Giant-Size Marvel

Monster Monday: Infernal Man-Thing covers by Art Adams

2012-05-21T09:28:00.002-07:00

Next month Marvel is publishing a three-issue mini-series with Steve Gerber's last Man-Thing script, a sequel to the classic "Song Cry of the Living Dead Man" that appeared in MT #12 (1974). Who is doing the covers for this new series?

Art Adams! A natural choice since he has done many great commissions of Manny over the years. This is the cover to Infernal Man-Thing #1. It reminds a bit of Mike Ploog, with the water and slime dripping down his head.

Infernal Man-Thing #2 shows the swamp creature reaching out to touch someone, probably because they are afraid! Whosoever Knows Fear...Burns at the Man-Thing's Touch.

Infernal Man-Thing #3 shows the creature ready for action. This is very similar to the cover for Thunderbolts #154 from last year. Great covers for a character that is finally getting some attention here and in Jeff Parker's Thunderbolts series. Nuff Said!

Strange Sunday: Doctor Strange montage by John Byrne

2012-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I can spend hours looking at scans of John Byrne commissions that he has done over the past few years. This one of Doctor Strange will make any fan of the mystic master pay attention...

Doc's most vital scenes played out in this fantastic montage: the Ancient One, Clea, Dormammu, Baron Mordo, the Defenders, etc. Priceless! Nuff Said.

Polaris commission by Mike Mayhew

2012-05-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

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.

Thing Tuesday: Cigar Chomping Ben Grimm by Walt Simonson

2012-05-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Walt Simonson draws a great rendition of the Thing in this piece...you have to love the cigar...which is not allowed in comics anymore! Nuff Said.

Thoughts on Thanos and Jim Starlin

2012-05-13T10:55:00.002-07:00

I hate to spoil anything for someone who hasn't seen the Avengers movie yet, but if you haven't, please read no further!

All long-time Avengers fans must have been thrilled to see that Thanos was the mystery villain behind Loki's invasion of Earth and attempt to snatch the Cosmic Cube. I had guessed at his identity early on but was surprised to see they actually animated his face and trademark ruffled chin in the post-script. There is an article over an SlashFilm where Kevin Feige and Joss Whedon talk about how they arrived at using Thanos.

Like most of us, Whedon was a giant-size geek who was into Jim Starlin's early Marvel work. Everyone who read both Captain Marvel and Warlock had to buy Avengers Annual #7 where both heroes united with the Avengers to stop Thanos from destroying the universe. I still own that issue along with the conclusion in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2.

Seeing Thanos on the big screen was really cool, because with Whedon we have a film-maker who is basically a geek like all of us. He grew up reading comics in the 70s and this helped form his tastes as a writer.

At the same time, it's a bittersweet feeling regarding Jim Starlin, who probably won't receive any remuneration for Thanos or any of his Marvel characters, since they were created work-for-hire. Some of this is discussed in Starlin's recent interview with Geoff Boucher on Hero Complex. While it is true that Marvel doesn't legally have to do anything, you would think at the least they could invite Starlin to a premiere. The classiest move ever was by Paul Levitz after Batman Begins arrived in theaters--he gave a bonus to Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and others who had created the characters used in the film. Marvel and Disney don't have to do it, but wouldn't it be great if they did?

Check out Jim Starlin's profile on Facebook, where many of these Thanos commissions originally appeared. Nuff Said!

Keep on FOOMin with the Hulk

2012-05-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here's an illustration from one of the early FOOM fanzine issues. Can you guess the name of the artist?

It's by Jim Steranko! Featuring the Hulk strutting down the street with a FOOM membership card in hand. Steranko was doing a take-off on another famous image that originally appeared in 1968.

Robert Crumb drew Keep on Truckin as a one page strip in Zap Comics #1. You've probably seen this on various truck decals and mud flaps over the years. According to this Wikipedia article, Crumb never made much money from his creation. Nuff Said!

How I Became An Avengers Fan

2012-05-03T21:06:00.000-07:00

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.

The cover of Avengers #103 featured the team attacking a single Sentinel. The Sentinels were tough to beat, since they could adapt and reconfigure themselves once they figured out the abilities of who they were facing.

The battle itself didn't take place in earnest until the next issue, but it was a great one by 1972 standards. The Vision played dead and then attacked them, felling three of the robots on his own while Thor and Iron Man did some damage, too.

But in this issue, again Pietro is providing a good part of the drama. Pietro located Larry Trask (the son of the inventor of the Sentinels) and raced off with him, towards a secret Sentinel base in Australia. Unbeknown to Pietro, his Avengers buddies are already on the way.

