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Continuing our look back at the very first issue of EC's MAD, we now turn our attention to the following strip by comics legend WALLY WOOD. Ol' Woody was equally adept at humour strips as he was action/adventure ones, and this is a prime example of his mastery of the comicbook medium in which he attained artistic immortality.
However, you don't need me to tell you how good he was - you can see for yourself in the accompanying pages.
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11 comments:
Wally Wood was another fantastic artist who could turn his hand to any genre, from comical to science fiction, and super hero to adult.
The characters in this story remind me of the humans depicted in the brilliant Pixar film, Wall-E. I wonder if this story inspired the creative minds at that institution, or occurred parallel to it?
Mad featured a lot of great artists in the early issues, Jack Davis & Wally Wood, who you have shown us in your Blog, then Will Elder & John Severin, as well as those others my brother has previously mentioned.
As you'll know, Jeff, John Severin later became associated with Mad's long-running rival, Cracked - or 'Number two in a field of one' as it billed itself.
Wally Wood was a comic book genius. Such a shame the way his life ended. I recall Wally's art from numerous Topps cards and fold-ins as a kid (think he did "Mars Attacks"). I always loved his cartoon art from Mad to Plop! - just so funny and original. (Hilary Barta does a fantastic Wood style - actually probably does it better.) McScotty
And when he was Kombined with Kirby, the two of them were unmatchable. (See what I did there, McS?)
Thankfully someone had the foresight to ensure the prefabricated woman robot dispensers were operating independently -- whew!
Bloody women! They always seem to operate independently, regardless of their responsibilities. Take the vote back off them, I say! (Hey! Who threw that brick?)
Wally Wood was indeed involved in the Mars Attacks gum cards. It was Wood who designed the basic look of the Martians and did many concept sketches, some of which evolved into finished cards.
Len Brown worked at Topps product development and had suggested the idea of Mars Attacks to Woody Gelman, the editor at Topps. Brown had showed Gelman the cover for Weird Science #16, which Wood had drawn, so Wood was brought in to work on the project's early development.
Interestingly, Brown later went on to become co-creator and writer on T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents with Wood.
(Jake)
Kid, the information I sent you was from a book I have called:-
Wally Wood Sketchbook
(Vanguard Publications, Published 2000)
It shows over 20 of the Mars Attacks card concept sketches by Wood and some of his character designs for the martians.
(Jake)
Thanks for that, Jake. I simply looked up my info on the internet. Just remembered where I first read about Bob Powell doing layouts on the Batman cards - on the box of the 1989 Topps deluxe reissue set.
Kid, it's amazing that we have the information about who did what on the creation of the Mars Attacks cards in 1962 and there appears to be no controversy. But, when we come to who did what in the creative process at Marvel comics at around the same time, it's another story...
(Jake)
I think it's more complicated than just who did what, Jake - it's a case of whose contribution was mainly responsible for Marvel's success. Was it Jack Kirby's and Steve Ditko's art and story-pacing, or Stan Lee's scripting and characterization? Lee always gave fulsome credit to Kirby and Ditko, but JK seemed contemptuous of SL's contribution towards the success of Marvel. Sensible fans know that they were ALL responsible for the end result, but Stan led the way, I believe.
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