Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29



 Quote:
"Know, O Prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars...
.
Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet... "




  • ( click on image to see full-size enlargement )




The sheer quality of the 1970 launch of CONAN THE BARBARIAN, followed by SAVAGE TALES (1971), and SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN (1974), set a new standard of sophistication for writing and illustration in comics.

CONAN and SAVAGE SWORD both had enduring high-quality runs, which concluded in the mid-1990's. Which were followed at the end with later admirable short-lived mid-1990's revival efforts, CONAN THE ADVENTURER (1994-1995), CONAN THE SAVAGE (1995-1996), and the most recent Cross Plains reprint of Thomas/Conrad's BRAN MAC MORN: WORMS OF THE EARTH, and Dark Horse's reprint of Thomas/Conrad's ALMURIC, among others, each of whose quality speak for themselves. Some of the finest comics storytelling work of the last 35 years.

But as well-told and engaging as these early 1970's Conan adaptations are simply as great storytelling, they had other effects on the comics industry when they were published:

1)BROUGHT A GREATER DIVERSITY OF GENRES. The success of CONAN in 1970 brought a whole lot of other non-superhero material to the field.
They expanded on the simultaneous resurgence of mystery and monster books (HOUSE OF MYSTERY, SWAMP THING, CREATURES ON THE LOOSE, FEAR, MONSTERS ON THE PROWL, etc.), as well as paving the way for a flood of Edgar Rice Burroughs material at DC, such as TARZAN, KORAK, WEIRD WORLDS.
As well as opening the door for other fantasy books, such as SWORD OF SORCERY, STALKER, BOEWULF, CLAW, and ultimately for me, Grell's THE WARLORD.
And CONAN's success also brought other pulp adventure and crimefighters from the 1930's, such as THE SHADOW, JUSTICE INC., DOC SAVAGE and many more.

2. CREATED A MORE SOPHISTICATED AND CULTURED FAN MARKET. On the heels of Barry Smith's run in the first 24 issues of CONAN, and "Red Nails" in SAVAGE TALES, Barry Smith began Gorblimey Press, releasing a number of beautiful prints and portfolios, that still grace my walls.
Although Steranko was already publishing COMIXSCENE / MEDIASCENE / PREVUE and his celebrated HISTORY OF COMICS, volumes 1 and 2, when Smith left Marvel in 1973 and started Gorblimey Press, I think it was Smith's posters and limited prints that brought the sophisticated sense of book illustration, pulp roots, adventure literature, science fiction illustration and pride to comics fandom.
And for a time, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, with its articles, pin-up portfolios of artists, and ads about comics fandom, provided a window to more adult (in a refined and sophisticated sense) material in comics fandom.

SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN was a spearhead for the kind of material in comics I've long admired, and missed in comics since the late 1980's:
Richard Corben's fantasy/horror material, HEAVY METAL, EPIC ILLUSTRATED, WARRIORS OF THE SHADOW REALM, The Studio art book (Jones, Kaluta, Windsor-Smith, Wrightson, for me the single best representation ever of the comic book art field), Pacific Comics, Eclipse, and so much else that collectively have made comics such an enduringly rich entertainment medium for me over the last three decades, all came forth from CONAN THE BARBARIAN and SAVAGE TALES.


Crossgen's current new BRATH series attempts to re-create Conan and other Robert E. Howard characters, although I find it a rather weak and unsophisticated attempt, with nothing really original in its equation.

Roy Thomas and Tim Conrad's "Worms of the Earth" (SAVAGE SWORD 16 & 17) and "Almuric" (EPIC ILLUSTRATED 2-5) adaptations offered far more than the recent BRATH offering.

As did Scott Hampton's 1988 graphic novel for Eclipse, PIGEONS FROM HELL.

It's amazing to me in recent years how many truly horrible Conan miniseries have been done. I just can't stomach the art in the newer Conan miniseries. And I'd think the best artists would be lining up to draw Conan and other R.E.Howard material. But somehow the well has dried up.

I wonder what can be done to revive the era of experimentation that existed and evolved out of the Robert E.Howard/CONAN material, and the wonderful art, portfolios, adaptations, and fine-art of comics it inspired.

So... what are some of your favorite CONAN/Robert E. Howard adaptations?

Or what are some other great pulp/adventure work adapted to comics, such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker, and others from the pulp era?

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie satisfied my itch for pulp-style action better than anything else out recently, including the Alan Moore/Kevin O'Neil comic that inspired it.

Any well-scripted and illustrated pulp offerings in comic book form in the wings? Or possibly one I missed?


Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 16,240
Kisser Of John Byrne Ass
15000+ posts
Offline
Kisser Of John Byrne Ass
15000+ posts
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 16,240
Chaykin/Mignola Fafhrd and Grey Mouser, Buscema/Kubert Tarzan, Smith/Buscema Conan-King Conan, Kane John Carter, Thorne/Buscema Red Sonja , Thorne Ghita, and Loisel/LeTendre Roxanna are some of my most treasured books.

In the same vein the Jones/Anderson Kazar is absolutely amazing.There werea few decent Andru?Buscema/deZuniga Shanna and kazar stories. I also really liked the Gonzalez drawn Vampirella and Colan Tomb of Dracula stuff....

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29

 Quote:
Originally posted by Pig Iron:
There were a few decent Andru/Buscema/deZuniga Shanna and Kazar stories. I also really liked the Gonzalez-drawn Vampirella and Colan Tomb of Dracula stuff....


Yes, Pig Iron, FAFHRD AND THE GREY MOUSER by Chaykin and Mignola is on my list of series to buy.


(click on cover to see larger image)



The Joe Kubert issues of TARZAN (issues 207-235, from 1972-1975, adapting Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes, The Return of Tarzan, and Jungle Tales of Tarzan) are also among my favorites. I consider this to be the definitive Tarzan adaptation, better than any movie version.



I was less impressed with the later Roy Thomas/John Buscema TARZAN (1977-1979) series for Marvel. Which was okay, but read too much like their CONAN THE BARBARIAN run, and for me didn't have the same magic as the Kubert TARZAN issues, or Thomas/Buscema's own CONAN work.

The Frank Thorne RED SONJA was also good reading. I love Thorne's art, somewhat similar to Kubert's.
Thorne's later GHITA series (a somewhat more sexually graphic ceator-owned version of Red Sonja that Thorne later did) is one I sampled but never got around to collecting.

Both (Red Sonja and Ghita) are beautifully parodied in CEREBUS (issues 3 and 19, and later issues).
CEREBUS is another series that's a great outgrowth of the Robert E. Howard adaptations. An innovative, playful and intelligent expansion that goes in a lot of interesting directions, from its original Conan-parody origins.

I actually like the Roy Thomas/John Buscema CONAN issues you mention as much as the Thomas/Barry Smith issues, each in their own way.

But when Thomas/Buscema began SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN (with wonderful inks, mostly by Alcala) and 50-plus pages an issue, that really allowed the adaptations to breathe, I think the heart and soul of their Conan work moved from the CONAN comic book to the SAVAGE SWORD magazine.

The KING CONAN series is one I still haven't fully explored. I have some scattered issues.



The Marv Wolfman/Gil Kane JOHN CARTER, WARLORD OF MARS series for Marvel is one I'd completely forgotten. But that's a good series too. One of the lesser-known treats of that run is a fill-in issue (circa 1978) by a then-unknown Frank Miller, and it's a nice art job too (issue 18).



I especially liked the Murphy Anderson "John Carter" adaptations, a backup series in TARZAN, and then continued in WEIRD WORLDS.
And "Pellucidar" by Dennis O'Neil and Alan Weiss,
one episode in Korak 48, and also continued in WEIRD WORLDS.




Another incredible series that is seldom mentioned is the Kaluta backups in KORAK 46-56, adapting "Carson of Venus", and I think one final backup in TARZAN 235, after KORAK was cancelled.






