Superman #201, DC Comics, November 1967. Artist: Curt Swan.
Does Superman #201 look familiar? Kind of? How about the caption “Clark Kent Abandons Superman. Kurt Swan must have really liked Amazing Spider-Man #50 that came out just a few months before because I think this is a clean swipe.
How do you sell Spider-Man comics? Put Spidey, Venom and Carnage on the cover and if you’re still not sure then add Black Cat. Spectacular Spider-Man #201 by Sal Buscema is part of the super fun to collect Maximum Carnage arc.
Thor #201 is a great battle cover helped by the picture frame template that Marvel did so well in the early 70s, the jet black background just adds to the desirability.
Look at how good the Walt Kelly art is on Four Color #201, color scheme is fantastic and I love the left margin, enough effort there to fill 3 covers.
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.
Nice picks Walt. I also see the similarities of Superman 201 to Spiderman 50 and it to JIM 113 and thor 138 both earlier publications.
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/thor/113-1.jpg
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/thor/138-17.jpg
The secret identity persona on the cover superimposed by the Hero in the background. Was Kirby the first to do so on a cover, or were there others before him? IE Shazam/Capt Marvel? Batman?
I’ve always noticed the swipe from Spidey 50. Howver, Curt Swan was forgiven as he was my favourite artist.
Ok… for me this was a disappointing day with the exception of the Walt Kelly. The cover swipe of Spiderman is simply too much like the original… what did DC run to the House of Ideas for ideas?? The Thor cover has some of the most mediocre faces I have seen on a Thor cover! Venom was a great idea… but a second one a different color… was this Carnage created when Marvel decided to clone EVERYTHING? Finally Cheers to Walt Kelly…may he always be revered!
I know Chris will not like it, but I actually like Wonder Woman 201 with the exception of how they were suiting up Catwoman at the time…Darwin Cooke had the greatest take on that character in my opinion!
I can’t agree with the pick not only because of the swipe but because unlike the ASM it just isn’t believable to me. Spider-Man might do this but Superman would not. The Spectacular Spider-Man is pretty fun but gratuitous as Gerald points out. I stand with Thor and I can see Gerald’s critique on faces given that this was Kane, but I think that the rest of the cover easily makes up for any deficiency.
I don’t have the time or the energy to comment on the Kelly but absolutely not. On the other hand, Gerald I can understand the pick of Wonder Woman #201, but that’s not “my Wonder Woman”.
For #202 I’ll go with Unexpected because it’s different. I also like Avengers, House of Mystery and Incredible Hulk. JOWA to Blackhawk again, this time for cruelty (“We can’t take a chance on three doddering wrecks!”)
Tony C, I don’t think an homage paints Swan in a bad light, I like his take and posted it.
Chris, how can you not like Walt Kelly, seems un-American to me !
I didn’t say I didn’t like Kelly and no loyalist should be judging my Americanness! Wait for my concurrence on tomorrow’s pick and you will see I am a red-blooded American.
Walter, you need to change the cover credit on the above Superman 201. It’s Curt Swan not George Perez.
Corrected Tony, thanks