The Incredible Hulk Day!

Jim Steranko was born on this date in 1938. Steranko is one of a kind in the comics world. He was a magician and the inspiration for Jack Kirby's Mister Miracle. He became an ace artist for Marvel on Nick Fury and other titles for a brief but impressive period, and later a creator of a fabulous covers for a myriad of paperbacks starring The Shadow and others. He wrote his own History of Comics. 

This Bronze Age British Mighty World of Marvel cover featuring the Hulk seems at first glance to be adapted from the iconic Jim Steranko-Marie Severin cover for King-Size Hulk Special #1 from 1968.

It's not.

The Brit cover seems rather to have been adapted from the original Steranko artwork for the King-Size Special cover, the artwork not retouched by Marie Severin. Check out that face.

Steranko's original has lots of potency, but frankly I think that Marie Severin's alterations to the Hulk's head add some drama. The Steranko face is too beastly, and it lacks the human component to give the image the necessary connection for the audience. Steranko's Hulk is well and truly a monster. Great piece of dynamic action though. 

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