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Spider-Variant
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Posts posted by Spider-Variant
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On 11/28/2022 at 1:11 PM, Get Marwood & I said:
Someone should etch those credits into the wall one night, see if anyone notices....
I have a chisel if you have a fast
carSpider-Mobile....
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On 11/28/2022 at 8:58 AM, Get Marwood & I said:I always loved this issue and how the creator credits are etched into the wall on the splash page
Thwipp!
Just a fun, fun issue. It took me forever to figure out where Ross was when he drew that panel. Although I have shared this splash comparison before, here is a new picture to compare it to, as someone challenged me to find a picture with the fire hydrant in it.
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On 11/25/2022 at 9:41 PM, MattTheDuck said:
From July 1974 (#134) to June 1975 (#145), I had a subscription to Amazing Spider-Man. In those days the comics were folded over and stuffed into paper sleeves that were open on both ends. They all, naturally, have a subscription crease at a minimum and others have wear/mailing damage at the top and or bottom in the middle of the book. Not really sure how I arrived at the bonehead notion that this was a good idea. I had plenty of access to books off the rack at a local independent grocery store and was heading out to at least one or two LCS's at least twice a month. In any case, I now have the delightful opportunity to pay many dollars for books I could have had for a quarter. Young and foolish. I've been trying to pick up higher-grade raw copies of Bronze Age ASM's of which I have had only subscription copies for over 45 years. Here's an upgrade from today's mail, courtesy of @ft88
I was very fortunate to have discovered mail order at an early age. I did have a subscription starting around ASM 193 or so, but many of my earlier issues were all from mail order.
My $3 mail order ASM 129 was around an cgc 8.0.
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On 11/23/2022 at 12:18 PM, Get Marwood & I said:
Still got this though
Now who's being a show off?
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On 11/22/2022 at 11:38 AM, Get Marwood & I said:
That's superb, isn't it
.thumb.jpg.46e399968545386c2e516086c1dc0c22.jpg)
It is truly a gem. I was literally going to come over here and post that exact same image Steve, that's how inspired I was with it (and bored at work, if I am honest).
Notice how Frank Giacoia reduced the number of rows of webbing on Spidey's mask from 4 down to 3. I think I like Ross's original better.
Oh, does anyone think Punisher looked good with blue boots? It's a big no from me.
- ADAMANTIUM and FoggyNelson
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On 11/22/2022 at 11:10 AM, Lee B. said:
Hi Reggie and all! A few weeks ago I shared an image of a vintage photocopy of the partially inked page-one splash art to Amazing Spider-Man #129. This image was part of a full set of vintage photocopies of the complete interior art to ASM #129 from the Dave Hunt estate. When he started out at Marvel in the early 1970s, Dave sat in the Marvel Bullpen next to Frank Giacoia. Dave and Frank would work on issues of ASM together, with Dave inking the backgrounds and Frank inking the main characters. I assume that Dave made and kept photocopies of his inks on the partially inked pages to document his contributions to the finished art. Dave's estate has decided to auction this set of vintage photocopies at ComicLink:
I'm sorry I was not able to scan more images before this went to ComicLink, but ComicLink has provided a few additional scans. And any of you can now own it, with the auction proceeds going to Dave's family. Please feel free to share the auction listing. Thanks! Best regards, Lee
@Lee B., too funny, I just found this today on comiclink and was going to post about it.
I always thought Dave brought so much to Amazing Spider-Man.
I hope this goes for a billion dollars (although my salary would not be able to pay anywhere near its worth).
Thanks for bringing this to the attention of our little thread. Just an incredible find.
- FoggyNelson and ADAMANTIUM
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On 11/22/2022 at 6:26 PM, MGsimba77 said:
Yes Andru was on a pretty good tear by that time. I'm almost sure those 2 were from the same submission. Both came from Lone star comics.
Really nice books. If I ever were to replace some of my fondest issues, that ASM 145 would be one of them.
