Ross Andru's Amazing Spider-Man Club 9 9

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 12/31/2023 at 2:28 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Happy New Year 🎊🎊🕛🕛🕛🎊🎊

[Spider-Variant]

Happy New Year Everyone!

Edited January 1 by Spider-Variant

[ganni]

Happy New Year !!! 

[Spider-Variant]

Original art from ASM 180, page 2.  Pencils Andru, Inks Esposito.

Hey @Get Marwood & I, looking at the original art page, it feels Ditkoesque to me.  What say you?

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/6/2024 at 1:39 AM, Spider-Variant said:

Original art from ASM 180, page 2.  Pencils Andru, Inks Esposito.

Hey @Get Marwood & I, looking at the original art page, it feels Ditkoesque to me.  What say you?

 

Sonic toad  

I love that page Reggie. One of the issues that inspired me to start this thread. I think upside down Silvermane in the first panel has an unintentional Ditko 'Creeper' aura, but other than that, nay. It's Andru all the way.

[Spider-Variant]

On 1/6/2024 at 3:14 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Sonic toad  

I love that page Reggie. One of the issues that inspired me to start this thread. I think upside down Silvermane in the first panel has an unintentional Ditko 'Creeper' aura, but other than that, nay. It's Andru all the way.

The Goblin's face from the first panel and Spider-Man's awkwardness from the fifth panel both have a hint of Ditko's art.  

Funny, for years I really disliked Ditko's art, because I was comparing him to Romita and Andru.  I slowly began to appreciate Steve's early version on Spidey, but it took many years.  Every now and again I find Andru panels that remind me of something Ditko could have created.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/6/2024 at 4:48 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Funny, for years I really disliked Ditko's art, because I was comparing him to Romita and Andru.  I slowly began to appreciate Steve's early version on Spidey, but it took many years.  

I know what you mean. They're a bit like old and new Doctor Who's. They can be completely different, and one might be technically superior to the other, but you can still love both of them. 

[Spider-Variant]

I really liked Jim Mooney's inks over Ross's pencils, here from ASM 175.  I thought the inks were more defined than what Mike Esposito was doing toward the end of the run (see the last art board I posted from ASM 180 where I felt Mike was getting a little loose with his inking).

Really enjoyed this two part story with the Punisher and the Hitman.  I bought ASM 174 off the stands, but had to get ASM 175 via mail order.

This is the first original art that I have seen from issue 175.  I have been tracking Ross's art for sale or posted on sites for about 5-6 years, so to see a new page is always fun for me.

Edited January 11 by Spider-Variant
Additional information.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/11/2024 at 1:52 PM, Spider-Variant said:

I really liked Jim Mooney's inks over Ross's pencils, here from ASM 175.  I thought the inks were more defined than what Mike Esposito was doing toward the end of the run (see the last art board I posted from ASM 180 where I felt Mike was getting a little loose with his inking).

Really enjoyed this two part story with the Punisher and the Hitman.  I bought ASM 174 off the stands, but had to get ASM 175 via mail order.

This is the first original art that I have seen from issue 175.  I have been tracking Ross's art for sale or posted on sites for about 5-6 years, so to see a new page is always fun for me.

I like this story. But Mooney didn't do the Andru eyes quite right  

[Spider-Variant]

On 1/12/2024 at 8:36 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

I like this story. But Mooney didn't do the Andru eyes quite right  

Who's inking the Spidey on the right?  I can't place the image.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/12/2024 at 3:06 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Who's inking the Spidey on the right?  I can't place the image.

You'll kick yourself Reggie...

Spoiler

 

[Spider-Variant]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:14 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

You'll kick yourself Reggie...

  Hide contents

 

Ha.  I was actually thinking this was from Superman vs the Amazing Spider-Man, I just didn't know which panel.  Alternate back cover, lol.

I wish they would have went with this image, just so cool.  Sure, Spidey may be giving a very slight nod to Superman, but it's just so cool!

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/12/2024 at 8:46 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Sure, Spidey may be giving a very slight nod to Superman, but it's just so cool!

