Mister Trent

Of course my true ghosts are the Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko pre-hero monster covers. But not a single of one of them seems to exist...

 

A few of those books re-used artwork from the (interior) splash pages for the covers.

 

Doc V owns such an example.

 

Yeah, he's got the Gorgilla splash that apparently was also used for the cover. But the actual cover doesn't exist anywhere (not sure if it was a stat cover or what). The Amazing Adventures 5 is one of the other ones where the splash page was used for the cover, and that art also exists -- again though as a splash, not as a cover. There are only a few.

 

But it begs the question of what really happened to all those pre-hero era covers.

What really happened to all the pre-hero covers?

Routinely discarded or destroyed, I would imagine.

During the 1950s, when MARVEL was known as ATLAS, there are a small quantity of surviving cover originals. I have a couple in my own collection.

It's a certainty that Doc V's 'Gorgilla' splash page OA made it as a 'mechanical' for the accompanying cover image.

If you owned that OA splash, you'd effectively own the cover art - I would suggest.

With these 'exceptions', I think this is the closest you're likely to have as a 'cover' image . . .

We're talking about "art you can't find", right? Looks like you found it!

It hasn't found it's way into hands now has it? Nor have I found the cash to make an offer.

Money you want that you can't find!

Of course my true ghosts are the Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko pre-hero monster covers. But not a single of one of them seems to exist...

A few of those books re-used artwork from the (interior) splash pages for the covers.

Doc V owns such an example.

Strange Tales #146 cover?

 

Almost certainly a 'mechanical' cover image - made up of stats taken from interior panels (page 4, panel 1 and page 5, reversed image of Dr Strange).

 

Ok - then how about that sweet splash inside?

Best ask Mr Ditko . . .

Strange Tales #146 cover?

Almost certainly a 'mechanical' cover image - made up of stats taken from interior panels (page 4, panel 1 and page 5, reversed image of Dr Strange).

Realistically, the cover painting to LOST IN SPACE # 25:

I already own the cover to # 27, which is nice enough, but the above would be better!

Unrealistically, the cover art to Ditko's BLUE BEETLE # 1. Heard the art exists, but I somehow doubt that the current owner would want to part with such a gem.

Fantasy wishlist . . .

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 18 cover by Ditko

STRANGE TALES # 137 cover by John Severin

FANTASTIC FOUR # 6 cover by Jack Kirby

 

One of the best Atlas pre-code covers. I hardly ever see pre-code cover OA. If you're ever planning to sell......

 

Thanks, Iggy, but I'm very much endeared to my new love . . .

You could have just showed him

Okley Dokley!

Hi there . . .

 

New in yesterday . . . original artwork for:

 

 

Been wanting a good Atlas (pre-code Marvel) Horror cover for a long, long time.

 

I think this fits the bill nicely!

 

 

One of the best Atlas pre-code covers. I hardly ever see pre-code cover OA. If you're ever planning to sell......

Thanks, Iggy, but I'm very much endeared to my new love . . .

that cover is simply amazing! What a great piece to have!

 

How many atlas horror covers are out there?

Thanks, guys.

The artwork has a large image size of approx 20" x 14" - which is awesome "in the flesh".

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a great many surviving Atlas Horror cover originals that I know of.

For some reason, ASTONISHING seems to yield the most amount of surviving covers. The covers to #s 8, 9, 19, 22 and 34 exist.

My first love is EC, but the Atlas titles certainly yielded lots of terrific comic-book work.

There are other Atlas original art covers on CAF, if anyone wants to do a search of this great resource . . .

Hi there . . .

New in yesterday . . . original artwork for:

Been wanting a good Atlas (pre-code Marvel) Horror cover for a long, long time.

I think this fits the bill nicely!

BLACK CAT MYSTERY 31

 

 

I first saw the printed version of this comic here on these boards and instantly loved it. I started collecting any decent copy I could find. So when I saw the orignal while browsing through the latest Heritage catalog I was amazed. Here is a cover I stumbled upon while browsing these boards and then stumbled upon the auction in a catalog I am lucky to get since I have only won one auction from Heritage and it was for under $175.

 

Golden Age art pricing is somethng I know NOTHING about, so my first thought is to PM some of the board members that I have seen discussing it, and who's opinions I have come to trust. All of them responded and I'd like to thank them very much for thier informatve and helpful responses.