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On 11/21/2022 at 1:08 PM, MGsimba77 said:
Seems like only yesterday my older brother and I were picking up issue 145 off the stands. Absolutely love that issue.
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Thanks for the kind words Steve.
As you and I have discussed before, the problem with the thread format is that this post will eventually reach the bottom of the bin, never to be looked at again. The data, like all your research, would be better served in a permanent gallery, where others could find it more readily.
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On 11/14/2022 at 12:54 AM, Get Marwood & I said:
Nicely done, Reggie, as always. I wonder if we should have a competition to write the missing dialogue for page two? It looks like one of those 'maybe a bit of web-swinging will banish the blues' type pages when Spidey was down in the dumps due to his life being a pile of it. Although the 'blues' on this occasion may have been more of the monthly type, if you catch my drift?
What's the betting the dialogue was along the lines of 'I'll put on my special claws" then "My mask will keep my identity secret" etc. etc.
I bet you are correct on all fronts Steve. That page 2 does have a Parkeresque feel to it, no doubt.
I've seen some of these pages identified with different numbers, but for the most part, I think I have it correct.
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On 11/13/2022 at 7:59 PM, Metarog said:
Very cool to see this almost complete. I’ve heard it was worked on but didn’t know how close. Thanks for all your efforts buddy… been a long time.👋
Sure has my friend. Miss the days of the Variant Mafia.
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Thanks @ADAMANTIUM! Not sure I really had a tone per se. I read on another board someone said they would like to see the book put back together, so I thought I would give it a shot. I don't think I would have exactly enjoyed this story, but hard to tell without some of the missing pages and dialogue.
I like the Fradon/Mooney combination, and I enjoyed Ramona's new take on the Cat's costume design as well. Would have been interesting to see what color it would have been. Ramona has drew it apart from this issue and colored it red. Hmmm.....
- Prince Namor and ADAMANTIUM
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Could this have been the planned cover for Beware! The Claws of the Cat? Preliminary by Gil Kane, unidentified superheroine. Note how similar it is to the cover he drew for Ghost Rider #2, published in Oct. 1973.
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I'm not even sure why I started this project, as I have never collected any issue of the Beware! The Claws of the Cat series. I was a fan of Tigra though, so maybe that is reason enough.
I wanted to see if I could put the entire story together from the unpublished issue #5, written by Linda Fite, drawn by Ramona Fradon, and inked (some pages, maybe not all were inked though) by Jim Mooney. Had it been published, it would have had a cover date of August 1973.
I own none of the art below and have cobbled the story together from various sources. Below each page, I wrote out the story, as I didn't know how well some of these scans would show the dialogue. There are some pages missing, and some pages that only have pencils and are not lettered. This is everything that I can find so far.
Page 1:
Splash: ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY), GREER NELSON - - A.K.A THE CAT - - DOES NOT SUSPECT THAT THE SNARE BEING SET BY A SINISTER SORCERESS WILL SOON MAKE HER…
SPELLBOUND!
No lettered page available.
Page 3:
Panel 1: The Cat thinking “MY FEET CLAWS ARE STRONGER, TOO - - EVERY ACTION IS SMOOTH AND PRECEISE…”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “THEY RESPONSE MORE DIRECTLY TO THE MOVEMENTS OF MY MUSCLES AND TENDONS.”
Panel 3: The Cat thinking “NOW FOR A GOOD TEST - - ”
Panel 4: The Cat exclaiming “IF ANY OF THIS UNDATED EQUIPMENT IS FAULTY, I’LL FIND OUT - - --THE HARD WAY!”
Panel 5: The Cat exclaiming “SUCCESS!”
Panel 6: The Cat thinking “THINK ILL HEAD OVER TO LOOP. I’M STARTING TO FEEL BETTER- - NOTHING BEATS EXERCISE FOR MAKING YOU FEEL ALIVE - -
--EXCEPT FALLING IN LOVE.”
Panel 7: The Cat thinking “BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY -- WHOOPEE. IF YOU’RE SO DARN COOL, GREER - - WHY AREN’T YOU DOWN THERE TRIPPING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC?”
