Saturday, February 26, 2011

Same Story, Different Cover: Pretty Mole Man, Walkin' Down the Street


L: Avengers #12 (January 1965), art by Jack Kirby and Chic Stone
M: Marvel Triple Action #6 (October 1972), art by Sal Buscema and Frank Giacoia R: Avengers Classic #12 (July 2008), art by Art Adams and Laura Martin

(Click picture to pot-belly-size)



3 comments:

MOCK! said...

LOVE the hover text!


And with the URL change I need to update the link in my comic database!

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

Oh! Its a tough choice in which cover tells the best story! The one on the left Thor leading the charge looks cool and the fight scene in the center has some good perspective, but I think my problem with both is that the villains are pushed off to a small corner.

Now the image of Giant Man, at his full height, bending over from the claustrophobic cave, covered and being subdued by an army of subterraneans is a powerful image that isn't going to leave my head anytime soon. Mole Man is also a bigger part of the cover here, albeit looking a bit silly, but it is an astounding composition in the end.

Cheese Messiah said...

It is interesting to make direct comparisons between eras like this. The original Kirby probably gives undue prominence to Thor, who I guess was the most familiar Avenger at the time. The 70s cover is the most kinetic by far, typically action-filled and attention grabbing of its period. The last focuses on an interesting detail, again typical of its period.
I guess the central one would be most effective in boosting sales, but the recent one is probably the most aesthetic.