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| Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
In September 1973 the second MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL Annual (for 1974) went on sale. Still just called Marvel Annual (it wouldn't gain the full title of the weekly comic which spawned it until '77), it sported a cover by renowned British artist GEOFF CAMPION, who'd drawn many a strip in a bevy of U.K. weeklies over the years. (The SPELLBINDER in LION being perhaps the one with which he is most associated - certainly in my mind anyway.)
FLEETWAY/IPC published Marvel U.K.'s first couple of annuals on their behalf, so it was entirely natural to use a Fleetway/IPC artist to produce the covers. As to why Geoff Campion in particular was chosen in the second annual's instance (apart from his obvious skill) is anybody's guess. Perhaps he was just in the office that morning, but he certainly turned in a colourful piece of art - one which resonates with me to this day.
True, perhaps he didn't quite capture the essential 'spidery' nature of PETER PARKER's alter-ego, (not even JACK KIRBY could do that), but it's still a nice piece. More a ROMITA Spidey than a DITKO one perhaps, but still an extremely effective illustration. I recall the day I first saw this annual, as well as the one on which I bought it a few weeks later, but nothing of note happened to justify an account of them in this post. Apart from the annual itself of course, the cover of which I now freely share with you here.
Update: (September 29th 2012.) Believe it or not, some joker in America currently has this 'rare' annual up for sale at £432.87, plus £23.53 for postage and packing. Astoundingly, the postal amount alone is far more than the book is actually worth - or usually sells for in this country. Some people sure have a brass neck, don't ya think?
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Update: (September 29th 2012.) Believe it or not, some joker in America currently has this 'rare' annual up for sale at £432.87, plus £23.53 for postage and packing. Astoundingly, the postal amount alone is far more than the book is actually worth - or usually sells for in this country. Some people sure have a brass neck, don't ya think?
6 comments:
This may be in a case in my mothers loft.
I did have a problem with the artwork,I did not relate the figure in the foreground with America.
I may have thought he looked like a cockney gangster or a latin gangster.
I was also so wrapped up in the actual artists involved in the comics that I did not like the spider-man figure.
I did enjoy the memory of the cover though.
Dont think I got it at the time though,maybe a swap.
Actually, it reminded me of a street in Hamilton. However, that may be because I first saw it in the window of a newsagents en route (by foot) to Hamilton in 1973.
Your blog has prompted to look out my copy of this annual, which I must have bought at a fete or jumble sale sometime in the late 70s.
Starts of with a nice 5 page re-cap of Spidey's origin drawn by jaunty John Romita and the large panel on page 10 showing him surrounded by 8 of his foes is a thing of beauty.
This book is not as memorable as my treasured copy of the 1973 Fleetway annual but the last story featuring the first match-up between the FF & Hulk was the undoubted highlight which I read numerous times - a solid gold classic from Stan & Jack!
Thanks Kid for stirring up some fond memories.
Cheers, Big D
My pleasure, Big D. As you say, that 1973 Marvel Annual is a stoater. Love the red cover.
I wish Hamilton had Art Deco buildings and a Gerry Anderson-style tower.
Ah, Dougie - imagination is a wonderful thing.
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