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Jon Stafford
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Joined: 29 December 2010
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| Posted: 03 January 2011 at 1:42pm | IP Logged | 1
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First, let me apologize if this topic has already been brought up somewhere else. I looked around and didn't see anything, but I could easily have missed it.
That said, I wonder if there is an online source for the Marvel head logos drawn by JB that were used in the 1980s? I'm talking about the ones that would be put in the upper left corner of the cover to indicate what characters were in that issue. I've Googled around trying to find them, but I can't seem to find the right word combination for an effective search.
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Chad Carter
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| Posted: 03 January 2011 at 8:02pm | IP Logged | 2
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Man, that's a difficult search. I tried a little and got very little. I would suggest running through blogs like http://bronzeagebabies.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html where the whole of the discussions run along these lines.
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Ted Pugliese
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| Posted: 03 January 2011 at 8:08pm | IP Logged | 3
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Do those little corner heads match the ones John drew for
the original OHOTMU?
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Brad Hague
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| Posted: 03 January 2011 at 8:23pm | IP Logged | 4
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I am thinking those "corner heads" predate the OHOTMU by several years. The Uncanny X-Men heads were in use (taking the place of the Cockrum heads) around 1978 or so. The Avengers heads were in place by 1980. Someone (it looks like several different artists) did the Defenders ones. I believe the OHOTMU came out around 1984. True, the articles for the Avengers used the Byrne heads but introduced others as well (which Byrne had done - not sure if they were done previously or specifically for the OHOTMU but I thought they were as cool as all get out).
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Jon Stafford
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| Posted: 03 January 2011 at 9:08pm | IP Logged | 5
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For a while in the early to mid-80s it seemed like almost all the "official" head logos were by JB. They certainly predate the Marvel Universe. I remember a lot of them being used in the index to the Contest of Champions (anyone else remember that?).
While we're on the topic of the Marvel Universe, I have always wondered how they assigned the characters? Did more senior artists get precedence in choosing? Or were they just randomly assigned?
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Ian Carroll
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King Of Pain
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| Posted: 03 January 2011 at 10:41pm | IP Logged | 6
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The Byrne/Austin art team were masters of the Marvel cornerbox "floating heads"! Some of them predate Marvel Universe, and others originated there. Their X-Men heads updated the Cockrum versions with not-yet-officially-uncanny X-Men #123, and went through #145.
The Avengers cornerbox heads debuted during JB's original run, on the cover of #185, and they ran all the way through #262, reflecting many membership changes during that time. The "Byrne heads," as I like to call them, made a return with JB's second run on the Avengers books (in the 300s of the main title -- they'd been used on West Coast Avengers all along).
While Joe Rubinstein inked nearly all the entries of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe in the 1980s, some exceptions were three absolutely gorgeous pages in Vol. 1, #1 -- one covering Alpha Flight and the other two the Avengers roster. It is stunning how much character and detail JB and Terry put into those tiny member portraits of the two teams! I remember being in awe of the shine on Ant-Man's helmet. Here was proof that JB could draw faces, and well. There was life in their eyes!
I was disappointed to see the difference when Joe Rubinstein's heavier line embellished the JB-drawn Fantastic Four heads in OHOTMU Vol. 1 #4, and re-inked the Avengers heads in the first issue of the later OHOTMU Deluxe Edition.
I like Joe's work, but just he didn't have the delicacy of Austin's fine line during that time (Terry would soon change his inking style a bit). In fact, comparing the two inkers' work over the same JB-penciled heads of many of the Avengers (the Hulk or the Beast, for example) was my first education in how big an impact the inker could have on penciled art. (Well, that and the parade of inkers who embellished John Romita, Jr. on Amazing Spider-Man during the same period. Mooney, Janson, Layton, Green . . . )
If I could have any piece of JB's original art, it would be that original OHOTMU Avengers entry from '83, as inked by Terry Austin. The perfect depiction of my favorite team. (If one of you has those pages, speak up!)
Edited by Ian Carroll on 03 January 2011 at 10:43pm
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Thanos Kollias
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| Posted: 04 January 2011 at 12:29am | IP Logged | 7
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Starting with the JB/TA Avengers, then on to JB/JRu version and finally the Alpha Flight heads of both pairs.
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Stephen Churay
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| Posted: 04 January 2011 at 4:19am | IP Logged | 8
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Nice observations Ian, I agree.
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Thanos Kollias
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| Posted: 04 January 2011 at 7:44am | IP Logged | 9
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I can hardly make out any Byrne style in Namor, Firebird and Vindicator.
Oh, and here are the X-Men, really badly cut I am afraid...
Edited by Thanos Kollias on 04 January 2011 at 8:08am
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Jon Stafford
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| Posted: 04 January 2011 at 8:02am | IP Logged | 10
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Wow, what a difference. Rubinstein's inking really dilutes the purity of the originals.
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John Byrne
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| Posted: 04 January 2011 at 9:11am | IP Logged | 11
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Wow, what a difference. Rubinstein's inking really dilutes the purity of the originals.I have talked before of how inkers basically fall into two categories, Tracers and Embellishers. (Terry considers himself a Tracer, just so you know this is not meant as a pejorative.) Tracers do exactly that -- they ink over whatever the penciller has put on the page. Embellishers add stuff, in terms of detail and line weight. Often, tho not always, to the detriment of the pencils. There is an additional layer to this. As noted, Tracers ink what is on they page. Embellishers -- especially the bad ones -- ink what THEY think should be on the page. In extreme cases, actually erasing and redrawing.
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Jon Stafford
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| Posted: 04 January 2011 at 10:33am | IP Logged | 12
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Embellishers -- especially the bad ones -- ink what THEY think should be on the page. In extreme cases, actually erasing and redrawing.
I would think that could lead to a lot of ill will between artist and inker. Do most artists prefer to do their own inking?
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Topic Closed)
