Famous Funnies #216, Eastern Color, March 1955. Artist: Frank Frazetta.
So I did the old “I’ll tell them I’ll only use 4 but slide in the 5th at the last opportunity”. Apologies but there was no real other option today. Frazetta’s cover to Famous Funnies #216 is beyond great and deserves the day.
Gil Kane again, this time with a great action cover for Captain America #216, the Torch couldn’t hit the floor with that arm.
I’m rounding the day off with a tribute to Chris and his big hand fetish, inexplicably we get 3 giant hands-on Adams’ Strange Adventures #216.
A great comic book cover matching each day of the year, 1 through 365. Please chime in with your favourite corresponding cover, from any era.
“Beyond great”? What the wha-? Sorry, being able to draw finely-muscled contorted figures does not a great cover make. This is a fairly drab cover illustrating the story “Something Blows Up”. I could go with the Captain America if it wasn’t for the awkward pose.
A number of good possibilities for #217. I think Batman rises above for a number of reasons: interesting angle, the juxtaposing the Batman logo with the Batman figure, as usual extraordinary Adams art, big story element, some action.
I think the runners-up all sit at about the same level: Daredevil, House of Mystery, Our Army At War, Tarzan.
Despite not knowing what exactly is going on on the cover if Famous Funnies, I know if I had seen it on the newsstand I would have bought it! The Cap is a great cover…I like it as much as the Frazetta and find the poses believable from my perspective! The Strange Adventures interests me the least although I realize Walt included it to satisfy Chris’ obsession with big hands.
There’s those Frazetta muscle and vein-y arms starting to come through. I like the action and the intended colour (I imagine it was brighter) though wonder if it might have been a stronger cover with the left hand guy turned around so his face would be visible. Interesting details, the stars on their ray gun holsters which don’t have the cords tied around their thighs to keep them from flapping around. And Frazetta is one of the few it seems who signed his covers in full, sometimes with a scroll/frame, when a lot of artists didn’t. I like how the background on the Buck covers extend beyond the title banner, nice design element.
The Captain America would be a challenge to draw. I like it.
I’m with Chris on this one. It’s the least of the Frazetta covers you’ve chosen. Figure isn’t even contorting correctly for a blast from that direction. Take away the explosion and it’s just a ‘dance-off’ between twin strippers. Left guy’s physique looks more like puddy/mud than muscle bound like right guy. The Cap cover is better IMO, even with the odd juxtaposition, because you can really see the fear in Cap’s eyes as his baby-maker is nearly burned.
Looking forward to the next batch of covers.
Oh yeah. As for what could be among the highlights of 217, Batman is definitely a good one, Daredevil by Windsor-Smith, Uncanny X-Men by Simonson has always caught my eye, Fantastic Four just for it’s H.E.R.B.I.E. ridiculousness as the JOWA.
C. K. and Chris, what the heck is going on when you guys cannot see the amazing art on this cover, fantastic frozen moment that not many could even attempt.
There’s a explosion spitting rocks at their heads, and the guy is expressionless. He could at least look afraid or like he’s yelling. NOT saying this isn’t good art, there’s so much that seems ‘off’ about it, I just can’t call it more than good. Personally, I think the Octopus cover was much better and something I would call great. Would make a sweet poster, even mini-poster, framed nicely.
Stunning original art.
C.K. … Russ Cochran I believe did just that in the 70’s… and while some are a bit dogeared I have the Famous Funnies covers at 11x 14 on card stock with much better colors then the comic covers! The Octopus covers is in blue water on the one I have!