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!

Falling In Love With John Romita

A quick look at some romance comics, here, Falling In Love, which lasted for 143 issues (from September-October 1955 to October-November, 1973).  Here, two covers by John Romita (#49 from March, 1962 and #62 from October, 1963) summing up the romantic angst so common amongst the title.

Remembering Artist John Romita

Saluting the life of artist John Romita, Sr. (January 24, 1930 - June 12, 2023).  

Starting off with Captain America, horror and romance comics, after a brief try out on Daredevil, John was quickly moved to the Amazing Spider-Man where he made his mark on the world.

So successful on Spider-Man, John became Marvel's art director, shaping Marvel Comics for decades to come (and, after his incredibly powerful cover to Marvel Treasury Edition #1 of September, 1974, he did a few other Treasury covers, include as well, to show how epic his work could be).

Marvel Treasury #2 and #3 1974

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Marvel Treasury #5 and #8 1975

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But, the more important part, as John's work was used in more promotional items for Marvel in the 1970s...

...was the humanity he brought to his art, evidenced by this shot from the 1978 Spider-Man calendar (April), of Peter Parker and his cast outside the Coffee Bean.  

An all too short a look at the life of John Romita, Sr., but a little look at his romance comics can be found here, and even some DC work here!

Wishing A Super Birthday To Artist John Romita

Celebrating the birthday of John Romita (January 24, 1930).  Though normal known for his work on that amazing, spectacular friendly neighborhood guy over at Marvel, John did do an occasional cover for DC.  Two, in fact, one...Supergirl #80 (May, 2003) with inks by Jose Marzan Jr., and a variant of Superman #34 (October, 2014), inked by Klaus Janson.

John also worked on two of the DC/Marvel treasury books, one for MGM's Marvelous Wizard of Oz (1975),  and the other, the Marvel Treasury Edition #28 (1981), providing layouts to Bob Larkin's painting starring Superman and Spider-Man!

Our Love Story by Spider-Man?

At one time, comics weren’t all guys in spandex fighting each other.

They had war, espionage, humor…and romance!

There were many books that focused on romance, but, I’ll focus on “Our Love Story” from Marvel Comics.

The series ran 38 issues from October, 1969 to February, 1976, and over the years featured work by writers Stan Lee, Steve Englehart and Gerry Conway and the usual Marvel Bullpen artists, including John Romita, John Buscema, Don Heck, Gene Colan, Jim Sterenko, Jim Starlin, Sal Buscema, Gil Kane and Alan Weiss, as well as reprints from earlier romance books with art by Vince Colletta, John Forte, Jay Scott Pike, Matt Baker and Jack Kirby!

Later issues reprinted earlier stories, as well as covers! Check out some of that crazy cover copy…

 ...more drama than 50 Shades of Gray!

Or at least as much as the Comic Code Authority would allow!

 

The stories did get a little repetitive...

...then again, they at least changed hair colors and outfit colors!

 Love might be blind...

...and maybe romance comics readers too!

But, one of the most important parts of “Our Love Story” was the first two issues, with a Stan Lee/John Buscema story “We Dare Not Marry!” and it’s sequel, “I Can’t Forget You!”.


Looking at those two covers by John Romita….

…do they remind you of anyone from the Marvel Universe?

Don’t think too long about it…


....the answer is coming soon…


…real soon, in fact!




The story was reprinted in Marvel Treasury Edition #1 (among many other places…)

If you said Mary Jane Watson, “face it, tiger, you hit the jackpot!”….and that scene was from Mary Jane’s first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #42 (November, 1966) by Stan Lee and John Romita.

Peter and MJ have had their problems over the years, but are still a romance for the ages, and proves that comic characters (like comic collectors) aren’t that different from anyone else…we all just want someone to love!

Comic Heroes Are Unappreciated

It might be hard to believe, with all the fans they have, but not everyone likes a hero.

Sure, the life of a superhero looks easy, but it really isn't....

Take for example Superman and Spider-Man (one from DC and one from Marvel, both working in the news industry, both the biggest heroes in their world, or at least the most popular...).

Neither of them have had an easy life....

To Save A Superman

With Superman #240 (July, 1971, with a cover by Neal Adams, and interior story by writer Denny O'Neil, artist Curt Swan and inker Dick Giordano), we learn how people react when Superman fails!

Not cool, as the cover shows....but it wasn't really Superman's fault....

...he just wasn't up to full power!  Starting with Superman #233 (January, 1971, by O'Neil, Swan and inker Murphy Anderson), Superman was being slowly weakened by the extra-dimensional being Quarrmer) who came to our world when a lab accident destroyed all Kryptonite on Earth, and this creature formed as a "sand Superman", a parasite (though not THE Parasite, a different Superman villain..), slowly taking away Superman's powers over time! 

Superman had to deal with this problem all the way until Superman #242 (September, 1971) and did it with a little help from Wonder Woman (who, at the time, was also without her powers!).  Superman recovered, and Quarrmer even came back to be the Superman villain in the Superman vs. Shazam battle of All-New Collector's Edition #C-58...and the entire collection of O'Neil & Swan's sand Superman saga was collected in the DC Comics Classics Library: Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore in January, 2009!

Spider-Man No More!

Peter Parker was a photographer/freelancer working barely surviving working for J. Jonah Jameson, fearing for the health of his elderly Aunt May, and pushed into giving up being Spider-Man....and this all came about in Amazing Spider-Man #50 (July, 1967, with a cover and interior pencils by John Romita and story by Stan Lee and inked by Mike Esposito). 

It's amazing that Peter did eventually come back to his webheaded alter-ego after the unknowning encouragement of his friends...and he did it just in time to face the crimelord of New York, the Kingpin! 

Winston Fisk made his first appearance within this story, and continued to menace Spider-Man, as well as other New York heroes like Captain America, Punisher and especially Daredevil (started during Frank Miller's run...which was adapted into the Daredevil movie...more or less). 

Over the years, the Kingpin caused plenty of heartache...but deep down, it's Spidey that the Kingpin hates most of all!  You can find that original Spider-Man/Kingpin confrontation in the Marvel Masterworks #22: Amazing Spider-Man, along with issues #41-50 and the third Amazing Spider-Man Annual (which has Spidey facing the Hulk at the behest of the Avengers), or all that and more (like battles against the Green Goblin, Rhino, Lizard, Electro, Kraven, Dr. Octopus and others in Amazing Spider Man #39-67, Annuals #3-5 and more in the Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus #2 of April, 2012).

 

Lessons Learned

It seems that heroes who come in and do the work, week after week are not always appreciated, but they still do what they can to help others...and it is by continuing on against adversity that help to make these rare people into heroes as they do what they can!