Page 4:
Panel 1: Story Dialogue A GENT IN BLUE PROVIDES THE ANSWER:
Cop 1 exclaiming “HEY CAL! THERE SHE IS - - THE CAT!”
Cop 2, Cal, responding “OKAY - - LET’S GET HER.”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “WHA – THE POLCIEMAN HAS HIS GUN DRAWN!”
Cop 1 exclaiming “COME DOWN HERE! WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU.”
Panel 3: The Cat thinking “I THOUGHT THEY WERE ON MY SIDE AFTER I ROUNDED UP MAN-BULL.”*
*Editor’s note reads: LAST ISH, REMEMBER?- - R.
Panel 4: The Cat thinking “BUT THAT GUN TELLS ME IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO.”
Cop 1 exclaiming “STOP OR I’LL SHOOT!”
Panel 5: The Cat thinking “MY LORD! HE MEANS IT! THOSE BULLETS ARE REAL!”
Panel 6: The Cat thinking “NO WARNING SHOTS - - NO EXPLAINATION. WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH THOSE GUYS?”
Panel 7: The Cat thinking “I DON’T KNOW - - BUT I’M NOT HANGING AROUND TO FIND OUT.”
Page 5:
Panel 1: The Cat exclaiming “GADS! THEY MUST BE PSYCHIC!”
Cop 1 exclaiming “HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! YOU’RE UNDER SUSPICTION- -“ “- - FOR MUDRDER AND KIDNAPPING.”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “MURDER? WHAT’S HE TALKING ABOUT?”
Panel 3: Cop 2 exclaiming “DON’T SHOOT HER, ORTIZ. SHE’LL FALL TO HER DEATH…AND WE’LL NEVER KNOW WHERE LAKUYA IS.”
Panel 4: Story Dialogue SUCCESSFUL EVADING HER PURSUERS, GREER MAKIES IT BACK TO HER APARTMENT.
The Cat thinking “MURDER?? AND KIDNAPPING?” “WHY DO THEY THINK I’M INVOLVED?”
Panel 5: The Cat thinking “I’LL SHEE IF THERE’S ANY INFO ABOUT THIS ON THE TUBE- -“
TV SET ANNOUNCING “… FEAR THAT LAKUYA HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED. POLICE ALSO REPORT THAT THE MISSING ANGOLAN ENVOY’S CHAUFFEUR WAS FOUND DEAD NEAR THE CAR, ALLEGEDLY CLAWED AND TORN AS IF BY SOME WILD BEAST.”
No page available.
Panel 1: Greer speaking “WOW! THIS HOUSE IS FANTASTIC! HAVE YOU LIVED HERE LONG?”
Graymalkin speaking “MY FAMILY HAS OWNED IT FOR FIVE GENERATIONS! WOULD YOU LIKE SOME TEA?”
Panel 2: Graymalkin speaking “THIS IS MY OWN SPECIAL BLEND... I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.”
Panel 3: Greer thinking “THIS WOMAN IS NO CRANK - - I SENSE A POWERFUL FORCE AT WORK.” Greer speaking “MMM… IT’S STRANGE - - BUT GOOD.”
Graymalkin thinking “THIS GIRL IS NO MERE GRADUATE STUDENT - - “ Graymalkin asking “NOW, WHAT CAN I TELL YOU, MISS D’AMATO?”
Panel 4: Greer responding “WELL, I’VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THE …THE…I…WANTED TO ASK IF … UNH…”
Graymalkin asking “ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, MISS D’AMATO?”
Panel 5: Graymalkin words swirling around Greer’s head “ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?” “ARE YOU ALL RIGHT??” “ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?”
Page 8:
Panel 1: Story Dialogue GREER’S MIND REELS…HIDEOUS HALLUCINATIONS LOOM BEFORE HER CLOSED LIDS - -
Greer thinking “THE TEA … SHOULD HAVE KNOWN… SO CARELESS…”
Panel 2: Story Dialogue QUICKLY GREER LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS - -
Panel 3: Story Dialogue ONLY TO AWAKE AN UNDETERMINED PERIOD LATER IN A CLAMMY, VAULTED…
Greer exclaiming “DUNGEON?!”
