Avenger Annual 7 original cover art by Jim Starlin

I recently re-read the Warlock collection on Comixology - the penultimate chapter to this saga is Avengers Annual 7 from August 1977! The cover was an amazing work by Jim Starlin...



Showing the Avengers + Captain Marvel (another Starlin character) in combat with the thralls of Thanos. Warlock stands on a hill in the distance, silently observing. The head of Thanos in the background is eerie, due to the overlay process used on the cover.



For the orignal art, here are the main figures. Looks very cool even in black and white. On the horizon there is no Thanos or night time sky...



Here is the original art plus the overlay for the blue plate plus extra logo. It looks like Starlin used a razor blade to make the white streaks continue on from the hill Warlock is standing on.

I will be doing a review of this Warlock collection soon. Stay tuned! Nuff Said.

Marvel Universe Commission by John Buscema

When I started this blog years ago I spent a lot of time finding images, rare commissions, old magazine covers, etc.  I joined the Tumblr party this year - late to everything as usual - but I see so much fun stuff on there it's addictive.

This John Buscema commission is a wonderful piece of work.  Featuring the Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four, Conan, Red Sonja, Thor, the Vision, various Avengers and X-Men.  From the signature it was done around 1998.  Nuff Said.

How I Became An Avengers Fan

I have been an Avengers fan since the early 1970s.  I used to dream of a day when Marvel's most popular heroes would star in their own films.  The biggest wetdream of all was an Avengers movie--a near impossible dream as it seemed back then!  But today the film has finally arrived and from the reviews it looks to be freaking cool.

This was my first Avengers comic, issue #102 from 1972, with the Vision taking front and center.  At this point I had probably been a Marvel fan for a few years, but always had stayed away from this supergroup.  When I was younger I preferred the early Justice League and Legion of Super-Heroes tales, a lot of good fun there, great for a kid.  You have to imagine when I bought this comic, I had no idea who the Vision was, no idea about Wonder Man or the relationship to the Grim Reaper.

So why did I buy this comic?  The X-Men made me do it.

X-Men #68 (from 1971) was a giant-sized reprint of one of their most important stories, the first clash with the mutant-hating Sentinels!  This issue and the next were so packed with plot and dynamic visuals, I must have re-read them 100 times.  The Sentinels, created by Bolivar Trask to protect humanity and detect mutants, gave the X-Men one of their toughest battles.  It ended with Trask dying to stop his creations.  It was tragic and almost Shakespearean.  I was floored.  Then a year later I read that the Sentinels would return in Avengers #102!

It was a great reason to jump onto a super-team book that seemed so foreign compared to the wholesome Justice League!  Just take a look at this great splash page by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott.  The Vision looks pretty alien walking down the dirty street at night, as a mugger lurks in the background.  The Vision, like Cyclops in the X-Men, was an introverted, brooding character, pining away for the girl he loved.  Unable to take a risk for love, like so many teenagers!

A little while later we were treated to this awesome double page splash of the Sentinels rocketing out of the Sun's orbit.  Now keep in mind, at this point I had no idea about continuity--that this was a sequel to Roy Thomas and Neal Adams X-Men story where the robots had made their second appearance.  It was a cool visual to have the Sentinels coming out from the far side of the sun.

If that wasn't enough, the Avengers had the romance love triangle as well, between the Vision, Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye.  This was my introduction to Wanda.  I love the silhouette that the artists used here.  To me, the Vision was Mr Avenger and Scarlet Witch was Ms Avenger. Despite all of her romantic problems, she needs to start worrying about the return of the Sentinels.

And then there was Wanda's brother, Quicksilver.  After the Avengers fail to stop the Sentinels and they take off with his sister, Pietro goes ballistic.  He backslaps Captain America and calls all of his teammates a bunch of losers!  I couldn't believe it.  This sort of thing never happened in the Justice League!  A lot of people hate Quicksilver and I can't understand why.  You put Quicksilver, Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch alongside the Big Three (Cap, Iron Man, Thor) and you have a team ripe with drama.

Avengers X-Men 1993 Crossover Posters by Adam Hughes, Liam Sharp

Today marks the release of Avengers vs X-Men #1, celebrated in comic shops all over the nation.  I read the first issue and it has as good an excuse for a fight as any that Marvel has produced.  The Avengers fought the X-Men during the 1980s in a mini-series that was forgettable.  But did you remember the 1990s crossover event?  Bloodties was the name and Marvel Age #129 featured this Adam Hughes cover marking the occasion.  I've always thought an Avengers X-Men conflict was rife with untapped potential, since many Avengers members (Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver) are also mutants.

