Better Red than dead.
Sorry pals, part 3 of the look at the October 85 Bud Plant catalog’s retailer tip sheet will have to wait ’til Monday. Which is okay, as there are a few titles in this next batch that I want to ask my former boss Ralph about anyway.
So no big post today, but take a gander at this sharp-looking Red Sonja cover by Mary Wilshire and Walt Simonson:
Boy, that just leaps out at you, right? I’ve seen the later “homage” cover by the current publisher of Red Sonja stuff, where they pull back the camera to make sure you get the breasts in the pic. But the original is perfect as is.
That cover made this an immediate buy off the spinner rack. I was a sucker for first issues and double-sized offerings. The 2 issue version of the movie adaptation didn’t suggest an ongoing was coming, and Bullpen Bulletins failed me. The only non-in-house comics news I could get back then was Comics Scene, so surprises were plentiful at the Convenient Food Mart on new comics day.
This was a blind-buy based on the cover and my enjoyment of the story in the Fireside Superhero Women book. I’d read that volume many times and was intrigued by Thorne’s art. This was not Frank Thorne. Despite having every issue of Dazzler, my tolerance for Vince Coletta was wearing thin. It seems like so much of early 80s Marvel were gorgeous covers wrapped around comics done overnight by Coletta or Al Milgrom.
Thanks for the brief but effective post. It sparked a lot of memories about the challenges of being a 12 year old with a pocket full of lawn mowing money and no reliable access to a comic shop. Long story short- this comic is greater than the sum of its parts thanks mainly to that incredible cover.
You know those issues of Justice League when you had George Perez covers but George Tuska inside? This is the Red Sonja equivalent.
That’s a cool Red Sonja cover–but the Frank Thorne Red Sonja run has never been topped yet! Having said that, that one Marvel Team-Up issue with Spider-Man and Mary Jane as Red Sonja also had some fantastic art by John Byrne.
“Red Sonja cover”
Awesome!
“I’ve seen the later “homage” cover by the current publisher of Red Sonja stuff, where they pull back the camera to make sure you get the breasts in the pic”.
To be fair, breasts are also awesome! And so are sales, as far as the publisher is concerned.
” Having said that, that one Marvel Team-Up issue with Spider-Man and Mary Jane as Red Sonja also had some fantastic art by John Byrne.”
Have I not seen this? I don’t think I’ve seen this.
I need to see this!
@ Snark Shark
It is Marvel Team-Up no. 79.
Story by Claremont, art by Byrne and Austin. Mary Jane transformed into Red Sonja as brawn by Byrne and Austin is a knockout! Also, there is a Clark Kent cameo appearance. An overall fun read.
* drawn not “brawn”…
“It is Marvel Team-Up no. 79.”
Excellent!
“there is a Clark Kent cameo appearance”
They DID meet in the Supes Vs. Spidey Treasury Edition… just old friends running into each other!