The cover of Avengers #104 highlighted the Scarlet Witch's prominent role in this epic story. She is facing down the Sentinels in order to protect her teammates. This was the start of a new phase in her storyline, which would see her grow over time and acquire more control over her abilities.

The splash page for this final part featured Quicksilver, racing off the plane towards Sentinel citadel in the Great Outback, with Larry Trask hanging on for dear life. As any fan knows who read this story, it has a satisfying conclusion except for one nagging loose end--Pietro is left alone in the base, injured and possibly dying! Something that I thought would have been addressed in an issue or two. But it took longer, and worse, this was really Quicksilver's last major stint in the Avengers! At least in the Bronze Age. I was surprised, but the mystery behind this saga was revealed later in the Fantastic Four.

There you have it, after this fantastic trilogy, I was an Avenger fan for life. Roy Thomas would leave along with Quicksilver, but Steve Englehart carried the torch and brought the series to even greater heights. Buying back issues to catch up on Avengers history was a pursuit that would occupy me for the next few years. Good times indeed, reading all the early Kirby/Buscema/Adams/Smith stories. Nuff Said!

Captain America vs Super-Adaptoid by Ron Frenz, Bruce Timm and Drew Geraci

2012-04-23T09:27:00.001-07:00

The Super-Adaptoid was one of my favorite villains, with his power absorbing abilities and I just dug his "mashed up" look with all the Avengers attributes in his costume.

Ron Frenz and Bruce Timm did this smashing illustration for Captain America #50, back in 2002. The spirit of Jack Kirby certainly lives on in this one.

Drew Geraci inked this same page over Frenz, which I found on Drew's website. Interesting, two inked versions of the same page! Nuff Said.

Thing Tuesday: The Thing collage by Loston Wallace and Steve Downer

2012-04-17T08:43:00.002-07:00

I'm always looking for a great illustration of Ben Grimm, the Thing! I am always delighted when I find a commission that knocks me out. Hang on to your socks true believers, this is one is a doozy!

Loston Wallace published this on his site earlier this year in glorious black and white. Later Steve Downer added the amazing color job that you see above. Wallace and Downer have perfectly drawn and shaded the Thing's rocky hide. The cast of villains and friends hanging above is a great reminder of Ben Grimm's past. This one reminds so much of classic Marvel, I almost think Joe Sinnott inked it!

Please check out Loston's DeviantART site for more work. And for another take on the colors for the Thing, check out Matt Webb's cool blue theme. Nuff Said.

Strange Sunday: Doctor Strange by Jackson Guice and Drew Geraci

2012-04-15T10:32:00.001-07:00

Today's illustration of Doctor Strange comes to us from Jackson Guice and Drew Geraci. I found this one on Drew Geraci's website, please visit for more commissions. Nuff Said!

Silver Surfer Saturday: Galactus and his Herald by Loston Wallace

2012-04-14T10:58:00.003-07:00

Here is a 2002 piece by Loston Wallace, featuring Galactus and Norrin Radd. Don't you just love the Kirby Krackle dots framing them? I came across Loston's site via Twitter and he also has a great DeviantArt site, please check them out for commissions and other work. I've got some more illustrations by him lined up for next week. Nuff Said!

Sub-Mariner by Gene Colan and Drew Geraci

2012-04-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a nifty illustration of Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner in his element by Gene Colan (in March 2000) and Drew Geraci (inked in 2004). Thanks to Drew for pointing this one out to me, it brought back memories of the Dean on old wingfoot.

This got me to thinking...how many covers did Gene Colan draw for Sub-Mariner's own series, excluding Tales to Astonish? The answer is...only one! Most of the early covers were illustrated by John Buscema. Sub-Mariner #11 from 1968 was the only cover featuring Colan's work, with Namor bearing down the sight of a periscope.

It is a story with an ironic twist. Namor makes a big sacrifice to save a seaside port, then gets rewarded for his trouble by being attacked by the Navy. You can see the result of this bad decision when he clobbers a warship on his own: Imperius Rex! Never say your not entitled, Namor wouldn't dare. Nuff Said.

Ka-Zar and Zabu Jumping Out of the Comics Page by Starlin and Romita

2012-04-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a great cover that I almost thought was done by Gil Kane. It features a familiar theme, the hero bursting out of the comics page.

The jungle lord Ka-Zar and his best buddy Zabu are jumping out of the page directly at the reader, in Astonishing Tales #16, circa 1972.