Marvel Age #129 also featured one half of a poster drawn by Liam Sharp and inked by Mark Farmer.  I almost thought this was Silvestri at first but it wasn't quite right.  You can see the Jim Lee designed X-Men costumes.  Captain America's wings sticking out remind me of Rob Liefield.

Marvel Age #130 featured the second half of Sharp's poster.  Dig the Image-style 90s style here, especially Crystal.  She's wearing a jacket that can't possibly be buttoned around her massive chest and her waist is teeny tiny.  Never liked Black Knight wearing a leather jacket either.  I'm glad this look has faded into the past.  Nuff Said!

The Avengers in Action by Neal Adams

Here is a blast from the Bronze Age past, with Neal Adams assembling Captain America, Iron Man, Vision and Thor as the core of the Avengers!  I am sure everyone is excited about the new movie--I for one am anxious to see if the Hulk talks in this one.  Nuff Said!

My Favorite Giant-Size Marvels of the 1970s

When I created this blog back in 2008, I needed an idea for a title.  My favorite Marvel Comics from the 1970s were always the Giant-Size titles that sold for 35 or 50 cents.  Just the thought of extra pages of Marvel-ous content made me heart beat a little faster.  Here are some of my favorite titles from this era...

Giant-Size Superstars #1, featuring the Fantastic Four and wildest Thing versus Hulk match ever, was one of the first giant-size titles.  The story by Gerry Conway is fun, light-hearted, a done-in-one romp that is perfectly constructed.  The artwork by Rich Buckler showcases Marvel over the top action in the best way, with a fight that goes from skyscrapers to the subway system.  I first wrote about this comic in 2008.

Giant-Size Superheroes #1 followed a month or so later, with another whopper of a story by Conway, where Spidey's misunderstood monsters teamed up: Morbius and the Man-Wolf.  I couldn't imagine how these two got together, but it was an interesting setup.  The art by Gil Kane featured some great midnight action in New York City.  I mentioned this comic earlier in my look at Morbius' creation.

At this point you may think all my favorites were the first issues of the Giant-Size books.  That is true--except in the case of this one.  I longed for these Giant-Size comics to somehow tie into the story from the regular monthly titles.  Steve Englehart finally broke this barrier with Giant-Size Avengers #2.  Kang the Conqueror had attacked the Avengers in the regular monthly title, clobbering Thor, Iron Man, and The Vision into unconsciousness.  And kidnapping the Scarlet Witch and Mantis to boot!  Kang left the Swordsman behind, because he was a loser.  Bad mistake!  In this issue, the Swordsman recruits Hawkeye and the two of them start to unravel Kang's plan for world domination.  The climax of this story had a big revelation--the Celestial Madonna was actually Mantis--and the Swordsman died trying to save her.  One of my favorite Avengers stories of all time.  The artwork by Dave Cockrum, who also inked himself on this issue, is one of the best art jobs of his career.  I noticed that Doug and Karen mentioned this issue in their recent article on The Vision.

Marvel Fanfare 45 pinups by John Byrne, Michael Golden, Brent Anderson, and Paul Smith

Marvel Fanfare #45 from 1988 was a special issue devoted to pinups.  Editor Al Milgrom picked some notable artists to contribute this stellar issue.  Michael Golden’s Captain America pinup here is a prime example.  How many times have you seen Cap take down Hydra agents?  Many times, but never like you see it here in Golden’s pinup.

Brent Anderson contributed this pinup featuring Ka-Zar, Shanna the She Devil, and Zabu in their native Savage Land.  Zabu is stealing the spotlight here.  I hereby declare Anderson to be the definitive artist for Zabu!

Paul Smith drew this excellent illustration of the Green Goblin flying above Manhattan on his glider.  Love the angle of this picture.

Here is the cover to Marvel Fanfare #45, featuring Al Milgrom lining up all the Marvel Universe stars (featured in this issue) for their portraits to be taken.  I’ll share some more pinups from the issue tomorrow.  Nuff Said!

Two Amazing Heroes covers by Todd McFarlane

It has been such a long time, I had even forgotten that Todd McFarlane ever drew mainstream Marvel characters!  But he was all the rage in the late 1980s, and this cover for Amazing Heroes #170 shows that McFarlane could draw the big characters quite well.  I really liked these Preview specials that AH would produce.  This idea of Wolverine, Human Torch, Captain America and Spider-Man bursting out of the interior pages was a good one.

