tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post7323005248779613407..comments2024-03-28T11:09:29.081-07:00Comments on Marvel University: February 1968: At Last! Namor vs. The Hulk! Winner Takes the Title!John Scolerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15830334036783163702noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-38820633889340069312012-08-24T15:18:54.963-07:002012-08-24T15:18:54.963-07:00Great pictures, Glenn!Great pictures, Glenn!Jack Seabrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216640325305820140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-78845823664610346742012-08-24T05:30:19.495-07:002012-08-24T05:30:19.495-07:00We have yet another rejected cover. This time it&#...We have yet another rejected cover. This time it's FF#71. Kirby's original version featured the Torch on the offensive, but was replaced by a four panel cover showing each member of the FF battling the android. Changes were made to the second cover before publication. Most of the background behind Reed and Sue was removed, the Torch's flame trail was altered to show more of the android, some of the shading was removed from the android's legs at bottom right, and the explosion in the centre of the page was whited out. A more faithful version eventually found it's way to Marvel's Greatest Comics #54. Decades later, Joe Sinnott inked the rejected pencils, and it appeared in print as the back cover of The Jack Kirby Collector #18.<br /><br />http://gmemail.customer.netspace.net.au/MU/ff71.jpg<br /><br />I saw that ad for “We're Only In It For The Money,” but my 13 year old self couldn't figure out exactly what it was. The blurb mentioned LPs, and there was a coupon to be filled out and sent to something called “United Mutations” but, unusual for an ad in a comic book, there was no request for any money ... not that I had any spare cash, or knew how to buy stuff from the U.S. anyway. I'd never heard of the Mothers Of Invention (was that the name of a band) had no idea who the person at the top of the page was ... and the ad doesn't identify him. I was puzzled. <br /><br />I don't consider myself to be all that susceptible to advertizing, but I never forgot that strange ad, and a couple of years later I stumbled upon a Mothers Of Invention L.P. and became a lifelong Frank Zappa fan. Since I'm also a lifelong Jack Kirby fan, what could be better than both of them in the same picture. Kirby and Zappa together ... sometimes the universe does make sense.<br /><br />http://dorkforty.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/kirby-zappa.jpg?w=640<br /><br />All the best.<br /><br />Glenn :)GlennMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536558149189057537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-52084598572568562612012-08-23T15:56:06.555-07:002012-08-23T15:56:06.555-07:00Regarding who does what, most of the credit for fo...Regarding who does what, most of the credit for formatting and layout should go to Professor John, who takes everyone's screwed up formatting and text and makes sure it's all the same typeface, size, color, etc. Without his Tuesday night labors this thing would never get published every Wednesday!Jack Seabrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216640325305820140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-54404772505909419012012-08-23T14:01:44.003-07:002012-08-23T14:01:44.003-07:00The WWWSFC is accepting new members. The password ...The WWWSFC is accepting new members. The password is "Denny Crane."Jack Seabrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216640325305820140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-13756820007462285332012-08-23T03:12:31.885-07:002012-08-23T03:12:31.885-07:00Although I can't stand Heck's inking on Sp...Although I can't stand Heck's inking on Spider-Man, I must confess I don't have the similar problem with Syd on Cap. In fact, next week (or the week after -- it all blurs after a while) I mention that Shores' inks give Kirby's pencils a nice 40s-ish look to them. Again, I must point out that, as far as inkers go, I'm an ignore-amus. Thanks for commenting, B.T., we love the insight.<br /><br />As for Professor Jack's workload, I'll just say the man keeps me sane. About 75% of the layout of this blog is in Jack's hands (the other 25 to fate). He's also responsible for the layout of Batman in the 1970s and kicking me in the ass when I get lazy as well as his bi-weekly Hitchcock analysis. How he does all this and remains president of the Worldwide William Shatner Fan Club (only one member but that's not the point) is beyond the realm of reason.Peter Enfantinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04317575598411394944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-73302181140097790562012-08-22T09:15:23.199-07:002012-08-22T09:15:23.199-07:00Appreciate the amplification on the artwork situat...Appreciate the amplification on the artwork situation, B.T. I believe I've read that Buscema preferred to ink his own pencils, although obviously any of the three inkers you cited--especially Joltin' Joe--is fine by me as an alternative. And while I am less bothered by those two "regrettable trends" than you are, I agree they are not ideal. I don't think Heck diluted Romita's style all that much, but have fond memories of Mooney's forthcoming inks, and look forward to revisiting them in the weeks ahead. Finally, I find Shores's inks uneven at best, particularly compared to the Sinnott grandeur that preceded them.Matthew Bradleyhttp://bradleyonfilm.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-27614261753073314582012-08-22T08:55:44.944-07:002012-08-22T08:55:44.944-07:00A few art-related notes this week:
GLORIOUS penci...A few art-related notes this week:<br /><br />GLORIOUS pencils and inks by Big John on AVENGERS! Though several inkers meshed superbly with Buscema over the course of his career (Sinnott on FF and THOR, Giacoia on SUBBY, Our Pal Sal on SILVER SURFER, et al), I've always preferred those rare stories where Big John inked his own pencils. There's just no comparison.<br /><br />This week / month sees the start of two regrettable trends that will continue for many months: Heck pencilling over Romita layouts on SPIDEY, and Syd Shores starting a fairly long-ish run inking Kirby on CAP. I've defended Heck here many times, but his contributions to SPIDEY are weak tea -- apparently the idea was to give Romita a leg up on his deadlines, but it's a flop. He's essentially "ghosting" for Romita, not trying to draw the strip in his own style, and the finished product ends up being neither fish nor fowl. Esposito's workmanlike inks ain't helping either. Can't wait for Jim Mooney to jump ship from DC...<br /><br />Syd Shores' inks on Kirby -- oh brother. Heavy-handed, mushy, overly rendered -- all the savage grace of Kirby's pulsating pencils get tossed out the window. Stats of Kirby's pencils from these issues occasionally show up in John Morrow's excellent KIRBY COLLECTOR mag, and every time I see 'em, I just wanna cry, thinking about what might have been had Stan and Co. found a more sympathetic inker for the King.<br /><br />B.T.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-76824254950939439242012-08-22T07:46:03.272-07:002012-08-22T07:46:03.272-07:00Naturally, I am mindful of Jack's additional (...Naturally, I am mindful of Jack's additional (and impressive) bare*bones duties, as well.Matthew Bradleyhttp://bradleyonfilm.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830827465735526826.post-40152682813772891772012-08-22T07:26:26.068-07:002012-08-22T07:26:26.068-07:00Professor Jack: Five comics per month? Geez, her...Professor Jack: Five comics per month? Geez, here I am reading and commenting on an average of a dozen mags per post. No wonder my own blog is languishing unattended...<br /><br />Anyway, glad we see eye to eye on the Assemblers. And while I agree that Roy got off to a slow start in some cases, you'll find in the weeks/months ahead that he also does a particularly good job on DR. STRANGE, SUB-MARINER and (all too briefly) CAPTAIN MARVEL.Matthew Bradleyhttp://bradleyonfilm.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com