Romita JR Marvel Try Out Art?

[sniderwj]

So I got this page a few years back off of ebay. The seller didn't have much info on it. It was a throw in with some Spider-Man #1s I bought. The top says Marvel Try Out and John Romita JR signed it on the bottom. There is a date stamp of 1984 on the back but the Romita Sig says 90.

 

I figured since I joined the boards I would throw it to you guys and gals. Don't know if it really is authentic or not. I still like the page but I was wondering if anyone has seen this sorta thing or some place that I could authenticate it.

 

 

Thanks

-Wes

 

 

[comix4fun]

The 1984 date doesn't make sense as a try out page.

 

By 1984 JRJR had been the regular artist on Iron Man, starting in 1978, and then on Amazing Spider-man, starting in 1980. He had moved on to being the regular X-men artist in 1984....

 

Hard to say what this is, and reconcile it with the date on the back.

 

The style looks a lot like his 1980 ASM style, by 1984 he had moved on to another distinctive look.

 

C

 

 

[wurstisart]

There used to be a Marvel Try Out book outlining and focusing on what all the jobs mean in the business. There was an unfinished pencil work story in blue lines if I remember correctly that you could try to ink, letter, etc. and then submit to Marvel.

 

The book was some sort of a contest encouraging up-and-coming comics creators to try their hand at getting a job with the Marvel. The winner actually got offered a professional job at Marvel.

 

By the way...the winner of the contest was Mark Bagley !!

[Pirate]

The 1984 date doesn't make sense as a try out page.

 

By 1984 JRJR had been the regular artist on Iron Man, starting in 1978, and then on Amazing Spider-man, starting in 1980. He had moved on to being the regular X-men artist in 1984....

 

Hard to say what this is, and reconcile it with the date on the back.

 

The style looks a lot like his 1980 ASM style, by 1984 he had moved on to another stinky look.

 

C

 

 

fixed that for you

[sniderwj]

There used to be a Marvel Try Out book outlining and focusing on what all the jobs mean in the business. There was an unfinished pencil work story in blue lines if I remember correctly that you could try to ink, letter, etc. and then submit to Marvel.

 

The book was some sort of a contest encouraging up-and-coming comics creators to try their hand at getting a job with the Marvel. The winner actually got offered a professional job at Marvel.

 

By the way...the winner of the contest was Mark Bagley !!

 

Hmmmm

 

That might make some sense. It sounds as if the book itself had a replica 11x17 page for the drawing. At first I was thinking that it might just be one of those that somone did and eventually got JR to sign. But since it doesn't have a crease in the middle I guess I'm safe?

 

Might it be one of the finished pages that was supposed to be colored in?

 

Here's the wiki link on the book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Try-out_Book

 

 

[comix4fun]

The 1984 date doesn't make sense as a try out page.

 

By 1984 JRJR had been the regular artist on Iron Man, starting in 1978, and then on Amazing Spider-man, starting in 1980. He had moved on to being the regular X-men artist in 1984....

 

Hard to say what this is, and reconcile it with the date on the back.

 

The style looks a lot like his 1980 ASM style, by 1984 he had moved on to another stinky look.

 

C

 

 

fixed that for you

 

 

 

 

[sniderwj]

 

Do love that Man Without Fear cover. That was one of my favorite series.

[2 Sharpe's Collecting]

So I got this page a few years back off of ebay. The seller didn't have much info on it. It was a throw in with some Spider-Man #1s I bought. The top says Marvel Try Out and John Romita JR signed it on the bottom. There is a date stamp of 1984 on the back but the Romita Sig says 90.

 

I figured since I joined the boards I would throw it to you guys and gals. Don't know if it really is authentic or not. I still like the page but I was wondering if anyone has seen this sorta thing or some place that I could authenticate it.

 

 

Thanks

-Wes

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Wes,

That's an authentic page and was indeed published in the Official Marvel Comics Try-Out Book. The first three pages of the book were completed pages, written by Jim Shooter, penciled by Romita Jr and inked by Al Milgrom, as examples of guidance for those taking the challenge.

As to the 1984 date stamp, I think that is legit because the book was published in 1983. I also agree with Comix4fun that the art looks like it's from Romita's early 80's period, but, attribute that to the likelihood that it was an inventory job, resurrected for this project.

It's a terrific page and an excellent example of Romita at that stage of his career.

Best,

Jeff Sharpe

[SignatureSelect]

So I got this page a few years back off of ebay. The seller didn't have much info on it. It was a throw in with some Spider-Man #1s I bought. The top says Marvel Try Out and John Romita JR signed it on the bottom. There is a date stamp of 1984 on the back but the Romita Sig says 90.

 

I figured since I joined the boards I would throw it to you guys and gals. Don't know if it really is authentic or not. I still like the page but I was wondering if anyone has seen this sorta thing or some place that I could authenticate it.

 

 

Thanks

-Wes

 

 

Maybe it is from the Marvel Try-out book that was released in the 80's.

[sniderwj]

So I got this page a few years back off of ebay. The seller didn't have much info on it. It was a throw in with some Spider-Man #1s I bought. The top says Marvel Try Out and John Romita JR signed it on the bottom. There is a date stamp of 1984 on the back but the Romita Sig says 90.

 

I figured since I joined the boards I would throw it to you guys and gals. Don't know if it really is authentic or not. I still like the page but I was wondering if anyone has seen this sorta thing or some place that I could authenticate it.

 

Thanks

-Wes

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Wes,

That's an authentic page and was indeed published in the Official Marvel Comics Try-Out Book. The first three pages of the book were completed pages, written by Jim Shooter, penciled by Romita Jr and inked by Al Milgrom, as examples of guidance for those taking the challenge.

As to the 1984 date stamp, I think that is legit because the book was published in 1983. I also agree with Comix4fun that the art looks like it's from Romita's early 80's period, but, attribute that to the likelihood that it was an inventory job, resurrected for this project.

It's a terrific page and an excellent example of Romita at that stage of his career.

Best,

Jeff Sharpe

 

Jeff

 

Thanks for the info! That is really pretty cool seeing the page in its color. Now I have a mission to get the book and maybe the other pages

[Dumur]

and you're saying you got this page as a "throw in" with some comics you bought??? Wow. That's a pretty nice throw in.

[sniderwj]

Yeah the auction was for the Black Spider-Man 1 cover, the green cover signed by McFarlane, and the art was secondary. I don't even think that the art was listed in the title.

 

At the time I hadn't really thought of OA as something I wanted so I thought it was a cool thing to have. Didn't know what I actually had.