In 1990, McFarlane produced the cover for AH #179, to promote his brand spanking new adjective-less Spider-Man series that broke all sales records.  I never thought of their being a Bob Kane influence on McFarlane’s work…but now I can see it a bit.  Nuff Said!

Art of John Buscema: Classic Marvel Heroes on this 1978 cover!

This cover appeared on The Art of John Buscema, a 1978 special that focused on Big John’s artwork.  Classic Marvel fans will appreciate this cover, featuring Buscema’s renditions of Conan, the Avengers, Thor, Silver Surfer, etc.  Even Howard the Duck (a real superstar at that point in Marvel History) is represented!


Here’s the black and white version of this cover.  This magazine sized retrospective was published by Sal Quartuccio.


And here’s another Classic Marvel shot by Big John that I featured a while back, a poster Buscema did for a Marvel Convention in 1976.  Nuff Said!

George Perez: The Maestro And His Toys, from Hulk Future Imperfect

I’m back!  Like a bear emerging out of hibernation, I’m functioning once again—thanks to coffee.  I told you that I hated the holidays—I had to sleep in a coffin after Halloween just to escape the torture!    Time to look at the electronic long box of commissions and scans, just like this fellow megalomaniac…The Maestro!


George Perez shared this wonderful pen and ink piece over on his Facebook fan page.  Perez is notorious for cramming lots of details in the nooks & crannies of his drawings.  He has the best excuse here, showcasing the Future Hulk’s mad trophy room.  Here’s a few that I can name:

1. Thor’s helmet.
2. On the wall underneath: Pictures of Warlock (New Mutants), Beast, Inhumans, Daredevil.
3. Wolverine’s skeleton.
4. Silver Surfer’s surfboard.
5. Wonder Man’s uniform?
6. Superman’s shirt.
7. Doctor Strange’s cloak.
8. Nova’s helmet.
9. Ant-Man’s helmet.
10. Captain America’s mask & shield.
11. Hawkeye’s bow and arrow.
12. Ultron’s robotic head.
13. Spider-Man’s mask.
14. Thor’s hammer.
15. Wrecking crew thunderball?
16. Doctor Octopus’ arms.
17. The Thing’s picture of the left side of the Maestro’s leg.
18. The Vision’s head on the Maestro’s leg.
19. Iron Man’s helmet in his right hand.
20. Cyclops visor on top of the TV.

There is a lot more I didn’t name.  Do you see those bottles on the left, right under the Beast’s picture?  Do those have some meaning or are they just decoration?

An outstanding commission by Perez.  Whoever owns this should be bursting with Marvel pride!  Nuff Said.

Behold: Avengers #57 Classic Vision Cover Recreations

Mighty Avengers has been recreating a number of classic covers for this series of stories during the Secret Invasion.  The cover to Mighty Avengers #14 has Marko Djurdjevic recreating one of my favorite Avengers covers of all time...

Avengers #57 cover by John Buscema, inks by George Klein.  What a dramatic way to introduce a new character!  Is he friend or foe?  The answer was not obvious, as the Vision was sent to destroy the Avengers by his creator, Ultron.  He was able to defy Ultron, which led to the Vision becoming a full fledged Avenger.  He was a unique character that was created solely to be in this team book, unlike the other Avengers, who had all been created elsewhere.  His origins and behavior were shrouded in mystery which provided a meaty subplot for the next five years worth of stories.

West Coast Avengers #45 cover by John Byrne.  Notice Byrne's signature on the lower left, giving credit not only to John Buscema, but to George Klein as well.  This is a philosophy that both John Byrne and Walt Simonson shared, giving credit back to the original artist when recreating a famous cover.  I just thought both of them were complete gentlemen for doing this.

Mighty Avengers #14 cover by Marko Djurdjevic.  It's a shame that credit was not given to Buscema on the cover or inside the credits page.  I cannot fault Djurdjevic, it seems to be a corporate policy now at Marvel.  Djurdjevic follows the original composition by Buscema very closely.  Note the position of the four figures (Black Panther, Giant-Man, Hawkeye, Wasp) are exactly the same as the original.