ROXANNA is not a series I've read. I believe that's a European series. I think I saw a collected album of these once, but have never read them.



I agree with your assessment of the Bruce Jones/Brent Anderson KAZAR series (issues 1-27, from 1981-1983). Anderson left with issue 19, but if anything, the stories became even more engaging in the issues after Brent Anderson left the series, when art was done by Ron Frenz and Armando Gil. This was a book with some wild and often hilarious twists. Very well done.







There was a great "Shanna" backup in a few issues of the HULK magazine, with gorgeous pencil art by Tony DeZuniga. One I particularly like is in issue 9.



Wolfman/Colan's TOMB OF DRACULA series is good too, but was never one of my favorites. My favorite story of the run was a two-issue story guest scripted by Gardner Fox, in issues 4 and 5, where the Van Helsings travel through an enchanted mirror into the past, to try and prevent Dracula from rising to power.

There was a great parody of Marv Wolfman's departure from the Dracula books and Marvel, in HOWARD THE DUCK magazine # 5, by Mantlo, Golden and McCleod.


And who couldn't love VAMPIRELLA ?


There are also some great new illustrated versions of CONAN, SOLOMON KANE and other Robert E. Howard books, by artist Gary Gianni, through Dark Horse. They look great, but I haven't been eager to purchase them because they're priced rather high (in the $60.00 to $100.00 range). I see them release a new one every few months, advertised in the Bud Plant catalog.




Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 16,240
Kisser Of John Byrne Ass
15000+ posts
Offline
Kisser Of John Byrne Ass
15000+ posts
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 16,240
Yeah, I'm kinda a Shanna/ Kazar nut..I have most appearances except the Waid/kubert series as I really dislike the kubert kids' art. I have almost complet collections of the first 3 kazr series/the shanna series/about half of the savage tales magazines. and the issue of rampaging hulk you described...I love that Shanna story it has some absolutely beautiful DeZuniga art.....

I also have a very nice Brent Anderson Kazar portfolio that has some absolutley amazing art plates.

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29



I've seen the Brent Anderson KAZAR portfolio you refer to. It is beautiful stuff.

I really miss the portfolios of the 1974-1983 period, especially the Wrightson, Kaluta and Smith stuff, and the Neal Adams portfolios that reprint the book covers he did for the Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan books.
Some other great portfolios:
  • FRANKENSTEIN (Wrightson, 1977)
    FRANKENSTEIN II (Wrightson, 1978)
    FRANKENSTEIN III (Wrightson, 1980, the best of the three, I think)
    DRAGONS (Lela Dowling, 1982), and other Dowling works
    REPENT HARLEQUIN, SAID THE TICKTOCKMAN (Steranko, and Ellison, 1978)
    APPARITIONS (Wrightson, 1979)
    CHILDREN OF THE TWILIGHT (Kaluta, 1979)
    DR STRANGE (Golden, 1982)
    BATMAN (Marshall Rogers, 1980)
    MOON KNIGHT (Sienkiewicz, 1982)
    DREADSTAR (Starlin, 1981)
    HULK and X-MEN portfolios (Fastner, Larsen, 1981)
    NEAL ADAMS PORTFOLIO (Sets A, B, and C, 1979-1981)
    STARSLAYER (Grell, 1981)
    Roger Dean Portfolio (1980)
    Art of Jim Fitzpatrick portfolio (I and II, 1980 and 1981)
    The many posters and portfolios of Frazetta's Conan covers and other Frazetta work.

And many others.

  • .



    "Valeria", from The Robert E. Howard portfolio, (1975), by Barry Windsor-Smith. One of five plates, the others being Bran Mak Morn, Conan, Thoth Amon, and Solomon Kane.


And these stand-alone limited edition portfolios arguably evolved out of artist portfolio sections and articles on R.E.Howard and other pulp fantasy authors that ran in SAVAGE TALES, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, and other similar marvel magazines after.
EPIC ILLUSTRATED also ran a lot of stuff on available portfolios, and I think the movement died with EPIC's cancellation, in early 1986.








  • "The Last Atlantean" by Barry Windsor-Smith, 1981, a limited edition print, that was also used as the cover for EPIC ILLUSTRATED # 7, in 1981. The EPIC issue also contains a Smith interview and a lot of other pages of his art reprinted.



~

I initially didn't like Kazar in most of his early appearances, in the 1960's and 1970's. The character's dialogue was a little too stilted, in a typical 70's Marvel/Roy Thomas pseudo-Shakespearian way. CONAN was the one book where that speech pattern worked for me. And THOR.
My favorite early appearance of Kazar was in X-MEN issue 10, (1964) by Stan Lee with Jack Kirby/Chic Stone art. I have the original, but prefer to re-read it now in the Masterworks reprint of X-MEN 1-10.

But Ka-zar wasn't a fun character for me until Bruce Jones and Brent Anderson basically re-created the character in the 1981 KAZAR series.
The Bruce Jones KAZAR series in 1981 gave the character a much-needed sense of humor, while also taking the series in an Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure-type of direction. With exceptional writing, and some of the best and wildest cliffhangers in comics history each issue. Brent Anderson drew the first 19 issues, but if anything the series got even better in issues 20-27 with Ron Frenz/Armando Gil art.

I was just thinking of the Goodwin/Williamson STAR WARS comic strips and movie adaptations.
And Williamson's FLASH GORDON work is also comics storytelling in the Edgar Rice Burroughs tradition. A lengthy and high quality run.
Much of their STAR WARS stuff has been reprinted in nice trades by Dark Horse.

I especially like the Goodwin/Williamson work, with nicer printing and not serialized (as the adaptations were in the regular STAR WARS comic). The Williamson adaptations are so much more impressive in the offset-printed magazine-size 8" X 11" MARVEL COMICS SUPER SPECIAL issues, adapting EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (issue 16), REVENGE OF THE JEDI (issue 27)
And the 7" X 10" comic-size BLADERUNER adaptation (issue 22).


Joined: May 2003
Posts: 128
100+ posts
Offline
100+ posts
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 128
Originally, CONAN was a character I had no interest in. Somehow, Roy Thomas' work on the character MADE it work for me. The Buscema-Chan art was also generally nice, although the Buscema-Alcala work in SAVAGE SWORD could be downright breathtaking. Also, there were a few issues by Chaykin-Chan that were more inspired & exciting than a lot of the Buscema issues, as John seemed to lose his interest and regain it from time to time.

I believe RED SONJA got me into the genre before I even really got that far into CONAN. And my first exposure was RED SONJA #1-- which I had Frank Thorne sign for me 2 years ago. I feel the Bruce Jones episodes in MARVEL FEATURE (WHY didn't they just start her series in RS #1?) were better-written, but looking back over them, Frank's work DEFINITELY improved over the course of the series.

"His later GHITA series (a somewhat more sexually graphic ceator-owned version of Red Sonja that Thorne later did) is one I sampled but never got around to collecting."

I only picked up 1984 / 1994 sporadically-- which meant Thorne's serialized GHITA was near-incomprehensible, apart from some of the really hot sex scenes. There was so much utter TRASH in those magazines, unfortunately, that Frank's work was often, by a WIDE margin, the best thing there (along with occasional pieces by Esteban Maroto & Peter Hsu). GHITA has been reprinted at LEAST 3 times now-- the most recent time in a SINGLE book!!! This certainly saves any work with "collecting" it. I was finaly able to read the whole thing in its entirety, and it makes SO much more sense taken this way. It's really like sitting through 2 full-length movies back-to-back. Check it out... Ghita Of Alizarr

JOHN CARTER always seemed too dark & depressing for me-- plus the art was never as consistent as it should have been. Dave Cockrum inked Gil Kane in one issue, which looked amazing. Later, Rudy nebres inked Dave Cockrum in a one-issue story was was STUNNING. But most of it I never cared much for.

