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Great Comic Book Covers- Feat: The Hulk

by Hutch Morzaria March 1, 2017

written by Hutch Morzaria

They always say ” never judge a book by it’s cover”, and while that’s proven to be true on many an occasion this installment is about the latter. More specifically, judging the cover itself.

What makes a great cover? Is it the art? The artist? The action? The drama? The significance? All these factors do indeed contribute to the long lasting appeal to any comic book cover. Sometimes I want a ton of action and detail in a comic cover, while other times I long for the understated quiet cover that conveys just as much. These days the art of design is beginning to play a major role in comic book covers, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I marvel at the creativity behind said types of covers just as much as ” traditional” ones.

One thing that can’t be explained is that odd favorite cover that any one of us just happens to like. Perhaps the artist isn’t that well known and/or the issue itself doesn’t have much historical significance, but it doesn’t matter. For some reason, that comic book cover spoke to you and burrowed it’s way into your memory. At the end of the day it all comes down to personal taste. Here are 12 of my favorite covers featuring the green Goliath known to all as The Hulk!

King Sized Hulk Special # 1 – ( Artist: Jim Steranko)

We start things off with a classic cover by cover artist extraordinaire, Jim Steranko. This one’s been homaged more than a few times over the years, which is always a testament to how good a cover is. This one screams Hulk. It’s loud and bursting with energy and drama. Hulk can’t seemed to be contained in his own cover. It’s a brilliant composition from a man who knew his craft.

Incredible Hulk # 102 – ( Artist: Marie Severin)

This cover is a big deal because it gave the Hulk his first full length series. It doesn’t hurt that the great Marie Severin had a hand in it either. Like the previous entry, the cover screams Hulk, but more importantly it tells us what Hulk is about. I’ve always been a sucker for these Hulk transformation type covers ever since I saw this one as a kid.

Incredible Hulk # 206 ( Artist: Dave Cockrum)

Perhaps it’s not as flashy as some other covers on this list but I can’t count how many times I’ve seen this image of the hulk over the years. It seemed like the default image for stickers, posters, lunch boxes, T shirts etc. I actually saw the image first before ever gazing at this cover. Legendary X-men artist Dave Cockrum really pleased Marvel and us fans with this gem.

The Incredible Hulk # 181 ( Artist: Herb Trimpe)

How could I not include this classic cover introducing Wolverine? It’s iconic status cannot be denied. It’s a great action piece that sets the stage for one of the best rivalries in all of comics. Poor Wendigo is totally overshadowed.

The Hulk! Magazine # 23 ( Artist: Walt Simonson)

This one could be considered my ” eclectic” choice but I truly love this cover. It’s a cover from the short lived oversized magazine publication that ran in the 70’s. I just find it so… cool, for lack of a better word. Maybe it’s the transformation thing again, who knows. I’m a big fan of Walt Simonson and seeing his painted work was a rare treat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other painted pieces he did after this one. It’s certainly of it’s time but it rocks in my book!

The Hulk! Magazine # 25 ( Artist’s John Buscema & Joe Jusko)

Another inclusion from the Hulk magazine line but this one contains a more iconic image. Big John Buscema is a LEGEND in the comics world. In my opinion, he’s almost as important an artist as Jack Kirby. This cover is to the point but it really stands out. The intensity just oozes off the page. Everytime I see it I still think ” Man, that’s awesome.” Full points for whoever thought to pair up John Buscema’s pencils with Joe Jusko’s wonderful paints.

Incredible Hulk # 340 ( Artist: Todd McFarlane)

Wolverine shows up again, so sue me. I’d be willing to bet this cover has been homaged the most out of any on this list, it’s that popular. The interior of this comic doesn’t disappoint either. We get treated to the most brutal and best Wolverine vs Hulk brawl ever. Todd McFarlane always has an eye for creating a memorable cover. The cover is totally Todd. He loved playing with reflections and different ways to draw an action scene. Only one word can describe this cover. Badass.

