The 64th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Uncovering Gems In My Collection.

You know I wanted to call this post, The Gem Awakens as in The Force Awakens but nahh, I decided that would be too much of a rip off, so I went with the safe title.  As the year draws to a close, I realized that the "little rescue my comics project" I started a few months ago, well, let's just say the comics are STILL on the living room floor.  I've run out of bags and boards and looking at the living room, I am starting to really doubt I'll be able to get this done.  I was optimistic when I moved my comics out of the cupboard but now I'm really starting to doubt I'll be able to complete this task of saving the comics and bagging and boarding them.

Even so, I am still going to try and rescue as many of these comics as I can.  Hopefully over the Christmas holidays, I can move some of these comics to a different location.  It's going to be a huge task but since I was able to move them all out of the cupboard, I should be able to move them again.  Fingers crossed that I won't damage any more comics along the way.  I've found a lot of great comics that were damaged over the years and it hurts to see these comics in such a state.

To get a head start on things, I decided to move them out of the living room in batches and I found a few Gems that I never thought I would see again.  I think I've mentioned this before, for me it's the fun of seeing some old comic that you forgot you had.  well, I saw a few Gems in my collection.  I was so sure that I had lost a few of these Gems, thank goodness they were still in good condition, so lets get to it, Welcome to the 64th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Uncovering Gems In My Collection.

Here's a comic book I thought I had lost, have a look at this:

Do you recognize this comic?  This is Ultraforce # 0A which was a giveaway comic that came with an issue of Wizard Magazine.  Ultraforce was published by Malibu Comics.  Remember Malibu Comics?  They were active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for their Ultraverse line of superhero comics.  Remember Men In Black?  Ultraforce? The Exiles?  If memory serves, Malibu Comics was launched in 1986 (man that seems like ages ago) Malibu began modestly with creator-owned black-and-white titles, but made a name for itself publishing a combination of new series and licensed properties such as the classic characters like Tarzan and Sherlock Holmes. They also published popular TV, Movie and even video game tie in comics.  I also recall apart from the Ultraverse Line, they also had a successful but short lived creator owned line called Bravura.

I think Malibu was noted for being what is known as publishers of record (at the time I just referred to it as piggy backing) for a young upstart creator-run publisher access to the distribution channels.  The year was 1992, the company was Image Comics.  I remember those days, exciting times in comics.  After a while, Malibu Comics was bought over by Marvel Comics who were in acquisition mode those days, they were gobbling up companies left and right and Malibu was one of the companies they bought.  Whatever happened to Malibu Comics?  After the company was bought over by Marvel in November of 1994, there was a lot of press covering the purchase and as usual in those days, a lot of promises were made and all that but in the end Marvel canceled the entire Ultraverse line but they re-launched a handful of the more popular titles as well as a number of crossovers with Marvel characters.  In the relaunch, the "volume 2" series each started with # infinity symbol on them.  However these (infinity) issues and were canceled a short time later. Very little Malibu content was published after 1996. Sad.

So, anyway, this is one of those Gems I thought I lost.  This comic is not in great condition, if you look closely the top left hand corner of the comic is damaged, mostly because of silverfish eating away the cover and pages.  This is Ultraforce # 0A.  0A was a small comic book, about digest size and only contained 12 pages.  When I saw it, I was wondering why I kept it, then I found the answer in this next Gem.

Here it is, isn't that cover a beauty?  Okay this is Ultraforce # 0.  The main reason why I had the little digest version of Ultraforce and this issue is the artwork, no the beautifully stunning artwork by George Perez.  I was hooked by Issue # 0A and when they released Issue # 0, I bought it.  It was a comic drawn by George Perez.  I knew I had to have it and I'm glad I didn't lose this issue.  Meet Ultraforce, this issue featured Hardcase, Prototype, Prime, Ghoul, Contrary, Topaz and Pixx.  Interestingly enough even though the character Topaz (she's the redhead with the err Topaz (???) complexion) was featured on the cover, she did not make her appearance until Issue # 1 which brings me to this next Gem.