That SHANNA story in RAMPAGING HULK proved to me that Tony DeZuniga was an artist to be reckoned with, and was WASTING HIS TALENTS by inking (and often mutilating) other's pencils all the time. (INFINITY INC. was merely the WORST example I can think of; on the other hand, SPIDER-WOMAN was a surprisingly GOOD collaboration-- with Tony inking Carmine Infantino!)

Ever notice for a Puritan, SOLOMON KANE kept running into half-naked wenches with even BIGGER bosoms than CONAN kept running into?

I'm currently re-reading my entire VAMPIRELLA series. I'm only missing 5 issues of the Warren run, and because of reprints here and there, I'm only missing ONE episode of her own series-- but it's one with art by Leopold Sanchez, so it's not exactly a high priority. The Archie Goodwin run remains the BEST in the series' history, was collected in one book (FINALLY!!!!!) in 1991, and is being reprinted AGAIN sometime this year. I just WISH those idiots at Harris would reprint the old stories in MAGAZINE-size format, because last night I re-read "Carnival Of The Damned" (the ONLY original episode I don't have in the old mags) and believe me, the story & art really suffers when the art is SHRUNK down to comic-book size.

It was always a toss-up between the 2 mainstays on the art-- Jose Gonzalez, and Gonzalo Mayo. Mayo was less "realistic", but his art was often more spectacular and sexier-- plus he seemed to be able to knock out pages a lot faster, despite all the detail. But you know what?? Time & again I'm reminded-- the guy whose art made me fall in love with Vampi was Tom Sutton-- particularly from VAMPI #8, "Who Serves The Cause Of Chaos?" (the 1st of the "serious" stories) where he really drew her as a very sympathetic character. Warren NEVER reprinted any of Tom's VAMPI episodes!!! At least I have that to thank Harris for...

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 128
100+ posts
Offline
100+ posts
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 128
A couple more S&S series come to mind.

DAX THE WARRIOR was in EERIE magazine. The stories are no great shakes, but the art was my introduction to the incredible ESTEBAN MAROTO, who drew the sexiest women I had ever seen at that tender young age. Maroto did a ton of work for Warren, but precious few VAMPI episodes (which I always thought was odd). Among his more recent work has been THE ATLANTIS CHRONICLES, ZATANNA: COME TOGETHER and the tragically unfinished LADY RAWHIDE: OTHER PEOPLE'S BLOOD, which has the sad distinction of being cancelled in mid-story-- TWICE!! (Why don't they just issue a complete graphic novel and be done with it???)

AXA was a newspaper strip-- in more than once sense-- that ran in England, from Enrique Romero. She was a woman in a post-apocalyptic future society who, like the characters in LOGAN'S RUN, leave the paradise of a doned city to travel in the savage wastelands outside. She was based on Bridget Bardot, and tended to be topless in around half the panels. This probably explains why it was never run in any US papers!

Now, here's the furstrating part. Ken Pierce reprinted the entire run of the newspaper strip in a set of 9 books. BUT-- to package them in "prestige format" books, the art was SHRINK to practically postage-stamp size (probably about what most US papers run strips as, these days) so the impact of all that gorgeous art is seriously diminished. Further, the strip was cancelled in mid-story, so Book 9 ends on a cliffhanger.

Eclipse did a brand-new AXA graphic novel-- IN FULL COLOR!!! This was done in "TPB" format (about magazine size) so Romero was really able to shine. But then, Eclipse decided to do a new 3-issue mini-series, in comic-book format. Rather than get around to finishing the story from the newspaper, they went ahead with another new story. BUT-- the mini was cut short 2 issues into the 3. As a result, there remain not one but TWO Axa stories left unfinished!!!!! (Don't you HATE it when that happens?)

Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 10,539
I'm just sayin'
10000+ posts
Offline
I'm just sayin'
10000+ posts
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 10,539
Savage Sword in the 80's totally ruled with John Buscema & Ernie Chan's art.The stories were awesome & I was never bored by 'em.The black & white format worked so well with that book.In the early 90's,Alacenta's art on SSOC was very cool too.

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


I was a huge fan of Mike Grell's THE WARLORD for DC, from its beginning in 1975, up until he left the series in 1982.



It's a sword and sorcery offering that DC never would have ventured into, if not for the success of CONAN over at Marvel. In issue 7, one of Warlord's attackers is so obviously drawn to look just like Conan, in the opening scene. It was great to see Conan illustrated by Grell.




the first 12 issues of WARLORD are collected with nicer printing in the WARLORD: THE SAVAGE EMPIRE trade, printed in 1991.



I also really enjoyed Grell's STARSLAYER series for Pacific, from 1981-1983. Grell did the first 6 issues, some of his nicest art.
And the STARSLAYER series was continued and made a name for newcomers John Ostrander and Tim Truman, in a long run after that with First Comics (that, and their GRIMJACK run as well).

There were a number of Conan-inspired characters at DC in the late 70's, including
  • Grell's WARLORD
  • CLAW (drawn by Ernie Chan, under the name Ernie Chua)
  • STALKER (by Ditko)
  • and a nicely illustrated BEOWULF series by Ricardo Villamonte

    and for Seaboard Atlas
  • IRON JAW by Pablo Marcos( another SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN artist)
  • WULF by Larry Hama, who years later also worked on SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN.


And of course, ARAK, in 1981, when Roy Thomas left editing/writing the Conan line for Marvel, and came to DC. My favorite Arak story was the preview that appeared in WARLORD 48, and ARAK 1 and 2.


WARLORD in 1981-1984 was the launch point for a number of fantasy series from DC, such as ARION and BARREN EARTH, which began as backup features in WARLORD.
And I think the success of these launches opened the field at DC for other fantasy series, such as AMETHYST.

Among many others.

I recall the short-lived Seaboard Atlas line of comics had quite a few Conan-type books and other pulp/adventure material as well in 1975, by many of the same talents, by quite a few up-and-comers, such as Howard Chaykin and Pat Broderick.
And Pablo Marcos who did IRON JAW (which is still basically Conan), with some nice covers and inks by Neal Adams on a few issues.

But the heart and soul of fantasy in comics (as well as the "comic book Fine Art" movement, that inspired so many beautiful posters and prints) was CONAN, and especially after 1974, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN. You can see this in the advertising throughout this period in SAVAGE SWORD, for the various Barry Smith and Tim Conrad portfolios and prints, and for Bud Plant Comic Art, and many others who produced incredible work.

For me, the culmination of this movement was EPIC ILLUSTRATED and the Marvel Graphic Novel line, and then the first creator-owned series from Pacific Comics, and Eclipse. And when these died, the movement died. It began to fade around 1985-1986, and by 1990 the level of sophistication of comic art declined sharply, to a level from which it has not since aspired to rise from.

But I'm still awed at the work from that era, roughly 1970-1985, particularly the work of Adams, Steranko, Wrightson, Smith, Kaluta, Jeff Jones, Corben, Alcala, Nebres, Redondo, Nino, Brunner, Ploog, Golden, Rogers, Fastner/Larson, Macklin, Conrad, Russell, Starlin, Gulacy, Chaykin, Day, Steacy, Bolton, Vess, Scott Hampton, Dowling, Fitzpatrick, Suydam, Sienkiewicz, Chris Miller, Chastain, Gould, Maitz, Pound, Jusko, Frazetta, Roblin, Rivoche, and many lesser-known talents.

I think that's what's missing from the comics industry now, the loss of influence from a greater tradition of illustration. A drift away from portfolios, and from the influence of book illustration that Wrightson, Smith, Kaluta and others brought to comics in the 70's era.
An influence of greater tradition that began with CONAN, SAVAGE TALES, and especially SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, and an influence that apparently died with the cancellation of these titles.



