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18 Days to Christmas
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[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]18 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/0fe01374126bdd3e28e824d4ca87c3c9/b953c6a4f0f5991d-dc/s540x810/441b2984ff8607f4906c62e7fab267365ccec42a.png[/img]
[IMG]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/d/d8/Namor_The_First_Mutant_Vol_1_3.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101105005254[/img]
[SIZE=4]Namor the First Mutant #3[/SIZE]
by Jae Lee and June Chung
Cover Date December 2010[/CENTER]
I was torn between picking a Jae Lee Namor cover from his own series or from Fantastic Four 1234, as I like that era of Jae Lee's Namor the best. The 2000s Jae Lee is a bit heavier, but he's also using the darker inks. The Namor from the 2010s is colored by June Chung and has an ethereal glow that fits the otherworldly vibe that I think should be part of Namor and his world. IIRC, this may be an illustration of one of Namor's duties / powers that was revealed in this run -- releasing the souls of deceased Atlanteans. There's always a staged, dramatic quality to Jae Lee's covers, but they are usually striking or beautiful.
Also I think this was the time Marvel decided they didn't have to stick with a 'masthead' on the top of the cover, so they were experimenting with various positions and things, like the black bar with the event / story arc on it.
We all know how Jae Lee's style has grown / differed from his his first work on Namor in the 1990s. But I'm including this cover, which also features Namor and a woman "floating" as a more direct comparison. It is very 1990s extreme, but even back then, I think Jae Lee's work stood out, with his use of shadows and large areas of black and of course, his signature splatter inkspots.
[center][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/9/9c/Namor_the_Sub-Mariner_Vol_1_27.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20080724003248[/img][/center]
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[QUOTE=Doombot;4722345]This is an all time favourite for me. I absolutely love this version of Namor, particularly the Golden Age Namor. The fact that it's a homage to the amazing Everett piece, which I didn't see until after the Ross version, makes this even more special. This is one where I wish there was a poster print made.[/QUOTE]
I agree 200% I'd have definitely have bought anything with this on it. Or now that I think it about it, with the Everett print too.
[QUOTE=Iron Maiden;4722358]You are right, they should make a poster of that wonderful Alex Ross cover. [URL="https://www.alexrossart.com/Marvelocity_c_53.html"]He has his own store on his website[/URL] but unfortunately not as much Marvel as DC. I picked up his new book Marvelocity at his booth at C2E2 but he didn't attend the convention the day I was there. I don't think he did any signings there at all.[/QUOTE]
I'd love to meet Ross!
I actually remember when this came out, Ross had the original on sale in his shop. I drooled over that for a while, but of course, it was far too expensive for my budget.
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[QUOTE=ImperiusWrecked;4724620]The sad Namor cover is up there with being one of the most memorable, and I do love that Alex Ross art so much, I know I've said this before but I love how he showed the differences between young Namor and older Namor.[/QUOTE]
It is! We rarely, rarely see Namor in this state.
Alex Ross is indeed amazing!
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17 Days to Christmas
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[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]17 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/217e985f56500c6977a93b4abf77d46f/2e5ece090e1e45ff-7f/s540x810/6c03be0ebaef0e2e154c96182127ba670fd21767.png[/img]
[IMG]https://afburns.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/cover2.png?w=474[/img]
[SIZE=4]Fantastic Four #14[/SIZE]
by Jack Kirby
Cover Date May 1963[/CENTER]
Surprising choice for my favorite Kirby cover .. or not? ; p
Well, I was surprised to discover there weren't as many Kirby Namor covers to choose from. I also discovered that for Kirby's early Namor FF covers, he tended do the characters in side relief. Except for my choice, and this iconic one below, which I almost chose. While this show down, between the legs pose is fairly common now, I'm not sure how common it was when this comic came out. Has anyone seen one earlier than this?
