius said:

    Cover Artists:Gil Kane, John Romita Sr. and Danny Crespi

    To be specific, it’s pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita, lettering by Danny Crespi.
    Where do you keep getting such information? lol
    He writes for twomorrows publishing.
  • RobAndersonRobAnderson Posts: 553
    And he holds it all in his brain. I’d love to see a Comics Jeopardy panel at a con — @nweathington versus Mark Waid!

    I’ll take Lois Marries Supes for $500, Alex!
  • RobAndersonRobAnderson Posts: 553
    Actually, come to think of it, I want Murd on that panel, too. We have our 3 contestants!
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736

    And he holds it all in his brain. I’d love to see a Comics Jeopardy panel at a con — @nweathington versus Mark Waid!

    I’ll take Lois Marries Supes for $500, Alex!

    I've told you before, Rob, I don't hold all that in my head. :) In this case I knew Crespi was the head letterer thanks to Todd Klein's blog, and that he worked in production for Marvel late in his career. I had to refer to an interview David A. Kraft did with Crespi, and to his obituary in The Comics Journal, to get the dates and official job titles.
  • OriusOrius Posts: 188
    edited June 2018
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    Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1 #112
    Release Date: March, 1986
    Cover Artist: Kyle Baker

    I'll just let @nweathington do his thing. ;)

    Love this cover and the edgy "Bad Santa" look. I also love how most of Peter David's run on Spectacular was made up of edgy and mature stories like this (and the aforementioned Jean DeWolff story). "All new, all daring" is right. This "ANAD Marvel" was definitely far better than the 2015 version. They were different and even edgy, sure, but they were different with substance, not with mere style. I mean, Peter being 'different' back then actually did something meaningful to his character growth rather than sabotage it, not to mention all the social issues David managed to incorporate into his stories (without back-pedaling on or hand-waving such themes the way Dan Slott did with his Inferior Spider-Man title).
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    edited July 2018
    Orius said:

    image
    Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1 #112
    Release Date: March, 1986
    Cover Artist: Kyle Baker

    I'll just let @nweathington do his thing. ;)

    Love this cover and the edgy "Bad Santa" look. I also love how most of Peter David's run on Spectacular was made up of edgy and mature stories like this (and the aforementioned Jean DeWolff story). "All new, all daring" is right. This "ANAD Marvel" was definitely far better than the 2015 version. They were different and even edgy, sure, but they were different with substance, not with mere style. I mean, Peter being 'different' back then actually did something meaningful to his character growth rather than sabotage it, not to mention all the social issues David managed to incorporate into his stories (without back-pedaling on or hand-waving such themes the way Dan Slott did with his Inferior Spider-Man title).

    Kyle started working for Marvel his senior year of high school (1982, I think), making photocopies of artwork and such. He then became a background inking assistant for Joe Rubinstein (and later Vince Coletta). He kept working for Marvel while attending the School of Visual Arts where he was taught by (among others) the great graphic designer Milt Glaser (he came up with the I[heart]NY logo). He left school after two years to assist Glaser on a series of children’s books. Kyle started to get penciling work from Marvel in late 1985, notably the adaptation of the Howard the Duck movie, along with some covers. This was only his fourth cover (and his second Spidey cover).
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    I'm at the beach this weekend, so what better excuse do I need to give @mwhitt80 some more Oksner covers? Here’s Leave it to Binky #21 (Jul.-Aug. 1951) by Oksner.

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  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,608
    Staying with Kyle Baker; you might be more familiar with his more cartoony covers. This is from his ogn King David.
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  • OriusOrius Posts: 188
    edited July 2018
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    The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #148
    Release Date: September, 1975
    Pencils: Gil Kane
    Inks: John Romita Sr.

    Ah yes, the infamous "comic code." Isn't BDSM (even if it's male bondage) a little raw for little kiddies? I smell double standards in their "approval."
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    Orius said:

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    The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #148
    Release Date: September, 1975
    Cover Artist: Gil Kane

    Ah yes, the infamous "comic code." Isn't BDSM (even if it's male bondage) a little raw for little kiddies? I smell double standards in their "approval."

    Inks by John Romita. They made an interesting combination. Romita softened Kane's linework, and gave it more weight. But it still had the leaner look of Kane, which I prefer to Romita's stockier Spidey.
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    Leave it to Binky #22 (Sept.-Oct. 1952), by Bob Oksner.

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  • OriusOrius Posts: 188
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    The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #684
    Publish Date: June, 2012
    Cover Artist: Stefano Caselli

    I usually don't mind most cover artwork of Spidey, but man, I really hate Stefano's take on this one, especially the buggy eyes. Reminds me of The (loathsome) Superior Spider-Man costume.
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    Leave it to Binky #55 (Jul.-Aug. 1956), by Bob Oksner.

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  • OriusOrius Posts: 188
    edited July 2018
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    Peter Parker #3
    Publish Date: July, 2010
    Pencils: Doug Braithwaite
    Colors: Andy Troy

    Now that... that is a cover.
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    edited July 2018
    Orius said:

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    Peter Parker #3
    Publish Date: July, 2010
    Pencils: Doug Braithwaite
    Inks: Andy Troy

    Now that... that is a cover.

    I like Braithwaite’s work, and this is a nice illustration, but I prefer covers that tell a story as opposed to simple iconographic imagery.

    Oh, and this cover is not inked, per se. It looks like it’s shot directly from Braithwaite’s pencils, though maybe he put down a little ink wash. Andy Troy is the colorist.
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    Leave it to Binky #60 (Oct. 1958), by Bob Oksner.

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  • David_DDavid_D Posts: 3,881

    Leave it to Binky #22 (Sept.-Oct. 1952), by Bob Oksner.

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    Drunk Cap would approve.
  • nweathingtonnweathington Posts: 6,736
    David_D said:

    Leave it to Binky #22 (Sept.-Oct. 1952), by Bob Oksner.

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    Drunk Cap would approve.
    It’s probably where Oksner got the idea.
  • ChrisBeckettChrisBeckett Posts: 535
    Harlan Ellison.
    My favorite author, and the comic series (a boyhood dream of his) that adapted some of his best short stories.

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