That's about the point where the influence turned away from the tradition of Frazetta, Arthur Rackham, Maxfield Parrish, Howard Pyle, Joseph Clement Coll and Franklin Booth.
And took a sharp turn toward the derivative recycled fanboy "totally cool" look of Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane and the like. (Even Lee, who I somewhat like, is a poor man's Arthur Adams).



Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Offline
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
I was actually going to mention Arak, Son of Thunder. It was surprisingly sophisticated, too. Thomas put some research into the title. I didn't read many issues, though.

Frank Franzetta's stuff always caught my eye (those painted covers can get pretty awesome) but I never read any of it.

On the pulp front, Dave, if you like LOEG, you might also like Planetary, which has some nice pulp tributes scattered throughout the series (most notably the recent Doc Savage tribute). Tom Strong is cut from the same cloth, too.

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 194
100+ posts
Offline
100+ posts
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 194
Not sure if they count as pulp, but there were some lovely comics versions of Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat novels in 2000AD in the early 'Eighties (the first one might have been the late 'Seventies). Wonderful Ezquerra artwork, with Di Griz drawn to look like James Coburn...

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


Another interesting pulp-based crimefighter/adventure comic from DC is the 1975 series JUSTICE INC, starring the Avenger and his crimefighting group of men. All issues are scripted by Dennis O'Neil, and it was nice to see him do another pulp-adventure book along with his run on THE SHADOW.




The first issue of JUSTICE INC is illustrated by Al McWilliams.
Even more interesting for me were issues 2-4, scripted by O'Neil, with art by Jack Kirby !
Interesting for a lot of reasons.

First, to see the premier superhero artist (who also excels at horror/mystery, war, romance and science fiction stories) do 1930's brand pulp adventure stories. And Kirby does well with it.

Second, Kirby grew up reading pulp magazines, and grew up living in the 1930's period he illustrated in these stories.

Third, some of the street scenes might actually be autobiographical, depicting the New York City that Kirby grew up in.
Just like Kirby's 1974-1975 run in OUR FIGHTING FORCES was loosely based on some of his WW II experience, fighting in the U.S. infantry in Northern France in 1943-1944.

And fourth, just the rare treasure of seeing a one-of-a-kind collaboration between Kirby and O'Neil, who I see as coming from very different schools of thought, but who collaborated very well in these brief three issues.

It's an interesting comparison to O'Neil's THE SHADOW series collaborations with Kaluta (issues 1-4, and 6), Frank Robbins(issues 5, 7, 8 and 9), and E.R.Cruz (issues 10, 11 and 12).

The original success of THE SHADOW, DOC SAVAGE, THE AVENGER, TARZAN and others in the pulps of the 1930's and prior is what opened the market to Robert E. Howard's own special brand of fantasy adventure.

One of my favorite Robert E. Howard adaptations in comic book form, which I mentioned briefly in my opening post, is "Almuric", serialized in four parts in EPIC ILLUSTRATED issues 2-5, by Roy Thomas and Tim Conrad.
Gorgeous art !
Especially in the opening segment, which I think really captures the 1930's pulp era, the cars and clothing and the general style of the period.

ALMURIC was later collected in an 8" X 11" graphic novel by Dark Horse in 1991.




Accompanied by a new 4-part miniseries from Dark Horse, with covers by Conrad and interior art by Paul Winchell, also out in 1991.



Another Thomas/Conrad collaboration on Robert E. Howard (again, briefly mentioned above) was collected in an 8" x 11" graphic novel by Cross Plains about 2 years ago, BRAN MAK MORN:WORMS OF THE EARTH.



It collected the two-part Bran Mac Morn story from SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, in issues 16 and 17.
The opening 7 pages are Tim Conrad finishes over Barry Windsor-Smith pencils !!

As beautiful as you could possibly ask for.
The SSOC issues are black & white, the reprinted version in the Cross Plains BRAN MAK MORN:WORMS OF THE EARTH graphic novel is in full color, and very nicely packaged.



Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


With the recent release of Dark Horse's new Kurt Busiek/Cary Nord CONAN series, this appears to be a good time for Conan material, which will hopefully lead to more Robert E. Howard and pulp adventure material riding in on its success. I know the first issue sold out and went into a second printing. That has to be good.



I frankly wasn't wild about the stories in either the preview issue, or issues 1 or 2.
But I love the art, and hope the storyline will develop.



A series I really enjoy is the SOJOURN monthly series from Crossgen:



Like I said in some prior posts to other topics regarding SOJOURN, it's a nice mix of humor and Edgar Rice Burroughs-brand adventure. And the art is absolutely unbeatable, by Greg Land. I'd most closely compare it to the Bruce Jones/Brent Anderson/Ron Frenz/Armando Gil issues of KA-ZAR in 1981-1983.
Greg Land's art in SOJOURN alone is worth the price of the book.



And finally, HELLBOY. Which has been a great series for about 11 years now, and tomorrow will be released as a movie in theatres. It looks to be a great movie in its own right, as well as an adaptation that's consistent with the appeal of the original series.
Hopefully it will bring a lot of new readers to comics, who liked what they saw in the movie and are hungry for similar material in comics.



Quite honestly, I don't like any of the new material done by writers and artists other than creator Mike Mignola on the Hellboy characters.
But I really enjoy the five collected trade paperbacks of HELLBOY stories by Mignola.
In a lot of ways, the HELLBOY series reminds me of Jack Kirby's THE DEMON (1972-1974).
But HELLBOY is also a distinctly Mignola vision, and incorporates many other interesting elements, including monsters and demons based on real mythology and ghost stories Mignola has read, a blend of 30's/40's pulp adventure heroes thrown in, with real historical figures like Nazis and Rasputin added into the mix. Which adds both creepiness and realism to HELLBOY's adventures.

These represent some of the best recent contributions to pulp adventure in comics.



Joined: May 2003
Posts: 257
200+ posts
Offline
200+ posts
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 257
I might not classify it as "pulp" per se, but may I suggest you take a look at Iron Hammer Graphics' "Vecna- Hand of the Revenant".
It's more of a gritty book, as it stars one of the most notorious D&D villains of them all, but the awesome all-painted art alone is worth it and I thought the story rocked cobra ass.
Most likely out of stock, try e-bay....

Also, Showcase ran the Nightmaster series from 89-91 or so, but while it was a cool story the beginning sucked, as it transported a hippie-guy to a fantasy world where he becomes a sword-wielding one man warband...
Oh that seventies cheese....


Think clean thoughts, chum. -The Batman
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


Thanks for the books you mentioned, Deadshot. I haven't looked at the SHOWCASE issues you listed in a long time.

I don't know the Iron Hammer Graphics book you're referring to.


Iron Hammer Graphics released a great comics adaptation of Norse mythology, titled MASTER OF THE VOID:



It began in April 1993 and only lasted two issues. Color covers, b&w interior. Beautiful pencil art, extremely detailed and ornate, with decorative celtic/runic designs woven into the art.
The guys who did this book clearly felt a great passion for the stories they were adapting.






The Nightmaster stuff you refer to, that ran in SHOWCASE 82-84 (May 1969, July 1969, and Sept 1969 issues) featured stories by Dennis O'Neil, the first with art by Jerry Grandenetti/Dick Giordano, the latter two with some of the earliest pro work of Berni Wrightson. I enjoyed these issues too, it's pleasant early work by O'Neil/Wrightson, two guys who would become superstars in the comics field shortly after.
There was also some uncredited additional art on the Nightmaster stories by Jeff Jones and Michael Kaluta, so it's an interesting collaboration all the way around. A sword and sorcery series that preceded Roy Thomas/Barry Smith's CONAN # 1 (cover dated October 1970) by about a year.

Berni Wrightson also did a Kull story in CREATURES ON THE LOOSE # 10 (March 1971), so you can get an idea what Wrightson's Conan from that same period would have looked like.

