These Odds and Ends Approved by Princess Zanda

 

Recently, I had occasion to go through a lot of graphics files that have been collecting dust over the years--looking them over after so long, clearing out the chaff, that sort of thing. Many of them consisted of content for old blog posts long since completed; some were curated as fodder for framework ideas for either home or office; and there were a few curiosities in the mix that evoked my earliest days of collecting comics memorabilia, a sort of digital "scrapbook" I hadn't even realized I was contributing to. By contrast, however, there were also a few such images that had me wondering just what I'd intended for them, but for whatever reason decided not to pursue or preferred to put on the back burner indefinitely.

Yet there were enough of these to share with Peerless Power readers and perhaps convey the same mixture of nostalgia and curiosity that I still have toward them--a sort of "grab bag" of comics tidbits that will hopefully evoke some thoughts on your part, as well.

We can start off with a montage of Alex Ross renderings that never made it to a wall hanging, but were most suitable for throwing together a desktop wallpaper montage:

(And if you're wondering why there's a Batman/Green Hornet graphic among the Marvel scenes, the only explanation I have is that it was too awesome not to have on my desktop! :) )

From 1978, a story from Invincible Iron Man features the Golden Avenger and the Jack of Hearts materializing on a Rigellian ship in the midst of that race's war of colonization with inhabitants of the world named Wundagore II, resulting in our heroes' capture. And a two-page spread by artists Keith Pollard (breakdowns) and Fred Kida (finishes) makes it clear that when the you're analyzed by the Rigellians, brother, you're analyzed (and in record time, it seems).

Taking into account all the posts I've made on Iron Man's armor, I'm frankly surprised that such a detailed schematic as this somehow slipped through the cracks.

At fourteen, I was definitely on board the Marvel train, and so its new FOOM fan club obviously gained my interest as someone who missed out on the M.M.M.S. of the late '60s. I've since made a few references to it in the PPC, but I never held onto the issues of the club's magazine and so, as time permitted, I'd store an online copy that I'd managed to locate here and there. One of them was its first issue, which I recall having a fold-out poster by Jim Steranko (who initially designed and edited the magazine) in its membership kit.

(Publisher Stan Lee really laid it on thick here--his opening comments are nearly a mirror of the grandiose, hallowed language style he included on the poster.)

I can't be sure, but this stunning picture of the Shi'ar warrior Gladiator most likely ended up on a trading card somewhere:

This next image I did manage to include in a post, as part of a collection of Jack Kirby's double-page spreads from his Eternals work:

But I held onto it, perhaps because I was intrigued by its teaser that the Celestials' Second Host involved Celestials who battled amongst themselves and even led to the death of one of their number. Investigating the story today, I see that it was merely the impetus for Druig, the cousin of Ikaris, to seek out the weapon used on the Celestial in order to train it on members of the Third Host. Sadly, the series ended with this story--I wonder if the conflict within the Second Host was ever expanded on elsewhere?

Two variations of a Fantastic Four poster by artist John Byrne to celebrate the book's 30th anniversary are both similar and dissimilar, a puzzle that I'd probably meant to look into at some point:

There have been other versions of this poster with their own dissimilarities (e.g., the team's uniforms being updated to whatever shade(s) they were sporting at the time). I prefer the more rich texture given to the characters in the second poster, as well as the very cool way in which Sue appears partially invisible (as opposed to the "outline" look applied in nearly all of her story appearances). My only quibble is the appearance of the Sandman, who's likely meant to resemble his sand-like form but instead gives the impression of his being a hologram.

These two gems were a delight to recently uncover:

Two Spider-Man promotional posters, drawn by (from left to right) Jack Kirby and John Romita Sr. I've no idea why Sentinels are pictured with the wall-crawler in Kirby's poster, but isn't it odd that the Spidey character is striking essentially the same pose in each rendering? Maybe it was decided to have Romita use Kirby's work as a template for a more contemporary poster to release?

And here are two cutaways I had for some reason decided not to include in their earlier separate posts. First, the one that featured a number of complexes/bases used by different characters--in this case, Latveria's capital city of Doomstadt, where you-know-who hangs his mask:

I liked seeing all the historic references applied to various structures and locations. By the way, when and where did Doom receive his doctorate? (I don't believe I'll be posing that question to him directly.)

And secondly, the Baxter Building cutaways, which didn't have this one present:

Possibly another trading card candidate, though its content seems a little too cluttered for such a fit to be readable. Given all the displays that Reed has used for informational purposes, I'm surprised at the continued existence of a "map room" and a "projection room"--it would seem silly if the team couldn't quickly reference what they need to at one workstation but instead had to traipse to another floor of the building and down the hall to their map room (the King's Crossing mystery being a good example).

And we might as well throw in a map here, peppered with Atlantean references throughout the north and south Atlantic (and one Inhuman reference, as well). I don't know about the rest of you, but I, for one, would consider invaluable any map with a designation that identifies the Lair of the Seaweed Man.

What a treat to have uncovered this next item (or should I say "items"). Seventeen years apart, a series of pages done in homage to Jim Starlin's earlier work in an issue of Strange Tales featuring his new take on the Warlock character--with Starlin also scripting the 1992 tale but this time working with artists Angel Medina and Bob Almond. In both cases, Warlock is on the loose--with the forces of Capt. Autolycus (from 1975) and the Man-Beast (1992) on the lookout for him, not realizing that it's they who are the hunted. (Presented here side-by-side, with Starlin's original material to the left of Medina's work.)

This wraparound to X-Men: Manifest Destiny (whatever that was) was another surprise to me, considering that I rarely pass on following up on an Ed Brubaker project that catches my eye. Maybe one of these days. Until then, enjoy what I'm assuming is another eye-catching Alex Ross cover.

And to wrap things up, who better than the haughty and imposing Princess Zanda of Black Panther fame, in a sequence which I actually did include in her earlier profile but seemed to fit nicely here, as well.

Hard times indeed, Princess. But even as someone who doesn't indulge in fast food, I'd make it a point to frequent your drive-through just to be on the receiving end of your choice words pointing out my incompetence.