This is Ultraforce # 1.  All the issue featured here were written by Gerard Jones, penciled by George Perez and inked by Al Vey.  By the way both Perez and Very would later on be the artistic team on another superhero team book, The Avengers with Kurt Busiek as writer.   I really liked the quality of this title and the main attraction for me was always the art.  Issue # 1 of Ultraforce tells the origins of the team and as mentioned earlier Topaz makes her first appearance.  If you've never read this title, try it out, if nothing else, just have a look at George Perez and Al Vey's artwork before they started doing the art for The Avengers.  If you're a Perez fan, you'll love it, just like I did and still do.  

Okay next I stumbled upon a two issue Limited Series also from Malibu Comics.  As I said before, sometimes when you see an old comic, memories start coming back.  I remember I bought Issue # 1 of this Limited Series first but I didn't get issue # 2.  The reason was the store I bought it from, one day folded and just disappeared into thin air.  I never got issue # 2 but as luck would have it, many years later I saw Issue # 2 up for sale in a Comics Shop and it was going for a song, I bought it and I was finally able to complete the set.  Which title was it?  Here, have a look at Issue # 1!

Does anyone remember this Limited Series?  Break Thru was Malibu Comics' cross over event covering all their Ultraverse titles.  Break Thru # 1 had a cover penciled and Inked by George Perez.  Break Thru was their big summer event featuring all their super heroes.  The whole storyline started in an issue of  EXILES #4 and the story continued in the January 1994 Ultraverse titles.  I tried to get the rest of the titles but I couldn't get any of the titles after the store I bought it from folded.  Many years later I found Issue # 2 of Break Thru, have a look at this.

Another beautiful George Perez masterpiece.  This was the first time I had seen Perez's artwork outside of Marvel and DC Comics.  Break Thru was perfect for Perez.  I doubt any of the other artists Malibu had at the time could match Perez's artwork.  Break Thru Issues # 1 and 2 had a huge stable of writers behind it, there was Gerard Jones (script), Gerard Jones (contributing writer) and Mike W. Barr (contributing writer); Steve Englehart (contributing writer); Steve Gerber (contributing writer); James D. Hudnall (contributing writer); Tom Mason (contributing writer); George Perez (contributing writer); James Robinson (contributing writer); Len Strazewski (contributing writer).  Issue # 1 featured pencils by Perez with inks by John Lowe and Tim Eldred (ink assists).  By Issue # 2 Perez was joined by his collaborator Al Vey.  All these issues are definitely Gems to me, keepers for sure.  

Still on the subject of George Perez, I also came across another comic book he drew outside of Marvel and DC Comics, here, have a look at this:

This is Issue # 1 of Solus which was published by CrossGen Entertainment in April to December of 2003.  Solus was written by Barbara Kesel and penciled by George Perez, inked by Rick Magyar.  Solus ran for eight issues until it was cancelled when Crossgen went bankrupt in 2004.  I remember that Perez didn't pencil the entire eight issues, he left the title in Issue # 4.  Solus was a late comer to the Crossgen line-up but was a pivotal title within the overall Sigilverse history.  Solus was classified as a Science Fiction comic, I bought this issue because of Perez's artwork.  There was no regret when you buy a comic book with the name Perez on it as the always delivers great artwork each time.

If you're a comic book fan like me, then you'll probably remember these next two comics I found.  I was also caught up in the craze of the moment when Image Comics was launched and they were the ones who started releasing special editions, multiple first issues and all that.  Well this next comic was launched with 13 different variants, 13!!! Now that's a lot of variants.  As luck would have it, I couldn't get the variants, I could only afford the normal editions.  Here they are:

Okay this is Issue # 1 of Gen 13, regular cover and this is the Thumbs Up Variant Cover or 1B.

These two were the only ones I got.  There were so many other variants of this issue but this was all I could get or rather afford to get.  Gen 13 was written by Brandon Choi (Script) with J. Scott Campbell (Plot) and penciled by J. Scott Campbell and inked by Alex Garner and Sandra Hope.  While everyone else went nuts for the other variants, I thought I had better keep these two in a bag and board.  They might not be the other more sought after variants but to me they're still Gems.  Condition wise they're pretty good for comics bought in 1995!