Wrightson had a very low opinion of working for Marvel, as clearly stated in his comments in the 1980 restrospective of his career, Berni Wrightson: A Look Back (edited by Chris Zavisa). Wrightson's original art on the Kull story was stolen from the Marvel offices, he never got it back, and in many other ways he described being jerked around by Marvel.




Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
 Quote:
D. McDonagh said:
Not sure if they count as pulp, but there were some lovely comics versions of Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat novels in 2000AD in the early 'Eighties (the first one might have been the late 'Seventies). Wonderful Ezquerra artwork, with Di Griz drawn to look like James Coburn...


I vaguely recall these 2000 A.D./Stainless Steel Rat issues you mention, D. McDonaugh. I can't really rate these, though, since I never read enough of them to give the series a chance. But I may change my mind and pick these up in the future.
I stopped buying after issue 8 of 2000 A.D., when the Alan Moore material ended. I wasn't even that wild about the "D.R and Quinch" or "Skizz" material.
I actually enjoyed Alan Moore's science fiction short pieces reprinted in TIME TWISTERS a lot more.

There's actually been a lot of Harry Harrison adaptations in comics. There was one Stainless Steel Rat novel I saw that had a cover and interior illustrations by Michael Kaluta.

A Harry Harrison book I really enjoyed and would highly recommend is Planet Story, a short novel by Harrison.
( some pages from the book: )
google images

Planet Story has a buttload of gorgeous illustrations by science fiction book cover artist Jim Burns in an 11" X 11" oversize book, that's comparable to THE STUDIO, and Roger Dean's VIEWS. At the time this book came out, many of the pages were available as posters. Gorgeous illustations and total package design.


The best place to get a copy of Planet Story, a long out-of-print book, is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0891041354/susanofearna


Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
Two more offerings from what I regard as the Golden Age of portfolios and comic book art, both from 1982:



A page from Lela Dowling's Unicorns portfolio:



Lela Dowling did very little work in comics, a few scattered pieces for Pacific and Eclipse.
One of her offerings is in the PATHWAYS TO FANTASY anthology, published in 1984.
And a short piece in EPIC ILLUSTRATED 24.
And in the FUSION comic book anthology series.



And Ken Macklin's Dragon Tales print:





Macklin did work for STAR-REACH, QUACK, and IMAGINE, among other overground/underground books.
But Macklin is best known for the "Dr. Watchstop" feature in EPIC ILLUSTRATED issues 10, 14, 17, 21, 29, 33, and 34. And in every issue of Eclipse's FUSION science-fiction anthology comic in the late 1980's.

The two artists were a couple for many years.
There are comic book stories by each in DRAGON'S TEETH # 1 (Summer 1983), which also has profusely illustrated interviews of Tony Salmons and Steranko.
Along with Macklin and Dowling, DRAGON'S TEETH also has science fiction stories by Toth, Cirrocco, Geary, Salmons, and a Steranko interview and portfolio of images.

Dowling and Macklin collaborated doing mostly separate stories in FUSION.
And all the Dr Watchstop stories from FUSION and EPIC ILLUSTRATED are collected in a DR WATCHSTOP graphic novel ! The last graphic novel from Eclipse. A nice package.

Another great sampling of the diversity of styles and genres from the late 70's/early 80's period.

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


An interview of Dowling and Macklin appears in PRINCESSIONS 13 (Fall 1982), a magazine devoted to women fantasy artists.



In addition to this beautiful cover by Dowling and the candid interview of Dowling and Macklin, the book contains a comic book story by Dowling, as well as images of many of her limited edition prints.





Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
One of the most beautiful covers in the history of comics,
and the last book produced by Pacific Comics, in late 1984.

PATHWAYS TO FANTASY # 1:



Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
Another great part of the poster/portfolio/fine art era in comics was the MARVEL COMICS INDEX series by James Olshevsky.

Aside from indexing the Marvel era in extraordinary detail up to that point (1975-1982), These books also sported some very poster-worthy covers by some of the best artists of the period.

Here are a few:

INDEX 2: CONAN (Tim Conrad cover )



INDEX 4: FF (Steranko cover)



INDEX 5: THOR (Tim Conrad cover )



INDEX 6: DR STRANGE ( Tim Conrad cover )



INDEX 7-A: HULK ( Ken Steacy cover )



INDEX 7-B: SUBMARINER ( Everett cover )



INDEX 8-A: CAPTAIN AMERICA ( Steranko cover )



INDEX 8-B: IRON MAN ( Ken Steacy cover )



INDEX 9-A: X-MEN ( Brent Anderson cover )
http://fullsize.9.A.X-MEN.GIF


INDEX 9-B: ( Frank Miller/ Klaus Janson cover )
http://fullsize.9.B.DAREDEVL.GIF



Although far from the cheapest I've seen these books, the images of all of them, along with their original release-dates, are listed at this link:

http://www.mycomicshop.com/megastore/All&til=1448


Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Offline
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Planetary most recently dealt with two more pulp characters - the Lone Ranger, and the Shadow.


Pimping my site, again.

http://www.worldcomicbookreview.com

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29



Thanks, T-Dave.

I read the first 10 issues of PLANETARY several years ago, and despite the beautiful art, I became annoyed with a story that stretched ominous foreboding issue after issue, but went nowhere.

Issue 5 offered a Doc Savage parody, but likewise just hinted at a story, without actually telling one.





Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Offline
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Yes, it is better to read it as a trade. The story is actually going somewhere now.

It has parodied/paid homage to:

1. The Hulk
2. Doc Savage
3. Godzilla and Japanese monster movies
4. Hong Kong cinema
5. Grant Morrison / The Matrix
6. Vertigo Comics
7. Miracleman / Marvelman
8. Transmetropolitan
9. The Justice League
10. Batman
11. The Fantasic Four and Galactus
12. Thor
13. The Lone Ranger
14. The Shadow
15. Tarzan
16. James Bond
17. Jules Verne
18. Dracula and Frankenstein (the horror genre)
19. Sherlock Holmes and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
20. 1950s sci-fi movies
21. Dr Strange and 60s psychedelia
22. Green Lantern / Lensmen
23. Wonder Woman
24. Superman
25. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and the kung fu genre


When I list it like this, I realise just how broad the subject matter has been.

I'm a little disappointed that there has been no Captain America / war story to date, nor a John Carter story.


Pimping my site, again.

http://www.worldcomicbookreview.com

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
Thanks for your insight, Dave.

While I don't like what I've read of the series (I read roughly half the issues, so I think I have a good idea what it's about) I included a link to the covers and first three pages of several issues, for those who want to check it out.



I agree the art is very nice, but the story is overly dark for my taste, and is either nebulous, or at best takes way too long to develop, by my account.

I like these particular covers a lot. The tribute elements you describe are very much on display:





Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,286
1000+ posts
Offline
1000+ posts
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,286
Something that I just finished reading and I think would make for great comics in this vein is HP Lovecraft's 'Dream Cycle' of Randolph Carter -- its his branching from straightforward horror into horror-tinged fantasy in the realms of dream and the ancient past -- lots of pulp fantasy goodness, especially in its centerpiece, THE DREAM QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH...

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


 Quote:
The Indestructible Man said:
Something that I just finished reading and I think would make for great comics in this vein is HP Lovecraft's 'Dream Cycle' of Randolph Carter -- its his branching from straightforward horror into horror-tinged fantasy in the realms of dream and the ancient past -- lots of pulp fantasy goodness, especially in its centerpiece, THE DREAM QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH...



There's a great adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "Cool Air" in BERNI WRIGHTSON:MASTER OF THE MACABRE issue 2 (published in 1983 by Pacific Comics).
( click on image to enlarge )

All five issues of BERNI WRIGHTSON present a great anthology of horror and science fiction stories.
Issue 1 also has Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat", adapted by Wrightson, as well as many other fine stories.

