Marvel Team-Up 4 cover by Gil Kane, recolored by Scott Dutton

I've been appreciating the work of Scott Dutton, a fine artist / colorist, you can visit his website Catspaw Dynamics. He has done a lot of work recoloring classic comics covers and sometimes doing remixes on covers that never existed.



This one did exist: Marvel Team-Up 4 cover by Gil Kane, where Spider-Man met the X-Men. This was a big event for X-Men fans. The mutants didn't have a regular ongoing series at this point, just reprints. The above is Scott's recoloring using the original scheme from the 1972 comic.



I love this alternate version where Scott put his own spin on the cover. Spider-Man pops more out of the foreground by making the background grey. Even the word balloon where Cyclops is talking is in red, outlining the danger. The logo on top is light blue, lots of subtle differences. You can see the full process that Scott Dutton went through to do all of this on his blog post. I was amazed to learn he didn't use the original art but a page from the Essentials black and white collection! Nuff Said.

Marvel Super Bowl 50 trailers: Captain America Civil War, X-Men Apocalypse, Deadpool, Ant-Man vs Hulk (Coke)

Four trailers for Marvel Comics movies during Super Bowl 50. What a world we live in! And perhaps a harbinger of the comics-cinema glut coming to us over the next two years.

Captain America: Civil War. Startling to see the Vision and Black Panther on Iron Man's side. I thought Tony's little glove thing was cool.

X-Men Apocalypse. We see Apocalypse become super-tall and squeezing the stuffing out of Jennifer Lawrence, plus a really good action shot of Psylocke.

Deadpool: nothing really new but funny as hell. I can't believe Blind Al is in this movie.

Ant-Man steals a Coke from the Hulk: My personal favorite commercial from yesterday. The more I think about that Ant-Man film, the more I like it, so fun and light. I can't wait to see him in Civil War and in the sequel to his own film. Nuff Said!

Neal Adams: X-Men's Angel versus a Sentinel

Neal Adams did this nifty commission for a fan, featuring the silver age version of the Angel attacking a Sentinel!

Nuff Said.

X-Men Battle of the Atom original art covers by Art Adams

The Battle of the Atom mini-series ended last year, which seemed to be an excessive crossover for me.  But it had some great artwork, most notably the covers by Art Adams.  Here are three of them in the original pen and ink versions.

X-Men Battle of the Atom #3 featured this great cover with young Jean Grey and Scott Summers on the run.  I love, love, love how this looks in black and white.  The costumes look nice and the circle/line perspective really draws your attention to the characters.

Battle of the Atom #4 featured Magneto as he threatens the younger X-Men.  Who doesn't like a Magneto pose?  Rogue is standing next to him, too.

The first issue had this dramatic collage of old and new teams with the threat of the Sentinels in the background.  The Angel looks majestic the way that Adams draws him here.  Nuff Said!

Giant-Sized X-Men 50th Anniversary Jam Poster

If any image deserved the monicker "Giant-Size", surely it is this incredible poster jam featuring the X-Men!

Drawn by many classic artists throughout X-Men history, many of my favorites:

• Walter Simonson (on the upper left) with X-Factor
• Neal Adams (upper middle) with his Silver Age team, including Havok
• Art Adams drawing the New Mutants from that classic Special Edition
• Chris Bachalo with Generation X
• Stuart Immonen drawing the original blue and yellow uniforms on the lower right
• Even Joe Mad and While Portacio

Great poster!  Would love to have had John Byrne or Jim Lee draw something here, but given the circumstances I can see why they are not included.  Anyone know when it will be sold on retail?  I've been searching and cannot find it for sale yet.  Nuff Said!

Todd McFarlane covers Spider-Man and the X-Men

The reprint title Marvel Tales starting throwing a number of popular artists on the cover pages.  One of them was Todd McFarlane, who drew some outstanding covers of Spider-Man teaming up with the X-Men.

Marvel Tales #233, this cover is my favorite out of this batch.  The X-Men are in their classic yellow and blue uniforms, Beast is large and chunky in the foreground, Cyclops looks all repressed and Jean Grey (Marvel Girl) is absolutely ravishing with her red hair spilling out of her mask.

Original art to Marvel Tales #233, currently on sale at Heritage Comics auction site.  This will be an expensive purchase!  I think the auction closes in Feb 2013.

Marvel Tales #235, featuring the all new X-Men charging alongisde Spidey.  Wolverine and Colossus get the big foreground push here.  I wish Phoenix was upfront so we could have seen how McFarlane would have drawn that costume.

Original art to #235, this sold for over $56K on Heritage, wowza!  You have to admire the detailed line work in this piece.

Marvel Tales #236 features a classic McFarlane Spidey pose and Storm looks great in her original costume.  No original art for this one, I would love to see that one day.  Nuff Said!

Marie Severin versus the Marvel Superheroes

Here is a little gem I found on Heritage Comics, from Marie Severin in 1996!

Mirthful Marie taking a picture of Marvel's superheroes, along with a couple of villains, too.  Apparently this was a signed and numbered print of 400 copies?  Marie colored it by herself.

Here is the black and white edition.  I have no idea who sold this, are there any Marvel fans out there who bought this when it was published?  I think this piece is awesome and brings back all the fun memories of Not Brand Echh.   Nuff Said!

Storm by John Romita Sr

A cool pinup of classic Storm in her original Dave Cockrum costume.

Don't you miss this version of the character?  I do.  Brilliant!  Nuff Said.

Original X-Men pinup by John Byrne from 1988

Haven't posted in a while and I badly need some good old Marvel magic.  Here's a pinup of the classic X-Men team by John Byrne!