Panel 4: Story Dialogue SUDDENLY A DOOR CRASHES OPEN, AND A WEIRD PROCESSION ENTERS - -
Panel 5: Greer thinking “IT’S GRAYMALKIN - - AND THE WHOLE COVEN OF WITCHES. THEY HAVE A MAN TIED UP - - IT MUST BE LAKUYA!”
No lettered page available.
Page 10:
No page available.
No lettered page available.
No lettered page available. This page was slated to be deleted per note on top of the art board.
Page 12 (note the number 12 written in pencil over 13 on top of page):
Panel 1: The Cat thinking “IF IT WEREN’T FOR THIS MASK, I’D HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING, TOO…”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “GOT TO SHIFT THIS STONE COVER.”
Panel 3: Story Dialogue SLOWLY, GREER PUSHES OPEN AN EGRESS - - AND CLIMBS OUT INTO THE MOONLIT GARDEN.
Panel 4: Story Dialogue SWIFTLY SHE GLIDES ACROSS THE SHADOWED LAWN
Panel 5: Story Dialogue WITH SILENT STEPS, SHE APPROACHES THE GREAT HOUSE.
Page 13 (note the number 13 written in blue pencil over 14 on top of page):
Panel 1: The Cat thinking “NO LIGHTS ON DOWN HERE - - ”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “AH! THERE’S SOMETHING - - UP ON THE SECOND FLOOR.”
Panel 4: Story Dialogue THE CAT CLIMBS UP WARILY, PEERS IN THE GOTHIC-ARCHED WINDOW - -
Panel 5: Story Dialogue - - AND IS STUNNED BY THE LOOMING, HIDEOUS FANTASMS CAVORTING AND CATERWAULING IN THE FIRELIGHT.
Page 14 (note the number 14 written in blue pencil over 15 on top of page):
Panel 1: The Cat thinking “MY LORD! GRAYMALKIN DIDN’T LIE! THERE’S LAKUYA - - ”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “- - CONNECTED TO A CAT BY SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT.”
Panel 3: Story Dialogue THE FRENZIED CRIES INSIDE BECOME MUFFLED AND CONCENTRATED IN AN UNITELLIGIBLE CHANT.
Panel 4: Story Dialogue ONE MACBRE FIGURE REACHES FOR A LEVER, AND - -
Page 15 (note the number 15 written in pencil over 16 on top of page):
Panel 1: Story Dialogue - - THE CAT CRASHES THROUGH THE WINDOW!
Panel 2: The Cat asking “WHAT’S WRONG HAZEL? NO QUICK SPELL TO STOP A RIGHT FIST?”
Panel 4: The Cat saying “SORRY TO STOP THE AUDITION. YOU WERE SINGING SO NICELY, TOO” The Cat thinking “EACH OF THESE CREATURES IS FEROCIOUS - - AND LETHAL.”
Panel 1: The Cat saying “IF I EVER PRODUCE A ROCK OPERA OF MACBETH, I’LL CALL YOU.”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “UNCONSCIOUS! CAN’T ESCAPE NOW - - I MUST FIND GRAYMALKIN!”
Panel 3: The Cat thinking “SO MANY OF THEM - - THEY SEEM TO SPRING FROM NOWHERE.”
Panel 4: The Cat stating “THIS SHOULD MAKE YOU HARPIES COOL DOWN A WHILE.”
Panel 5: The Cat thinking “THEY APPEAR TO BE …SHRINKING?”
Panel 6: The Cat saying “WHA - - ? OH NO!”
Page 17 (note the number 17 written in pencil over 18 on top of page):
Panel 1: The Cat exclaiming “THE ASPCA WOULD NEVER APPROVE OF THIS - - EVEN IF I TOLD THEM THESE AREN’T ORDINARY CATS!”
