Ross Andru's Amazing Spider-Man Club 9 9

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/13/2021 at 11:20 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Peter Parker tries to console a distressed MJ, as she has just witnessed a murder.  Peter's mood quickly changes as MJ explains she can't go forward and identify the killer, who we later learn is the Vulture, um, but not that Vulture.

I always thought a 'towel-shoulder for cowards' was a bit strong and felt quite sorry for MJ in this scene, despite Peter's final panel explanation. She was terrified. I wanted him to say "Look MJ, I'm Spider-Man. Tell me who it is and I'll go and kick the sht out of them". Or something like that. 

Best inker? I haven't made my mind up yet. I'll be back when I have. 

[Get Marwood & I]

I can't make my mind up Reggie. I like some aspects of most of them if I'm honest. Even Tony DeZuniga who was sometimes excellent, sometimes hurried. Compare some of the Peters to some of the Flashes in #176. You can't say Romita, because Romita 'Romita'd' everything he did. At a push, I'd go for Esposito when he was at his best. He did the eyes right. Hunt & Giacoia not far behind.

Andru was the star though. Even when his work was badly inked you could still see the genius. 

[Spider-Variant]

On 9/14/2021 at 6:09 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

I can't make my mind up Reggie. I like some aspects of most of them if I'm honest. Even Tony DeZuniga who was sometimes excellent, sometimes hurried. Compare some of the Peters to some of the Flashes in #176. You can't say Romita, because Romita 'Romita'd' everything he did. At a push, I'd go for Esposito when he was at his best. He did the eyes right. Hunt & Giacoia not far behind.

Andru was the star though. Even when his work was badly inked you could still see the genius. 

Yes, all the inkers had their moments here and there.  We have talked about Romita inking Ross before, and for the most apart I agree, he tended to over-influence the art.

I still like Frank Giacoia on those earlier issues, like 134, 135, and 145.  Mike Esposito does a tremendous job on issues 161 and 162, maybe two of his best on the run.

Jim Mooney was pretty good as well on the few issues he did.  Um, not a fan of DeZuniga on Spider-Man, but I did find a western job he inked Ross on (I think it was Jonah Hex) that looked great.

 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/14/2021 at 2:15 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Yes, all the inkers had their moments here and there.  We have talked about Romita inking Ross before, and for the most apart I agree, he tended to over-influence the art.

I still like Frank Giacoia on those earlier issues, like 134, 135, and 145.  Mike Esposito does a tremendous job on issues 161 and 162, maybe two of his best on the run.

Jim Mooney was pretty good as well on the few issues he did.  Um, not a fan of DeZuniga on Spider-Man, but I did find a western job he inked Ross on (I think it was Jonah Hex) that looked great.

To a lesser degree, I always thought Mooney 'Mooney'd' certain books too, and I wasn't a huge fan, spotting his influence over the finished art. Even as a kid, I found the visual change from 177 to 178 - two of the issues that inspired me to start this thread, funnily enough - a tad jarring. Mooney Gobby looked a trifle silly compared to Esposito Gobby, I thought. These things mattered back then. 'Don't mess with my art', I'd think to myself. 

[Spider-Variant]

On 9/14/2021 at 4:43 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

I always thought a 'towel-shoulder for cowards' was a bit strong and felt quite sorry for MJ in this scene, despite Peter's final panel explanation. She was terrified. I wanted him to say "Look MJ, I'm Spider-Man. Tell me who it is and I'll go and kick the sht out of them". Or something like that. 

Best inker? I haven't made my mind up yet. I'll be back when I have. 

Issue 127 was not one that I bought off the stands, so it holds no particular fondness in my heart.  Coupled with the fact that I find the art somewhat lacking detail, this issue doesn't really resonant with me.  Thus, even the storyline feels off, like the dialogue you point out.  I think the team was saving their energy for the Jackal and the Punisher in ASM 129.  

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/14/2021 at 2:27 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Issue 127 was not one that I bought off the stands, so it holds no particular fondness in my heart.  Coupled with the fact that I find the art somewhat lacking detail, this issue doesn't really resonant with me.  Thus, even the storyline feels off, like the dialogue you point out.  I think the team was saving their energy for the Jackal and the Punisher in ASM 129.  

Mebbe.

I didn't buy any of them off the stands of course - I bought the UK weeklies. Much later before I got my hands on the originals.

