I started off with an absolute classic from the "King" himself, Jack Kirby's cover from The Fantastic Four #45. It pictures the Fab Foursome searching for the mysterious Inhumans in Stan Lee and Kirby's fabulous "Among us hide the Inhumans!" The bright cover of the original must have caught the eye of many a young comic fan as it sat on comic racks, but to me it was too brightly lit. The moon although full is behind all the characters, the FF should be in shadows as they search the dismal ruins. The lnhumans look lit from in front, but the moon is behind them too. MarvelUKs somber, moody version from Fantastic Four Pocket Book #2 suits the scene perfectly, as I imagine Jack originally intended.
This is one of the most creative uses of a character interacting with a comic book title and a story title as Jim Steranko's straining Hulk is crushed between the two, with the green goliath raging, veins bulging and sweat pouring from his stressed body and face. The editor or the powers that be suggested that Steranko's savage version of the Hulk was "too fierce" for the cover of Hulk King Size Special #1, so Marie Serverin, the Hulks regular artist at the time was asked to re-draw the Hulks face, to which Steranko as now referred to as "the teddy bear Hulk." Strangely enough the savage version did see the light of day over six years later, with face intact on MarvelUKs The Mighty World of Marvel #129, the only difference being Steranko's lettering, the Hulks foot crushing the word "Inheritor" instead of the "Inhumans", as this comic featured a different story "The Inheritor" originally from the Incredible Hulk #149.
Days five and six advent covers come from John Romita JR and Bob Layton as they modestly show you how the crimson and golden Avenger gets dressed. I like the use of light shining off the armour, plus the simple panel layout to tell a story. There's not much difference between the two versions but in the UK Iron Man never starred in his own comic, but made it loads of time as back up feature in many comics, this time he backs up Captain America as any good Avenger would.
This cover shows how subtle changes can improve on an already perfect John Buscema cover. The main difference from the American Avengers #58 and the British #84 was the Visions ghostly presents. Yes in many ways the white Vision is the correct colour choice, but in the classic story- "Even an android can cry!" the tale features the Vision. He's the linchpin of the story so in my mind the blue version highlights this, his appearance behind the Avengers could be seen as a menace or teammate. In this part of his history we've yet to find out full which. Notice how the Visions collar/cloak are more defined in the second cover, I can't give any reason for this.
John Romita SRs dramatic cover for the Amazing Spider-Man #151 shows our hero holding back a torrent of water in a confined drain sewer. In the original he shouts "Flooding this sewer won't help you mister!" to an unseen hostile, which would probably be the Shocker. MarvelUK cranks up the suspense and tension by laying the cover on a landscape format crushing down the web slinger in Super Spider-Man and the Titans #203. The danger is most certainly from the waves of water, pitting Spidey against the most cruelest of elements in a claustrophobic image. Truly amazing!
Wolverine takes centre stage on the cover for the Uncanny X-Men #133. John Byrne's style is near perfect for action intense covers. But again MarvelUK make one slight change that increases the action packed frenzy as Wolverine lashing out. The black box frame cuts out some of Byrne's detailed back ground, boxes in a warehouse. In Rampage Magazine #51 the fighting mad mutant slashes Hellfire Club goons out of the page. It's almost a 3D cover now!
John Byrne is the artist for my next classic cover. As always Byrne is pencil perfect with this foreboding image of Dragon Man chewing on the star spangled Avengers shield like a dog with a bone. Johns colours are moody for Captain America #248, while British comics generally are darker in presentation MarvelUK ops for a brighter colour palette with #2 of their take on the Captain's comic. Not a bad decision when British racks are filled with grim and broody war and sci fi comics at the time.
John Buscema this time renders splendid work for this clash of God verses Cosmic Hero! The colour from Silver Surfer #4 and the Super-Heroes #8 changes slightly, but doesn't effect the scene, however what I find interesting is the Surfer seems to be the antagonist while Thor stands ready to defend himself. In the second version Thor's hammer whirling movement signal equal battle frenzy as the titans prepare to clash. Was it removed from the original or added in the later?
Wolverine and the Hulk clash this time in what has become the ultimate hero battle. This Herb Trimpe classic cover has been re-draw many times by different artists. If you look on-line for it there are different versions of the original. All basicly the same, some have more of a red background, some have the Hulks face turned slightly. I think this is the correct version of The Incredible Hulk #181 that I've shown. I imagine the confusion comes from the millions of copies that cover t-shirts, mugs, bags and other merchandise which use this cover. Some even use the Mighty World of Marvel #198 version with the Hulks face in full view and the subtle changes of position for Wendigo and Wolverine. John Romita SR is said to have made changes to the original cover, this may be why these variants appear. I dare say the the Canadian Rockies will have seem a red sky at sunset but was it for artist reasons. White skies have a more real feel.
MarvelUK knows how to re-use a classic, in this case they take Jack Kirby's soaring Surfer cover from the Fantastic Four #72 and re-use it for a different story, this time the Silver Surfer's first solo story in The Super-Heroes #1. Minus the onlooking Watcher. The enigmatic red background is also changed for an ecliptic colour scheme. if I'm honest it makes no difference to which one I prefer, they're both equally cosmic!
We reach days twenty one and twenty two of my advent calendar, this pop culture/Salvardor Deli inspired Captain America cover from #111 by Jim Steranko ticks all boxes. As the centre issue of a sensational three issue run by the artistic genius it's no wonder it was chosen as the cover of the 1980 MarvelUK/Grandreams hard backed annual. If truth be told I saw the annual first and spent many hours reading and re-reading this classic tale which included the Hulk, Rick Jones, Hydra, Madame Hydra, Nick Fury and the Avengers, so it's no wonder that I adore this yellow framed version with it nostalgic memories.
My Christmas advent calendar is completed with another tension filled John Romita SR cover of Spider-Man and torrents of water. This time our hero is unconscious and shackled as the water level raises, from the Amazing Spider-Man #52. Jameson looks on in stark horror as he too is minutes away from death in the Kingpin's sub basement. It a desperate and dark scene to finish off with you may think, but MarvelUK, possibly with tongue in cheek added "A happy Christmas to all Marvelites" across the top of Spider-Man Comics Weekly #46, an issue that was published the Christmas week in 1973. A fitting sentiment to post on Christmas Eve.
Make Mine Marvel.