Incredible Hulk # 376 – ( Artist : Dale Keown)

This cover is the first to feature artist, Dale Keown, who is definitely my favorite Hulk artist of all time. To my knowledge, this was the first time ever to feature BOTH the grey and green versions of the Hulk. The story manged to tie up that loose end and come up with a plausible explanation for the two versions of the same character. I just loved the action and sense of urgency this cover has. I remember trying to draw by copying this cover over and over again when I was a kid.

Incredible Hulk # 377 ( Artist: Dale Keown)

An iconic cover for an iconic story. It’s a huge issue in the history of the Hulk because it manages to give Hulk Banner’s intelligence. No longer is Hulk a savage monster who can barely string together three sentences. The design of the cover is simple but brilliant and the colors are perfect. Dale Keown knocks this one way out of the park.

Incredible Hulk # 379 ( Artist: Dale Keown)

Guess who? That’s right, it’s Dale Keown once again. Truth be told I could’ve done an entire list of Dale Keown Hulk covers. This issue introduces us to the “new” intelligent Hulk. Keown made some subtle changes to his facial appearance, creating a truly unique and iconic version of the character. The cover just demands your attention. You know it’s a big deal, I mean it’s as in your face as it gets. Every inch of the cover is used including the title itself!

Incredible Hulk vol 2 # 49- ( Artist: Kaare Andrews)

Artist, Kaare Andrews delivers one of the cleverest Hulk covers I’ve ever seen. It’s a wonderful homage to the fan favorite children’s book, Where The Wild Things Are. Not a particularly important or noteworthy issue of the hulk and yet such a unique cover. It’s meant to put a smile on your face and let you appreciate two groups of iconic characters.

Incredible Hulk vol 2 # 94 ( Artist: Jose Ladronn)

We end things with my favorite cover from the Planet Hulk story line. Jose Ladronn provides a gorgeous painted cover reminiscent of the days of the yesteryear, and how appropriate. Planet Hulk Is essentially Gladiator( The film) meets Hulk.

Planet Hulk proved to be the most celebrated story of modern age for Hulk. This is the cover that really make me take notice and get back into Hulk after many years of mediocrity for the character.

There you have it! 12 of my favorite covers of my favorite monster.

March 1, 2017 0 comments

Best Comic Book Battles: Feat Spider-Man

by Hutch Morzaria October 7, 2015

written by Hutch Morzaria

Known more for his wise cracking humor rather than his fighting skills, we have Spider-Man. About as regular a guy as you can get, but this guy can hold his own. His athleticism and intellect have allowed him to survive and even persevere against the most deadly of opponents. He takes a beating but tries his best to keep on ticking. Unlike Wolverine, he doesn’t have a healing factor to fall back on. Let’s begin with my picks for his best battles!

5. Spider-Man vs Green Goblin: The Death Of Gwen Stacy – By Gerry Conway, Gill Kane & John Romita Sr.

A classic Spider-Man story line that shocked the world at the time. A death in comics that actually lasted and had consequences later on. For those unfamiliar I’m referring to Peter’s first love , Gwen Stacy. Of course the man responsible for this tragedy was none other than arguably Spidey’s greatest foe. The Green Goblin ( Norman Osborn). In this particular case, Green Goblin went and made it very personal for Spider-Man and killing the woman he loved and rubbing his nose in it. It was a devestating blow to Spider-Man and you can bet he was pissed. It actually fel as if Spider-man would cross the line and kill for the first time. The set up is great and the actual climatic battle was awesome. The story and the fight itself have been adapted in films and TV, so it goes to show the impact this saga had.Here’s one of my favorite moments…

4. Spider-Man Vs Wolverine ( One shot) By James Owlsley & Mark Bright

My last entry to this list is a perfect segue to this comic and it’s respective battle. As previously seen, even when pushed to the limit, Spider-man won’t kill. The story asks what if he has to for a greater purpose? The question is asked, quite aggressively by none other than Wolverine. A guy who often kills without blinking. The story sets up these two sides quite well and makes for a very real and compelling reason to have our two protagonists duke it out. Usually it’s the art that sells it but this time the words accomplish that. The inner monouloges and debates between the two men while they’re fighting, are great. It’s an often overlooked story by the mainstream audience but fans have grown to admire it very much over the years. It’s a bit of a tough find but if you have a little patience, I suggest you try to pick it up. Here’s a glimpse that may sell you on it.

