Karen: Hey gang, Just a little note today. I noticed that Asgard Press has announced their 2016 Marvel Comics calendar, and it includes a number of 1970s comics covers this time! While I have generally enjoyed these calendars, particularly since the sheets are perforated and make wonderful posters, I have been frustrated by the lack of 1970s comic art. For 2016 there will be a mix of 60s and 70s covers. You can go to the site (http://asgardpress.com/16-marvel-comics) and click through all of the months to see the different covers yourself. I've included a few here that I am excited about - sorry about the large watermark. The calendar is not yet on sale, but keep your eyes peeled!
Thanks for this Karen, these are all fine cover choices. I especially appreciate seeing them mounted on a black background like precious stamps. Anyone want to go into business producing black comic backing boards?
Jungle Action #23, now that is a sweet image. The Black Panther looks just perfect.
These calendars are regularly on sale at one of our local FedExOffice locations, but man, they're always so flippin' pricey that I can't make myself take the plunge. That Defenders #4 cover is a particular favorite of mine.
Hunh-- am I correct that of the four you've shown, two of them are by Our Pal Sal?
Thanks Karen, these are pretty sharp and the colors seem vibrant. Colin I like the black as well. Glad to see the Colan Dr Strange / Strange cover for October.
That's pretty cool. I didn't even know these existed. Most of the Marvel Comics calendars I see these days only feature the modern computer generated looking artwork, which I don't care for at all. I LOVE real comic book art though, so if I see this at retail I'll probably grab one.
Thanks for the tip, Karen!! I will definately keep an eyeball out for this. I had a wonderful calendar featuring classic Marvel covers a few years back (a lotta Kirby, Romita, Gene Colan, etc.) and I couldn't bear to toss it out when the year ended. I'm gonna have to grace the local comic store with my wonderful presence pretty soon and see if I can get my sweaty little hands on a copy. I wonder if Barnes and Noble might carry it. m.p.
I love these pics and all the other calendars in this line, all fantastic. I scratch my head with some of the previous cover selections used, but I know they're saving good covers for the next few years.
They could use some brighter colors like I've seen in those 'magazine comic posters', but I know they're printed this way to look 'vintage'.
Wow, and no Sal at ALL! I was a mile off on a couple-- although one I thought was Sal was actually Romita. . . and their styles aren't always dissimilar under a "house" style inker, yeah? LOVE that the Defenders cover is Starlin & John Buscema! And I'm givin' myself a no-prize for recognizing Marie Severin with the Iron Man cover, yep.
Back then the covers were designed to sell the book with a bit of story telling and Romita Sr. and Sal B. are both masters of that.
Good call on Marie's because that was one I missed. I thought it was early Starlin. The Starlin/J. Buscema and Byrne were the others. I thought it was a Gil Kane inked by Romita and a really early Perez.
Looks like a great calendar when comics were good. At one time I had all of those comics and it brings back lots of memories. With the exception of Amazing Fantasy #1...I had them all in my collection at one time or another. It's the only Marvel calendar I'd consider purchasing. I remember when the calendars of the 70's would feature creators birthday's and holidays. It made you feel like you were part of an exclusive club. That's what Marvel lost when Disney bought them out.
I've purchased (I think) four of these calendars. I did not get last years, because frankly, I wasn't impressed with the covers selected. I've found each year to be somewhat hit or miss. Some of the choices are just perplexing when you consider the vast array of covers to choose from. It's possible that Marvel has dictated a narrow selection of covers for Asgard to work with -and in fact, I noticed that all Fantastic Four covers, which had been so prominent in previous editions, disappeared from the 2015 calendar -but still there are a number of classic covers that have been by-passed for stuff like that Iron Man cover in the 2016 edition. Typically I find each calendar to have about 1/3 great covers, 1/3 good covers, and 1/3 'ehh' covers.
But they do make great posters, as I have covered the closet doors in the office with about a dozen of them.
Agreed with you Karen, as I figured the business/selection intent was **not** to roll all the great covers out into a couple of calendars.
What would they do in 3-5yrs down the line..?
But with the THOUSANDS of Silver/Bronze Marvel covers to choose from, that still shouldn't be an issue.
I do wish the calendar images were brighter on a glossier paper stock, like the old Marvel/DC Bronze calendars from the '70s. Now those images are awesome matted/framed.
Thanks for this Karen, these are all fine cover choices. I especially appreciate seeing them mounted on a black background like precious stamps. Anyone want to go into business producing black comic backing boards?
