KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS: The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL #15...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Yesterday morning, I woke to a thick carpet of snow in my town.  It was like a classic Christmas scene, but by afternoon, the snow had started to melt and only patches remained.  It's the same this morning, with those patches reluctant to disappear completely, and a Yuletide atmosphere still casting its glow over the surrounding terrain.

It reminds me of a time, 44 years ago, of a similarly Festive feeling, when I first bought The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL #15, and returned home after an afternoon adventuring with a pal to find that my family had acquired a canine chum.  PRINCE was his name, a mongrel who looked just like a mini-Alsation, and was the first of three dogs we had over a period of around 25 years.

The above cover is interesting, in that most of it looks to have been pencilled by JIM STARLIN and inked by JOE SINNOTT, with the exception of the SPIDER-MAN figure, which has a distinct JOHN ROMITA flavour to it.  Could this be a patch, dropped in over Jim's original Spidey figure, or did he just do a good job of channelling Romita senior's web-slinger?  Whaddya think?

Anyway, this cover's full of memories and associations for me, and, if you're old enough to have bought it back then, it'll be the same for you, too.  Hope you enjoyed seeing it again.

BABE Of The DAY - EMILY PROCTER...

Ah, EMILY, the picture of loveliness, as

usual.  Just what we need on a cold day like

this to lend a little warmth to our hearts.

The MASTERWORKS SERIES Of GREAT COMIC BOOK ARTISTS #3 - BERNIE WRIGHTSON...

Images copyright DC COMICS

Back in the day when BERNIE WRIGHTSON was still spelling his first name as 'Berni' (to avoid confusion with an Olympic swimmer of the same moniker), DC COMICS issued a series entitled The MASTERWORKS SERIES Of GREAT COMIC BOOK ARTISTS.  The 3rd issue was devoted to the art of Berni(e) Wrightson, and I thought, following the recent demise of the artist, that his fans might like to have a look at this comic and perhaps add it to their wants list.

(Ever had that feeling that there's something you should remember, but however hard you try, you just can't?  So it is with this issue.  A still, small, nagging voice seems to be trying to remind me that perhaps I didn't get this comic until a few years after it was published, when I returned to my present home after four years away - but I'm just not sure.  Maybe I actually got it at the time, which means I acquired it in the previous house to this one - I can see either scenario being the case.  I know there's something to be remembered about this mag though, but just can't recall what it is.  Still, I'm glad to have it.)

And now, to you falls the thrill of the hunt as you scour eBay in search of a copy of this 34 year old mag.  If you're a fan of Bernie's art (who isn't?), this is one comic you simply must add to your stash - assuming you don't already have it.  And fear not - I'll get 'round to showing the first two issues (FRANK FRAZETTA) in the series pretty darn soon.

******

Issue #s 4 & 5 (NEAL ADAMS) were advertised on the back cover, but were never published (as far as I know).  The indicia says that the 3 issue series was published by DC for SEA GATE, though comic sites usually say it was published by the latter, who licensed the material from the former.  Sea Gate was a company started by PHIL SEULING, the man credited with starting direct market distribution.