Batman Family stands out among the late 1970s Batman books. The last few issues, oversized dollar comics, featured the work of Michael Golden, Jim Starlin, Marshall Rogers, P. Craig Russell, and this fellow, Michael Wm. Kaluta. The published version pulls most of the artwork off the black plate for a white-out day scene. I wondered what the exact opposite might look like. Here’s a recoloured version.
Ms. Tree is the longest-running private eye series in American comics. Created by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty, the character first appeared in 1981. Here’s a house ad for the book from Renegade Press, 1986, with freshly-applied colour.
Strange. Different. Unusual. Yup. Pretty much. The cover for Out of This World 7 by Steve Ditko, February 1958, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow and Ditkomania groups on facebook.
A great cover for Out of This World 5 by Steve Ditko, September 1957, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow and Ditkomania groups on facebook.
Steve Ditko provides another cover for Out of This World. Issue 3, March 1957, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.
For the first issue of Out of This World in August 1956, Charlton Comics produced this gem of a cover, drawn by Bill Molno & Vince Alascia. Here it is recoloured. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.
Here’s another head-spinning Steve Ditko cover for Charlton Comicss’ Out of This World. This time it’s issue 6, November 1957, with updated colouring.
Steve Ditko can fascinate and freak you out at the same time, and it started long before his run on Dr. Strange. Here’s a cover for Charlton Comics’ Out of This World 4, June 1957. Thanks to John Gandour for posting the original in the Today’s Inspiration facebook group (a great place for the best in 20th century illustration). Here’s my take on the cover with updated colouring.
Outland was released in 1981, very much a product of the popularity science-fiction films were enjoying during the time period. While the film was expected to do well, it was a modest success at best, making back little more than its budget on initial release. Since then, it has remained in print in the home video market. The DVD and Blu-Ray releases are very good – if a little light on special features – with the Blu-Ray being exceptionally clear and vibrant.
With Star Trek revitalised after the release of the first film in 1979, a new wave of licensed products and books entered the market. A personal favourite is the 1980 Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology, written by Stan and Fred Goldstein, and illustrated by noted Trek-alum Rick Sternbach.