This pinup appeared in X-Factor Annual #3, circa 1988.  What inspired me to revisit this one?  I found the original art....

Which looks pretty nifty on it's own!  Oh for the days when Cyclops was a lovesick teenager instead of a Magneto wannabe.  Nuff Said!

Polaris commission by Mike Mayhew

Earlier this year I featured Mike Mayhew's re-creation of Steranko's famous X-Men 50 cover with Polaris.

Here's another take on the green goddess using her magnetic powers to save the day.  Reminds me of a panel in one of Neal Adams X-Men issues.  Check out Mayhew's deviantART page for more spectacular artwork!  Nuff Said.

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!

Monster Monday: Bob Layton's recreation of Amazing Adventures #12

No doubt many of you remember this famous cover by Gil Kane from 1972.

Amazing Adventures #12, featuring The Beast!  Who could resist buying such a cover?  Iron Man isn't looking too healthy there on the ground and the blurb: One Avenger Dead on Arrival! is enticing.

Here is Bob Layton's recreation of this cover.  As you can see, The Beast here looks more like he did in the first issue of X-Factor, the comic that Layton co-plotted and inked in 1986.  It appears this commission was done in 1985 and in a very classy move, Layton acknowledges Kane with his signature.  Check out Bob Layton's website for more cool stuff!  Nuff Said.

X-Men 50 Classic Polaris cover by Steranko, Re-Imagined by Mike Mayhew

Surely all Marvel fans of the Silver Age remember this classic 1968 cover...

X-Men 50 by Steranko, which introduced Lorna Dane, aka Polaris, to the team. Not only that, she was possibly the daughter of Magneto as well, something that seemed more alarming before we found out that Pietro and Wanda were his children.

I love this cover, with the composition and the green color scheme radiating out of Polaris. Not only that--this issue featured a brand new logo for the X-Men, designed by Steranko himself. One of my favorite logos of all time!

Mike Mayhew did a cover recreation of this over on his deviantArt page.  I think it is a wonderful homage to Steranko with great use of Mayhew's color style.  Nuff Said!

Marvelous Girls by Adam Hughes: Invisible Woman, She-Hulk, Ms Marvel, Jean Grey and Gwen Stacy

Here is something for, tovarisch, as Colossus used to say.  What is the plural of tovarisch?  Tovarisches?  Anyway, something for you, a gallery of tastefully illustrated Marvel women, by Adam Hughes...

Invisible Woman.  This was done for an auction to raise money for victims of domestic violence.  This piece raised $7500 for the cause!  That is all icing on the cake of this great illustration, showing Sue Storm as lovely as she can be in her FF uniform.

She-Hulk.  This was a lithograph for Sideshow Collectibles, included with the statue of the green lady.  I think Norman Rockwell would feel very flattered, don't you?

Ms Marvel.  In her original outfit designed by John Romita!  You can definitely see the Alphonse Mucha influence with that scarf wrapping around her head.  I hope she doesn't trip on it.

Jean Grey as Marvel Girl, wearing her outfit from the Neal Adams period.  My what a big mask, she would need telekinesis just to keep that from flying off her head!

Gwen Stacy, Spidey's greatest love, in her trademark 70s coat and black boots.  Misty water-colored memories of the Way We Were! It always brings a tear to my eye.  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 Bob Layton, Marshall Rogers and Sandy Plunkett

You have probably seen this famous illustration of Iron Man in his Hall of Armor, drawn by the inimitable Bob Layton.  But did you know that this image first appeared in Marvel Fanfare #45?  It was later made into a poster and used as the cover for trade paperback covers.  I hope Layton got compensated for this, surely one of the most iconic Iron Man drawings ever produced during the 1980s.

Marshall Rogers got the opportunity to draw the original classic X-Men in this pinup.  I think he captures the crazy fun of the early team, in their blue and yellow uniforms, quite well.  I love the Beast bounding towards the reader.  Ah, I miss the days of Hank and Bobby at the Coffee A-Go-Go.  Do you think that will make it into Matthew Vaughan’s X-Men First Class movie?

Sandy Plunkett is like a rare gem that I love to find from time to time in back issues, especially in Marvel Fanfare.  This illustration of the Scarlet Witch among sabre-tooth tigers looks like it takes place in the Savage Land.

If you liked these, take a look at Wednesday’s Marvel Feature pinup special featuring Byrne, Golden, and more.  Nuff Said!

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!

Jean Grey as Phoenix, Courtesy of Paul Smith

Last week, I shared some Mike Mayhew pieces of Jean Grey as Marvel Girl and the Black Queen.  Let's fill in Ms. Grey's third persona...

Here's a cover that Paul Smith did back in the day, with Jean Grey as Phoenix.  I've completely forgotten what comic this cover belonged to, please let me know if you remember.  Nuff Said!

Jean Grey as Marvel Girl, courtesy of Mike Mayhew

I just feel so awful about that Jean Grey Black Queen picture from yesterday.  Can I redeem myself somehow?  With this wholesome image of Jean Grey, before the Phoenix force robbed her soul?

Yes, I feel cleansed, like I'm back in the 7th grade reading about Professor Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters.  When Jean was a Marvel Girl and Marvel Girls ruled.  Nuff Said!

Link:  Mike Mayhew on DeviantART.

Jean Grey as the Black Queen, courtesy of Mike Mayhew

Here's a great illustration of Jean Grey, as the Black Queen, from the malevolent mind of Mike Mayhew.

Because, sometimes, it's just good to be bad. Nuff Said!

Link:  Mike Mayhew on DeviantART.