The FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER # 6

cover by MIKE PLOOG

Mike Ploog

Ploog is a master...his art has so many different little points of detail...he never just slaps a shape in a corner he shapes and shades every little nuance of his work...this is a cover recreation of one of my favorite Monster of FRANKENSTEIN covers.  Powerful and full of action and emotion.

Here is a copy of the painting without the cover blurbs

Art By Ken Barr

the LEGION of MONSTERS

Theres a funny story behind this one.  A long time ago when I was like 12 my Aunt owned a deli/grocery store in Elmont  ( Nana's Deli )  She let me have this comic book...over time I lost it or whatever.
    So about 6 years ago I wanted it , I just got a bug for it and went on a search for it.  I scoured and scoured  conventions and comic shops all over Long Island and the city with no luck.  I had given up hope on trying to find it...I could not even find a copy on EBAY at the time.
    So one day...I was dropping my wife off at a local theatre here on the Island to see a production of JOSEPH and the AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT...well right in the same shopping center was a brand new hobby and comic book store.  Not even expecting to find it I found it...it was in a box with a whole bunch of sports cards price guides...WHY? An entire box of  Sports cards price guides and one lonely Monster Mag!  Just my Luck!  The lady behind the counter sold it to me for 2 bucks.  It was in the box marked 2 bucks so I got it for 2 bucks...I was happy.  So Iwent to Wendy's ate a burger and a Frosty and read my comic....ahhh.  My wife came out of the show with her friends and I was all excited to tell her.
       She was very happy for me.  Cover art for MARVEL PREVIEW # 8 by KEN BARR

SECRET ORIGINS

Nick Cardy got around a lot in the 1970's...he probably did more covers for DC comics than anybody else during that period...he was everywhere and had art on the cover of just about every DC title.  His renditions of the Amazon Princess and the Battling Superboxer WILDCAT are among my favorite images of the 2 heroes.  I like the way Cardy drew Wonder Woman here too....Most images I ever saw of Wonder Woman reminded me of a very fit very athletic sexy woman in her 40's...but here...she looks like she's 25 or so.
     Youthful yet mature.    needless to say cover by NICK CARDY.

SECRET ORIGINS # 7

This issue not only had one of my favorite covers but the reprinted stories inside were awesome.
( Note : The origin of Aquaman in this issue is differs slightly from what we're used to. He's an Aquaman from another earth I guess )  A very good read!

Cover By Nick Cardy

SECRET ORIGINS NO. 5

the SPECTRE is in my opinion one of the greatest comic book heroes ever.  He's a GHOST!
A G G G...GHOOOOST!!!!!   ( Don't run away... )  Jim Corrigan murdered police officer comes back from the dead as the SPECTRE of vengeance and dishes out un-holy justice on evil doers.  One of my top 10....
cover by NICK CARDY.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE :

A whole buncha heroes on one cover....LOVE IT !  Then there is the TWO DIFFERENT EARTHS angle
how could one resist?   Cover by Nick Cardy.

Drama , drama , drama !!!

There was always some soap opera angle to comics after Marvel started Spiderman in the early 60's
Super Heroes getting into everyday trifles...arguing with each other and quitting the team and all that.
One of the greatest examples of that'd probably be GREEN ARROW and GREEN LANTERN after
Neal Adams took the reigns.( great series/run too )  But despite all the drama I loved to see the Heroes all on one cover and the thought of one of the JLAers quitting...I'm hooked!
Great cover by Nick Cardy.

OH NO!..THE JLA IS DEAD!!!!

3rd grade. One of my friends gave me this comic book because he's ruined my TARZAN comic.  I looked at the cover and thought it was a fair deal.  Nope...the JLA did not die..they were all ok.
Cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson.