I found the original art to this on Heritage. It looks to me like Jim Starlin penciled this cover and John Romita inked it. Ka-Zar really looks like he is in a typical Starlin pose, but the inking is undeniably Romita's crisp line. Gil Kane's presence is still here, since his artwork is on the page in the background. Nuff Said!

Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and Captain America by Mike McKone

2012-04-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

I really get a kick out of following Mike McKone on Facebook. He has been sharing a lot of commissions with us over the past couple of years. Here are three illustrations for the Classic Marvel fans...

Spider-Man versus Green Goblin. I love everything about this composition, from the battle in mid-air to Spidey's crazy upside down punch at the Goblin. Makes me nostalgic for the days when Osborne was just a regular old crazy villain instead of a megalomaniac!

Captain Marvel. No version of the Captain ever worked as well as the classic Kree hero in his Gil Kane designed costume. I really thought Marvel was going to bring him back to the dead in their recent announcement.

Captain America, taking a scan of the scene before jumping into action. Nuff Said!

Source: Mike McKone Facebook page.

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

2012-04-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

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

2012-03-03T10:40:00.001-08:00

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!

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

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

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.

Hulk versus Spider-Man by Mike Deodato

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Spider-Man versus the Hulk in black and white glory by Mike Deodato.

Amazing and Incredible! Check out another new cool Deodato commission with Wonder Woman versus Ms. Marvel over on Giant-Size Geek! Nuff Said.

Thing Tuesday: The Fantastic Four should Beware of Yancy Street!

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

An early look at the Thing, from Fantastic Four #34 from 1965...

Beware of Yancy Street! They don't care for the FF anymore than the Thing. This pinup was by Jack "King" Kirby and Chic Stone. Was Doctor Doom behind the whole Yancy Street curse the entire time? Nuff Said!

Marvel Funnies: The Green Goblin Unmasked!

2012-02-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

Legend has it that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko had a disagreement over the identity of the Green Goblin. While that story may not be true, what if the Goblin was someone other than Norman Osborn?

Artist Loston Wallace has a take on this--what if the Green Goblin was none other than the most sacred person in Peter Parker's life? Genius! Nuff Said.

Thor Thursday: Spider-Man and Thor 1998 poster by the Romitas

2012-02-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

I came across this nifty 1998 poster by John Romita Jr and Sr, featuring Spider-Man and Thor, on Heritage Auctions. As you can see, it must have been done for the San Diego Comic Con. This would have been around the time of "Heroes Return" when Jr Jr and Dan Jurgens began their excellent run on Thor. Nuff Said!

Strange Sunday: Craig Hamilton and the Master of Mystic Arts

2012-01-29T10:03:00.000-08:00

I discovered this nice Craig Hamilton illustration of Doctor Strange from his ComicArtFans gallery. The lens flares remind me of a JJ Abrams movie. I also featured a nifty Hamilton Silver Surfer piece a few years ago. Nuff Said!

Silver Surfer cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott

2012-01-28T11:53:00.000-08:00

It is Silver Surfer Saturday here at Giant-Size Marvel. This one is a doozy.

Silver Surfer by Jack Kirby and inked by Joltin' Joe Sinnott. This piece appeared as the cover to Jack Kirby Collector #43 in 2005. Visit TwoMorrows website for more stuff. Nuff Said!

Neal Adams covers Hulk, Spider-Man, and the Punisher!

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

I like to think of myself as a Neal Adams expert, but somehow I missed these groovy covers he did last year for a bunch of Marvel books.

The cover to Incredible Hulk #1 features ol' Greenskin bursting out of chains, an homage to Neal's Superman #233 cover? Whatever the case may be, it looks great.

This illustration was the variant cover to Amazing Spider-Man #667, but as Agent M Loves Tacos reported, it was also a poster for the Montreal Comic Con. Would hate to walk on the hockey rink after Johnny Storm flew by Spidey.

Here are the pencils. Interesting to see that the lines indicating speed and force were drawn using colors in the version above.

Punisher #1 also featured the second amendment's greatest advocate, Frank Castle, spewing down justice. Nice angle and action shot here.

Check out my article last year on Giant-Size Geek: Neal Adams Marvel Variant Covers: Captain America, Daredevil and Ghost Rider! You don't wanna miss it, true believer! Nuff Said.

Nick Fury, Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. on Jim Steranko Christmas Card

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is the cast of Jim Steranko's 1960s Marvel Comics on a Christmas Card...

No idea what year this was created in, but you can see all the heroes from Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick is pretty cool with Val on his arm, but personally I think Dum Dum Dugan is even cooler. I retrieved this one from Albert Moy on ComicArt who also has a fantastic site selling original comic artwork. Nuff Said!