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!

Remembering Artist John Buscema

Remembering the "big" art of artist John Buscema (December 11, 1927 - January 10, 2002) with a look at his covers for Conan The Barbarian, from the Marvel Treasury Edition line.

John did a lot of big art in his time at Marvel, but few were as big as these covers covering Robert E. Howard's best known character.

John did the covers for three editions of the Marvel Treasury Edition featuring Conan the Barbarian:  #15 (inked by Ernie Chan) for 1977, #19 (which is all John's work) for 1978, and #23 (inked by Joe Sinnott).

These included reprints from the Savage Sword of Conan as well, which, for these treasuries, were presented in color, instead of their original black and white, as well as many pages of pin-up art, with the last edition also including a sample from the Conan newspaper strip.

Marvel's Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bags

Back in the day, Marvel had over sized Treasury comics, having some new stories, but mostly reprints.

 

 

Marvel did three holiday themed collections, and here they are for your enjoyment!

Christmas 1974

The first of Marvel's three Christmas specials was the Marvel Treasury Special, Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag of 1974 and a cover by John Buscema and John Romita.

This collection contained Marvel Team-Up #1 (March, 1972) by Roy Thomas and Ross Andru, and had Spider-Man and the Human Torch facing the Sandman in "Have Yourself A Sandman Little Christmas!"; Daredevil gets a present of his new all-red suit and faces an angry Atlantean "In Mortal Combat With...The Sub-Mariner!" in a story by Stan Lee and Wally Wood from Daredevil #7 (April, 1965);

Black Widow faces off against the Astrologer in "...And To All A Good Night" by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan from Amazing Adventures #5 (March, 1971) and most of the Marvel Universe comes together for the Hulk to face the Thing (with the rest of the Avengers and Fantastic Four around), with Fantastic Four #25 and 26 from 1964 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, because nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a fist to the face (well, at least that's how it goes in the Mighty Marvel world!).

Christmas 1975

The second of Marvel's three Christmas specials was 1975's Marvel Treasury Edition #8 with a front cover by John Romita.

This collection contains the stories of "Twas The Night Before Christmas" from Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #10 (March, 1969) by Gary Friedrich and Frank Springer, with Nick Fury facing a grinch to his holiday fun in the form of the Hate-Monger; Spider-Man finds the holidays can make you crazy (though Mysterio might be helping) in "Spider-Man Goes Mad" from Amazing Spider-Man #24 (May, 1965) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko; it's not a sweet Christmas for Luke Cage as he faces a mad bomber named Marley in "Jingle Bombs" from Hero For Hire #7 (March, 1973) by Steve Englehart and George Tuska;

the Hulk finds out that "Heaven Is A Very Small Place!" in a story by Roy Thomas and and Herb Trimpe from the Incredible Hulk #147 (January, 1972), and Dr. Strange faces Eternity on New Year's Eve in the Roy Thomas/Gene Colan story from Doctor Strange #180 (May, 1969).

Christmas 1976

The third of Marvel's three Christmas specials was 1976's Marvel Treasury Edition #13, with a front cover by Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott.

Collected here for your yuletide enjoyment...are the stories by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane from Marvel Team-Up #8 (January, 1973) with the Spider-Man and the Thing getting involved in a battle between the Mad Thinker and the Puppet Master (as well as some of the family problems between Ben's blind girl friend, Alicia, and her father, who happens to be the Puppet Master) in "As Those Who Will Not See!"; seeing that "Even An Android Can Cry" in a story by Roy Thomas and John Buscema from Avengers #58 (November, 1968) because the Vision joined the Avengers; the Hulk and the Silver Surfer have a battle like in-laws in "He Who Strikes the Silver Surfer" from Tales To Astonish #93 (July, 1967) by Stan Lee and Marie Severin; Daredevil fights with the second Ox of the Enforcers in "Once Upon A Time...The Ox!" from Daredevil #86 (April, 1972) by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan; and all these stories are sandwiched between a new Fantastic Four/Avengers story (with a few extra guests like the Champions, Daredevil and the Defenders) by Roger Stern and George Tuska!

Makes all this better than holiday leftovers!  May you and yours have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!