These issues reprint stories Wrightson did in the 1970's for the Warren magazines ( originally in black-and-white, in CREEPY and EERIE), which appeared in color for the first time in this five-issue BERNI WRIGHTSON series.





Also from Pacific is the 1983 one-shot CORBEN SPECIAL, adapting Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".

Another by Corben is a collection of short Poe adaptations of Corben's, collected from various undergrounds he did over 15 or more years, the graphic novel TALES OF EDGAR ALLEN POE.




There are also some interesting adaptations of Poe by Gahan Wilson in the early 1990's when First Comics launched a new series of CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED, plus some other interesting adaptations of various authors by Rick Geary and other artists.


My favorite of First's CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED is an adaptation of MOBY DICK by Bill Sienkiewicz, which are, I think, some of the most beautiful pages of his comic art career.






Another I greatly enjoyed is in Marvel's CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED 28 (from 1977), with an adaptation of Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado", scripted by Don McGregor, with art by Michael Golden.
This story may also have been Golden's first pro comics work published.






A great Robert E. Howard horror story in the same vein as the above stories is PIGEONS FROM HELL, an Eclipse graphic novel from 1988, with beautiful painted art by Scott Hampton.




Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,153
Unbreakable
3000+ posts
Offline
Unbreakable
3000+ posts
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,153
Dave the Wonder Boy, have you seen the relatively new "The Spider: Svavangers of the Slaughtered Sacrifices" TPB by Don MacGregor and Gene Colan? Or their earlier comics, like the two mini-series about gritty detective Nathaniel Dusk and beautiful art (coloring directly over the pencils), and published by DC during the 80's? The former is a classic pulp hero while the latter is inspired by the gritty school of detective fiction, a là Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler.

Edit: Uhm, Don MacGregor, not Evan. Credits to those who deserves them. Corrected now.

Last edited by Captain Sweden; 2005-02-22 8:04 PM.

"Batman is only meaningful as an answer to a world which in its basics is chaotic and in the hands of the wrong people, where no justice can be found. I think it's very suitable to our perception of the world's condition today... Batman embodies the will to resist evil" -Frank Miller

"Conan, what's the meaning of life?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!"
-Conan the Barbarian

"Well, yeah."
-Jason E. Perkins

"If I had a dime for every time Pariah was right about something I'd owe twenty cents."
-Ultimate Jaburg53

"Fair enough. I defer to your expertise."
-Prometheus

Rack MisterJLA!
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
I hadn't heard of THE SPIDER graphic novel until you mentioned it, C.S.


I read the NATHANIEL DUSK series when it came out. That and another series, SILVERBLADE, were reproduced from Colan pencils and have an interesting look.


The best detective genre material in comics I've seen is a Steranko project from the late 70's, published by Byron Preiss, a CHANDLER graphic novel. Which was reprinted recently as RED TIDE.
It was published originally in two forms, as an issue of FICTION ILLUSTRATED (5" x 7" pulp digest format) and as a larger 8" x 11" offset-printed CHANDLER graphic novel.
Which is also the source of a number of Steranko prints.






Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,153
Unbreakable
3000+ posts
Offline
Unbreakable
3000+ posts
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,153
That Chandler pic' looks like taken from Miller's Sin City (have you mentioned that one yet, Dave?). On the other hand, maybe that could be said about a lot good-looking B/W artwork.

If I haven't done it yet; thanks for giving the credits of 70's Justice, Inc. I've read about Kirby's art somewhere else, but that O'Neil wrote the scripts is interesting. I dig his The Shadow.

Last edited by Captain Sweden; 2005-02-25 5:17 PM.

"Batman is only meaningful as an answer to a world which in its basics is chaotic and in the hands of the wrong people, where no justice can be found. I think it's very suitable to our perception of the world's condition today... Batman embodies the will to resist evil" -Frank Miller

"Conan, what's the meaning of life?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!"
-Conan the Barbarian

"Well, yeah."
-Jason E. Perkins

"If I had a dime for every time Pariah was right about something I'd owe twenty cents."
-Ultimate Jaburg53

"Fair enough. I defer to your expertise."
-Prometheus

Rack MisterJLA!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Offline
Banned from the DCMBs since 2002.
15000+ posts
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,230
Likes: 1
Quote:

Dave the Wonder Boy said:
Quote:

The Indestructible Man said:
Something that I just finished reading and I think would make for great comics in this vein is HP Lovecraft's 'Dream Cycle' of Randolph Carter -- its his branching from straightforward horror into horror-tinged fantasy in the realms of dream and the ancient past -- lots of pulp fantasy goodness, especially in its centerpiece, THE DREAM QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH...





There's a great adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "Cool Air" in BERNI WRIGHTSON:MASTER OF THE MACABRE issue 2 (published in 1983 by Pacific Comics).
( click on image to enlarge )

All five issues of BERNI WRIGHTSON present a great anthology of horror and science fiction stories.
Issue 1 also has Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat", adapted by Wrightson, as well as many other fine stories.

These issues reprint stories Wrightson did in the 1970's for the Warren magazines ( originally in black-and-white, in CREEPY and EERIE), which appeared in color for the first time in this five-issue BERNI WRIGHTSON series.





Also from Pacific is the 1983 one-shot CORBEN SPECIAL, adapting Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".

Another by Corben is a collection of short Poe adaptations of Corben's, collected from various undergrounds he did over 15 or more years, the graphic novel TALES OF EDGAR ALLEN POE.




There are also some interesting adaptations of Poe by Gahan Wilson in the early 1990's when First Comics launched a new series of CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED, plus some other interesting adaptations of various authors by Rick Geary and other artists.


My favorite of First's CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED is an adaptation of MOBY DICK by Bill Sienkiewicz, which are, I think, some of the most beautiful pages of his comic art career.





Another I greatly enjoyed is in Marvel's CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED 28 (from 1977), with an adaptation of Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado", scripted by Don McGregor, with art by Michael Golden.
This story may also have been Golden's first pro comics work published.






A great Robert E. Howard horror story in the same vein as the above stories is PIGEONS FROM HELL, an Eclipse graphic novel from 1988, with beautiful painted art by Scott Hampton.





Huh. I didn't know about any of these. I'd be intrigued to read the Moby Dick one.


Pimping my site, again.

http://www.worldcomicbookreview.com

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


 Quote:
Captain Sweden said:
If I haven't done it yet; thanks for giving the credits of 70's JUSTICE INC.
I've read about Kirby's art [ on JUSTICE INC. ] somewhere else, but that O'Neil wrote the scripts is interesting. I dig his THE SHADOW.


My pleasure, C.S.

I love O'Neil's THE SHADOW work too, and not just the Kaluta issues. The ones illustrated by Frank Robbins (5, 7, 8 and 9) and Phillipine artist E.R. Cruz (issues 10, 11, and 12), are equally enjoyable.

And although from another era in the early 1990's, I also enjoy a number of THE SHADOW series for Dark Horse by Kaluta, Gary Gianni and others. Although I don't think the Dark Horse stories were as good, they were at least true to the character and the 1930's period.



Some other lesser-known pulp-ish Kirby work for DC in that 1970-1975 period includes:
DAYS OF THE MOB and SPIRIT WORLD magazines from 1971 (black and white, one issue of each were published).
Inventory stories for the unpublished SPIRIT WORLD # 2 saw print in WEIRD MYSTERY TALES 1, 2, and 3, and DARK MANSION OF FORBIDDEN LOVE 6 (all out in 1972).
One inventory Kirby story for the unpublished DAYS IN THE MOB # 2 was finally printed in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS fanzine issue 1, in 1974.
  • ( I posted the covers for these in another topic:

    Comics Series that Never Happened
    HERE )





Plus Kirby did stories in OUR FIGHTING FORCES 151-162, that are somewhat autobiographical of Kirby's own WW II combat experience, serving in Northern France.