Is he though? If, behind that mask, his eyes were looking our way, and he had a certain raised eyebrow look on his face... 

[Ghost Town]

On 1/6/2024 at 8:48 AM, Spider-Variant said:

Funny, for years I really disliked Ditko's art, because I was comparing him to Romita and Andru.  I slowly began to appreciate Steve's early version on Spidey, but it took many years.  Every now and again I find Andru panels that remind me of something Ditko could have created.

I had a very similar experience. My first exposure to Spider-Man was in the mid-1970s with the Andru interior art and mostly Kane and Romita covers. When I went back and read the back issues with the Ditko art, I was shocked and wasn't a fan at all. I have come to respect it a little more over the years - particularly some of the covers and classic panels. But it's still a bit too primitive to me.

[Spider-Variant]

On 1/16/2024 at 9:09 PM, Ghost Town said:

I had a very similar experience. My first exposure to Spider-Man was in the mid-1970s with the Andru interior art and mostly Kane and Romita covers. When I went back and read the back issues with the Ditko art, I was shocked and wasn't a fan at all. I have come to respect it a little more over the years - particularly some of the covers and classic panels. But it's still a bit too primitive to me.

I think Steve's pencils work fine on the Hulk or monster books, but just not a smooth for Amazing Spider-Man.  But I like his version a lot more thank Kirby's.

[Spider-Variant]

For those who have never seen this, or maybe just because I need a laugh today, here is Ross Andru's parody of the last page of Amazing Spider-Man 145, a beloved issue.

Scott Edelman, who worked at Marvel Comics at the time of this gag, stated the following on his Blog back in 2008. "But what those who weren’t lucky enough to be working in the Marvel Bullpen at the time never saw was the alternate version originally handed in by artist Ross Andru.  Perhaps someone else has already shared this wild panel with the world, but if not, here it is, thanks to a photocopy I’ve been carrying around all these years."

What's extremely cool is that Ross laid the gag portion of this page over the original pencils.  If you look close, you can see the line that runs down the middle (well about 2/3 of the way from the left side).  I fit the finished page over the pencils of the Gwen side below. 

I love that Ross had a sense of humor....

 

Edited January 31 by Spider-Variant

[Spider-Variant]

Hey @cosmic-spider-man, how great was that issue?  That's one of the earliest issues i remember my older brother and I buying off the stands.

[cosmic-spider-man]

This has been the best thread in the Bronze Age section for some time, thanks.  

[Spider-Variant]

I found a scan of the original art from ASM 134, page 2 with pencils by Ross, primary inks by Frank Giacoia, and background inks by Dave Hunt.  Now I have something to compare the Xerox that Dave Hunt made during production to the finished product.  I really loved this team of creators.

Dave puts in some hidden credits as well as a shout out to his son.  Love it.  Thanks again for @Lee B. for sharing all these Xeroxes.  Really appreciate it!

I'm fairly sure Ross modelled the opening scenes from a real location, but I never could find it.  I looked up and down Hudson Street on Google Maps to no avail.  Why do I think it's a real place?  The building behind the cruise boat has some unique features and the fire hydrant on the bottom panel would have no impact on the view if it were not there.  Ross found a spot and put everything he saw into it.  I would bet @Get Marwood & I 's paycheck that somewhere near Hudson Street this seen existed in 1974.  

Another thing to note.  Super-Giant Spider-Man #1.  Well it was a super-giant at 100 pages, until they pared it down to 60 pages and called it Giant-Size Spider-Man #1.

 

 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 2/15/2024 at 5:45 PM, Spider-Variant said:

I would bet @Get Marwood & I 's paycheck that somewhere near Hudson Street this seen existed in 1974. 

You'd bet as much as fifty pence 

I had a root around myself to see if I could find anything Reggie. When you think how many references there are - Hudson Street, Day Line Tours, West Side Dock, the elevated motorway - you think you'd be able to find something. The best I could find was aerial images of the piers, but nothing that matched Ross's layout.