3. Spider-Man Vs Venom ( Collected edition) By David Micheline & Todd McFarlane

This is an old fan favorite. We(fans) just love seeing Spidey and Venom take each other on. It’s like Wolverine vs Sabretooth. Venom went on to become, arguably Spider-man’s most popular nemesis in the late 80’s/ early 90’s, and for good reason. He was a guy more powerful than Spider-Man, so there was a great physical advantage. Plus he absolutely hated Peter Parker & Spider-man. There was always a sense of impossibility when Spidey was tasked to do battle against him. Let me tell you that Spider-man lost more than he won against Venom. Well, physically anyway. The stunning detail that Todd McFarlane added to the art work made it all the more enjoyable. I remember studying each page for what seemed like hours. Every panel seemed cooler than the next. Venom proved to be so popular he even got his own series in the 90’s. Some might say he was a victim of overexposure but what can you do?

2. Spider-Man vs Kraven The Hunter ( Kraven’s Last Hunt) By J.M. DeMatteis & Mike Zeck

We went from the dark nature of the Venom saga, to the even darker nature of Kraven and the Kraven’s last Hunt story line. I’ll say right now that this story is, likely my favorite Spider-Man story of all time. The conflict, the drama and the artwork are all superb. Certainly one of the darkest Spider-man stories I’ve read. Kraven the hunter was often seen as a joke compared to some of the other, more notable villains in Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery. Then this came out and proved everybody wrong. Kraven was presented as a man of great skill and even honor. A man to be respected and ultimately, feared. He sets out on his greatest hunt against his greatest adversary. The one who got away, time and again. He not only hatches an ambitious plan, he executes it. Spider-Man gets badly beaten in their first encounter. So much so, that he ends up buried alive. This is not the end of Kraven’s plan though. Read it yourself to get the juicy details. The imagery & metaphors used throughout this tale are spot on. They add a lot of insight and intrigue into Kraven’s state of mind. It’s almost as if they created a new character in this story, He’s so fleshed out. he becomes so fearsome that he jumps to the cream of the villain crop. Mike Zeck also nailed it here. For my book, his best artwork to date. Check out this splash page.

1. Spider-Man vs Green Goblin ( Spectacular Spider-Man # 200) By J.M. DeMatteis & Sal Buscema

We started the list with the Green Goblin and we finish with him as well… sort of. This time the man behind the scaly green mask Is Harry Osborn, Norman’s son. Heir to more than just his fortune apparently. This battle became even more intense due to the personal nature of Peter and Harry. Best friends forced to fight each other. There’s a lot of backstory here. A lot. It was only a matter of time before it all boiled over. The setup for this climatic brawl had been years in the making. A friendship that seemed destined to fail due to the very nature of both men. A tale worthy of the bard himself. To get real insight on this particular issue ( #200), it would be best to read the ” Child Within” story line. Same creative team. My favorite Spider-Man writer paired up with my favorite Spider-Man artist of all time make for one satisfying conclusion to all the build up. It’s almost an entire issue of action. Plenty of emotional weght and spectacular( no pun intended) visual story telling.Something about seeing Spider-Man lose it brings everything up a notch. I suppose it’s because to piss him, you have to do more than hurt him physically. You have to push his emotional limits and even his psyche to throw him off the edge, but he never really falls off. Very similar to Superman in many ways. If you want more than just a standard, Spider-Man wise cracking affair, look to this gem.

October 7, 2015 2 comments

Comics Marvel Movies

Best Comic Book Battles: Feat Captain America

by Hutch Morzaria September 14, 2015

written by Hutch Morzaria

It’s time to reach within my memory banks and pick out my favorite Captain America battles. There’s plenty of shield slashing fun to be had. The movies have actually done a good job in showcasing Cap’s impressive fighting skills, particularly Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier. I ‘m old enough to remember a time when the 1990 Captain America movie was all we had in terms of Cap on screen. Sigh… a bad movie but I loved it as a kid!