Savage Red Sonja - Queen of the frozen wastes

One of my favorite series that Dynamite entertainment  put out...Sonja comes across an Evil Queen who is the ruler of a bunch of subhuman ape dudes.  They chain her and debase her and feed her to monsters that she kills.  In the end she triumphs over the evil ape bitch.  Of course she does..with style too.
Cover by Frank Cho ( My new favorite artist )

BEOWULF the Graphic novel - Adapted and illustrated by Jerry Bingham

I had read Beowulf in english class in 8th grade and a couple of years later I saw this baby at my local comic book store.." The World of Fantasy " when it was owned by the original owner ED LUXIK who passed away a few years ago.  I talked to him about it and how cool it was to see this as a Graphic novel.
The 1970's DC comics series was not really faithful to the story and it was more of a reimagining.
  Ed was a teacher of Social Studies and a Foot Ball and Wrestling coach and he had a presence like that of
Orson Welles...a Big Burly man...who liked education and comic books....Cancer took him away from us and it is because of this book right here I'll never forget Big Ed!  Thank you Mr. Jerry Bingham for putting out a piece of work/history that has had  a real impact on me and my memories and my life and it'll be fond memories of fond times for the rest of my days.....Cover art by - Jerry Bingham.

JOE JUSKO

Did this HOMAGE piece....it was taken from a John Buscema classic house ad for Savage sword.

JOHN BUSCEMA RULES

This illo for an out of continuity western filler story was the cherry on top of a great issue.

the 70's ...

was a time when comic books contained 1 cools story and wrapped it up in one comic book..not like today..where an entire 12 issue mini series leads into nowhere....all wrapped up in a Neal Adams cover.

KARKAN of the jungle

An imaginary story where Superman was raised by apes.....great stuff. Cover by Nick Cardy

SECRET ORIGINS OF SUPER VILLAINS

Another little glimpse of my childhood.  Cover by the late GREAT Dick Giordano

There are 2 reasons why...

I like this cover..one it's great art and 2 the women remind me of Valeria and Red Sonja from CONAN fame.  Art by Julie Belle

What a crazy looking bitch!!!

Just from all the heads rolling around...stay away from QUEEN SONJA and pay your taxes..don't piss her off.  Art by the phenomenal Lucino Parrillo

Jungle Girl numba 1

great CHO artwork..can;t be beat great pose...love that birdie.

Jungle girl variants

I like the first one better by CHO...it has bouyancy....but the other cover is nice too...
Cover A :  by the one and only original  Frank Cho and Cover B : by the equally talented Adriano Batista

Jungle Girl

In the fight of her life...great Frank Cho stuff...he's my new hero you know...nobody does better chicks than him.

Paper Man vs WW !!!

This particular comic book was my Moms...it was her issue...she owned it..this very issue right here..that one you see is the one.  She saved it and gave it to me..thinking one day it'd be worth something...to me it's priceless.  Pretty sure this is Ross Andru and Mike Esposito art.

Red Sonja 16

Sonja had a boob job and she had to fight off every Tom , Dick and Harry!!!  Art by Jim Balent

SUY...DAMNN!!!

Art by Art Suydam -  cover  for Savage tales # 2....just lovely

FRAZETTA

This is an unmarmed by copy of the Famous Frank Frazetta Conan the barbarian paperback cover.

IRON JAW

One of my favorite comics as a kid...not just for the cover but the interiors were just as cool..and I went to school with Pablo Marcos junior.  Nice kid....but he was paranoid of his friends because his Dad was an artist.  The poor guy did not know who to trust...I liked him.  ART by Pablo Marcos Sr.

Australian Iron Jaw

I love it when other countries reprint our stuff and slap new covers on them...This is a foreign edition artist unknown based on the original Pablo Marcos cover.

I'm wondering....

...if this dude even knows he's about to have his head split wide open.

YEAH SHANNA!!!!

Kick that CROC'S ASS!

Red Sonja - Savage tales

There is nothing I can say this drawing has not already said....maybe pffrt...that's about it...exscuse me.
Art By Fabiano

Super man spider man round 2

This is a pen and ink version of the classic 2nd team up between Supey and Spidey...but this time John Buscema gets top billing on the cover of this Australian reprint.

THOR - SIMONSON

When Walt Simonson took over the reigns of THOR he plastered himself and sealed the deal that He and Kirby and Buscema would be the guys everyone thought of when you picture THOR...and he has a loose confident stroke to his style that is very appealing to the eye.

