Week 31: Stay Calm

What is it about Batman and guns, Bob Kane knew it was an irresistible combo and used it well in this splash for Detective Comics #72.

Rich Buckler and Klaus Janson give us a very unique two page splash in Jungle Action #8, I like the way this piece is broken down.

From Strange Tales #95 Steve Ditko gives us an all time Steve Ditko splash.

John Byrne and Terry Austin turn in some stellar work for this splash page for X-Men #137.

Bill Everett gives us a great splash for Sub-Mariner #1, I’m impressed with the composition here, I like this splash better than the cover.

Walter Durajlija
Walter Durajlija

Walter Durajlija is an Overstreet Advisor and Shuster Award winner. He owns Big B Comics in Hamilton Ontario.

Articles: 1827

8 Comments

  1. Impressive variety and all sharp work. “Malice in Crimson Moonlight”—we used to call that the “Steranko effect.” Jim might have pioneered this in a SHIELD issue, or perhaps just done it better than anyone before him. I bet Eisner could have tried that in a Spirit splash, orvtwo, but that’s only speculation. You know he (and his studio) did roughly 600 Spirit stories, 1940-1952, one every week (it just came up elsewhere, so was thinking about it. No wonder he took ten years off before he went back to The Spirit).

    Beautiful Everett Subby! I have just been texting a buddy about classic Everett. Marvel just published the second of two huge Omnibus volulimes collecting all of Everett’s Sub-Mariner work from 1940 to 1955, plus some extras like Namora and The Fin. Its a keeper, let me tell you, all those stories together.

    And I just bought a collection with some stunning copies of early Heroics with his “Other” water hero, Hydroman. His covers on the first ten Heroics are gems. So it’s all-Everett week with your splash, too!

    Great Ditko, of course. And rather than Bob Kane, probably credit for that splash should be to Jerry Robinson.

    The Grand Comics Database gives pencil credit to Kane, and inking to Robinson annd possibly George Roussos. But…the cover IS by Robinson, and he was responsible for the best DESIGN work on Batman at that time. Check out his cover on Detective #70, and lots more around that time. I think Bob Kane was only doing Batman and Robin figures, and the creative credits goes to his ghosts like Robinson.

    Watch that spell-checker…it is Klaus Janson of course, not Claus! I still think Buckler swiped the entire concept from Steranko, Buckler was a perfectly decent artist but this is not his style.

  2. Never fails.

    Every time I see a male Ditko character in a suit and fedora, I think…

    The Question. (:

    Klaus, spelled with a K but pronounced clouse, rhymes with house.

  3. Bud, you nailed that Buckler to a tee… exactly what I thought! Its still good tho! The Everett takes the day for me… while all the splashes are worthy of our attention the Subby is so dynamic as well as being incredibly composed… well it just doesn’t get any better!

  4. I’ll blame my spelling on too many Remy Martins up here in the north woods.

    Yes, so much Steranko in that Buckler piece. I like the Buckler 70s style and as I mentioned before I’m good friends with Vince Marchesano who used to ghost for Rich for work on FF and Batman in the mid 70s.

  5. Great splashes! A little Remy never hurt you before, Walt! Don’t stop now. In fact… Let me know when you’re into it. We could do a show!

  6. Rich Buckler…Fantastic Four #142–144, 147–153, 155–159, 161–163, 168–169, 171 giant sized 1 to 3 and Thor 227 to 230 and Black Panther Jungle action 6 to 8 and Avengers and The Avengers #101–104, 106…beautiful work and story telling. Too bad he wasn’t proficient like a Kirby or Byrne……

Comments are closed.