[center][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/b/ba/Fantastic_Four_Vol_1_4_Vintage.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100520224723[/img][/center]
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[QUOTE=Reviresco;4725179][CENTER]
[IMG]https://afburns.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/cover2.png?w=474[/img]
[SIZE=4]Fantastic Four #14[/SIZE]
by Jack Kirby
Cover Date May 1963[/CENTER]
Surprising choice for my favorite Kirby cover .. or not? ; p[/QUOTE]
I'll go with "or not". :p Just like Sue Storm on that cover, your eyes are irresistibly drawn to Namor's butt!
I just noticed your post there shows him in both his green and red speedos...very Christmasy! ;)
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[QUOTE=Dermie;4726758]I'll go with "or not". :p Just like Sue Storm on that cover, your eyes are irresistibly drawn to Namor's butt!
I just noticed our post there shows him in both his green and red speedos...very Christmasy! ;)[/QUOTE]
LOL! You know me well, Dermie. :)
I meant to do that Christmasy thing.... riiiight.
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16 Days to Christmas
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[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]16 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/76aa140db2e88212cd1e5c8600255501/9326488583f7b74d-72/s540x810/0c5cbbddcca7a869ba50c4c4f926c93b55f8ad03.png[/img]
[IMG]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/8/89/Hulk_Vol_2_27.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101120014812[/img]
[SIZE=4]Hulk #27[/SIZE]
by Ed Guinness
Cover Date January 2011[/center]
I expect muscles with an Ed Guinness cover, but this cover delivers MUSCLES!!! Plus it is probably the most dynamic of McGuinness' Namor covers. These two titans are rolling and roiling the waters, with the giant anchor threatening in an encircling arc. If this were a 3D movie, that anchor would be leaping off the 2D toward you, and the cover itself would be bulging and busting out of your hands. It's not action packed, it's action UNPACKED!
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15 Days to Christmas
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[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]15 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/0d73d5fdf8022b5f7b3cd17af31f64fe/414191af50cf98f2-ed/s540x810/846d30aad58350277e2f664a2d5dbaaafdac813d.png[/img]
[IMG]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/9/93/X-Men_Legacy_Vol_1_245_Variant_Fantastic_Four.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110226180443[/img]
[SIZE=4]X-Men Legacy #245[/SIZE]
by Paolo Rivera
Cover Date April 2011[/center]
I'm just going to go with one adjective for this cover. Magnificent!
Here's some of Rivera's prelims to the painting.
[IMG]https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d4Fw-OAa1ms/TT-6ZpdyLmI/AAAAAAAAEWE/rgWo7Pv7sQQ/s1600/FFANNV_DOOM_COV_cs_lyt_dcs.jpg[/img]
This came from Rivera's website, where he has TWO posts about this cover. I recommend reading both, as they are more pictures, including references for, as Rivera calls him, "greasy Namor."
[url]https://paolorivera.blogspot.com/2011/01/wacky-reference-wednesdays-no-137.html[/url]
[url]https://paolorivera.blogspot.com/2010/12/wacky-reference-wednesdays-no-134.html[/url]
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I would call him "shimmery Namor" :D
That is one of my favorites and I regret not getting this variant. I wish they hadn't done it on an X-Men title. This should have been a Fantastic Four variant. In any case, for some variants the lcs wants you to buy a number of regular covers since they get charged more for certain variants. It is less of a problem these days but it still happens. I've not visited Paolo Rivera's blog lately and but I remember his post about his early Marvel work, the Doom story "Masks" in Marvel Double Shots #2 That is a fun post to read too....a[URL="https://paolorivera.blogspot.com/2010/04/marvel-double-shot-2-poser.html"]nd his Dad was a stand in for Doctor Doom[/URL]!
