Splash page from Giant-Man story in Tales to Astonish #66, scripted by Stan Lee, pencilled by Bob Powell, inked by Frank "Frankie Ray" Giacoia, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Ray "Sherigail" Holloway
Click picture to Pym-particle-size
Check out the fine details: the architectural gargoyles; the Chrysler Building in the background, Hank's office chair, his super-computer with EIGHT, count 'em, EIGHT KILOBYTES of memory, his ash tray and speed-caulker. Not to mention the window in the next building where a vandal has scrawled the names of some miscreants all over the shades. More seriously, the way the window's in Hank Pym's building almost work, in a semi-Eisnerian way, as individual comics panels. No coincidence there: penciller Bob Powell worked from Will Eisner's scripts on, and later wrote, the "Mr. Mystic" comic strips in The Spirit Section.
So there you have it: Giant-Man isn't smashing commies or racing ants to a disaster; he's just trying to get better TV reception. Quiet as it is, it's one of my favorite splash pages of all time. We do not see the likes of this wonderful sort of splash page anymore, do we. Here's to you, Bob Powellwe salute you.
I also love Powell's work on the Mars Attacks cards!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Giant Man IS the main character, he IS using his powers, and fixing the antenna IS an action of sorts. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst I heard the legend, though. If Comic Book Legends Revealed hasn't already looked at, someone should bring it up.