Giant Size Conan the Barbarian #5 - Jack Kirby cover, Bernie Wrightson reprint, Barry Windsor Smith reprint
Giant Size Conan the Barbarian #5 , 1975 - Unlike the previous Giant Size Conan issues, this one contains only reprints, specifically from Conan #12 (Wrightson inks), Conan #14 (Smith art) and Conan #15 (Smith art). Jack Kirby's Marvel covers appeared frequently in the mid 1970s, often with mixed results. He illustrates this battle scene with appropriate violence and chaos, but with little design consideration. Elric of Melnibone, the co-leading character, is mostly lost in the crowd. Also, Conan's face appears to have been altered by John Romita. This is number 1 of 1 Conan the Barbarian issues with Jack Kirby art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Conan the Barbarian, Smith, Wrightson or Kirby issues. See also this blog's Barry Windsor Smith checklist.
- - - - - - - - - -
Kirby cover pencils (John Romita inks) = **
- - - - - - - - - -
Find on ebay: >this issue , >more Smith issues, >more Wrightson issues, >more Conan the Barbarian issues
Posts
3 comments to date:
yeah, that's definately John Romita. editors were always doing it to Jack, at both DC and Marvel. usually Romita at Marvel, and usually Curt Swan at DC. if I'm right, there's also a couple of Jim Starlin/Jim Weiss covers they got Romita in to re-do the heads on, as well. cheeky buggers.
If you're referring specifically to Kirby's 1970s Jimmy Olsen issues, you're right. And the revised heads look ridiculous.
Romita was on of the most dynamic, memorable artists of the 60s and 70s, which is why his popular style was used to clean-up (or "Marvel-ize") the work of so many experienced artists. In the case of 1970s Kirby, he became a rough shell of himself, and Romita often turned the robotic Kirby work into strong pieces.
One only need to look at the cover of Captain America #193 (the "Madbomb" storyline) to see Romita's guiding style returning Kirby to brief glory. Certinaly more than regualr Kirby inker Mike Royer.
Post a Comment