CRIVENS! COMICS & STUFF!: THE THING COVER & SPLASH PAGE GALLERY

Monday, 18 August 2014

THE THING COVER & SPLASH PAGE GALLERY - PART FIVE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

JOHN BYRNE did his best, but The THING's solo mag failed to set the comicbook world on fire and fizzled out after 36 issues. Perhaps if he'd drawn it himself as well as writing it, it may have had a longer run, but there's no guarantee of that. I continued to buy it from start to finish, but apart from the occasional ish, there was really nothing memorable about the series. Having said that, it's still worth looking back on as an example of what comics were like back in the early to mid '80s, art-wise.

Anyway, enjoy this glimpse into yesterday and, if you like what you see, be sure to come back for the sixth and final part - coming soon, on this, the finest blog you're ever likely to read - whenever you've absolutely nothing better to read, that is.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: I don't like his costume - a leotard and boots, yuk !; 18 August 2014 at 14:00
Kid said...: Maybe it was so the artist could avoid having to draw all those rocks on his skin, CJ. (I passed on the obvious retort - "Don't wear them then!"); 18 August 2014 at 14:05
Anonymous said...: Kid, on the subject of why The Thing only lasted 36 issues - could it be that without the FF and without the interest generated by a new "Two-In-One" partner every month the Thing was - shock, horror - a bit boring ?; 18 August 2014 at 15:56
Kid said...: Could well be, CJ, but I think it was mainly because the stories were a bit boring anyway - with or without the FF or monthly guest star.; 18 August 2014 at 19:48

About the artist:

From 1985 to 2000 A.D. (little joke there), I contributed to a variety of high profile comics and magazines for various companies.

For IPC/FLEETWAY/EGMONT, I freelanced as a lettering and logo artist on various weekly comics and monthly magazines, and also as a resize comic artist and spot illustrator on pocket books, summer specials and annuals.

For MARVEL U.K., BLACK LIBRARY, REDAN and USBORNE BOOKS, I again freelanced as a lettering artist, also working as a restoration artist for MARVEL U.S., restoring and re-creating certain pages of JACK KIRBY art for their MARVEL MASTERWORKS editions.

I also lettered the MARVELMAN sample pages submitted to MARVEL U.S. when they were considering acquiring the character, which - as we all now know - they DID.

Supplied comic strips, cartoons and illustrated advertisements for local business campaigns and newspaper publication on a professional basis since the age of 16. Did my first paid art job for publication at 14 or 15 for Lanarkshire Education Board.

Have also made TV appearances as a collector of memorabilia.

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Just some of the titles I worked on are:

2000 A.D. * JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE * DICEMAN * SONIC The COMIC * JUDGE DREDD, LAWMAN Of The FUTURE * CRISIS * REVOLVER * EAGLE * TIGER * BATTLE ACTION-FORCE * BUSTER * WHIZZER & CHIPS * WHOOPEE * NIPPER * SCHOOL FUN * ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE * The REAL GHOSTBUSTERS * DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE * COUNT DUCKULA * RUGRATS * The TRANSFORMERS * DEATH'S HEAD * THUNDERCATS * GALAXY RANGERS * DRAGON'S CLAWS * SINDY * MARVEL MASTERWORKS * The TROLLS * LOADED * INFERNO * WARHAMMER * ROSE BLACK.

Copyright Notice:

Images remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are used here only for the purpose of review, promotion, and nostalgia.

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In the case of images culled from my own collection where copyright of an item isn't mine, I impose no copying restrictions on fellow bloggers.

(Although, if you don't allow copying on your own site, then you really shouldn't be copying from others, should you?)

And while you can credit this blog if you like, it's not mandatory. Who has time to make notes of every casually visited site during an idle browse of the internet?

In the case of anyone copying images of my own artwork and calligraphy, I affirm my right to be identified as the creator, and any such copying should not be for the purpose of monetary or material gain. (Unless it's mine.)

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Please also note that this blog is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or connected to, any organisation, business, or group, and is wholly independent.