While I've come to really love Bendis' Avengers, I cannot forgive him for destroying the Vision back in Avengers #500.  I know he's still running around in Young Avengers, but without his memories or the Human Torch's body parts, it ain't the same.  I was really hoping the Vision who came out of the Skrull ship in Secret Invasion #1 would be the real deal.  Alas, as this cover indicates, Bendis robbed us again.  Nuff Said!

Originally published on May 22, 2008.

Avengers: Alex Ross Assemble Print for Comic-Con 2010

Alex Ross painted version of the Avengers, in a print titled Assemble that was published for Comic-Con 2010 at Marvel Art Works.

Ross has an uncanny knack for cherry picking my favorite eras of the Marvel Universe for his paintings.  This team, from left to right, has the key players from the Roy Thomas years:  Black Panther, Hawkeye, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Vision, with Giant-Man's visor looming in the background.  Nuff Said!

Link:  COMIC-CON 2010: First look at 'Avengers Assemble' painting by Alex Ross

Link:  First Look At Alex Ross' Assemble Print Featuring Marvel's Avengers

Classic Marvel: Stunning Posters by Adams, Golden, Finch, and Ross

Here are five posters featuring the Marvel Universe's greatest characters that no true believer can deny are superb!  Four of them I have featured previously, but the first one I believe is new to my site...



Arthur Adams produced the "Marvel Heroes and Villains" lithograph for Dynamic Forces.  We could easily peg these versions of Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-Men, and their various villains in the mid 1960s era.  You've got Daredevil standing next to Black Widow, that edges you in the 1970 territory.  :-)



Golden drew this poster of the Marvel Universe in the 1970s.  It actually may have come out around 1980 or so--Moon Knight is featured, and he wasn't popular until the late 70s with his series starting in 1980.  But it's very 70s in spirit, with the All-New X-Men, Storm's classic costume, the Avengers (just love the Vision sinking into the ground), Black Bolt, Hulk, Doc Strange, Silver Surfer, and the Watcher on the left.  There's a few Marvel Monsters with Ghost Rider and Man-Thing.  Heck, even Ka-Zar, Luke Cage, and Captain Universe are in there.



Golden also drew this print that was featured in a 1980s Marvel Calendar.  You can immediately see the difference in this post-Secret Wars era, with Spidey's black costume, Beta Ray Bill, Grey Hulk Joe Fixit, New Mutants, Archangel, and Iron Man's armor that he donned in IM #200.  Note also the prominence of Daredevil and Elektra due to Frank Miller's work on the series.  The Punisher, another top seller, is also in the background.  Beyond the characters, the awesome sauce is the setting--the heroes in front of the Pan-Am building and crawling around the statue in front.



Alex Ross produced this cover for the Marvel Comics Encyclopedia.



This widescreen poster by David Finch, collecting all of his covers from X-Men Legacy, will be arriving in comic stores this June.  Didn't read the series, but this image is stunning.  Classic X-Men and New X-Men as bookends, with Sentinels, Hellfire Club, and Magneto sandwiched in-between.  Nuff Said!

Mike Deodato's Secret Avengers: Beast and Valkyrie

Two of my favorite off-beat characters are in Secret Avengers.  Here are some posters, in the original black and white versions from Mike Deodato.

Valkyrie was one of my favorite Defenders.  The version in Secret Avengers isn't quite the same, but in looks and spirit she's close enough for me.

The Beast is back--let's hope he stays with the Avengers for 10 years before going back to that crowded island of mutants.  I wonder if drives Deodato nuts to draw all that hair?  He's very good at it.  Nuff Said!

Link:  Mike Deodato page at Comic Art Community.

A Trio of Amazing Avengers Covers by Jack Kirby

Last time, I knocked your socks off with that Marvel Treasury Avengers cover.  Well, these 3 covers for the regular Avengers comic are pretty darn great, too.

Avengers #151 is a classic cover, with the big three dudes (Thor, Cap, Iron Man) and one of those "old order changeth" issues.  It also marked the exit of writer Steve Englehart.  You can see the original Kirby pencils for this one over at Kirby Vision, along with a new ink/color job by Scott Reed.

It's interesting how different inkers will interpret Kirby's pencils.  Adkins changed the rendering in some places (Iron Man helmet and Thor's face) and the hand was changed from open to a pointed finger (probably an editorial decision).  Scott Reed certainly does keep to Kirby's original pencils.

You can see a few other Kirby pieces that Scott Reed has re-inked at the Kirby Musuem.  And Scott has a nifty website as well.

