This pair of images clearly demonstrate how a comic book cover is revised. The original unpublished version of the cover has all the action in the very top, and visually it's unclear what is actually happening. The published cover spreads the action out and gives us clearer views of the each individual, including the flying demon himself. The fight also seems to be higher and farther away from the tower itself.
This isn't one of Smith's greater covers, despite its intricate detail, but shows very well an artist in transition.
Here's another version of this vivid cover with more subdued coloring.
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On the "Conan Classic" reprint, why couldn't they put the UPC on the lower left and duplicate the "Garden of Fear" type block below the girl's legs.
ReplyDeleteAs it is the UPC breaks up the flow of the figures!
(And the original coloring and logo were better!)
I don't disagree. They clear out the visual clutter at the top of the image, but add to it on the bottom.
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I bought all the conan classics,dispite having all the first prints, just for the great re coloring job done on them, but man, when you look at the original covers, then compare them to the reprints with the upc box on them, it really makes one see, just how greatly it hurts the covers.I recall years ago, seeing the original art for the cover of amazing adventures 38, and was shocked to see, that the artist had drawn a blank box on his own art.bad enough on the published books, but on the art itself,an empty box!
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