Panel 2: The Cat saying “I TRUST YOU FELINES HAVEN’T USED UP YOUR QUOTA OF LIVES.”
Panel 3: Story Dialogue WITHOUT WARNING, THE CATS THEMSELVES SEEMED TO CHANGE - - INTO TOWERING BEASTS…
Panel 4: Story Dialogue …BEASTS OF FICTION, NIGHTMARE CREATURES, MENACING AND
TERRIFYING.
Panel 1: Story Dialogue NOT TRUSTING HER EYES, GREER IS FORCED TO BELIEF BY THE DEADLY COLD TOUCH OF A SCALY TALON.
Panel 2: Story Dialogue A SHOCK WAVE OF FORCE SLAMS GREER AGAINST THE WALL - -
Panel 3: The Cat thinking “IT - - IT’S OPENING!”
Panel 4: The Cat exclaiming “GRAYMALKIN! YOU’VE CREATED THESE MONSTERS SCIENTIFICALLY!”
Panel 5: Graymalkin exclaiming “KEEP AWAY! MY SYSTEM TOOK YEARS TO PERFECT!”
Panel 6: The Cat exclaiming “YOUR SYSTEM…ILLUSIONS? HOLOGRAMS? WHAT? WHATEVER THOSE MONSTERS ARE MADE OF - - I’M GOING TO STOP THEM!”
Graymalkin exclaiming “NO! NO! YOU MUSTN’T RIP AT THOSE WIRES - - THE BALANCE IS TOO DELICATE!”
Panel 7: Story Dialogue THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE EQUIPMENT HAS A STRANGE EFFECT ON THE PUPPET-MONSTERS...
Page 19:
Panel 1: Story Dialogue THEIR ELECTRO-STRINGS ARE FIGURATIVELY CUT, AND THEY ATTACK THEIR CREATOR - -
Graymalkin yelling “AIEEEE!”
Panel 2: The Cat thinking “I HAVE TO WORK FAST! THE ONLY WAY TO DESTROY THE BEASTS IS TO DESTROY THE SYSTEM.”
Story Dialogue SUDDENLY - - SILENCE!
Panel 3: Story Dialogue THE MONSTROUS SHAPES, WITCHES, CATS’ CARCASSES, AND ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF SOCERY - - ALL GONE!
The Cat thinking “NOTHING … NOTHING AT ALL. THE SYSTEM BLEW - - AND EVERYTHING WENT WITH IT. BUT HOW? GRAYMALKIN MUST HAVE ESCAPED.”
Panel 4: Story Dialogue GREER HURRIES OVER TO LAKUYA’S INERT BODY.
The Cat thinking “HE’S WEAK AND EXHAUSTED, BUT HE’S FINE. I’LL CALL THE POLICE FROM A PHONE BOOTH AND TELL THEM WHERE HE IS - - ANONYMOUSLY.”
Panel 5: The Cat thinking “LAKUYA’S STORY WILL CLEAR THE CAT WITH THE AUTHORITIES.”
“AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOCATE GRAYMALKIN - - IF SHE’S AROUND.”
Panel 6: Story Dialogue THE DUSKY DAWN STREETS OF CHICAGO HOLD NO CLUE IN THE MYSTERY OF A NOW EMPTY MANSION - -
WHERE THE CAT DANCED LAST NIGHT WITH DEATH AND THE DEVIL.
THE END
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On 10/29/2022 at 8:01 AM, Get Marwood & I said:
Spot on Reggie. I think Buscema was the first time I really noticed different art styles as a kid (in the UK weeklies) but the end of the Andru run was more or less the end of Spidey, for me. Some good followed of course, but those first 185 issues are Spidey, and always will be.
Funny, with my collection long sold, I only have reprints of the stories now. Typically, my reprints stop at Amazing Spider-Man 185.