ReplyDeleteJungle Action #23, now that is a sweet image. The Black Panther looks just perfect.
These calendars are regularly on sale at one of our local FedExOffice locations, but man, they're always so flippin' pricey that I can't make myself take the plunge. That Defenders #4 cover is a particular favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteHunh-- am I correct that of the four you've shown, two of them are by Our Pal Sal?
HB
Thanks Karen, these are pretty sharp and the colors seem vibrant. Colin I like the black as well. Glad to see the Colan Dr Strange / Strange cover for October.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool. I didn't even know these existed. Most of the Marvel Comics calendars I see these days only feature the modern computer generated looking artwork, which I don't care for at all. I LOVE real comic book art though, so if I see this at retail I'll probably grab one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, Karen!! I will definately keep an eyeball out for this. I had a wonderful calendar featuring classic Marvel covers a few years back (a lotta Kirby, Romita, Gene Colan, etc.) and I couldn't bear to toss it out when the year ended. I'm gonna have to grace the local comic store with my wonderful presence pretty soon and see if I can get my sweaty little hands on a copy. I wonder if Barnes and Noble might carry it.
ReplyDeletem.p.
I love these pics and all the other calendars in this line, all fantastic. I scratch my head with some of the previous cover selections used, but I know they're saving good covers for the next few years.
ReplyDeleteThey could use some brighter colors like I've seen in those 'magazine comic posters', but I know they're printed this way to look 'vintage'.
Still a great value.
Hiya,
ReplyDeleteI went over to the Marvel data base to see if my guess of which artists did what were as spot on as I thought.
Not quite!
I was off on several, but in my defense I think they were kinda hard.
Here they are in order of month.
January; Romita
February; Romita
March; Jim Starlin layout and John Buscema pencils
April; Steranko
May; Byrne
June; Kirby
July; Trimpe
August; Marie Severin
September; Kirby
October; Colan
November; Romita
December; Kirby
I am gobsmacked over the fact that there is no Gil Kane in this collection! He was one of the most prominent cover artists of the Seventies!
There is but one obvious course of action; we must stone the heretics!!
seeya
pfgavigan
Wow, and no Sal at ALL!
ReplyDeleteI was a mile off on a couple-- although one I thought was Sal was actually Romita. . . and their styles aren't always dissimilar under a "house" style inker, yeah?
LOVE that the Defenders cover is Starlin & John Buscema!
And I'm givin' myself a no-prize for recognizing Marie Severin with the Iron Man cover, yep.
HB
Hiya,
ReplyDeleteHey Humanbelly
Back then the covers were designed to sell the book with a bit of story telling and Romita Sr. and Sal B. are both masters of that.
Good call on Marie's because that was one I missed. I thought it was early Starlin. The Starlin/J. Buscema and Byrne were the others. I thought it was a Gil Kane inked by Romita and a really early Perez.
seeya
pfg
Looks like a great calendar when comics were good. At one time I had all of those comics and it brings back lots of memories. With the exception of Amazing Fantasy #1...I had them all in my collection at one time or another. It's the only Marvel calendar I'd consider purchasing. I remember when the calendars of the 70's would feature creators birthday's and holidays. It made you feel like you were part of an exclusive club. That's what Marvel lost when Disney bought them out.
ReplyDeleteI've purchased (I think) four of these calendars. I did not get last years, because frankly, I wasn't impressed with the covers selected. I've found each year to be somewhat hit or miss. Some of the choices are just perplexing when you consider the vast array of covers to choose from. It's possible that Marvel has dictated a narrow selection of covers for Asgard to work with -and in fact, I noticed that all Fantastic Four covers, which had been so prominent in previous editions, disappeared from the 2015 calendar -but still there are a number of classic covers that have been by-passed for stuff like that Iron Man cover in the 2016 edition. Typically I find each calendar to have about 1/3 great covers, 1/3 good covers, and 1/3 'ehh' covers.
ReplyDeleteBut they do make great posters, as I have covered the closet doors in the office with about a dozen of them.
Agreed with you Karen, as I figured the business/selection intent was **not** to roll all the great covers out into a couple of calendars.
ReplyDeleteWhat would they do in 3-5yrs down the line..?
But with the THOUSANDS of Silver/Bronze Marvel covers to choose from, that still shouldn't be an issue.
I do wish the calendar images were brighter on a glossier paper stock, like the old Marvel/DC Bronze calendars from the '70s. Now those images are awesome matted/framed.