Kirby also did two pulp-ish short horror stories as writer/artist for CHAMBER OF DARKNESS 4 (a Phantom of the Opera-type story) and 5 (about a crashed pilot in the Korean War) in 1970, right before he left Marvel and went to DC.






 Quote:
Captain Sweden said:
That Chandler pic' looks like [it's] taken from Miller's Sin City (have you mentioned that one yet, Dave?). On the other hand, maybe that could be said about a lot good-looking B/W artwork.


Nope, haven't mentioned it yet. You're the first !

Although in comics I associate the style most with Steranko, neither Steranko nor Miller have exclusive claim to the high-contrast black-and-white art style.
Will Eisner, Steve Ditko and Wally Wood, among others, had utilized this style at times, well before Steranko's work made it popular in the late 1960's.

And Paul Gulacy, Gene Day, John Byrne and Frank Miller, among many others have utilized the same style since Steranko's 60's work first presented it in STRANGE TALES, S.H.I.E.L.D. and CAPTAIN AMERICA.

If I'd begun reading comics in the 1990's, I might think Jim Lee invented that style. Jim Lee used this style for awhile in the single issue of DARKER IMAGE, and a few other titles.



  • Frank Miller's dust jacket book cover to
    MEFISTO IN ONYX, by writer Harlan Ellison,
    released in 1993.






 Quote:
First Amongst Daves said:
I'd be intrigued to read the Moby Dick one.


Every last one of them are among my favorites, Dave. The BERNI WRIGHTSON issues especially, which I've re-read many times.





Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29

Out of many great works by Steranko, I think his best work is a set of pages Steranko did for his illustrated version of "Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman", in the 1978 book, THE ILLUSTRATED HARLAN ELLISON, published by Byron Preiss.


www.sequentialellison.com


The book is 8" x 11", and available in trade and hardcover versions.
And also a later smaller 5" X 7" black-and-white paperback version.

The trade and hardcover are in color, with 3-D separations by Neal Adams, and include 3-D glasses.

Several of the pages can be viewed here, of 10 total images in the book and portfolio:





The portfolio is a limited edition of 2000, signed and numbered by both Ellison and Steranko, and presents the pages in black and white. Which I was fortunate enough to purchase back when it was originally released (in 1978).
At the link are images both of the 3-D color separations, as well as the original black-and-white portfolio images.

The inexpensive smaller 5"X 7" paperback version likewise has the pages in black-and-white, without the color 3-D separations.


Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,153
Unbreakable
3000+ posts
Offline
Unbreakable
3000+ posts
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,153
I have a very exciting science fiction comic by Harlan Ellison and Marshall Rogers titled "The Glass Hand". I understand now why Ellison was credited as an inspiration for "The Terminator".


"Batman is only meaningful as an answer to a world which in its basics is chaotic and in the hands of the wrong people, where no justice can be found. I think it's very suitable to our perception of the world's condition today... Batman embodies the will to resist evil" -Frank Miller

"Conan, what's the meaning of life?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women!"
-Conan the Barbarian

"Well, yeah."
-Jason E. Perkins

"If I had a dime for every time Pariah was right about something I'd owe twenty cents."
-Ultimate Jaburg53

"Fair enough. I defer to your expertise."
-Prometheus

Rack MisterJLA!
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29

 Quote:
Captain Sweden said:
I have a very exciting science fiction comic by Harlan Ellison and Marshall Rogers titled "The Glass Hand". I understand now why Ellison was credited as an inspiration for "The Terminator".



I enjoyed that one too. I don't know the format you read it in your native Sweden, but here in the United States, it was as DC Science Fiction graphic novel # SF 5, DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND

https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=10131771



Ellison began his career in 1956 as a writer for science fiction and detective pulps.
"Demon With A Glass Hand" is one of several loosely connected short stories Ellison did in the late 1950's, chronicling Earth at war with an alien race known as the Kyben.

Many of these Ellison stories have been adapted into comics form, in addition to this "Demon With a Glass Hand" book by Marshall Rogers.
Most by artist Ken Steacy, in EPIC ILLUSTRATED magazine in the early 1980's:


  • "Sleeping Dogs" in EPIC # 4, Winter 1980 (b and w art)

    "Life Hutch" in EPIC # 6, June 1981 (b and w art)

    "Run for the Stars" in EPIC # 11, April 1982 (full color painted art, beautiful !)


These Ellison/Steacy stories were collected in a Comico graphic novel, NIGHT AND THE ENEMY, fully colored with some new art, around 1987-1988.







One of my favorite Earth/Kyben-war short stories by Ellison was "The Crackpots", which never made it into comics form, but is collected in Ellison's 1967 anthology of stories, Paingod.






"Demon With A Glass Hand" was first done as a TV episode in 1964, of the original black and white TV series THE OUTER LIMITS (episode 37), in that series' second and final season.
The other OUTER LIMITS episode Ellison wrote (and also won the Hollywood Screen Writers' Guild of America award for best teleplay for the year) was "Soldier" ( episode 33), the first episode of OUTER LIMITS' second season.

Ellison also won the Screen Writers' Guild award for best screenplay for the STAR TREK episode "City on the Edge of Forever", co-starring Joan Collins, in 1967.




Ellison's many contributions to the comics field were recently listed in his COMIC BOOK ARTIST magazine interview, issue 23 (December 2002).

Interviewed and checklisted in the same CBA issue is Mike Mignola, whose work is another treasure-trove of pulp-type material in comics.
http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/index.html





Regarding Ellison's contribution to James Cameron's movie The Terminator, it was involuntary on Ellison's part, and Ellison sued regarding this, I can't recall the outcome.
There's a message in the end credits of The Terminator:
  • "An acknowledgement to the works of Harlan Ellison."

But that didn't change the fact that Ellison's story ideas were used without payment or permission of the author, for which Ellison sued.
The two primary story ideas in Terminator that were borrowed from Ellison were
(1) an intelligent super-computer put in charge of the world's nuclear weapons, that deliberately starts a nuclear war to wipe out human civilization ( from Ellison's story "I Have No Mouth I Must Scream" )
and
(2) a technologically designed killing-machine soldier sent back in time ( from Ellison's short story and OUTER LIMITS episode "Soldier" )




Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,546
Likes: 1
living in 1962
15000+ posts
Offline
living in 1962
15000+ posts
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,546
Likes: 1
Whatever happened to Cross Plains Comics? They were putting out some interesting stuff.

Tim Vigil's Cuda is an excellent barbarian/adventurer in the Conan vein. Cuda appeared first in Caliber Presents in the eighties alongside James O' Barr's initial Crow installments.

Then there was the Cuda B. C. one shot from Vigil's own Rebel Studios. Later came a four issue mini from Avatar Press, featuring some of Vig's best art at times. Avatar also collected the early Cuda stuff and the B. C. one shot into the eighty page Cuda 0, and the mini series into TPB form.

Also Tim Truman did a three issue series updating and adapting the old pulp character the Spider around 89 or 90. Very interesting stuff there. Also Truman's Prowler character was a pulp styled hero.

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29


Yes, Cross Plains had some nice stuff, particularly the BRAN MAC MORN: WORMS OF THE EARTH book I posted an image of on page 1 of the topic.
I don't know what happened there, they just quietly ceased publication around 1999 or so. But I very much liked the design of their books.

Here's some reviews and images of their titles. Of particular interest is the interview of editor Richard Ashford, in outlining the editorial direction intended for CrossPlains:

http://www.barbariankeep.com/cpc.html




Tim Vigil I'm less a fan of. I like his art, loosely Wrightsonesque, but find the content extremely violent in a perverted sexual way, and decidedly misogynistic. I'm thinking in particular of his late 80's/early 90's work on EO and FAUST.




