This is a great poster-shot cover of the original Red Guardian. This image by John Buscema is staged to maximize the drama and personal power of this new villain. It's too bad he had to die the very next issue.
Here's the original of that great cover.
Here's a cover by Buscema from just a few years later featuring Hawkeye in almost exactly the same pose. Just like the Guardian the pose sends the message that the individual is not to be trifled with.
And it's a good think that Hawkeye went back to his classic look in this issue, because as good as Don Heck and Frank McLaughlin make the costume above look on this splash from Avengers #109, I doubt Hawkeye's pose on the cover would've been as effective in these circus togs.
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I've always loved that Red Guardian cover.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the less said about the alternative Hawkeye costume the better.
That costume was very artist specific. Barry Smith who came up with it I guess did a pretty bad job with it. Buckler was some small bit better, but Don Heck did the best job. It was not a good look.
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