Strange Adventures #197, DC Comics, February 1967. Artist: Carmine Infantino.
Carmine Infantino is slowly piling up cover of the day honors and may end up the overall winner at this rate (I have to figure out a time-effective way to do a Top 10 artist tally when this is all over but first I’ll have to see what the bookies in Vegas have as lines then perhaps tweak my picks towards a long shot…). Oh yeah, Infantino gives us a stand out with Strange Adventures #197.
I wasn’t sure why I was drawn to Superboy #197 but then I saw that it was drawn by the great Nick Cardy.
I’m with commentor Chris on Gil Kane’s run on Kid Colt, this is art on a very high level, great action scene.
Seeing Four Color #197 triggered another memory, I once owned a 9.0 ish copy but it had quite a large dust shadow along the right margin which just killed the yellow on the cover, I had a tough time finding a buyer for that one.
A great comic book cover matching each day of the year, 1 through 365. Please chime in with your favourite corresponding cover, from any era.
I spent some time considering that Strange Adventures but it didn’t make my cut, mainly due to the tired/confusing subject matter, but also due to the anachronistic insect robots. Even in 1967 these looked like something out of 1950s b/w monster movies. I am not as big a fan of Infantino’s style as you – his blocky faces really get to me. Otherwise (!) I am a fan.
That Legion cover is about as conventional as store brand white bread. This exercise has featured Fines, Schomburgs, etc. I really can’t see that cover fitting into that esteemed company.
#198 looking so bad that I didn’t bother to poll the family. Nothing gets me to say “great”. I guess you are naturally inclined to pick Famous Funnies but you should get out more. If I have to pick I am going with Superman. Once again the “revealed secret identity”, but the setup is very different, there is a lot of action, the composition is great and the style is classic Swan, _and_ super colorful.
I really like Action – that’s a hard book to get in high grade – but it is literally a wax museum, so come on. Strange Adventures is pretty good art but ruined by “Fire Apes” and the “Immortal Man” worrying about how he might die (?). You could pick World’s Finest but of course we’ve been there and done that and there is nothing special in the art.
Adventure as prototype Guardians of the Galaxy?
JOWA either Detective or Flash (which could depict an unusual Young Romance storyline).
I differ with Chris and think that Infantino Strange cover is maybe one if my favorites I have seen of his heightened by the fact it isn’t a superhero cover. Now I agree with Chris on the Superboy but would add that its as conventional as single ply bathroom tissue (not the sift kind either)! I looked at the Four Color and thought it was rendered very well but was afraid it was too reminiscent of cigar store advertisement… still like it tho!
I like the Strange Adventures cover (the robot insect is much more believable that the awkwardly drawn guy), and the Kid Colt cover. But I thought each of them finished out of the medals for the day, behind Batman, Thor and HULK.
I have a nice copy of Batman 197, and the great arrangement of the characters and the colors helps it stand out on the wall board among the surrounding Batman issues.
Thor 197 is a fantastic cover! And the red frame adds to the dynamism of the scene. But I had a hard time choosing it because, as good as it is, the Mangog battle covers of Thor 155 and 157 were better.
And I really liked the Wrightson cover of HULK 197 – it had the right mix of murky, macabre and powerful.
Derrick, I had to go back and look at that Hulk cover, I didn’t realize that it was Wrightson. I have to disagree with you on that one, I think it is one of the weakest Wrightson covers that I’ve ever seen. The Hulk looks like he is powering his way through the end of an aerobics class, not exactly rampaging.
I too forgot that Hulk #197 was Wrightson and I have to agree with Derrick, its a fantastic cover, check out the Hulk drawn with such power, the right foot plant, the cocked right arm and that clenched right fist, don’t know how I missed this cover.
Considering the Wrightson Swamp Thing connection, and that the Hulk fists smashes clean thru old Man Thing…You have to consider this a great all time cover…and the artists imagery clearly is sending a clear message…Enuff of these Bog Monsters DC and Marvel 🙂
Outstanding Pick Derrick
Fantastic and insightful comment Dave! You sure you don’t have somebody writing these for you?
Walt..you just witnessed ” even blind squirrel finds odd nut “