5. Captain America vs Daredevil: Streets Of Poison – By Mark Grunwald & Ron Lim

What a way to start the list. Hero vs hero. Cap does indeed go nuts, but there’s a twist. The whole story, and particularly this one, is a cautionary tale about drugs. Turns out that Cap is high as a kite. This turns him into a very paranoid and angry super solider. Daredevil steps in to try to “knock” some sense into him.Usually these covers don’t represent the quality or length of any fight between two heroes. In this case It’s a great fight and it surprisingly satisfies. Ron Lim turns in some exciting acton scenes. There is also the added treat of watching Red Skull & Kingpin go toe to toe!

4. Captain America vs Zahnmorder: Captain America: Sentinel Of Liberty : By Fabian Nicieza & Kevin Maguire

I find that this mini series is criminally underrated. It’s a very cool re imagining of Cap’s origin with terrific art to boot. Kevin Maguire is at the top of his game in this one. His skills particualirly shine when he pairs Cap against the evil Zahnmorder. There’s a real danger to this fight that made it impossible for me to look away. It’s Cap’s first real test as the super solider and man, is he ever tested. Add another Nazi henchmen and you got yourself a real fight! I urge you to find this gem and see for yourself.

3. Captain America vs The Winter Soldier: The Winter Soldier: By Ed Brubaker & Steve Epting

No surprise to have an Ed Brubaker tale on this list. This is actually the first story arc he ever wrote when he started his epic run on Cap. To me it’s so good that nothing managed to eclipse it. Bringing back Bucky Barnes turned out to be a monumental move that is still felt in the Marvel Universe today. The movies only exemplify that. Much like Batman and the death of Jason Todd, Bucky’s death haunted Cap for years. His best friend , now turned foe. The emotional weight of accepting that Bucky is lost and not coming back is really what makes this fight stand out. Sure, it’s a great fight aesthetically, but it’s Cap’s refusal to give up hope , that makes it compelling and emotionally draining all at once.

2. Captain America vs Red Skull: Captain America: Sentinel Of Liberty : By Fabian Nicieza & Kevin Maguire

Yup. This mini series makes an appearance on this list again. This time it’s the grand finale with none other than Cap’s greatest foe. The Red Skull. I think this mini series was a large inspiration for the Marvel films. I dare say, it was a bit bolder than said films. It kept the Nazi overtones. So much so, that the last fight is an arena brawl, filled with onlookers. Among them is Hitler proudly anticipating the humiliation of an American icon at the hands of the ” superior” Nazi fighter, Wonderfully drawn again by Kevin Maguire. The prestige format well deserved for this Mini series.

1. Captain America vs Iron Man( Round 2) : Civil War: By Mark Millar & Steve McNiven

As you can see plenty of reason to be excited for Marvel’s upcoming Civil War film. It’s a bit of a easy pick for fans. As mentioned before, having two heroes duke it out is extremely satisfying for some reason. I suppose it’s just an excuse to end nerdy arguments among fans regarding who would beat who in a fight. In this case I never really thought Cap would lose. Even though logic dictates that Iron Man is more than a worthy combatant. Sure enough, Cap and Iron Man fight twice in this story. ( spoiler) in round one, Tony beats the crap out of Captain America. It’s really pretty one sided but the rematch is a more even affair and Cap gets his revenge. The unique thing about this whole hero vs hero scenario, is that they both actually have a compelling reason to fight each other. I mean, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Hero B run into hero A in his own comic and just start fighting each other. For no other reason than because they happen to be in their respective city, Eventually they battle for about a page or two and end up teaming up. This is a more common trope with inter company crossovers but still. Civil War never really had any of that There was a finality to the fight that made it all the more dramatic. We were left with the feeling that things would never be the same after these events.

Let’s see how faithful Marvel studios stays to the comic when it ends up coming out next year.

Stay tuned for my next installment featuring Spider-man!

September 14, 2015 2 comments

Comics Marvel

Best Comic Book Battles: Feat. Wolverine

by Hutch Morzaria August 28, 2015

written by Hutch Morzaria

Time to delve into our favorite Canuck Mutant’s best brawls. He’s had a ton, and more often than not they are all entertaining. Because the thing is Wolverine is not a terribly skilled fighter. Sure, he can hold his own with the best of them but he doesn’t have the training or skill set of an Iron Fist or Daredevil.

