More classic covers, with a spin

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

A week or so back, I posted the cover to the issue of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD which introduced the Justice League (you know, where they're messing around with a giant starfish). Alongside it for comparison was a cover to Roy Thomas' fanzine ALTER-EGO which showed a version which featured Timely characters in the same predicament. There was also the cover to FANTASTIC FOUR# 1, next to an ALTER EGOed version with the Justice League in the same situation.Well, there were more. So here for your entertainment is the cover of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA# 1. Not the most action-packed of scenes, eh? This is the original Despero before he contracted acromegaly and/or toxic level steroid abuse. Next to it from the March 2002 issue of ALTER EGO is Murphy Anderson's interpretation of the same scene with the Marvel characters. It's odd to see Kirby characters so passive, especially the Hulk sitting like a kid in Sunday School.



There weren't really many super-heroes to throw into the Avengers membership. The X-Men debuted the same month and really wouldn't have been considered. Daredevil was months from his debut and Captain America at this point was taking an ice nap. But Spider-Man and Dr Strange... Well, Strange was off on his own bizarre missions in black magic and conceptual menaces and Spider-Man's gig was being a loner (later, he would team up with every single character that Marvel owned or leased over the years, though). There was also the fact that Kirby and Ditko had trouble with each other characters. They never looked right when drawn by the other artist, and Kirby in particular just didn't seem to "get" Dr Strange. So it was for the best the two Ditko heroes were left out. Cap would be chipped out of his icecube soon enough, anyway.

Comments

[thokstar.insanejournal.com]

I feel obliged to mention
JLI 61 (http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/File:Justice_League_America_61.jpg), another variation on this theme.

[okkult3000.insanejournal.com]

Kirby could never have drawn this cover. In fact, I don't think such a cover would be accepted at early-'60s Marvel. All of their covers (in my admittedly limited experience) seem more dynamic. They wouldn't have shown the Avengers playing chess unless there were guns to their heads or bombs about to go off or something to up the stakes. Disappearing isn't enough; even with the Living Eraser, whose whole schtick was "I'll make you disappear," they showed him swiping at Giant Man on the cover.

[randyripoff.insanejournal.com]

As great an artist as Kirby was, I've never seen anyone draw a worse-looking Spider-Man. Kirby just couldn't catch his fluidity.

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

I always felt he wanted to redesign the costume, he had so much trouble with it. Kirby's Dr Strange looked too solid and Midwestern in FF# 27, too. Well, every artist has strong points and weak points.

[randyripoff.insanejournal.com]

I think Kirby excelled at drawing dynamic, square-jawed, powerful heroes, but at the time, Spider-Man was very much the slender, wiry, exceptionally agile type that Kirby just didn't handle well. He was great at depicting obvious power and strength, but certainly pre-Romita, Spider-Man was very much the wiry, athletic type. His attempts at drawing Spider-Man always just seemed clunky and boxy.

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

Getting into this a bit more geekily, Kirby's art up until 1962 or so usually featured heroes who were rather lean and lanky. More like runners or boxers than weightlifters. Check out Simon and Kirby's issue of THE FLY or THE DOUBLE LIFE OF PRIVATE STRONG from 1959 to see examples. Even when Marvel first started up, Kirby's characters were reasonably built but he quickly started making them much stockier and more massive. Skim through JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY and you can see Thor transform in an almost Hulk-like manner.

[ravenous_raven.insanejournal.com]

hm, I think I like the GLU 61 version best. Guy writhing in agony's much more believable than Hal and dunno-who-that-is sitting passively
(also: yay! chance to use my chess icon!)

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

Really? GL= Antman? Top 3 in power in the JLA is equal to a guy who is superfriends Aquaman with ants?

And why are the heroes just sitting passively in all the covers? Superman is right there in the eighties one in Thokstar's post! Why wouldn't he just fly up and punch the villain the nanosecond Guy starts to dissapear?

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

Seriously, I doubt if Murphy Anderson intended to draw the second cover so the characters corresponded in power levels. It was an affectionage homage to something he did forty years ago, nothing so literal as you suggest.

In the original story, the Justice League members were in a stupor or trance or something from Despero's third eye. Only the Flash arrived late to be given the chance to play the rigged game.

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

Well that part about Antman=GL was a joke on my part, I did realize he wasn't trying for exact counterparts. I just found that particular replacement funny.

Thanks for the original story explanation. It makes sense now.

[thokstar.insanejournal.com]

Three of the heroes are placed where they are based on similarity in design (Wasp and Wonder Woman are the token female, Hulk and J'onn Jonzz are the token Green Guy, and Thor and Flash are the token guy with Lightning stuff on their headwear.)

I guess you could have Hank not sit next to his girlfriend.

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

Not to mention the token chess board on the token table with token legs.

I suppose Anderson used Loki because he was the villain in the first Avengers story, which makes Thor the natural candidate to be playing the game. Ant-Man and Wasp were partners and would naturally sit next to each other. There is the green factor the Hulk and J'Onn, which leaves Iron Man in the last slot. Dr Strange and Spider-Man on the board fit, as Superman and Batman were not active members in the Justice League's early days.

That's probably as much thought as Murphy Anderson put into it.

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

Wouldn't be the worst thing Hank ever did to Jan. :P

Also, Thor has wings on his headgear, not lightning. I don't think he ever had lightning anywhere on his costume.

[kamino_neko.insanejournal.com]

Most of the interpretations of Flash's mask have wings, too...different levels of stylization, but mostly wings.

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

Then neither of them have lightning themed headgear! You have misinformed me! D:

[kenn_el.insanejournal.com]

Hank and Hal DO share a problematic period that they've had to overcome. I find it amusing that the slowest game possible is being played by the Fastest Man Alive!

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

Yeah, But Pym doesn't have Geoff Johns trying to make people like him again.

Try to rewrite time to suit your own desires? Totally not your fault. Strike your spouse while having a nervous breakdown and even then immeadetly feel guilt? You're an unlikable asshole forever as far as most writers are concerned. Sucks to be Hank Pym. :p

[darkblade.insanejournal.com]

Well since Secret Invaison we've been given a whole new reason not to like Hank. Incestous robot love.

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

Hey, at least that is something new and interesting. And at least there are no reality-warpers that want children involved.

[comicoz.insanejournal.com]

Yet.

[deepspaceartist.insanejournal.com]

...

Oh god. I'm picturing a Hank/Jocasta/Loki threesome.

CURSE YOU COMICOZ! *Shakes fist*

I'll have that stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

[comicoz.insanejournal.com]

For some bizarre reason we had a debate about Aquaman's power level at work on Friday (and considering what I do for a living, it was even more out of place).

There was much chatter about underwater monsters to be had. By and far the oddest conversation I've ever had at work.