The next Gem I found is indeed a Gem.  I was surprised to see this issue in such good condition.  I was sure that silverfish had made a meal of it, thankfully it's not in a bag and board.  This comic was released after the success of movie called Batman starring Michael Keaton.  This was the first Solo Batman comic to be released since 1940, don't take my word for it, it says so right on the cover.

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight was released in November of 1989, written by Denny O'Neil, art by Ed Hannigan and John Beatty.  This was issue # 1 and this issue alone had a double cover.  The outer front cover came in four colors. The data on this line refers to the inner front cover, which is more in line with subsequent front covers. Dean Motter did the cover design and logo for this first arc. Titled Shaman Book One, Bruce Wayne (pre-Batman) studies with a bounty hunter tracking a criminal in Alaska. He is saved by a Shaman who tells him a story about a bat and a raven, while wearing a ceremonial bat-mask.  The Batman Year One story is expanded a bit in this storyline.  Denny O'Neil explains the logic behind the double cover and importance of the debut of a new Batman solo book, the first since 1940. This appears on the inside front (outer) cover. See?

I loved this 5 part story.  The story was great, classic storytelling by Denny O'Neil and the art was dark, moody and Hannigan even drew Bruce Wayne to look like Michael Keaton.  Interesting and very engrossing comic book.

Now this next Gem, I really thought I had lost it.  I tried to locate it a few months ago, could not find it but I was able to find it.  It's still in pretty good condition and now it's safely in a bag.  Here, take a look at this:

When I bought this comic, I was eager to see the artwork by Mark Texeira.  The cover he did to Issue # 1 was just fantastic.  This issue was released under The Marvel Knights Imprint under the watchful eyes of Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti.  In this comic, leaving behind unrest among refugees in Wakanda, the Black Panther comes to New York to investigate scandal in the Tomorrow Fund.  Black Panther was written by Christopher Priest who brought something new and fresh to this character.  I'm holding on to this Gem.  With Black Panther starring in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, this comic will definitely be a keeper.  

Well, there you have it, the Gems I uncovered in my collection.  In the next few days, I am going to try and move my collection to another location, hopefully I'll be able to find more Gems and keepers and I'll be sure to share them with you.  

Hey, Christmas is just a few days away, so I'm going to wish all of you who are celebrating, A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  So is this my final post for 2015, I don't know, maybe.  If I can squeeze a bit of time before the end of the year, I'll try and update the broadcast...just before the New Year.  Again Merry Christmas, thanks for dropping by for the Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, as always, take care, see you next time. 

The 63rd Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Variants, Variants, I love Variants.

A while ago, I posted on my broadcast that I found a few variant covers in my collection.  I have always loved variant covers, it's something that has always appealed to me in some strange way.  I remember going through the collection of my classmates and the wide selection of comics they had in their collection.  From first editions to variants, the variants were the ones that attracted me the most.  I loved them but I couldn't afford them and when I could afford them, the comic shops where I live decided that comics were not profitable.  Comics were for kids and selling comics was a waste of time and money to them.

I was crushed when I heard that a lot of shops were either closing down or switching from comics to action figures, card games and what not.  Thankfully I was able to buy a few comics over the years and a few variants too.  They're still in my collection, humble and small though it may be. 

For this edition of the broadcast, I wanted to share some purchases I made.  These days I don't really get to buy too many comics anymore, so when I do, it's a thrill for me. These days I buy whatever comics I can online but I recently had a chance to go for a little vacation in Melbourne, Australia and it was there that I had a chance to pick up a few comics, it was a great experience for me to walk into two comics shop in Melbourne and pick up a few comics.  I talked about the visits in my previous broadcast: A Kid In A Comics Shop.

Okay, Variants, yeah I managed to get a few variants recently and I am really pleased with the purchase I made.  Let's start with this issue:

This is The Amazing Spider Man # 1 with a great cover penciled, inked and colored by Alex Ross.  When this issue was first released I was only able to get a digital copy.  As I mentioned no bookstore would sell comics anymore where I am, so there was no way I was going to get a physical copy.  I was lucky that the comics shop in Melbourne still had copies of Issue # 1 for sale.  I bought this issue and when I got back home, I went online to look for other comics to buy and I came across one specific item, it was a variant cover to Amazing Spider Man # 1. well, I made a bid and was able to purchase that issue.  I was so happy when the issue finally arrived, take a look at this variant cover:

Well, as the cover states and clearly, this is a Variant Edition to Amazing Spider Man # 1.  This is also a cover by Alex Ross but this cover features the design of Spider Man's new updated costume.  This Variant is  called the Alex Ross Design Variant, one of 14 variant covers that exists of Amazing Spider Man # 1.  I gotta admit, I like the look of this cover and I'm glad I was able to get this issue when I did.