I think the cover to Avengers #156 is unique because of the perspective.  The heroes are flying up alongside a building, trying to reach Doc Doom on top.  Cap's guarding the Scarlet Witch while his comrades go on the attack.  A great ink job here by my pal Al Milgrom.

Avengers #148 is my least favorite among this set, but still cool because of the Squadron Supreme and Hyperion holding Thor over his head in a triumphant pose.

Check out the Jack Kirby Comics Weblog over at the Kirby Musuem.  Great stuff there, I really dig this Mister Miracle t-shirt that is coming out soon!  Nuff Said!

Marvel Treasury Avengers Covers by Jack Kirby

There are some wonderful Avengers covers that Jack Kirby did during his mid-late 70s Marvel stint.  Here's one of my favorites: Marvel Treasury Edition #7, from 1975.



I like this cover as it features my favorite classic Avengers, running straight at the viewer.  Thor is front and center in a timeless pose, swinging the Uru hammer above his head.  Cap looks cool to the left and on the right you have Henry Pym as Giant-Man (blue costume).



If that wasn't enough, Kirby also did the back cover with a different Avengers lineup.  The Hulk makes an appearance and Henry Pym is in the red Giant-Man costume--and does double duty as YellowJacket!  This pinup must have foretold Avengers Forever.  :-)  You can see some retouching going on here--I believe that the Beast, Vision and Iron Man were slightly changed to make them look more like the contemporary versions.  Great stuff.  Nuff Said!

Update: Comments from my old MT blog...

1 Comments

By dusty abell on July 21, 2010 11:43 PM

That Kirby Treasury cover might be one of my favorite pieces that the King produced in the 70's. I had that one when I was little and loved it. I can only imagine what it would be like to own that particular cover, it simply has everyone on it in some of the most iconic poses ever. Each one could easily have been used on the side of a slurpy cup, sticker set or lunchbox. Great call on a fantastic couple pieces of artwork from the greatest comic book storyteller ever!

dusty abell

Alan Davis Women of Marvel Cover

A couple of months ago, Marvel published a special Women of Marvel magazine with over 100 pages of content devoted to super-heroines.  There were two Alan Davis covers, which are joined here (thanks to the scanner who gave this to me).



This cover has the classic Marvel gals, who I can all name, but one!  Let's go, from left to right:

1. Golden Age Black Widow
2. Miss America
3. Scarlet Witch
4. Ms. Marvel
5. Invisible Woman
6. Medusa
7. Phoenix
8. Black Cat
9. Mary Jane Watson
10. Gwen Stacy
11. Storm (in her 80s punk biker chick mohawk outfit, yowza!)
12. Black Widow
13. Spider-Woman
14. Wasp
15. Elektra
16. She-Hulk

Now in the very center you have:
17. Kitty Pryde
18. Who the heck is the girl next to Kitty? With the giant mouse hat and holding a phone?  Please leave a comment if you know.

It constantly blows my mind that Spider-Woman is now a major character.  There are two characters that I wish had been featured here: Clea and Valkyrie. 

I've been on an Alan Davis kick lately--I think this man's never lost his magic touch.  I've recently revisited JLA: The Nail, Fantastic Four: The End, and the first issue of Avengers Finale.  Nuff Said!

Update: Comments from my old MT blog...

5 Comments

By Bully on July 15, 2010 8:30 AM

#18 is Molly Hayes, aka Princess Powerful of Runaways.

By Zebtron A. Rama on July 15, 2010 10:05 AM

That wee gal is Molly from "the Runaways." The title was canceled last year but if you get the chance I highly recommend reading the trades. Very good stuff.

By Richard Guion on July 15, 2010 10:48 AM

Thanks to everyone who identified Molly! I read the entire run by Brian K Vaughan and it was indeed an excellent series. Since the Runaways haven't been around, I completely forgot about Molly.

By Dphunkt001 on July 20, 2010 12:23 PM

i was gonna say Molly too, without actually knowing her name was Molly..lulz. almost seems outta place among all the well established, or long running characters. what shes wearing doesnt even identify her well (except that its childish/cute). what tipped me off so easily, was her feature on the X-Mens Heroic Age one-shot cover. she had similar headwear there too.

