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| Images copyright MARVEL COMICS |
Sometimes I post images on this blog simply because I like them and not because I have any great insight to offer on their background or creation (no change there then, some folk will be thinking) - this is such an occasion. I first read this story in a British weekly periodical called FANTASTIC in the late 1960s and I just love DON HECK's artwork. The examples here come from a 1975 reprint of the tale (AVENGERS #36) in MARVEL TRIPLE ACTION #28.
So - just thought I'd share the cover and splash page with all you Marvelites. Enjoy! (And if anyone has WANDA's 'phone number, please get in touch. Va-va-voom!)
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8 comments:
You can't mistake a Don Heck drawing for anyone elses, that's for sure. His figures were always a bit too stiff for my complete liking, but his images were usually graphically strong — like that splash page.
It's great to hear someone else sing the praises of "Dashing" Don Heck. He definitely gets some abuse in the midst of greats like Kirby, Buscema, and Romita, but I always found Heck's kinetic style entertaining. His pencils have a real life and vigor missing from prettier artwork. His parts sometimes are less impressive, but their sum can be awesome.
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I love these 60s -70s Marvel reprint mags a cheap way to get the old comics that still has an "original"feel to them without resorting to buying the (excellent) collected "Essentials" volumes (which I like but are pretty soulless to me) - Were there any other reprint titles like this I only know; Triple Action, Marvel Tales, Fantasy Masterpieces and Marvel Double Feature?) Im a big fan of Don Heck as well he is such an underrated artist despite it has to be said doing some really awful art jobs in his time, however his run on the Avengers was so much fun and always brings a smile to my face when I see his work
I wasn't so keen on Don's later stuff I have to confess, guys - a bit too loose for my liking - but his '60s Iron Man, Avengers and X-Men art was pretty darn impressive in my estimation. As for reprint mags, there was Marvel Super-Heroes, Marvel Super-Action, Astonishing Tales (Vol 2), Strange Tales, Marvel Spectacular - and maybe even one or two more I'm forgetting.
A neighbour's son had the second part of this story and I read it around 1971 so I have a fondness for Ixar, Ultrana and the Ultroids.
Those Heck stories in Fantastic really cemented how I visualise the Avengers.
He was doing great work at this time, but just a few years later, his art began to look just a wee bit too sketchy and looser for my liking. Strange how Kirby, Ditko and Heck all deteriorated in their abilities in just a few short years. Still good, of course - just not as good as they'd once been.
Marvel Double Feature reprinted Iron Man and Captain America strips from Tales of Suspense. The Captain America reprints continued in Marvel Super Action #1-13 after Double Feature ended. Marvel Triple Action had Fantastic Four reprints for the first few issues, then switched to The Avengers for the rest of its run. Then Super Action switched to Avengers reprints starting with MSA #14, picking up where Triple Action left off.
Marvel Adventure reprinted Daredevil (I think #22-28), and Marvel Spectacular reprinted Thor.
Marvel Tales, Fantasy Masterpieces, and Marvel Collector's Item Classics all started as 72-page giants, with several features in each issue. All downsized to standard 32-page size. Marvel Tales continued with Spider-Man reprints. I believe MCIC became Marvel's Greatest Comics, reprinting Fantastic Four, and FM became Marvel Super-Heroes. The latter went through several format changes, and ended up reprinting Tales To Astonish and then the Hulk's solo title.
These reprint mags were great, TC. They allowed readers who'd missed early issues of their favourite mags to fill in the gaps. I can't remember if I ever saw Marvel Adventure, but I've got occasional issues of the rest of them.
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