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| Images copyright MARVEL COMICS |
As all true SPIDER-MAN fans will know, the original STEVE DITKO cover of AMAZING FANTASY #15 was (gasp) rejected in favour of one by JACK KIRBY (although Ditko inked it). If I remember correctly, the unused cover was eventually published in an issue of MARVELMANIA (or somewhere), but one of the earliest reprintings (and the first British one) was as a back-page pin-up in The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL #2.
The original cover can be seen here - but above is the MWOM pin-up from October 7th (issue dated 14th), 1972. And for the completists amongst you (and who isn't?), below is the cover of the issue from which the pin-up comes.
Kid,
ReplyDeleteQuite a surprise! I never knew this was the first appearance of the original cover! Any other surprises to hit us with, like unpublished Marvel covers?
The cover art is by Jim Starlin and Joe Sinnott. Starlin pencilled an awful lot of covers for the British line, something I only discovered a few years ago. Along with Starlin, folks such as Dick Ayers and John Buscema drew new covers. I'm very impressed with Starlin's early work.
Definitely the first British appearance, Nick - but I seem to remember reading that it had appeared somewhere in the US a few years earlier - perhaps in an issue of Marvelmania. I'll need to check 'though.
ReplyDeleteKid,
ReplyDeleteYou're correct. I forgot that the cover was reprinted in Marvelmania # 2 in 1970. However, this was the first time it was reprinted in color.
Nick, I haven't actually seen the Marvelmania printing of the cover, so I don't know what size it was, etc. Nor did I know 'til you mentioned it that it was only in b&W. Do you have a copy?
ReplyDeleteYou ARE right in that this was the first time the art had been presented as an actual page in a Marvel comic in full colour. (Marvelmania was an 'outside' publication.) I doubt that Ditko was ever paid for it, so strictly speaking it should never have been printed.
Thanks for the input.
Kid,
ReplyDeleteYes, I do have that issue in my collection. Here is a link to the back cover as presented there
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Rf9S3GkkeyI/SqZTK1m6GPI/AAAAAAAAUdI/Vd3R8RzoAHw/s1600-h/marvelmania.+steve+ditko.+001.jpg
It looks like the new lettering in the british edition is by Joe Rosen, for those who like such obscure information.
Obscure information? Love it! Thanks Nick.
ReplyDelete