1,666 posts! It's an Omen.  

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/14/2021 at 2:15 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Um, not a fan of DeZuniga on Spider-Man

Some of his panels stick in my mind, hence the fondness. These two from #176 are typical of him - some superb Goblins but, admittedly, a naff Spidey nose. I don't suppose Ross drew the nose, so maybe noses were Tony's thing:

[Spider-Variant]

On 9/14/2021 at 9:39 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Some of his panels stick in my mind, hence the fondness. These two from #176 are typical of him - some superb Goblins but, admittedly, a naff Spidey nose. I don't suppose Ross drew the nose, so maybe noses were Tony's thing:

Agree. those Goblins were top notch, more evil than the standard fare.  I noticed that first panel goblin on your second posted image a few months back when i posted the original art, really stood out.

Um, the nose wasn't working for me either.

 

[Spider-Variant]

Great discussion @Get Marwood & I.

Hey @ADAMANTIUM , @Winterboy, @ganni, @FoggyNelson, @piper, @HighVoltage , @MattTheDuck,  @cosmic-spider-man       same question to you (and any others that want to opine),

Who was your favorite inker over Mr. Andru's pencils?

[HighVoltage]

On 9/14/2021 at 10:56 AM, Spider-Variant said:

Great discussion @Get Marwood & I.

Hey @ADAMANTIUM , @Winterboy, @ganni, @FoggyNelson, @piper, @HighVoltage , @MattTheDuck,  @cosmic-spider-man       same question to you (and any others that want to opine),

Who was your favorite inker over Mr. Andru's pencils?

I like Esposito - I have a real love for Spideys 161/162. Giacoia is right up there too.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 9/14/2021 at 2:22 PM, HighVoltage said:

On 9/14/2021 at 11:56 AM, Spider-Variant said:

Great discussion @Get Marwood & I.

Hey @ADAMANTIUM , @Winterboy, @ganni, @FoggyNelson, @piper, @HighVoltage , @MattTheDuck,  @cosmic-spider-man       same question to you (and any others that want to opine),

Who was your favorite inker over Mr. Andru's pencils?

I like Esposito - I have a real love for Spideys 161/162. Giacoia is right up there too.

I'd have to say Esposito through the word of mouth that I've heard, of people who essentially remember growing up with him on spidey  

A few in person, also on the Comic Book Men show  whether staged or not, I can only dream of what the pieces they sold at auction for Esposito's family would fetch now  

[Spider-Variant]

On 9/14/2021 at 3:45 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

I'd have to say Esposito through the word of mouth that I've heard, of people who essentially remember growing up with him on spidey  

A few in person, also on the Comic Book Men show  whether staged or not, I can only dream of what the pieces they sold at auction for Esposito's family would fetch now  

Yes, I saw that episode.  Most of what I saw was some of Mike's recreations,. which were plenty nice though.

[Spider-Variant]

On 9/14/2021 at 3:22 PM, HighVoltage said:

I like Esposito - I have a real love for Spideys 161/162. Giacoia is right up there too.

Mike said somewhere he thought those issues were his pinnacle on the book.  I really loved Nightcrawler in that book,  more than the Punisher.  It was the first comic I ever bought in the continental USA as I had lived in Hawaii when I started my comics journey in 1975.

[Winterboy]

On 9/14/2021 at 1:56 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Who was your favorite inker over Mr. Andru's pencils?

Giacoia.

[Winterboy]

Some sketches for my mini comic. Peter's in trouble.

[ganni]

My favorite inkers .....

Andru .... embellishers M & D

Edited September 15, 2021 by ganni

[ganni]

Esposito.... clean stroking, so clean that its not like brush strokes...

[ganni]

And G & H ..... bold brush strokes at its best..

[HighVoltage]

On 9/14/2021 at 8:12 PM, ganni said:

My favorite inkers .....

Andru .... embellishers M & D

I always loved that mini-copter!!

[HighVoltage]

On 9/14/2021 at 3:51 PM, Spider-Variant said:

Mike said somewhere he thought those issues were his pinnacle on the book.  I really loved Nightcrawler in that book,  more than the Punisher.  It was the first comic I ever bought in the continental USA as I had lived in Hawaii when I started my comics journey in 1975.

Same, re: Nightcrawler.

This story was really big in getting me to check out the X-Men. Nightcrawler looked cool!