ANT MAN

The whole idea of an Ant Sized super hero is and of itself preposterous...but Ant Man had some cool stories yes indeedy - Pretty sure this is Dan Adkins' art.

The Original GUN SLAMMER

This all Dick Ayers cover with Two-gun getting his six guns shot out of his hands is a classic.

Redo Voodoo

This cover has always been one of my faves  but this recoloring of it only serves to enhance it's awesomeness!

Brother Voo Doo...

Probably one of the coolest macabre characters ever created by Marvel.  I Learned about Zombies from watching the Night Stalker with my Dad...One episode dealt with Voodoo and a Zombie...great stuff..so when I saw this comic on the rack I knew what I was in for...a Supernatural Super Hero who took care of evil with the power of the dark art of Voo Doo!!!!   Art by John Romita

VOOOOO DOOOOO!!!!!

I was at the age where I was receiving an allowance and I used to go up to the store and pick up a comic book every week...this is one of the coolest covers I'd ever seen!  Art by the Great Gil Kane Rest in peace Gil.

SUPERMAN/SPIDERMAN

On a trip to Florida when I was 10..this comic book was my lifeline...I spent 2 weeks in Florida and it was the most boring time of my life.  It was so hot and there were alligators and I was not allowed to watch TV ( Grandma said kids belonged playing outside...and Bedtime was 7 o'clock...torture!!!! ) I had this comic book to keep me busy.  I read it every day for 2 weeks.
   Never send a kid to stay with his grandparents if they're homebodies who don't know how to trat a kid.
I could have gone to Sea world or Disney or even for Ice cream someplace but no...outside..alligators and in bed by 7....among the worst most boring times of my life.
   But I still loved my Grandparents unconditionally.  Just could not understand why I was treated that way?
Art By Ross Andru.

THE ARENA OF DEATH!

The idea of time travel had not yet occurred to me but when I saw this issue and I saw Super Gladiator with his stylish new Emblem I was once again hooked!  Wow Superman had a counterpart back in the Gladiator days?  Kids... :)  Art by Nick Cardy

SUPERMANS'S PAL !

I remember my Mother actually reading this to me and doing all the voices and sound effects for me....what a talented lady my Mom is..lol!

BIG TROUBLE FOR LITTLE SPIDEY...

IF HULK GETS HIS HANDS ON YOU....FORGET IT!!!  Art by John Romita Sr.

TWO SUPER HEROES?!!!

When I was kid I was enthralled at the idea that a comic book featured 2 super heroes.  My brother gave me this comic to shut me up...because I always asked him if I could see it.  Great Gil Kane art.

the MAN WOLF!!

JAZZY John Romita really outdid himself with this one....the art the story the workmanship...great stuff!

CAP TIMES TWO !

The Captain's misguided self appointed replacement was always one of my favorite characters.  He's still around today.  He took a couple of bullets to the chest and fell off Hoover dam into the churning waters below.....he'll be back.  I think he has a lot of potential.  Art by Sal Buscema

HISTORICAL SIGNIFIGANCE.

This comic book right here is the very first back issue I ever purchased with my own money...I was 13 and I paid 15 bucks....Lawn cutting money.  It features an updated retelling of Caps origin with new art ( at the time ) by KIRBY!  Cover by Kirby and Heck

HULK TREASURY GOOD!

Yet another John Romita Sr. masterpiece...I loved these tabloid sized reprint comics...large art lots of pages..great stuff!

THE GUN SLAMMER

I don't know if it was the colors or the art itself..( Ayers and Romita I'm sure ) but this cover just hooked me and to this day is probably one of my top 10 favorites....in the future I'll list that top 10...but for now theres a lot of covers to cover.
Included in the post is my recreation of the piece. Definately one of my favorite covers.

NIGHT OF THE REAPER...

Quite possibly the most intriguing comic book story ever in history and possibly one with the best art ever...Neal Adams is a legend...go read one now.  You might be able to find it on one of those Electronic comic websites.  :)