Catspaw Dynamics http://www.catspawdynamics.com Mon, 20 May 2013 07:10:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Charlton Comics Cavalcade Weekly http://www.catspawdynamics.com/charlton-comics-cavalcade-weekly/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/charlton-comics-cavalcade-weekly/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 06:45:21 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4206 As Charlton Comics‘ managing editor in the 1960s, Dick Giordano put together the Action Heroes line with talents that included Joe Gill, Steve Ditko, Pete Morisi, Pat Boyette, Frank McLaughlin and others. Charlton was petering out in the mid 80s, so DC bought the rights to those characters and presented them to Giordano – now DC’s executive editor – as a gift.

Charlton Comics Cavalcade Weekly
Charlton Comics Cavalcade Weekly
24″ x 36″ at 150 dpi, 9.1 mb

DC’s initial idea was, with cover art by Dave Gibbons (above), to put them in their own mag. Because the Charlton characters were seen as not enough of a draw to be saleable, the idea was to include the Superman Sunday newspaper comic strips as an “anchor” (just like The Bay in a mall).

However, after putting together a pilot book that could have also been titled Blockbuster Weekly, DC cancelled this initial book idea. Alan Moore came along and created new versions of those characters with Dave Gibbons and that was The Watchmen.

Logo reconstructions and colour by me.

DC later relaunched some of the original Action Heroes in their own books with varying success. They’re still a part of DC’s universe.

You can find great histories of Charlton Comics in TwoMorrows’ Comic Book Artist back issues 9 and 12. Available for purchase as digital downloads (or you can go searching for physical copies).

DC logo and its characters © & ™ DC Entertainment, Inc. 2013.

Peter Cannon/Thunderbolt © & ™ the Estate of Peter Morisi, 2013.

Colouring © Scott Dutton, 2013. This piece may not be reproduced in any form or presented on any website without written permission. For personal use only.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/charlton-comics-cavalcade-weekly/feed/ 0 Out of This World : Recoloured http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-recoloured/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-recoloured/#comments Sun, 05 May 2013 04:46:39 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4158 As my friends know, I have a strong archivist streak in me. A while back I came across a scan of Dick Giordano’s original art for Charlton Comics’ Out of This World #14 and coloured it up. And when I found most of the cover art, I thought it would be an interesting project to reconstruct the original 1950s colours, and then apply modern colouring techniques while respecting the intent of the original art.

On the left, the 1950s. On the right, 2013. While each image is scaled here to fit the confines of the blog’s format, the covers are saved as 1200dpi-wide jpgs you can open in a new window or save to your device to view larger. Clicking on a cover will take you to its blog post where you can see original and reconstructed art, and the covers as published.

Out of This World #1 by Bill Molno & Vince Alascia, August 1956

Out of This World #2 by Bill Molno & Vince Alascia, December 1956
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find this one. If anyone can help me source a scan of the original art, please contact me.

Out of This World #3 by Steve Ditko, March 1957

Out of This World #4 by Steve Ditko, June 1957

Out of This World #5 by Steve Ditko, September 1957

Out of This World #6 by Steve Ditko, November 1957

Out of This World #7 by Steve Ditko, February 1958

Out of This World #8 by Maurice Whitman, May 1958

Out of This World #9 by Pat Masulli & Rocke Mastroserio, August 1958

Out of This World #10 by Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia, October 1958

Out of This World #11 by Steve Ditko, January 1959

Out of This World #12 by Steve Ditko, March 1959

Out of This World #13 by Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia, May 1959

Out of This World #14 by Dick Giordano, July 1959

Out of This World #15 by Bill Molno & Vince Alascia, October 1959

Out of This World #16 by Steve Ditko, December 1959

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-recoloured/feed/ 0 Out of This World 16 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-16/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-16/#comments Sun, 05 May 2013 04:45:57 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4154 We conclude the Out of This World run with another Steve Ditko cover. #16, December 1959, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow and Ditkomania groups on facebook.

Out of This World 16
The published version.

Out of This World 16
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 16
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 16
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 16
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-16/feed/ 0 Out of This World 15 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-15/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-15/#comments Sat, 04 May 2013 17:13:02 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4145 Bill Molno returns to the cover of Out of This World after starting off the series with numbers 1 and 2. Inked by Vince Alascia. #15, October 1959, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.

Out of This World 15
The published version.

Out of This World 15
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 15
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 15
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 15
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-15/feed/ 1 Out of This World 13 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-13/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-13/#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 03:24:43 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4141 In a switch from previous covers, Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia show three of the issue’s stories, a device used on the next two covers as well. Out of This World #13, May 1959, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.

Out of This World 13
The published version.

Out of This World 13
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 13
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 13
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 13
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-13/feed/ 0 Out of This World 12 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-12/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-12/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:29:34 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4136 I felt bad for Steve Ditko on this one. His invaders from the Earth’s core are about to be crushed by a tan starburst. Maybe it was intended to float over the diver’s head. Out of This World #12, March 1959, Charlton Comics. Art and colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow and Ditkomania groups on facebook.

Out of This World 12
The published version.

Out of This World 12
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 12
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 12
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 12
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-12/feed/ 0 Out of This World 11 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-11/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-11/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:44:11 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4132 Steve Ditko returns to Out of This World with this great cover for #11, January 1959, Charlton Comics. Colour reconstruction. Check out The Charlton Arrow and Ditkomania groups on facebook.

Out of This World 11
The published version.

Out of This World 11
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 11
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 11
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 11
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-11/feed/ 0 Out of This World 10 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-10/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-10/#comments Sat, 27 Apr 2013 23:03:41 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4127 I like this cover. Just a little scene in an artist’s studio drawn by Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia for Out of This World 10, October 1958, Charlton Comics. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.

Out of This World 10
The published version.

Out of This World 10
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 10
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 10
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 10
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-10/feed/ 0 Out of This World 9 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-9/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-9/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:52:41 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4123 The next Out of This World cover. This is number 9, drawn by Pat Masulli and Rocke Mastroserio, August 1958, Charlton Comics. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.

Out of This World 9
The published version.

Out of This World 9
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 9
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 9
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 9
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-9/feed/ 0 Out of This World 8 http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-8/ http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-8/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:37:37 +0000 Scott Dutton http://www.catspawdynamics.com/?p=4116 Continuing the Out of This World cover series. This is number 8, drawn by Maurice Whitman, May 1958, Charlton Comics. Check out The Charlton Arrow group on facebook.

Out of This World 8
The published version.

Out of This World 8
Scan found on Heritage Auctions.

Out of This World 8
The cleaned-up art.

Out of This World 8
Colour reconstruction.

Out of This World 8
And a version of my own.

]]> http://www.catspawdynamics.com/out-of-this-world-8/feed/ 0