Frank Cho's First Pro Comic Work?

[SW3D]

Cheeky, Sexy and Paleolithic: Cavewoman: The Mature Version

 

Who doesn't know Frank Cho? The prolific and downright brilliant artist is an expert on the human figure, particularly the female body. In my opinion, the man is an initiate in the Wally Wood School of Eye-Candy Art: Beautiful Women with Ample Samples!

 

According to Frank Cho, on his amusing and risqué website, Cho states his first pro comic book work was a six-part piece he provided to Penthouse Comix, but it went unpublished: http://apesandbabes.com/frank-chos-first-professional-comic-work/. So technically, this doesn't qualify as his first published comic book work.

 

Thus I searched the high and low for what is considered his first legitimate published comic book work, and the only example I believe fits the bill is a cover he provided for Budd Root's Cavewoman: The Mature Version, in 1998. The publication date of 1998 pre-dates his Liberty Meadows comic book series for Insight Studios from 1999. "Uncle Frank's" been illustrating cartoon strips in college since the early to mid-90's, and Liberty Meadows first went into syndicated publishing as a comic strip in 1997, before it finally graced the four-color page in 1999.

 

So I ask those comic book experts reading this, "Would you agree, is Cavewoman: The Mature Version, cover art by Frank Cho, technically Frank Cho's first pro comic work?" If so, I'm happy to know I got a nice graded copy at 9.6 with White Pages, along with Frank Cho's signature when I had the privilege to meet him at NYComicCon this past October.

 

This beauty of a copy came by way of my favorite internet LCS: Lone Star/MyComicShop. They sold it as a Near Mint Plus, and sure enough, it came back graded a 9.6. According to the CGC Census, only five graded copies exist: three Blue Labels at 9.8, 9.4, and 9.2 respectively, and two Yellow Labels, my 9.6 and another at 9.4. So I'm delighted to know my copy is currently the highest graded Yellow Label of the two! Yippee!

 

Cavewoman creator Budd Root provides a really cool back cover, a horizontal illustration depicting the topless Cavewoman (whose true name is Meriem Cecilbie Cooper), standing beside Harmony (a T-Rex she rescued as a hatchling from Velociraptors), Klyde (her 15 Foot Gorilla friend), and a mini-dinosaur pal of hers, in their prehistoric habitat.

 

So what about this particular issue makes it a "Mature Version"? Well, this comic would fit right at home with the Penthouse Comix set. Fanboys of full front nudity will be delighted to know, there's plenty to see and little is left to the imagination. Root's illustrations are done tongue-n-cheek, so it's not perverse or pornographic... but it will still excite and titillate those looking for adult themed stuff.

 

Keep in mind, if you happen to obtain a copy, and you submit it to the CGC for grading, "Stains from Bodily Fluids" discovered on any pages will affect your grade. So be careful. Perhaps buying one copy for grading and another as an "reading copy" is in order.

 

SW3D

 

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[Ronnylama]

Frank Cho will be appearing at the ECCC this coming March....fun times

[SW3D]

Uncle Frank's the best! I would love to see him do an Angela or Wonder Woman illustration.

 

SW3D

[Garlanda]

Hmm, from what I can tell, I think this is Frank Cho's first professional comics work. I'm uncertain about "University Squared" though. If it's just reprints of his college newspaper strips, then I would not consider it a "first pro work" contender.

 

I always liked his smooth, clean lines and the way he blends "funny animal" and "good girl" styles, kind of an evolution of Jeff Smith. It's too bad he hasn't been able to keep up with Liberty Meadows, but hopefully he'll be able to get to a place where he can do his own work alongside his for-hire work.

[SW3D]

I also believe it to be FC's first pro work. Like you mentioned, University Squared is a comic strip from his college days and more than likely reprints.

 

I believe Cho on his website states Jeff Smith is one of his influences as well as Walt Kelley of Pogo Possum fame. Both Cho and Smith's styles are greatly inspired by Kelley's classic comic strips.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

SW3D