Tim Truman has done a lot of great stuff. I haven't read his THE SPIDER series you listed, but I'll look for it.

For me, that was one of those series I saw advertised, but the shops I went to didn't order any copies to display, just to sell out, advance-order only. So it looked interesting, but I never saw the actual book or knew precisely when it came out.

But Truman has done a lot of stuff i've enjoyed.

My favorites of Truman's are:
  • his three-issue HAWKWORLD miniseries in 1989 (which reads like a speculative fiction novel more than a comic, with a lot of visible allegory to our world).
  • his Eclipse graphic novel TECUMSEH from roughly the same time, a great historical graphic novel about the last great Native American resistance to U.S. expansion across the midwest, in the early 1800's, and also exploring the friendships and philosophy of the characters.
    and...
  • A full color glossy 8" x 11" magazine-size Malibu Comics/"Rock It Comix" one-shot out in 1994, SANTANA. A documentary in comics form of rock musician Carlos Santana's life, in a 25-page comic book story "interview".

    Plus photo features on Santana and his guitars.
    And even a photo of an 18 year old Tim Truman playing in a high school garage band!


Truman has also done work in STARSLAYER (his first series work, in 1983), GRIMJACK, then SCOUT in the mid-late 80's, and a funny-animal TIME BEAVERS graphic novel.

And other work I haven't liked, such as JONAH HEX: TWO-GUN MOJO, which is way too dark and cynical for my taste.

But regardless, Truman has done a lot of great work and supplied the comics field with a wide variety of innovative other-genre projects, outside the mainstream.



Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,546
Likes: 1
living in 1962
15000+ posts
Offline
living in 1962
15000+ posts
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,546
Likes: 1
Quote:


Tim Vigil I'm less a fan of. I like his art, loosely Wrightsonesque, but find the content extremely violent in a perverted sexual way, and decidedly misogynistic. I'm thinking in particular of his late 80's/early 90's work on EO and FAUST.





Faust and EO are extremely graphic, due to the nature of the stories. The purpose is not to shy away from the ugliness and darker aspects, but to show them in their fullness and perhaps by showing, gain an understanding of it. That's my take on it, anyway. But, it's not gonna be everyone's cup of tea.

Cuda and Gothic Nights, are much less explicit in their tales. GN, especially, you might want to look through (providing you can find it) as it's extremely detailed in a Wrightson like manner.

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29



I've been on a Richard Corben kick lately, and Corben's work offers a wide selection of other-genre material, including adaptations of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Harlan Ellison, Edgar Allen Poe, and others.

DEN is Corben's creator-owned version of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Corben started out doing underground comics from 1970 to 1973, mostly anthologies, such as ANOMALY, FANTAGOR, GRIM WIT, SLOW DEATH, UP FROM THE DEEP, FEVER DREAMS, SKULL COMICS, and others. Mostly horror and sci-fi in the E.C. tradition.
These were almost all collected in three 8" X 11" trades, about 100 pages each, titled RICHARD CORBEN: COMPLETE UNDERGROUND WORKS, volumes 1, 2, and 3 (although it isn't quite complete)

I recommend not buying these early issues unless you can get them cheap, because many of them are reprinted repeatedly as backups in Corben's 1980's/1990's self-published Fantagor Press comics, in color and on better paper. And many are also collected in one or more of Corben's 8" X 11" graphic novels.

Here's a list of Corben's 8" X 11" graphic novels (alphabetically). All are on glossy paper and full color, unless otherwise noted :

  • BLOODSTAR (Robert E. Howard adaptation, 1979, b & w, glossy paper)
    BODYSSEY (1985)
    JEREMY BROOD (1982)
    CORBEN's ART BOOK, vol 1 & vol 2 (1990, 1994)
    CORBEN: COMPLETE WORKS vol 1, 2, 3 (1985-1987, B & W, not on glossy paper)
    DEN 1 (r from serial in HEAVY METAL, 1977-1978)
    DEN 2 (r from serial in HEAVY METAL, 1982-1983)
    DEN 3 (r from Fantagor's CHILDREN OF FIRE 1-3, 1986)
    DEN 4 (r from Fantagor's DEN comic book series 1-5, 1986-1987)
    DEN 5 (r from DEN comics series 6-10, 1988-1989)
    DEN SAGA 1-4 (glossy color magazine, 1993-1994)
    FROM THE PIT # 1 (glossy color magazine, 1994)
    MUTANT WORLD (1983, r from serial in 1984 and 1994 Warren magazines)
    NEW TALES OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS (1979, r from HEAVY METAL serial)
    EDGAR ALLEN POE (1985, r from Warren magazines, and the CORBEN SPECIAL published by Pacific in 1983)
    RIP IN TIME (1988, b & w, r of the 5-issue 1986-1987 series)
    VIC AND BLOOD (1989, adapts "A Boy and his Dog" by Harlan Ellison)
    WEREWOLF (1984, collects werewolf stories by Corben from underground anthology comics, and from Warren magazines, most nicely colored for the first time)


Corben did stories in CREEPY, EERIE, VAMPIRELLA, 1984 magazine(issues 1-10)/1994 (issues 11-27) and other Warren magazines from 1973-1983, and the stuff collected in graphic novels above, and for HEAVY METAL from 1977-1986.

From 1986-1994, Corben produced a nicely formatted set of comics in his self-published Fantagor Press, most of them reprinted in the graphic novels above, including RIP IN TIME, DEN, CHILDREN OF FIRE, HORROR IN THE DARK, SON OF MUTANT WORLD, FROM THE PIT, and DEN SAGA.

Since then, Corben's been doing a lot of mainstream work for Marvel and DC, including:

HELLBLAZER:HARD TIME,
HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND (a 1930's horror pulp adaptation),
Azzarello's BANNER 1-4,
Azzarello's CAGE 1-5,
Ennis' PUNISHER: THE END,
SOLO (a Richard Corben anthology one-shot from DC),
BIGFOOT 1-4,
and
SWAMP THING 7, 8, and 20.

Corben's most recent work has been HELLBOY:MAKOMA 1 and 2 (in collaboration with Mignola).

And on the stands now, EDGAR ALLEN POE's HAUNT OF HORROR 1-3 (which are new stories inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, with aa bit of EC-horror-brand shock, in black and white. I initially thought they were reprinting earlier Corben Poe adaaptations, they're not.)


And here's a very helpful and specific online checklist of Corben's work, that indexes the many reprinted stories, both where they are reprinted from, and all the places each original story is reprinted.




Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,546
Likes: 1
living in 1962
15000+ posts
Offline
living in 1962
15000+ posts
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,546
Likes: 1
not a huge Corben fan, but that Hellboy book was nice. he fit that series pretty well.

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
OP Offline
brutally Kamphausened
15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 24,963
Likes: 29

Yeah, Corben and Mignola's styles meshed well together in that HELLBOY:MAKOMA story.

While I like Corben's air-brush smoothness, detail and color sense, and that he provides mostly adventure, science fiction and horror material that is a welcome alternative to all the superhero stuff, his work can also be crude and unsophisticated in its story content.

And most of all, the writing that accompanies his art, even in the material that I like, is rarely (if ever) accompanied by sophisticated prose.



The one exception to this I can recall is the X-MEN: HEROES FOR HOPE one-shot( in 1985), where Corben did three pages in collaboration with Alan Moore.



Which also sported some really mind-blowing combinations, such as Stephen King/Berni Wrightson/John Muth, Harlan Ellison/Frank Miller/Bill Sienkiewicz, and other work in interesting collaborations, of Kaluta, Vess, Bolton, Bolland, Chaykin, Simonson, and many other talents. All behind a highly poster-worthy Arthur Adams cover (which I got the promo poster for when it came out)




Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5