Friday, 1 March 2024

THE OFFICIAL UK SUPERMAN ANNUAL 1983...


Copyright DC COMICS

A nice Brian Bolland drawing adorns the cover of the UK Official Superman Annual for 1983 (issued towards the end of '82), and though I've not reproduced them here, the endpapers inside the book sport a double page illo by Dave Gibbons.  I have to say that I find Vince Colletta's inking of Jim Starlin's pencils in the first story quite pleasing in this instance, though many of you might disagree with me as he wasn't everyone's favourite inker.

It's interesting to note that the first 'part' of what was originally three separate issues of DC Comics Presents (#s 27, 28, & 29), has 17 pages, the second part has 16, and the third part has only 15.  Part two has therefore had what was probably a recap page omitted to avoid repetition (though it might be another page entirely), and part three has had two pages omitted for, I assume, the same reason*.  This 'vandalism' was an all-too-common practice in these London Editions/Egmont Annuals which would've likely prevented my from buying them back in the day had I noticed as I'd have considered them incomplete.

(*I think I actually have the original US comics, but, if so, I forget where I've stored them so am unable to check at this present time.)

I got this book recently as part of a set of three (of which I really only wanted one), and as I showed you the 1984 Batman Annual last week, I thought it only fitting to share this one with you as well.  Incidentally, I've presented the splash pages in the order they originally appeared, as the Superboy tale was 'sandwiched' between the second and third parts of the main story, so don't go thinking I've mixed them up.  Feel entirely free to share any reminiscences you may have of this Annual in the comments section, Crivvies. 




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3 comments:

  1. ten-cent media1 March 2024 at 14:56

    The "Colletta hatred" is mostly to be found in and among the fans of Jack Kirby. The reasoning being that Vince erased some backgrounds and simplified others such as buildings (yawn). For me, all Kirby - Colletta collaborations at both Marvel and DC are examples of majestic, timeless comic book art.

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  2. Kid1 March 2024 at 15:24

    Poor reprints of Colletta-inked strips with clumsy retouching by other hands didn't help his reputation either, tcm. To me, regardless of what he omitted or simplified of Kirby's art, he gave it so much more in aesthetic appeal.

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  3. Kid3 March 2024 at 01:28

    Only one commenter? What's wrong with you people - don't you like Superman?

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