Celebrating Artist Rick Leonardi

Celebrating the birthday of artist Rick Leonardi (August 9, 1957) with his covers to the first Vision and Scarlet Witch mini-series...

...which resulted in a big revelation about Wanda's dad!

Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1 and #2 (November and December, 1982)

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Vision and the Scarlet Witch #3 and #4 (January and February, 1983)

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Two Gun Kid Kirby Villains

Two covers by Jack Kirby featuring the Two Gun Kid, facing off against some fantastic villains in the 19th Century...The Fox in Two Gun Kid #67 (January, 1964) and the Purple Phantom in Two Gun Kid #68 (March, 1964).

Happy 4th Of July 250

A happy 4th Of July to everyone, and a happy 250th to the United States of America.  

Here, to celebrate....Superman, from the Limited Collectors' Edition #C-47 (August-September, 1976; though the book features Tomahawk) and Captain America, from the Marvel Treasury Special Featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles #1 (September, 1976).

 

Tharn In Jungle Action

When is a hero debut not a hero debut?

When the hero is Tharn!   

Tharn, a jungle hero debuted in Jungle Action #1 (October, 1972, cover by John Buscema), but was a reprint of adventures of Lo-Zar, who debuted in Jungle Action #1 (October, 1954) by Don Rico and Joe Maneely, with Joe also providing that cover.  Tharn stories appeared in the first 4 issues of the new Jungle Action, with the name change to prevent confusion with Ka-Zar, sharing space with reprints of Lorna Queen of the Jungle and Jann of the Jungle.  Lo-Zar had 6 issues in his Jungle Action run as Lord of the Jungle.

Jungle Action #1 (October, 1972) and Jungle Action #1 (October, 1954)

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Covers by John Buscema and Joe Maneely

Jungle Action #2 (December, 1972) and Jungle Action #2 (December, 1954)

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Covers by Gil Kane and Joe Maneely

Jungle Action #3 (February, 1973) and Jungle Action #4 (April, 1955)

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Covers by Jim Starlin & Frank Giacoia and Carl Burgos

Jungle Action #4 (April, 1973) and Jungle Action #6 (August, 1955)

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Covers by Gil Kane & Frank Giacoia and Joe Maneely

Original Jungle Action #3 and #5 (February and June, 1955)

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Covers by Syd Shores & Frank Giacoia and Joe Maneely

Given time, maybe later we'll look into Lorna the Jungle Queen and Jann of the Jungle!

Lorna the Jungle Queen #1 (July, 1953) and Jann of the Jungle #14 (December, 1956)

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Covers by Carl Burgos

Remembering Artist Alan Kupperberg

Remembering artist Alan Kupperberg on his birthday (May 18, 1953 - July 17, 2015) with a couple of his covers featuring the heroes of World War II, the Invaders (#38 and #39, March and April, 1979), where Captain America, the Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch faced U-Man, the Nazi from Atlantis!

Celebrating Martial Artist Chuck Norris

Celebrating the birthday of martial artist and actor, Chuck Norris, who was born on March 10, 1940...and featured on the cover of Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu #20 (January, 1976) with art by Ken Barr.

The issue also features photos and an interview with Chuck!

The Early Crimson Dynamo

Iron Man was a true hero (secretly industrialist Tony Stark), but he did inspire some incredible menaces in his time.  One of those was the Crimson Dynamo, who was the Russian counterpart to America's armored Avenger.

Here are the first two men to wear the Crimson Dynamo armor.

Anton Vanko

Anton Vanko debuted in Tales of Suspense #46 (October, 1963), becoming "The Crimson Dynamo!" in a tale by Stan Lee and Don Heck, under a cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.  Here, under orders from the Soviet Premier, Vanko was sent to the United States to ruin Tony Stark and take care of Iron Man.  Khrushchev was also planning on eliminating Vanko after taking care of Iron Man. 

While in battle with Iron Man, Tony found the frequency that Khrushchv was communicating with his other agents with, and shared the fact that the Soviet Premier was planning on eliminating Anton after he took care of Iron Man.  

Thus, Iron Man convinced Vanko to defect.

Boris Turgenev

Boris Turgenev fell into the role of Crimson Dynamo via manipulations not his own, in Tales Of Suspense #52 (April, 1964) in the "The Crimson Dynamo Strikes Again!" by Stan Lee and Don Heck (with a cover by Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman).  Furious that Vanko defected, Khrushchv sent his agents, the Black Widow and Boris Turgenev to eliminate Vanko, as well as Tony Stark and Iron Man.  Vanko, working at Stark Industries, was set upon by Boris, who took on the armor to ruin Vanko's work for Stark.  

This led to a battle between the new Crimson Dynamo and Iron Man (who had upgraded from his gold to his red and gold armor).  Boris knocked Iron Man unconscious, and he, along with Natasha, were taking Vanko and Iron Man back to Russia.  But, Iron Man revived, and, with the sacrifice of Anton Vanko, defeated Boris, leaving Natasha an agent alone in the United States.