The other comic I bought when I was in Melbourne was Issue # 1 of Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez and Justin Ponsor's Invincible Iron Man # 1.  When Iron Man was released, again I never had the chance to get the physical copy and I had no idea just how impressive this first issue was.

Look at that cover, when I bought this issue I didn't realize that the cover was printed on a heavy card stock cover and it is just beautiful.  Once you flip open the cover, you'll find the two-page spread cover without the text.

 Beautiful isn't it?  I loved this issue and I was again very happy that I was able to get this issue.  Well me being the person that I am, I wasn't quite satisfied with just getting this issue because a while back I read that Invincible Iron Man # 1 had 30 variants cover, 30!! There was one cover in particular that I wanted and again I went looking for it online and I found it.  Here it is:

Isn't that a work of art?  Beautiful isn't it?  I love this cover, when I first saw this cover as a poster, I loved it, then I found out that this would be one of the 30 variant covers, I knew I wanted to get it and I am so glad I did.  The cover by David Marquez and Justin Ponsor was already an impressive issue, some how Adi Granov is able to make the new Iron Man armor look so bad ass.  I love this variant cover.

I was also able to get issue # 2 of The Invincible Iron Man.

As soon as I found Issue # 2, I went looking for the other two variant covers to Issue # 2 of The Invincible Iron Man.  There was a Walt Simonson Variant and another one by Alex Garner.  Well, I was very lucky because I was able to find the Alex Garner Variant cover and it is a beautiful cover.

I knew I wanted this cover and I was able to get it.  I love how Alex Garner drew the new Iron Man Armor for this variant cover.  I love it. 

I also saw another variant on display in a different store in Melbourne.  It was a variant of a major series that was currently into it's 8th issue, the concluding chapter will be released next year in January, I'm talking about Secret Wars.  Originally Secret Wars was supposed to be an 8 issue series but it's been expanded to include another issue.  When I saw this cover, I grabbed it right away.  There were others as well but I wasn't able to get them all, I couldn't afford the price but I decided to get this one.

This is the variant to Secret Wars # 1 by Esad Ribic.  This is the Retailer Incentive Promo version.  The cover was penciled, inked and painted by Esad Ribic.  This cover is quite different from the regular version by Alex Ross and just as impressive.

The only thing I regret is that I wasn't able to buy the regular issue of Secret Wars # 1with this cover by Alex Ross.  Having this version and the variant version would complete my collection.

I also made one other, well two other purchases in Melbourne.  When I saw this comic, I wanted to get all the variant covers but I was only able to get the regular version and the variant.  I was again disappointed but the other variants were no longer available.  Sold out I think.  Here's the issue I was talking about.

Apart from Batman, this is the only other DC Comics I follow right now and it's all because of Bryan Hitch.  I love his work on The Ultimates 1 and 2 and also his Image series America's Got Powers.  I've always been a fan of his artwork and when I found out that he was taking over as writer and artist for Justice League of America, I knew I had to get it.  Apart from this version, I bought the variant called The Cyborg Cover Variant.

I really wanted to get the complete set of covers for Justice League of America # 1.  There were 10 altogether.  I really wanted to get the rest but being the collector I am, I decided not to because a few of them were badly bent and damaged and I wasn't willing to settle for a comic with that much damage.  I would have loved to get them all especially this one in particular but it just wasn't meant to be.  Here's a look at the other variants of JLA.

And this, this is the Seven Panel Foldout Variant version with all the different covers collected in one variant issue.  I wish I bought this one but I think it was sold out, it would have been great to get this variant but, yeah it just wasn't going to happen.  Another item on my Holy Grail List.  Who knows, hopefully one day, I can add this variant to my collection.

I have always loved Variants.  These issues have become the must have Holy Grail list items.  Over the years I've managed to collect a few and to this day I am still slowly buying them either on line or if I'm lucky enough to come across them.

