Mother's Day!

Mother's Day posters by Arthur Sarnoff, no date.

Marvel Fanfare #2

I started collecting comics in a big way in 1982. This was when Marvel and DC had just started printing comics on nice paper, if I recall Marvel Fanfare was printed on slick "baxter" paper and Marvel was printing some of their direct-sales titles on "mando" paper. This was also when direct sales and comic shops we're taking off in a big way. Frank Miller's Wolverine mini-series came out that year and Dave Stevens' Rocketeer debuted in Starslayer #2, good times. Michael Golden was one of the first artists I noticed and started collecting. Just a couple months after it came out, Marvel Fanfare #2 was being touted as having "low distribution" and back issues were going for the then high price of $6.00. I think I got a deal and paid $5.00 for mine.

I don't remember much about this story, but it was continued from a storyline started in issue #1, and obviously it involved Spiderman turning into an actual spider. This issue also had a story by Paul Smith, another one of my favorites of that period. Below is a scan of the cover of Marvel Fanfare #2 and a scan of the original art. The issue is cover dated May 1982 and the retail price was $1.25.

Superman the Asshole

Here are three covers for the comic book Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane. They are all by Neal Adams. Superman is acting like an asshole on all three covers.




Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #79, November 1967.





Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #81, February 1968.





Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #84, July 1968.

Has-Been, by Wally Wood

This Wally Wood story was published in Incredible Science Fiction #31, cover date October 1955. This comic was a continuation from Weird Science Fantasy. The recently adopted comics code forbid the use of the word "weird" in comic book titles. Incredible Science Fiction began with issue #30 and ran for four issues. This issue also features a nice cover by Jack Davis.

The story itself isn't that great, the vigor, weirdness, and grotesque aliens were being dialed back. But the art is vintage mid-1950's Wood. This story is filled with the artist's trademark hardware-packed ships and has some great space battle panels. The domestic scenes show Wood's skill at body language and rendering futuristic domestic scenes. I was talking to a comic book artist once who mentioned how much more difficult it can be to draw a person just standing there as opposed to a guy in blue tights flying through the air. I guess we're more used to seeing the former and have something to compare it to. This story has some great panels of the father and son just standing there. That is something I think is often overlooked in comic artists. Wally Wood was a real talent, and this story does a good job of showcasing his strong points.

It's just missing a girl in a tight space suit.

Cat Ladies

Frank Frazetta draws women really well, and I love the way he depicts big cats. So...

Tarzan and the Ant-Men

Cover art by Stockton Mulford for the February 2, 1924 issue of Argosy All-Story Weekly.

N.C. Wyeth Action

I don't see early Action Comics non-Superman covers very often. I ran across this image of #8 for sale on the internet and of course instantly recognized where the pose was swiped from. The cover for Action Comics #8, dated January 1939, is by Fred Gaurdineer.

Below that is N.C. Wyeth's The Fight at Glen Falls, from his 1919 edition of Last of the Mohicans. Maybe everybody knew this. I just stumbled across it last night.