Ross Andru's Amazing Spider-Man Club 9 9

[Spider-Variant]

On 7/16/2022 at 4:32 PM, cosmic-spider-man said:

Hey Reggie, This is my favorite thread on the boards I check it out often.  ASM #151 was the first issue I ever bought and it is so cool to know Ross Andru's Art was based on real places, love the photos of the Incinerator.  

I started my run with issue 153, although my older brother had 145, 148, and 150 in that time frame.  All these issues harken me back to my nine year old self.  

I started tracking down Ross's real life references about 3 years ago and I am still amazed at the lengths he went to put NYC in the Amazing Spider-Man.  Wish I had known him, or at least met him once.

[BigLeagueCHEW]

On 7/15/2022 at 6:48 AM, Spider-Variant said:

Here are two more comparisons from Issues 151 and 180 that I found after posting above.

These make me ask a couple of questions

1) How did Ross get access to this area?  He surely took some very detailed pictures and at angles that can't be obtained from afar.

2)  Why did Ross put so much energy into making his art so real to life?  He wasn't getting paid for detail and would have been on a tight schedule.  The man most definitely loved his craft.

 

The man loved what he did, I am sure he was a perfectionist and didn't turn in his work until it was perfect. I love it, thanks for putting this together for us.

[Spider-Variant]

On 7/17/2022 at 11:37 AM, BigLeagueCHEW said:

The man loved what he did, I am sure he was a perfectionist and didn't turn in his work until it was perfect. I love it, thanks for putting this together for us.

Thanks.  Labor of love my friend.  The detail Ross borrowed from that incinerator plant is ridiculous.  There is a light on the side of the structure with the garage chutes that Ross depicted.  It adds no value artistically, but he wanted to have it match exactly.  When I see little items like this, I know Ross used a real life reference.

[Spider-Variant]

I had time to look more deeply at the images Ross drew of the Gravesend Incinerator in both ASM 151 and ASM 180 (which was one of the issues that was the impetus for this thread).

I have always believed that after Dave Hunt left the background inking chores in ASM 170, the level of detail dropped significantly on the series.  For example, the comparison between the incinerator drawn in ASM 151 (with background inks by Dave) and in ASM 180 (with inks by Mike Esposito) are day and night to me.

But in looking at a similar panel comparisons from each issue of the incinerator and supporting equipment (that's an electrostatic precipitator for those playing at home) that Ross drew, the art in issue 180 was more accurate.  I found that odd. 

Until I starting digging deeper.

It looks like Dave completely missed a line or two that outlines the electrostatic precipitator in issue 151.  The small platform support legs don't connect to anything, or worse, they connect to the stack.  From those legs down to the next platform, the stack should not be visible in that area.  It should be blocked by the electrostatic precipitator wall on that side.

But even Mike has a slight faux pas as well, as he converts on ladderway to a duct on his ink job.  One could possibly argue the colorist got it incorrect, I suppose.

The other thing to note is that Ross intentionally shifted the left-most stack more leftward, for effect I would imagine, and he did it in both issues.  He was very consistent in using the same alterations when he used the same reference in different issues.   

 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Spider-Variant

[Spider-Variant]

And speaking of electrostatic precipitators, look what Ross drew in GSSM #5, which came out about five months before ASM 151.

It looks like Ross was very familiar with this site.

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by Spider-Variant

[Spider-Variant]

Ross Andru's last penciled page featuring Spider-Man on his run on Amazing Spider-Man.  I personally never enjoyed the White Dragon as a villain, as I felt he would have lasted about one minute in a battle with Spidey.

Lots of action on this page.  

 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

The latest Overstreet finally gets around to it:

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/5/2022 at 3:25 PM, Spider-Variant said:

I personally never enjoyed the White Dragon as a villain, as I felt he would have lasted about one minute in a battle with Spidey.

Indeed. One WANG! and he was out cold.

What a WANG!ker 

[Spider-Variant]

On 8/6/2022 at 1:44 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

The latest Overstreet finally gets around to it:

Nice find Steve!

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/6/2022 at 8:35 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Nice find Steve!

 

I started reading the HOF section and thought it was a bit off that they hadn't yet included him - turned the page and he was the first new entry! 

[Spider-Variant]

Another Xerox from the late Dave Hunt, who was the background inker on Amazing Spider-Man 127 through 170. From Dave, the original art board would go to primary inker, Frank Giacoia for this issue, ASM 134.

As noted on another post, the Tarantula's henchmen were to have spiders on their mask, but they were wisely inked out on the finished page.

Giacoia really softens Flash's face in the fourth and seventh panels.

The notes at the bottom of the page read "You wouldn't try if you didn't" below the seventh panel and "Ok, then Mac" below the last panel. I guess they loosely relate to the story, maybe Ross adding notes for pacing his panels. I always find these interesting.

I heard Gerry Conway say in an recent interview that he thought Ross's character designs were more dynamic than Romita's, and he referenced the Tarantula as an example, over the Gibbon and even the Shocker.

I have to agree in this instance, as I have always loved the Tarantula as a villain.

