Showing posts with label John Romita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Romita. Show all posts

22 October 2019

Stan Lee Vs. Spider-Man! Who Would Win?

As one might have noticed from last evening's post, i went digging for a few more Un-Comics. This time, it wasn't random digging - i was fair certain there were riches in this vein. I just hadn't opened it up in quite some time. 

Where was i going digging? Into Blip!

We already looked a bit at Pizzazz! so Blip! was only natural, and overdue. Blip!, like Pizzazz!, was a magazine published by Marvel Comics. This one was aimed at Video Game Players back in 1983. One might expect a range of years there, but it lasted only 7 issues, all covered dated '83.

In my digging i found 3 Un-Comics to reward my search - and a nice bonus tie-in to one of them. The third of those, from the final issue of Blip!, we saw in the post mentioned above.

The first comes from the first issue and appears to be the first ever Mario Brothers comic - a Triple First bonus -


If anyone knows of a Mario strip prior to '83, let us know.

The second (and final?) of the three is just a bit more odd than the other two. You see, that was when the Spider-Man game from Parker Brothers came out. So, Spidey got the cover -


Yes, those are the actual game graphics on the screen.

Inside, we get the Big Match...


 ...Spidey Vs. Stan!...


Those kids had some serious bragging rights back in those days, and that was before Stan got to be so well known and loved as a cultural figure. 

The article was followed directly by our Spider-Man un-comic, with art by Jazzy John Romita! - also featuring the video game -


art by Bob Camp and John Romita for Blip #s 1 & 2 (1983)

26 July 2018

Post #666 - Disney Princess & Prince Edition

Welcome to the 13th hour (locally) as we celebrate the 666th post with a quick look at Disney's under-celebrated Princess & Prince. Brother and sister - the children of Satan, the King of Hell - Damien Helstrom and Santana - Prince & Princess of Hell. When Disney bought Marvel, they ascended to Disney Princess & Prince status (just like Thor and Loki).

Though the Son Of Satan was teased the month before, both really first appeared in July of 1973 (Sell dates, not cover dates), Satana in Vampire Tales #2 and Damien in Ghost Rider #2. Damien also got his first cover that month, taking over Ghost Rider's old slot in Marvel Spotlight -


Satana didn't get her own first cover until over a year later, but finally she got a painted cover for one of Marvel's b&w newsstand magazines - Haunt Of Horror #5, where she had been appearing since, once again, issue #2.



Not that the Son Of Satan didn't get some nice covers of his own along the way...

 







...but though far fewer, Satana did covers better, either with old masters like Gil Kane (as above)...


...or with those painted covers...


Of course, like most brothers and sisters, they didn't always get along...



Both of them were known to get together with the other heroes in the Marvel universe, too...





More recently, the Marvel universe has gone 'dark' and they have seen a resurgence in the 90s and this century. So the Disney Princess & Prince are still active players, even Avengers(!), ready for their toy line. Not surprisingly, we're not going there. We're just looking at some older appearances here.

Also not surprisingly, there was fun imagery in the Son Of Satan's comics at times...








...and long before Spider-Man, Damien did...


Personally, i was always more fond of Satana's appearances in the old b&w mags...








Here's the original model sheet from Esteban Maroto that accompanied the article on her creation appearing in Vampire Tales #3 - Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Satana* (*But were too awestruck to ask)...


Let's close out for today with Satana's original short introduction from Vampire Tales #2 -


art by various for the titles shown (what?! it's the devil's post. Did you expect actual credits?)