His healing factor gives him a huge advantage because he can take just about any abuse thrown his way. I mean, the guy survived having Adamantium ripped out of his body. ( Thanks to Magneto in the Fatal attraction series.) Small in stature but huge in heart, he keeps coming back for more no matter the odds or the pain. Without further ado, let’s begin!

5. Wolverine vs Shingen Yoshida: The Wolverine by Chris Claremont & Frank Miller.

By now every Wolverine fan has either read or has heard of ” The Wolverine” mini series by Chris Claremont & Frank Miller. There’s even a movie “loosely” based on it. It’s a great story , and one that affects Wolverine himself in a personal nature. He returns to Japan after many years and desires to reconnect with his old flame, Mariko. There’s just one problem that stands in the way of their love. her crime boss father Shingen Yoshida.

It doesn’t help matters that Shingin is a master swordsman and martial artist. They fought twice in this mini series but the last fight sequence is beautifully rendered by Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein. Wolverine is thoroughly outclassed throughout most of the fight but as mentioned before, he just doesn’t quit. One thing is for certain at the end of it all. Sometimes honor must be compromised for the greater good.

4. Wolverine vs Hulk: The Incredible Hulk #340 by Peter David & Todd McFarlane

Undoubtedly one of the best rivalries in comics. While Wolvierine and Hulk have been uneasy allies at times, they mostly don’t like each other. Wolverine was introduced to the world via a Hulk comic and it wasn’t a peaceful encounter & in this particular issue of the Incredible Hulk the stakes go up quite a bit.

Firstly you have Todd McFarlane on art duties. Known more for his Spider-man run he did draw Hulk first as he developed his style. The cover alone is legendary and impossible not to want to pick up and read.

The fight is a bloody affair and it leads to one of the more interesting developments in Hulk lore. Like Wolverine, Hulk also has a healing factor. Let’s just say the Hulk gets revenge for his questionable defeat.

3. Wolverine vs The Hellfire Club: Uncanny X-men # 133 by Chris Claremont & John Byrne

This one is always a fan favorite and for good reason. it’s just such a cool comeback story and you want to root for Wolverine all the way. You get to see him do what he does best and in our cases, it’s very nice.

Certanly the highlight of the X-men’s battle with the evil Hellfire Club. John Byrne drew the hell out of this sequence and the last part of the fight is written brilliantly by Chris Claremont.

A special treat for me was to see this issue get the animated series treatment back in 1992. Not as good as the original but satisfying nonetheless. I particularly love the image here!

2. Wolverine vs Cyclops: Schism: by Jason Arron & Various artists

This was the fight everyone wanted to see. It’s been boiling for years and it finally came to fruition during X-men: Schism.

The funny thing is that in this story Wolverine was the more level headed one. Cyclops has become more of a ruthless tactician and you knew that eventually they were not going to be seeing eye to eye. Or eye to visor in Cyclops’s case.

This particular issue was drawn and inked by Alan Davis. A marvel veteran and comic legend.

It’s surprisingly brutal. You get to see both combatants use their powers all out. They’re playing for keeps in this one. The anger is raw and you can see it in the fight. It’s a long battle but it still manages to get cut short by those annoying Sentinels!

1.Wolverine vs Sabretooth: Wolverine # 90 by Larry Hama & Adam Kubert

You knew that Wolverine vs Sabretooth had to show up on this list at some point. This is personally in my top 3 comic rivalries of all time. It’s a fight that never gets old.
They had an epic battle during the Mutant Massacre storyline but this vicious affair takes the cake. It was the fight to end all fights…sort of. It’s pretty much a full issue of action. There’s even a two page fold out during the main battle. That’s right, the fight was so intense that normal pages could not hold it.

The end of the fight is just so appropriate and totally bad ass. If you’ve never seen Wolverine threaten with two claws before (see below)

Then you know what happens to Sabretooth at the end. I remember taking my sweet time to read this one because I wanted to take in every nuance of the battle. It’s still fairly easy to find I think. I urge you to seek it out and enjoy the visual spectacle for yourselves.