The Crimson Dynamo would return, with improved armor, with other people under the armor, to face off against Iron Man, Black Widow and more, usually in conjunction with the Titanium Man and other Soviet agents!

Celebrating Artist Ed McGuinness

Celebrating the birthday of artist Ed McGuinness (March 1, 1974) with his variant covers to the Agents of Atlas mini-series, from 2009 during the Dark Reign, featuring Gorilla Man (Ken Hale), Namora, Marvel Boy, Venus, Jimmy Woo and the Human Robot (M-11)...

...Marvel's heroes from the 1950s in the here and now....

Agents Of Atlas #1 and #2 (April and May, 2009)

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Agents Of Atlas #3 and #4 (June and July, 2009)

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Agents Of Atlas #5 (July, 2009)

Celebrating Artist Andy Kubert

Celebrating the birthday of artist Andy Kubert (February 27, 1962) with this wraparound cover for X-Men #30 (March, 1994) celebrating the wedding of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, also known as Cyclops and Marvel Girl.

A good portion of their fellow X-Men attended as well, making his a whole school function...

The Wedding Of Dracula

 

To be fair, weddings aren't usually what you think of when you think of Dracula, but here it is.

The Wedding of Dracula came out cover dated January, 1993, and reprinted Tomb Of Dracula #45 and #46 (June and July, 1976) by Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, wherein, after a pre-show with Blade facing Hannibal King, Dracula wed Domini (and faced the Faceless Man).  Domini then appeared on and off until the end of the Tomb of Dracula series.

Celebrating Artist Ron Frenz

 

Celebrating the birthday of artist Ron Frenz (February 1, 1960) with the American Dream...

...a heroine from Earth-982, a near future approximation of the Marvel Universe, with the daughter of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson as Spider-Girl, and a next generation of Avengers)....who is Shannon Carter, the cousin of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter, who idolized Captain America, trained in his combat techniques, and eventually got Captain America's shield.  Debuting in A-Next #4 (January, 1999) to join those Avengers, Shannon then had her own 5 issue mini-series.

A-Next #4 (January, 1999) and American Dream #1 (July, 2008)

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American Dream #2 and #3 (July and , August 2008)

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American Dream #4 and #5 (August and September, 2008)

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Celebrating Artist Steven Butler

Celebrating the birthday of artist Steven Butler (January 29, 1965) with a couple of his covers for Nightwatch (#5 and #6, August and September, 1994), wherein the hero (the Spawned Nightwatch) faces off against Venom.

Celebrating Artist Frank Miller

Celebrating artist Frank Miller on his birthday...here, with a couple of his earlier efforts at Marvel, drawing two Star Trek covers (#5 and #10, August, 1980 and January, 1981), as the crew of the Enterprise had just come out of their movie debut in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Celebrating Artist Sal Buscema

Celebrating artist Sal Buscema on his birthday (January 26, 1936) with a couple of his Sub-Mariner covers (#34 and #35, February and March, 1971), wherein Sub-Mariner joins forces with the Hulk and Silver Surfer (setting the stage for the Defenders, though Doctor Strange would replace Silver Surfer for a time).

Remembering Artist John Romita

Remembering artist John Romita on his birthday (January 24, 1930 - June 12, 2023) with a couple of his covers to Amazing Spider-Man (#66 and #67, from November and December, 1968) featuring the master of illusion....Mysterio!

Celebrate Thor's Day With Him

Fresh from his hatching out of his cocoon in Fantastic Four #67 (October, 1967, with cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott), the creature created by the Enclave, known as "Him", faced Thor and Sif in Thor #165 and #166 (June and July, 1969, covers by Kirby and Vince Colletta)...and would then later return in Marvel Premiere #1 (April, 1972, covers by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins) as the man called Adam Warlock!

Celebrating Artist Boris Vallejo

Celebrating the birthday of noted artist Boris Vallejo (January 8, 1941), with a couple of his covers to Savage Sword Of Conan (#7 and #10, August 1975 and February, 1976).

Boris did much work for Marvel, including tales featuring Ka-Zar, vampires and zombies!

A Bizarre Santa Claus

It's after the holiday, but you still better watch out...

...or this undead Santa Claus could find you, in this horrific comic cover, for all those not a fan of Christmas....the cover of Bizarre Adventures #34 (February, 1983) by Joe Jusko.

Santa Hauls The Marvel Universe

Santa Claus tries to carry the whole Marvel Universe in his back, but it seems too much for him in the Art Adams cover for the January, 1993 Marvel Holiday Special, with stories for Wolverine, the New Warriors, Spider-Man, Deathlok and the Punisher, and pin-ups for Excalibur and Captain America.

Celebrating Artist Joseph Michael Linsner

Celebrating the birthday of artist Joseph Michael Linsner (December 13, 1968).  

His incredible painted work has adorned many covers, with some of the earliest featuring mutant Mystique for the earliest issues of her title....and they are drop dead gorgeous!

Mystique #1 and #2 (June and July, 2003)

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Mystique #3 and #4 (August and September, 2003)

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Mystique #5 and #6 (October and November, 2003)

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