The Voord

My five entries were . . . BANK HOLIDAY (1938) original movie poster painting, artist unknown. Heritage win from late last year and the earliest piece of movie art now in my collection: Four JEFF HAWKE dailies by Sydney Jordan (layouts) and Colin Andrew (finishes) from the 1960 story, 'Survival' (my favorite JH adventure . . . the artwork is uniformly superb. Some examples from my entries, including three panels in detail to better showcase the art:

. . . and a belated Happy New Year!

It's a UK strip that ran over here from the 1950s onwards. There are two hardback reprint editions that you may be able to locate on eBay. Both sport Brian Bolland covers. Overlord, the first volume, reprints 'Survival'.

I didn't buy much art in 2022 . . . seven originals, to be exact. One was a 1938 movie poster original painting, which is now the earliest example of movie art I own. The other six originals are JEFF HAWKE dailies from my favorite story, 'Survival' (1960). Artist Sydney Jordan (now in his 90s) contacted me to say he had discovered the examples misfiled in stacks and stacks of art he still retains. Included in the selection of rediscovered dailies was the title strip. While I have better examples from the story, this is an important (to me) original to own as it kicks off the adventure: I own 20 dailies from the story, which can be viewed at: 7. JEFF HAWKE - 'Survival' (1960) - Terry Doyle's Original Comic Art Gallery at ComicArtFans.com

Agreed. Seems like an expensive slipcase?

Same thing if you happen to come across a Monkey's Paw granting you three wishes . . .

The Fantastic Worlds of Frank Frazetta - TASCHEN Books . . . which details size of the book. I bought the EC book, along with the ASM, Avengers and FF reprint volumes. Usually, at least here in the UK, you can find sellers shaving off the price-tags. If comparable values weren't part of the equation (for the Marvel reprint editions), I'd much sooner own the Taschen volumes over the original comic-books.

My neck hurts . . .

Some work-in-progress photos of a sculpture I'm currently working on . . . The Cyclops from 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, measuring about 15" tall. This will be a waterline diorama, based on the screen-capture from the movie I'm also attaching. He will have two (expressive) arms. Still tons of work to do, but I should have this one finished-off by around mid-January.

I pretty much post everything I got on CAF. Sometimes, when I have visitors wanting to look at art I collect, it's easier to use CAF as a resource for viewing my collection . . . rather than handle the stored-away originals.

It needs 'Patience is a Virue'.

Love it!

A google search reveals some color versions, from several different sources, of the unaltered FF #2 cover, as originally drawn by Jack Kirby. As such, this would appear to be a genuine first-attempt cover, later revised for the published version (not 'mocked-up with little stick-ons'), as per KirbyJack's recollection from that time period. .

Absolutely! Ditko buildings had 'character' . . . and what's not to love about a SD water tower! Great page!

Agreed. Nowadays, collectors prefer the buzz of competing for their fixes on auction sites.

The twice-up Marvel covers I've seen from the early 1960s were cropped to the image size (ASM # 28, for example). I've also owned several 1950s (Marvel) Atlas-period covers that were also cropped to the image size, so the absence of a Curtis Way backing plate doesn't seem uncommon (come to think of it, I had the Tales to Astonish # 98 cover that was totally cropped to the image). Other Marvel twice-up covers I once owned were attached to a recreated CW backing plate). The absence of old Curtis Way is not rare on twice-up cover OA and may well have been added during printing process for the early stuff?. KirbyJack attests to seeing a copy of the (word balloons-version) # 2 cover around the time of publication, which kind of debunks pemart1966's theory about a mock-up with "stick-ons". As such, I've no reason to disbelieve that it's how the cover was originally illustrated/designed . . . just not convinced that the Taschen book has sourced the original artwork, as claimed. They may well have had access to a good copy of the original (pre-alterations) version. Just my 2c.

It was not uncommon for Stan Lee to request changes on cover artworks. Some 'published' covers exist as altered versions of the original art The cover to Tales of Suspense # 85, for example. Mike Burkey had both the original artwork (as drawn by Gene Colan) and the (mostly stat) altered published cover for sale some years back. I don't think it's a stretch of the imagination for Stan to ask for the copy-heavy elements of the # 2 cover (as shown in the Taschen book) to be reduced and some slight re-configuration of other artwork elements. As I say, it was not an uncommon practice to alter OA (as originally drawn) for the published version. I'm not convinced that the # 2 cover actually exists, but I don't think it's unreasonable to think it's a copy of the artwork as originally drawn by Jack Kirby . . . subsequently altered on Stan's instructions for the published comic book In response to your original contention, it makes no sense for Taschen to produce an expensive book, illustrated with OA examples, and say, "Hey, let's do a mock-up version of the # 2 cover and add some 'stick-ons'". What would be the point? There is none.

Is he a Count Dracula fan or something?

So why do you think they'd do that and claim it to be the original cover?

No, the penciled # 20 cover isn't included in the book.

Reynold Brown's 24-sheet billboard movie poster painting for KELLY AND ME (1957). This painting hangs over our bed and, funnily enough, we are often joined by our (white) English Bull Terrier (normally in the middle) . . . which is kind of apt. As I sleep, someone like Martha Hyer might figure in my dreams . . . . putting everything into perspective.

It's a quick camera phone shot. The cover, as printed, does show tape and paste-ups more clearly. I'm not 100% convinced on this one, but don't always keep up to date on things like this (possibly) re-surfacing . . .

Description reads: "(Page 18) Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben saw their early adventures veer decidedly into sci-fi, as shown on this original cover art for Fantastic Four No. 2, etc."

Just received the latest oversized Taschen Marvel Comics release that reprints the first 20 issues of Fantastic Four, plus Annual # 1 and house ads. The introductory essay features lots of original art scans, including two unpublished covers and the published #2 which, if the description is correct, is the original art, not a recreation. If this does, indeed, exist . . . it's a new one on me. Thoughts?