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| Images copyright MARVEL COMICS |
I've always liked this JOHN BUSCEMA cover, but never had the original issue of SUB-MARINER #1. I've got a reprint of it though, in a MASTERWORKS edition, but there's nothing quite like having an actual comic, is there, so I tracked down the much cheaper reprint in TALES To ASTONISH (2nd series) #1 on eBay for a paltry few pounds, and it arrived this morning. It was only then I realised that the cover art had been 'flipped', but so good an artist was Big John, it doesn't look in the slightest bit awkward. (As I'm sure you all know, when a piece of art is reversed, it often doesn't look 'quite right'.)
The other thing I notice about the above ish is that three pages have been edited out, but it's done so skilfully that, unless one has the full strip to compare it to, it's not at all obvious and remains a smooth read. I'm glad to have a comic with that iconic cover in my collection at last. Y'know, it's just like looking at a picture of myself, as NAMOR's physique is remarkably similar to my own mighty bod. (Hey, why are you all laughing?)
Feel free to sing JB's praise in the comments section.
4 comments:
Probably another case of having to flip the cover image to allow for the UPC bar code. The same thing was sometimes done with Marvel Tales at about that same time.
I never had the original, but I had the TTA (volume 2) #1 reprint.
I had a lot of those reprints (Marvel Triple Action, Marvel Double Feature, Marvel Adventure), and they probably all had panels or even whole pages edited out. In most cases, AFAIR, I did not notice the difference unless I had read the original.
Yup, that was probably the reason, TC. As for the edits, sometimes they were done extremely clumsily so that, even if you'd never read the original story, it was obvious that something was missing. Occasionally however, they did it discreetly and with a measure of competence that was surprising ('though welcome) - as on this occasion.
One of my favourite JB covers - I only have the Tales to Astonish version but only noticed the difference when you showed the 2 side by side - I prefer the original positioning
I prefer it myself, PM, but (like you) I never noticed the difference until I dug out my Sub-Mariner Masterworks to check the page count. So, not previously having noticed, it doesn't bother me too much. (You should see the price the '60s Subby #1 is going for on eBay.)
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