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14 Days to Christmas
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[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]14 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/69e3e9160bd802bef0efc14e1e22fba3/041ec14fededa027-22/s540x810/cde67a62712c6625883918cf61606847c50e03c4.png[/img]
[IMG]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/77/Sub-Mariner_Vol_1_46.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190220142132[/img]
[SIZE=4]Sub-Mariner #46[/SIZE]
by Gil Kane
Cover Date February 1972[/center]
There were actually quite a few Gil Kane covers with Namor to choose from. Not only did he did he do an epic cover run on Subby's own title after Sal Buscema left to the end of the series, including some covers during Everett's run that "Wild Bill" inked, but Kane also did a bunch of Invaders and Defenders covers, as well as some Super Villain Team Up covers. IIRC, Kane really admired Everett, and I suppose, his signature creation, Namor -- or Kane just did a HUGE amount of Bronze Age covers.
IOW, I was torn on which one to pick. So, I went with a cover that immediately reminded me of the high tragedy within. Yes, this was the peak of Gerry Conway angst, where he'd put poor Namor through the meat grinder, and tore everything away from the Prince. It was a heart breaking read, but especially for kid me.
Kane was a master of the dynamic superhero anatomy. You could see every muscle in their exaggerated poses. He didn't have a variety of body types or faces, and he did have a few stock poses -- but every cover was polished and perfect. Even when he was saddled with a heavy inker, or a Romita Sr. alteration, his style still shone through boldly.
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Shiny Namor is one of my fave covers! Namor's father dies, so soon after Namor loses Dorma, just so much happens to him in such a short span. ):
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[QUOTE=ImperiusWrecked;4732397]Shiny Namor is one of my fave covers! Namor's father dies, so soon after Namor loses Dorma, just so much happens to him in such a short span. ):[/QUOTE]
Yes! That was the meat grinder of Conway's angsty run. So much melodrama and loss. I loved it!
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[QUOTE=Reviresco;4732120][CENTER][B][COLOR="#FF0000"][SIZE=6]
[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]14 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/69e3e9160bd802bef0efc14e1e22fba3/041ec14fededa027-22/s540x810/cde67a62712c6625883918cf61606847c50e03c4.png[/img]
[IMG]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/77/Sub-Mariner_Vol_1_46.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190220142132[/img]
[SIZE=4]Sub-Mariner #46[/SIZE]
by Gil Kane
Cover Date February 1972[/center]
There were actually quite a few Gil Kane covers with Namor to choose from. Not only did he did he do an epic cover run on Subby's own title after Sal Buscema left to the end of the series, including some covers during Everett's run that "Wild Bill" inked, but Kane also did a bunch of Invaders and Defenders covers, as well as some Super Villain Team Up covers. IIRC, Kane really admired Everett, and I suppose, his signature creation, Namor -- or Kane just did a HUGE amount of Bronze Age covers.
IOW, I was torn on which one to pick. So, I went with a cover that immediately reminded me of the high tragedy within. Yes, this was the peak of Gerry Conway angst, where he'd put poor Namor through the meat grinder, and tore everything away from the Prince. It was a heart breaking read, but especially for kid me.
Kane was a master of the dynamic superhero anatomy. You could see every muscle in their exaggerated poses. He didn't have a variety of body types or faces, and he did have a few stock poses -- but every cover was polished and perfect. Even when he was saddled with a heavy inker, or a Romita Sr. alteration, his style still shone through boldly.[/QUOTE]
I liked Sting-Ray (note the spelling originally as compared with today's Stingray), I think because he was the closest Marvel Character to Marine Boy, whom I love.
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13 Days to Christmas
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[I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]13 Days to Christmas[/FONT][/I][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/ab0ea843b8b5ddde810c948ce03f52fa/ce429105bdfb0c24-0a/s540x810/1bb9604cc0ef0abc9e9fc4e2fb3c0d9b2eab739c.png[/img]
[IMG]http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100315215427/marveldatabase/images/1/1d/Marvels_Project_Vol_1_6_Parel_Variant.jpg[/img]
[SIZE=4]Marvels Project #6 variant[/SIZE]
by Gerald Parel
Cover Date April 2010[/center]
I don't think I need explain why this is one of my favorite covers.
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All great choices, Rev! And I enjoy reading your art analysis! (and Dermie's comments ;))