[FoggyNelson]

On 8/12/2022 at 5:23 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Another Xerox from the late Dave Hunt, who was the background inker on Amazing Spider-Man 127 through 170. From Dave, the original art board would go to primary inker, Frank Giacoia for this issue, ASM 134.

As noted on another post, the Tarantula's henchmen were to have spiders on their mask, but they were wisely inked out on the finished page.

Giacoia really softens Flash's face in the fourth and seventh panels.

The notes at the bottom of the page read "You wouldn't try if you didn't" below the seventh panel and "Ok, then Mac" below the last panel. I guess they loosely relate to the story, maybe Ross adding notes for pacing his panels. I always find these interesting.

I heard Gerry Conway say in an recent interview that he thought Ross's character designs were more dynamic than Romita's, and he referenced the Tarantula as an example, over the Gibbon and even the Shocker.

I have to agree in this instance, as I have always loved the Tarantula as a villain.

Thanks for posting👍This is cool👍🥓❤️

[sagii]

On 8/6/2022 at 1:44 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

The latest Overstreet finally gets around to it:

Well deserved!

[BigLeagueCHEW]

On 8/12/2022 at 2:23 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Another Xerox from the late Dave Hunt, who was the background inker on Amazing Spider-Man 127 through 170. From Dave, the original art board would go to primary inker, Frank Giacoia for this issue, ASM 134.

As noted on another post, the Tarantula's henchmen were to have spiders on their mask, but they were wisely inked out on the finished page.

Giacoia really softens Flash's face in the fourth and seventh panels.

The notes at the bottom of the page read "You wouldn't try if you didn't" below the seventh panel and "Ok, then Mac" below the last panel. I guess they loosely relate to the story, maybe Ross adding notes for pacing his panels. I always find these interesting.

I heard Gerry Conway say in an recent interview that he thought Ross's character designs were more dynamic than Romita's, and he referenced the Tarantula as an example, over the Gibbon and even the Shocker.

I have to agree in this instance, as I have always loved the Tarantula as a villain.

Love the story behind this and the OA

[BigLeagueCHEW]

On 8/12/2022 at 3:23 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Another Xerox from the late Dave Hunt, who was the background inker on Amazing Spider-Man 127 through 170. From Dave, the original art board would go to primary inker, Frank Giacoia for this issue, ASM 134.

As noted on another post, the Tarantula's henchmen were to have spiders on their mask, but they were wisely inked out on the finished page.

Giacoia really softens Flash's face in the fourth and seventh panels.

The notes at the bottom of the page read "You wouldn't try if you didn't" below the seventh panel and "Ok, then Mac" below the last panel. I guess they loosely relate to the story, maybe Ross adding notes for pacing his panels. I always find these interesting.

I heard Gerry Conway say in an recent interview that he thought Ross's character designs were more dynamic than Romita's, and he referenced the Tarantula as an example, over the Gibbon and even the Shocker.

I have to agree in this instance, as I have always loved the Tarantula as a villain.

 Between 130-140 is 134 your favorite issue?

[Spider-Variant]

On 8/28/2022 at 4:01 PM, BigLeagueCHEW said:

 Between 130-140 is 134 your favorite issue?

It actually probably is.  Love the Tarantula and loved the art in this issue.  Issue 136 is pretty good too.  Both covers are great.

[BigLeagueCHEW]

On 8/28/2022 at 9:55 PM, Spider-Variant said:

It actually probably is.  Love the Tarantula and loved the art in this issue.  Issue 136 is pretty good too.  Both covers are great.

Both still on my list. Just waiting for an opp to pick them both up.

[Spider-Variant]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:18 AM, BigLeagueCHEW said:

Both still on my list. Just waiting for an opp to pick them both up.

I didn't start collecting until ASM 153, so all of these issues I got through mail in offers.  Best time of my collecting life.  Loved the feeling of opening those Spider-Man comics and reading these stories for the first time.  Best days of my youth.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/29/2022 at 7:43 PM, Spider-Variant said:

I didn't start collecting until ASM 153, so all of these issues I got through mail in offers.  Best time of my collecting life.  Loved the feeling of opening those Spider-Man comics and reading these stories for the first time.  Best days of my youth.

Roger that, Reggie!

I've said this a million times, but the day I saw the originals of ASM 176-180 hanging up in Rodney's in Barking, as a kid who thought the UK weekly reprints were all there was, is one of my enduring and happiest comic memories. That and when me and my brother found a load of comics on a spinner wrack on holiday in Great Yarmouth. The best times 

[Spider-Variant]

On 8/29/2022 at 2:54 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Roger that, Reggie!

I've said this a million times, but the day I saw the originals of ASM 176-180 hanging up in Rodney's in Barking, as a kid who thought the UK weekly reprints were all there was, is one of my enduring and happiest comic memories. That and when me and my brother found a load of comics on a spinner wrack on holiday in Great Yarmouth. The best times 

Oh, I worked on a project in Great Yarmouth a couple of years back.  Never got to go there though.