The Black Arts!

Love the imposing image of The Black Knight above. The Knight brings out the best in many artists. Here are some sundry examples from across the years, a proper send off to the Black Knight.

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Marvel Super-Homages!

[Gene Colan & Neal Adams]

One of my all-time favorite comic books is Marvel Super-Heroes. It had been known as the venerable Fantasy Masterpieces and housed both Silver Age and Golden Age reprints, but changed its title to more properly reflect its role as Marvel's "Showcase" comic for a brief time. (Note: With lots of reprints still too.)

[Howard Purcell & Ron Frenz]

Lots of great comic book ideas were debuted in its pages and a lot of heroes were given their first try-outs as solo acts too.

[Gene Colan & Jim Valentino]

And these covers proved to be quite memorable as many have been used as inspiration for great "swipes" or more the more genteel "homages" over the intervening decades.

Great covers deserve great swipes.

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Kirby Handbook!

I wish this were real, and not merely an inspired commission piece. I'd pay bucks to get a ready-made handbook of all the Jack Kirby creations. I'd reckon that might be a hefty tome indeed.

In the image above rendered by Ron Frenz, I see from DC, The Demon, Ben Boxer, OMAC, and Sandman. Alongside them I spy Pacific's Silver Star and Captain Victory. Cool cover idea!

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