I’m back at mining the eBay pile in my office for this week’s post. I leafed through the first two books and quickly saw a chance to feature a week full of double-page splash pages, I did a post like this early in the year and am glad I found enough to do another week of double-page splashes.
One of my all-time faves is John Buscema, just look at this two-page splash (more like pin-up but too good to ignore) from Avengers Annual #2, September 1968. I’m thinking of keeping this copy which will be great for my collection but terrible for my business.
I’ve been selling a bunch of these lately, who’d have thought that there would be a pick up in demand for X-Men #1, from October 1991. Jim Lee gives us a fine two-page splash to start the issue off.
I used to daydream about which Frazetta painting I’d like to own if I could only own one. The Frost Giants usually topped my list, I just love the motion of the fight sequence and that sunlit mountain in the background. Barry Windsor Smith gives us a lead up rendering to be reckoned with from Conan #16, from July 1972.
Dan Adkins has suffered second billing for his work on Strange Tales. Steranko’s stuff is great but let’s not forget Dan Adkins, a nice double splash page from Strange Tales #162 from November 1967.
Seeing this Jack Kirby double splash from New Gods #4 reminded me of my last store meeting, the lesson I learned is always bring donuts, from September 1971.
Walter
Thanks for displaying the 2 page spreads!!!!! Some of them are truly awesome!!!!
Jeff
I think all these are great 2 page spreads! My favorites… the Barry Smith Conan and the Dan Adkins whose run on Doctor Strange Has not been lauded enough!
Great stuff. The Smith is beautifully staged, the Buscema a perfect study in anatomy. Kirby is wild, it looks so good even small.
Adkins had his moments…good inker, actually. My buddy Jim Vadeboncoeur was one of those who really went after Dan for the blatent, uncredited swipes when he was pencilling, though. Big fannish hoohah at the time, carried on in fanzines, pre-internet. Pros even jumped in, both defending Dan and against him.
Was on (lovely) but safe vacation to the Calif. coast last week, dodging fires and escaping smoke. I wrote a lengthy comment to your sports entry but then lost it before it got sent. Arghhhh. I’ll go see now what our compatriots had to say.
Feels like it’s only a matter of time until that Avengers Annual 2 explodes. Such a great, all-time cover and you can still find them quite cheap.
Not sure, but I think the Buscema group pin up was inked by George Klein. Around the time the book came out, one of the con booklets or progress reports, likely for a Phil Seuling NY con, ran Buscema’s pencils for the drawing, which were, as one would expect, remarkable. If someone with better memory or organization of his collection than mine can quickly lay hands on it, perhaps they can send you a scan.
Always nice to get away, stay safe Bud.
I agree Clay, fantastic cover and way undervalued in my mind.
Bob, a bit before my time so I can’t help out here, Comic.org gives inking credit to Bill Everett
Bob Cosgrove! Speaking of weak memories, I am thinking I know you! Yup, there you are in a google search, you must be as old as me and some of my buddies here, Michelle and Jeff, since you were doing fanzines in 1970. Good to hear from you!