Stay tuned for our next installment of great Comic Book Battles and don’t forget to read our first installment which featured Superman!

Next time I’ll feature Captain America!

August 28, 2015 2 comments

Comics Marvel Movies

Thanos and his love life

by Hutch Morzaria August 13, 2015

written by Hutch Morzaria

Hopefully you’ve seen Age of Ultron by this point? I’m assuming that you have either already seen it (or as you are reading this) are planning on seeing it again for the second or third time! If you’ve not seen it yet, but are planning on doing so in the future, please give this post a skip as spoilers abound! As we’ve discussed already on this site this isn’t perhaps a perfect movie but it has lots to love and if you’re a fan of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) in any way, its a must see. One question that is out there though is who is big purple guy that we see at the very end of the movie and what’s his deal?

Thanos battles Spider-Man and the Thing on the cover of Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 (1977). Art by Jim Starlin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well most Comic Universes have a couple of major villains … Marvel as large as it is has a specific foe that is the antithesis to each of their Hero’s and hero teams. With Captain America you have the Red Skull (as we saw in the first Captain America movie), with the Fantastic Four its often Dr. Doom and with the X-Men its Magneto and Apocalypse (set to appear in the next X-Men movie). There are many, many more examples of this (Spider-Man and the Goblin, Batman and the Joker etc…) in both Marvel and DC but one of the most iconic and instrumental storylines was the Infinity Guantlet arc written by Marvel in the late 80’s.

Well the big bad of that book is someone that you’ve seen a couple of times now – namely Thanos – and he’s not only appeared at the end of Avenger: The Age of Ultron, but he’s also made an appearance in a meeting with Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy as well as hearing from his flunky about how the Avengers screwed up his plans in the first movie. He will be the bad guy in Avengers: Infinity War.

OK, I know who he is, but what’s his deal?

The guy is Thanos. Thanos was one of the last sons of A’Lars, progenitor of the second colony of Eternals on Titan, and Sui-San, the last survivor of the original settlement of Eternals on Titan. Born with grey, hide-like skin and a massive body due to being born with the Deviant Syndrome, Thanos was a morose child who became obsessed with the concept of death. Through bionic implementation and long hours of meditation, Thanos augmented his Eternal strengths and powers so that his abilities surpassed those of all other Titanian Eternals.

Well if the comic book is anything to go by, Thanos really has a thing for a specific chick and he wants to impress her. Sounds somewhat banal doesn’t it, but guess who Thanos’ flame is? Yeah, you got it – in the Marvel Universe, the incarnation of Death is a female and Thanos believes that the only way to impress her is by basically destroying the cosmos and he’s going to use the infinity gems to do it!

What are the gems & what do they do?

Well you hopefully know by this time that all of the Marvel movies are interconnected? You can also that in both Agent Carter and Agents of Shield too so its a really nice touch. (Off topic – I’d be very curious to see if DC does the same with Gotham and the other DC properties – Arrow and Flash – as that would be a nice touch). Well you’ve actually seen most of the gems already & each of these gems by themselves is extremely powerful. Combined as Thanos plans … well lets just say that he could literally wield the powers of a not so benevolent god! So far we’ve seen the following infinity gems:

Mind Gem

The Avengers franchise: The Mind gem is what was in Loki’s scepter and is currently in the Vision’s forehead.

Space Stone

The Avengers franchise: The Tesseract, AKA the Space Gem, has transported the Chitauri army to Earth via rips in space. The Tesseract is currently in Asgard. (Shown in Avengers, Captain America, etc.)

Reality Gem

Thor: The Dark World: The Reality gem was that red thing Thor was calling the Aether, and that “infected” Jane Foster.

Power Stone

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Power stone was what Peter Quill steals in the opening and they basically spend the whole movie chasing. You might remember that it figures prominently into the finale.

There are two other stones, Time and Soul, which will almost inevitably turn up in some of the upcoming films prior to Avengers: Infinity Wars.

August 13, 2015 0 comments