Out of the Big Box again

Steverino your android buddy brings us:

Cool Covers from Comics gone by

Let's start with this: Marvel's EXILES

Vol 1, No. 23, May, 2003

Cover art by: Kev Walker

It's the concept that helps this cover into the cool category. Simply put: It's  Ironman in Doctor Dooms cape.
This looks to be a canvas painting and that gives it a nice feel. Add a pissed off Ironman with beat up armor and put him in an old dirty cape and hood and you can't miss.The art under this cover is just as strong. I likey.

Moving on I bring you: DC's SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL
No. 44, May, 1995

Cover art by: Bogdanove & Janke
What do you say? It's in your face fun, lots of color, and wierd.
Check it out. Take a good look. It never gets dull. "3 D Kent". I did not know that was his address. Cool. I like our perspective looking up the door, past the big "S" logo, thru that scary knife, and into the mouth of that goofy head. Any cover (post 1970's) that can pull off goofy to me = cool. The good cover makes me want to read on. I think I will.

How about a back cover: Innovation's LOST in SPACE ANNUAL 
Vol 1, No. 1, 1992

Back cover art by: J.C. Palmer & Q Kmoore
Well, this is one of the best pieces of LIS art I have seen. Check the large view of this illustration. The resemblance to the actors us uncanny. I have seen a lot of bad Dr. Smiths.  The artwork has it all. The Jupiter 2, the Robot, and the Chariot. Do I see Debbie the Bloop inside?  I'm glad I pulled this book. Inside art is just good. It is not helped by a weak story. Lots of extras though . Front cover...just, ehh. Read this one back to front.

No really: Kitchen Sink Comix: YARN MAN
No.1, Oct, 1989

Cover art by: Don Simpson
He's MEGATON MANS pal. I'll have to look him up folks.... oh yea, him. There he is on the back cover. The front cover is so warm and fuzzy I ......nodded off. It is cool fun.
Simpson must have had a blast painting this. The solid yellow and strong type round out a sweet cover. I want to feel his tongue.

Lets wrap it up with a masterpiece: Marvel's FANTASY MASTERPIECES
Vol 1, No 7, Feb, 1967

I've gotta include one oldie. This book reprints stories from the golden age. This cover is a fine example of old printing with classic design form and great colors. I really like the preview boxes in the lower right. Old school. Cool.

Read more »

Outside the Big Box

Earth's favorite android STEVERINO

 steps outside the Big Box to bring us:

COMIC ADS WE ALL MISSED

or CAWAM (it sounded funnier in my head)

Hello humans. Follow along as I pull the sometimes funny, always obscure vintage ads from comics gone by.

Today I bring you story breaks from the profitable world of the

Marvel Comics Group (pre-Disney). I've chosen to pick ads from

EARTHS MIGHTIEST HEROES the AVENGERS

Issues #144, 149, and 227

Starting with #227 from 1983

It's nothing new at this point to create a quick story with a product pitch so why am I annoyed.

Bad art in the middle of a well drawn book? Yup.

Video game pitch in my comic? Yup.

That and too many spidey cliches for one ad.  I guess we could choose to skip over them and miss out on the sweet badness that is a vintage ad. Below is the companion TV ad. It is a classic.

Almost word for word. So bad it's good.

Next up #144 from 1975

Look at smilin' Stan. Nice turtle neck.

What a deal. Get an "8 track tape for only $8.37".

For your added pleasure here's a sample of this hit record.

http://bit.ly/B1gX6

Stan Lee rocks.  Finally I bring you #149 from 1976

Oh, how I loved G.I.Joe. I was not a big fan of the Super Joe era but Eagle-Eye Joe was very cool.

I think that fuzzy hair with those moving eyes made him that much more realistic. I'll see you next week.

'NUFF SAID!

Read more »

From the Big Box

STREVERINO has done it again. Your android friend pulled a long lost winner this time. It says so on the cover... four times. Thats cool but then McFarlane and the editors felt they had to swear at us. I quote #@*!! end quote. That does not compute. This week your loyal robot brings you:

 Marvel Comics' SPIDER-MAN #6 "MASQUES" 
part 1 from 1991

 Yes that's SPIDER dash MAN
Artist, Writer: Todd McFarlane 
Letters: Rick Parker   Colors: Gregory Wright

                                             

Surely, McFarlane is great. Look at his cover. A now ( in 2009 ) cliche spidey pose and trend setting web design was fresh at the time. I think that's how cliches are born. I like it. He pushed the envelope and ripped it apart. Turning to the inside pages we can quickly see the direction of this two parter. Dark. Well... darkish. The choice of colors in this mag is brilliant and fitting of the story line. Muted at times, the white borders and word balloons break up the full pages of splash art and color. It really does set the tone for a story that opens with a ranting Hobgoblin hearing voices and answering them back. We learn that he is taking sinners, young and old and killing them to save them. We are treated to a very Spawn like goblin. Well done.

After doing away with a young lads mother "She's in a better place" ( ho hum ) Hobgoblin has found the ward he's been missing. His "Disciple". Where is this going?

Cut to Spidey and MJ ( married at this point ) cut to surprise guest-star Ghost Rider doing his thing. Cut back to spidey sneaking out to do his thing. More full page web slinging follows. In full flight with his new friend Gobbey bombs his former hide out with live souls still in it.

Ghost Rider looks on.

And so with this outrage going on Spider dash Man sets off to track the Hobgoblin. How does he track a flying villian? Computers? Spidey senses? Would you believe a coke head. Word of mouth leads us to his gutter. How he knows is left for us to overlook.

Ghost Rider also goes to the street to find a flying goblin. With less fooling around and more blood he gets a fix on the location too. Thank God for coke heads and pornographers.

Having converted the boy, goblin sets his sights on everyone else. "others will soon follow".

Enter Spider-Man "stay here kid" You'll be safe?  BOOM! Hobgoblin throws a very cool pumpkin at the pair. What makes the bomb so cool? The carved mouth is The Batman's logo ( see cover scan ) I'm sure of it. I'm also sure that the coke head Spidey shook down was the Joker's twin. What gives? What's McFarlanes deal?

Our young victim stops the action saying "Don't hurt him, he's trying to do good". We are shown the boy who now looks to be turning into a little goblin himself. I think this is such a nice twist. It makes you want to go out and buy the next issue for sure. And "The spirit of vengeance races closer."

( see Ghost Rider ).

This was a nice pull from the Big Box. I must say this android was not a huge McFarlane follower but, good is good and I'm not above reprogramming. I just hope I can pull out part two.

To the left we see our Joker like coke-head helper. Told you. I'm right aren't I. To the right we have a sweet innocent child no more. I had to show you. See you next week.

Read more »