Ah, BUT IS IT AN ORIGINAL...?

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

MARVEL had been publishing their weekly periodicals in Britain

for a while, when, perhaps responding to some readers' requests, they

asked the rest of us if we'd like to see more original covers.  To my mind,

'original' covers meant the original covers which had first appeared on

the American mags, not newly-originated ones for the U.K. comics, which

seemed to be what Marvel had in mind.  I responded, saying "Yes, more

original covers please!" - as, no doubt, did quite a few other Marvelites,

because, before too long, the weeklies sported brand-new (and, a few

exceptions apart, mostly inferior) cover art all across the board.

I eventually twigged to what had happened regarding the differing

interpretations of what was meant by 'original', but, going by the poor

reception of many of the 'new' covers featured on this blog, I had the right

idea and Marvel had the wrong one.  (I exclude JIM STARLIN's covers

on early issues of MWOM because I actually like them.)  Perhaps, had

Marvel stuck with more 'classic' covers from the original U.S. issues,

their titles may have enjoyed a greater success. 

So what say you readers?  Did you care much for the specially-pro-

duced, newly-drawn cover art on the Marvel weeklies of your youth,

or, like me, did you prefer to see the classic covers that had first graced

the initial printings of these early titanic tales?  Make your valued views

known in the comments section - the fate of the free world hangs in

the balance!  (Well, f I'm gonna lie, I like  to make it a big one.)

This illo was first used as a 'new' splash page, before being pressed into service
as a cover a few issues later. Not quite in the same league as the Surfer one, eh?

Posted in: Cartoons