This cover by Jack Kirby and Dan Adkins for the reprint title Marvel Triple Action #29 offers up an action-packed scene featuring Goliath and the rest of the Avengers from that era.
The Kirby cover is a reworking of this scene by Gil Kane which was used as the original cover for Avengers #37 which first featured the story "To Conquer A Colossus!" by Roy Thomas. Kane was doing a host of covers for Marvel at this moment and this image was deemed stronger than the original produced by Don Heck.
Here is that original Don Heck cover, offering up yet a third interpretation of the same scene of Goliath caught in the energetic cords of the Ultroid leader Ixar's robot warrior, his fellow Assemblers rushing to save him.I suspect this cover was rejected because too many of the Avengers have their backs to the reader. Pietro is virtually invisible.
And here's what one fan created by adding color to Heck's artwork, giving us a great look at what might've been had the original cover been used and had gone to press. Beautiful.
Three interpretations of the same cover by three great artists. Take your pick!
Rip Off
Great covers, Heck is cruelly underated.
ReplyDeleteDon Heck had the profound misfortune to be surrounded by titans such as Kirby and Buscema, guys who were the epitomy of their respective styles. Rarely a fan fave, he's on my list of most underrated comic artists for sure.
DeleteRip Off
I like the Heck Cover best.
ReplyDeleteThe Triple Action cover has everyone standing right next to each other and Goliath flying back at a weird angle and the villain doesn't look as imposing.
The Gil Kane cover features the heroes all frontwards at the cost of featuring the villain's backside and you're left to wonder who they are fighting. And like you mentioned the other day Giant man doesn't look heroic.
In the Heck cover the villain looks larger than life. He looks scary! That's the first cover that makes me think who the heck are they fighting? (no pun intended). And I think despite seeing many of the heroes backsides I think their looks are all iconic enough that it doesn't matter. Each one of them is still showcased. And Goliath is down but still manages to look dignified.
But the pink coloring of the masthead on the fan coloring looks odd.
Of the three you showed, the Kane cover would be my least favorite. I'd have enjoyed either of the other two, and it's interesting to see three masters interpret the same scene so differently.
ReplyDeleteRejected covers is to me a wonderful topic. I don't think I've ever seen a rejected cover, though, that made me scratch my head more than Neal Adams original offering for X-Men #56. The Living Monolith holding aloft the magazine's logo, with our heroes restrained on each letter, was incredible!
Doug
Just looked it up Doug and I think both of the X-men 56 covers are great! Thanks for mentioning it.
Delete