- BigLeagueCHEW and FoggyNelson
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On 10/29/2022 at 4:25 AM, Get Marwood & I said:
I know this will probably sound silly, and the memory cheats of course, but I'm sure this story was the first time I was consciously aware that 'someone else' was drawing Spidey.
The first time I really noticed was when Ross left after issue 185. Issue 186 was just so different and unappealing to me. I sometimes say that it was the end of my Bronze Age. Ross's departure from Amazing Spider-Man really resonated with me as a twelve year old.
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Not Ross Andru, but pure Bronze Age cross-over goodness. Sal Buscema and Frank Giacoia from Nova 12, which leads into the fondly remembered Amazing Spider-Man 171. I collected Nova as well as the Amazing Spider-Man, so this was a match made in heaven.
- BigLeagueCHEW and Buzzetta
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On 10/28/2022 at 3:21 PM, BuscemasAvengers said:
Substitute Spider-Man for Supergirl on this cover and it would have fit right in with Ross's and Frank's work on the Amazing Spider-Man.
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True or False Ross Andru drew the Black Costume Spidey.
True actually.
Here is the rare event from The Spider-Man Graphic Novel: Fear Itself from February 1992, 21 months before he passed. Inks by Mike Esposito.
I love Mr. Andru's work, but I felt the work in this issue wasn't quite as polished as usual.
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On 10/15/2022 at 11:17 AM, MAR1979 said:
My first slabbed Andru ASM is back. Perhaps the 1974 Andru ASM's I submitted Econ early Nov 2021 will be back this year?
A $18 1999 con raw purchase from Motor City - BTW my strips indicated White Pages, did CGC pay their overhead lighting bills?
Nice book.
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I did some searches on the Grand Comic Database, but I couldn't find the story.
Here is the link https://www.comics.org
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On 10/10/2022 at 5:29 PM, Get Marwood & I said:Thinking about it, I wonder how Ross felt when he saw parts of his art redrawn by John?
It happened a few times after all (ASM #185's Spidey face)
Do we think Ross was OK with it, or silently simmering? My money's on the latter.
Maybe John based Peter's expression on Ross's, when he saw how he reacted to amendments...
Here's what John said "I think the greatest thing Ross did was the Spider-Man vs Superman cross over. I have told many people at many conventions that I don’t know of anybody who could have done a better job on a huge project like that. It’s high profile, you’re out there exposed, and he did the best job I’ve ever seen on such a big project. That’s one of my favorite books of all time. I did work with him on that book because I was the consultant for Marvel and Stan sort of insisted that every once in a while I touch up a Mary Jane Watson face, or a Peter Parker face. You might find a couple of my faces sticking out like a sore thumb in that book."
I think Ross would have been the ultimate professional, thanking John for his help, but I do feel deep inside he would have been like us all, feeling somewhat slighted. I also felt John is sincere in that Stan told him to make the corrections. (I meet John Romita back in 2006, incredibly nice and humble guy.)
I think Neal Adams did a lot more corrections on Superman, than John did on Spidey, PP, or MJ, though.
I think the book is amazing, so the final project may have stepped on some artistic toes, but to me, it's near perfect.
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On 10/10/2022 at 3:06 PM, Get Marwood & I said:
Phew.
Now, you're good at these - where is this Spidey pose from?
Is it an Andru?
And does he have two right feet?
That's from Superman vs the Amazing Spider-Man
No, I don't think it is Andru.
Yes, two right feet.
.jpg.6790e80a066632dd37f3a08fdde7af7a.jpg)
As you and I have discussed before, the problem with the thread format is that this post will eventually reach the bottom of the bin, never to be looked at again. The data, like all your research, would be better served in a permanent gallery, where others could find it more readily.
Ross Andru's Amazing Spider-Man Club
in Bronze Age Comic Books
Posted
A quick read through the beginning of the Amazing Spider-Man series shows me that the first usage of "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" appears to be in Amazing Spider-Man #17 (Marvel, 1963).
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/recent-updates/origin-spider-mans-friendly-neighborhood/#:~:text=A quick read through the,17 (Marvel%2C 1963).