Spash pages as Covers (Ditko's ASM # 4 commission idea)

[Terry Doyle]

For a long time I've had little or no interest in cover re-creations (pointless exercise, I always thought). The one’s I’d seen, for the most part, looked amateurish (especially where the artists tried to re-create the logo and text elements, lettering being a real skill to master that few artists can successfully re-create). Even when the original artists were re-visiting their earlier works I often found the end-results disappointing.

 

Then I discovered Bruce McCorkindale's work and was really impressed with his re-dos of those classic images that are indelibly etched into our minds. Early 1960s Marvel cover art, except for a small handful of known surviving examples, is unlikely to exist (I certainly don't believe in any hidden stash waiting to re-surface).

 

Re-created covers are no real substitute for the (original) originals, of course (and I'm not kidding myself on that score) . . . but Bruce has an uncanny chameleon-like knack for replicating the work in close proximity to the original artist's craft. Above all, I'll just enjoy the imagery (and company) of old familiar friends . . .

 

I approached Bruce with this idea for a cover commission late last year and he was receptive to it and put me on his waiting list of clients. Something I was particularly looking forward to. I photo-shopped the image as a guide for Bruce (and also to re-assure myself that the idea worked) copy-and-pasting the splash image and adding cover elements (logo and text). It was a snug fit.

 

Bruce has performed this one admirably and I'm delighted with the end-result!

 

 

Published cover by Steve Ditko

 

My photo-shopped cover mock-up

 

 

Finished commission by Bruce McCorkindale

 

[Mr. Machismo]

Wow, nearly identical.

[AnkurJ]

Nicely done!

[JadeGiant]

very nice!

[koollectablz]

Ah I like this idea a lot!

 

Like yourself I see literally no point in having recreations done of covers and in fact think its a bit of a nefarious practice.

 

This though, great idea!

 

I have a panel page in mind of my own I think I'll get done.

[Mickey7]

This look great. I think this splash page would have made a better cover than the one they went with.

 

Is this commission done in pencil & ink? Just curious what the process is.

 

Very well done!

[Terry Doyle]

This look great. I think this splash page would have made a better cover than the one they went with.

 

Is this commission done in pencil & ink? Just curious what the process is.

 

Very well done!

 

Inks working from a template

[Terry Doyle]

Here's another cover idea, transposing splash page for cover, that I've requested (for when Bruce can slot me in on the waiting list).

 

This is a mock-up I've cobbled-together in photoshop. This is likely to include a vignette of the Vulture in the finished version. As such, likely to be revised (and improved upon) at the time.

 

I actually think the published (Vulture) cover cannot be bettered, but Bruce has re-created that one several times already and doesn't want to do it again.

 

The Tinkerer splash is very striking and features a terrific shot of Spidey. Bit of a lame villain, I know . . .

 

[glendgold]

Great idea. Prepare to be copied. Err...homaged.

[Nexus]

Great idea. Prepare to be copied. Err...homaged.

 

 

This twist is a lot of fun. Look forward to the next one!

[BCarter27]

Terrific idea!

[jimjum12]

ASM 4 would have been the first book I thought of in regards to using the splash for a cover. Another that pops immediately to mind is another ASM...... # 6. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)