 

So I bid my max on the auction (read that "as much as I could scrape together" which was less than some of the estimates I recieved via PM) and I didn't win. Fast forward a couple of weeks and I get an email saying the cover is still available for the winning bid which was one increment above mine. I jumped at it (and also thought, if I had bid less ).

 

See THIS THREAD for more obsessing over this cover. I really like those monsters

Congrats, Mike!

It's nice to hear the story behind this acquisition. It's a small world when you can see a 50+ year old comic-book image one day, be impressed by it, then a short while later luck upon the original cover artwork!

I'm very pleased for you.

Great example. Funnily enough, I often find the 'Peter Parker' pages more enthralling than the 'Spidey' action pages. Ditko was strong on characters.

New addition for my Original Art collection (currently en route to me in the UK), is an unpublished ACG pre-code Horror cover intended for ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN (circa 1952), with art by Ken Bald:

 

 

The issue range, for which this cover was intended would have been #s 28 to 33. Scotty Moore, who I bought the art from, believes # 31.

 

Nice piece! Scotty Moore huh? Glad to see he is still in the hobby. I knew him quite well years ago. He was a big Larson and MLJ guy.

 

Scotty's a super nice guy! Saw him in San Diego again last year -- he seemed thrilled with purchasing his first EC Krigstein story.

Totally agree; Scotty's one of the nicest guys in this hobby. I've acquired a number of originals from Scotty, and he's a real pleasure to do business with.

New addition for my Original Art collection (currently en route to me in the UK), is an unpublished ACG pre-code Horror cover intended for ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN (circa 1952), with art by Ken Bald:

The issue range, for which this cover was intended would have been #s 28 to 33. Scotty Moore, who I bought the art from, believes # 31.

Outstanding sequence, congrats!

Ok, I just got this book a little while ago, and I have to say it's been a firm favourite for most of the time I've been a collector. So to get this copy for me is simply fantastic. I know there are higher graded copies about, but that doesn't concern me, this copy is simply stunning!

Stephen Donnelly has the original artwork for this cover, available for trade or sale on his CAF Galleries. Likely to be expensive, but if folks are willing to pay bags of $$$s for high grade copies of the comic-book, the original art doesn't seem like an unrealistic option . . .

I own the original covers to #s 96 and 98, incidentally, which are my favourite Sub-Mariner (cover) images of the TTA run.

Nice pickup - also love the Neal Adams Tomahawk cover!

Thanks!

New in today, Al Feldstein's cover art to the EC Pre-Trend title, MODERN LOVE # 6.

My thanks to Dan Forman for a smooth deal.

Click onto my CAF link to see this 1950 EC cover:

Speaking of additional details so the kids know who is who...

 

. . . And there's no mistaking NAZI GHOST WOLF, the meanest four-leggered critter ever to walk the Earth . . .

Pooch who?

Interestingly, Japanese hardware was suitably identified:

Japanese land torpedoes . . . cunningly fiendish device, eh?

Whilst I think Joe Kubert's War covers for DC are exceptional, there's one aspect of his art that irritates me slightly, and tends to detract from those images this is prevalent on . . .

 

Thanks for ruining them for me! Now I see swastikas everywhere on those covers!

 

Marc

I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry

Mind you . . . I did come across this interesting variation on a theme

Every pirate ship should have one!

Or how about this one . . .

Not only do we know the enemy is German, but we're also given the clue that the soldier in the foreground is confronted by a Mine (which is also clearly identified).

That's not a Kubert cover.

D'oh, it was a Grandenetti cover

Okay, let's try again . . .

Whilst I think Joe Kubert's War covers for DC are exceptional, there's one aspect of his art that irritates me slightly, and tends to detract from those images this is prevalent on . . .

Strategically-placed Swastikas (or other types of enemy insignia) on places where Swastikas (or other types of enemy insignia) would never have appeared. For example, a nice big Swastika and red background on a German hand-grenade . . .

Perhaps this was an Editorial directive?

Anyone else find this an unnecessary ingredient to Kubert's war imagery?

New in, from Heritage, the Marty Taras cover art to BABY HUEY # 51.

Unlikely to appeal to superhero-type collectors, but I have a deep nostalgic affection for these covers from the 1960s, which showcased my earliest introduction to Yankee comic-books