By phoenix_force_98 on January 2, 2011 6:32 AM

I think it might be illyana rasputan ( hope i spelled it right) she was Magik is i remeber

Art Adams Classic Avengers Covers Showcase the Hulk

In the back of the newly re-launched Avengers titles, Brian Bendis is writing an Oral History of the Avengers.  Sort of a documentary approach to the Avengers history--what if every person connected with the team was interviewed?  It's very interesting, and somewhat controversial.  Best of all, this backup allows Marvel to showcase some great covers and illustrations from the past, including Art Adams covers to the Avengers Classics reprint series.



These illustrations are from Avengers Classics #1-3, showcasing the Hulk on cover, when he was briefly part of the team.  Here the Space Phantom impersonates the Hulk and attacks Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp.  Which ticked off everyone to no end and made for the Hulk's early exit.  Iron Man is still in his "bucket-head" early armor, while Hank Pym upgraded himself from Ant-Man to Giant-Man.



The Hulk didn't go quietly--in the third issue he teamed up with Namor the Sub-Mariner to fight the Avengers.  Iron Man gets a new suit of armor--my favorite--with the pointed tips of the mask rising above his head.  I bought Randy Bowen's statue of this armor and I love it.

I really thought the Hulk was a lot fun in the Avengers.  He's a walking gamma bomb of chaos and unpredictability.  As Tony Stark says in the Oral History, "He was like a big, big, big dog on a leash.  Just take the muzzle off and let him loose."  It wasn't until The Defenders that we got the thrill of seeing the Hulk in a regular team book.

With all these new Avengers teams, Marvel tries to think out of the box and put in characters like Spider-Man and Wolverine that were previously off limits.  It looks like Wolverine and Hawkeye are pulling double duty on two teams.  Why not recruit the Hulk?  Nuff Said.

Update: Comments from my old MT blog...

7 Comments

By Dphunkt001 on July 11, 2010 1:57 PM

glad yo have you back. ive been perusing the backlog of Starlord posts lately till you made it back. i think ive got #'s 1-4 of this series, mostly picked for the covers. the water-colored looking back strips werent bad either. wondering if youve caught the cover for Marvel Adventures Hulk #13 - it was a great take on a classic cover. the classic cover escapes me, but it has to be on the timeline that these reprints covered. im sure you can find the original art - as the final has a marvelkids.com logo plastered on. also remember a discussion online about the #1 cover featured here, that had 2 different Ant-Man(s). think it was decided that 1 was the Lang version. really amazed how many characters are stuffed in there though.

By dusty abell on July 12, 2010 6:16 PM

glad you're back posting on giantsizemarvel, i found your site a few months ago and have enjoyed it immensely. I was getting worried when i bagan to notice no new updates in a while, i'm happy with todays post, the first issue cover is one of my alltime favorite art pieces, tim townsend owns that sucker now! i wish art was drawing books like this or fantastic four instead of ultimate x....his work is still so amazing i hate to see it wasted on a series i'm just not that excited about.

dusty abell

By Richard Guion on July 12, 2010 9:09 PM

Thanks for your comment and letting me know about Marvel Adventures Hulk. I will have to find those!

By Richard Guion on July 14, 2010 4:57 PM

Wow, thank you Dusty! I am a fan of yours as well, love that stuff on deviant Art!

By Anthony on July 15, 2010 6:31 PM

Really good to have you back. I purchased this series only for the
Art Adams covers as well. Just like I did when he did the covers for Dark Horse Comics Godzilla reprint series way back.

By Dphunkt001 on July 20, 2010 12:36 PM

sorry to be so late getting back, but i found a small scan of the cover (the final has HULK stamped over the Avengers logo, and that sticker looking paste-job over for marvelkids.com) at :

http://www.nerdcore.de/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/marveladventureshulk13-01.jpg

and i should have realized its a decent take of the Avenger #1 cover.

By Richard Guion on July 21, 2010 10:38 AM

Thanks! I looked this up before as well and saw the Avengers #1 parody. :-)

1970s era Marvel Heroes from The Art of John Byrne

The 1979 book The Art of John Byrne featured a couple of nifty illustrations for that era of the Marvel Universe...

This one in particular is a joy, capturing my favorite X-Men and Avengers teams, with the Fantastic Four thrown in for good measure.  Byrne wouldn't take over the FF until two years later in 1981--this was a harbinger of things to come!

The cover to this book featured Byrne's own creation, Rog-2000, driving terror into the hearts of Spider-Man, Wolverine, Scarlet Witch, and the Vision.

If you ever find this book at a con, it's very much worth having!  Nuff Said.