One could caption this image "'Thanks for the hand Buddy!' he said disarmingly."
There must an absolute trove of great artwork produced for Mighty Marvel which for whatever reason was not used. It's been published here and there in various collections, but perhaps a volume of just unprinted covers and such might find an audience.
A great example is the color guide above, an unused cover by John Buscema featuring Conan the Barbarian's encounter with a shambling zombie in some Crom-forsaken Hyborean swamp. Likely it was the unintentional humor in this image which got it in trouble. Sheesh! Note though how the arm has a sleeve though the disarmed zombie appears shirtless.
The cover they went with, seen below, does have more drama. I can hear "Big John" grumbling and mumbling even now as be bends over his drawing board having to put this replacement together. He did a great job nonetheless.
Rip Off
Any story as to why Conan wants the arm?
ReplyDeleteThe plot of that particular story has a treasure map which has been tatooed in parts on various arms of various men. So a ghoul/zombie is collecting arms to get the whole map. The scene above does not actually happen in the story that I can tell.
DeleteRip Off
Just a guess, but I don't think it's a sleeve. I think it's a sheet so he doesn't have to touch the arm.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but I still think it's just a sleeve. I don't think Conan is afraid of undead cooties necessarily.
DeleteRip Off
That's no sheet, it's worn like a sleeve and matches the zombie's pants. Why would Conan wrap it like a sleeve and leave the hand stickng out? A sleeve, I say!
ReplyDeleteBut the sheet explanation would have been worth a No Prize.