Thanks for spending the time to read about comics and variants, thanks for dropping by for this edition, the 63rd Edition of the Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, I hope you enjoyed what I shared with you this time around, drop by again next time for another edition of the broadcast and as usual, you take care.

The 62nd Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: The Drawing Board: The Art of Mike Zeck.

One of the many things I love about comics is the art.  Yeah the story plays a very important role, the colors and the lettering but to me I have always been a fan of the artwork that an artist creates.  The artist is the one who brings the story from the writer to life, he adds a certain something to bring each panel, each page to life.  A great artist knows how to translate a page of words and details into a detailed page of art.  I guess that's why I love comics so much and I guess that's why I still collect and read comics to this day.

Welcome to the 62nd Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Drawing Board.  I introduced the Drawing Board on my broadcast as a way of talking about artists I like.  The last time I talked about Travis Charest and posted some of his artwork. This time around I wanted to talk about Mr. Michael J. Zeck or just simply Mike Zeck.

Mike Zeck was born in Greenville, Pennsylvania.  He attended the Ringling School of art in 1967.  He began his career in comics in 1974 doing illustration assignments for the text stories in some animated comics for Charlton Comics.  Charlton Comics was a comic company that was in business from 1945 to 1986.  Zeck also did their line of horror comics as well.  In 1977, Zeck started working for Marvel Comics.  It was this time that he started working with a writer named Doug Moench on a Marvel Comic called The Hands Of Shang Chi.  Master Of Kung Fu.

I have to admit I never had a chance to read this comic.  I think I would have liked it. The character of Shang Chi was created by writer Steve Engelhart and artist Jim Starlin, Shang Chi has no special superpowers, but he exhibits extraordinary skills in Martial Arts.  Here's a little history behind Shang Chi, he was conceived in late 1972 when Marvel wished to acquire the rights to adapt the TV Series Kung Fu (remember that series?) but they couldn't get the permission from Time Warner, owner of DC Comics. The publisher acquired the comic book rights to pulp fiction novel Sax Rohmer's Fu ManChu.  And thus Shang Chi was born, a master of kung fu, who was introduced as the previously unheard of son of Fu Manchu.

As I mentioned earlier, I never had the chance to read this comic but from what I saw of it, the series was packed with Martial Arts action, antrigue and  deadly villains but most of all, some really great artwork from Mike Zeck as evidenced in this page below.

In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Doug Moench and Mike Zeck's work on Shang Chi, Master Of Kung Fu as Number 6 on their list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels" and I personally think it was well deserved.  After Master of Kung Fu, Mike Zeck would move on to another Marvel title, one which chronicled the adventures of Steve Rogers, Captain America.  It was when he started drawing Captain America that I first came across his work and I was hooked, I've been a fan ever since.

I could be wrong so please correct me if I'm mistaken but I do believe this was Mike Zeck's first cover and first time he drew Captain America, this is the cover to Captain America # 224 by Zeck and Bob McLeod.  This issue was written by Peter Gilis, Zeck's pencils were inked by Mike Esposito and John Tartaglione.  Now here's the strange thing I found out, after this issue Mike Zeck didn't draw Captain America until Issue # 258.  Yeah, it was strange to me that after Issue # 224, we had to wait for quite a while for Mike Zeck to work on Captain America again.

This issue was written by Chris Claremont who wrote the plot and scripted pages 1-12 while David Michelinie did the script from pages 13-22.  Mike Zeck did both pencils and inks for this issue where Steve's date with Bernie Rosenthal is interrupted by a super-powered arsonist. This was the first time I saw his artwork and I loved it immediately.  I went on to try and find more of his work.

These were the issues I found and I loved the artwork by Mike Zeck.  Issue # 262 and 263 was written by J. M. DeMatteis, Mike Zeck's pencils were inked by Frank McLaughlin, but he was acknowledged as Quickdraw Studios.   In issue # 262, as Cap is participating in publicity appearances for the upcoming movie about his life, he is constantly plagued by the Nihilist Front and "saved" by the mysterious Nomad; During a Captain America Day parade, Cap is attacked by the Nihilist Front and the giant Ameridroid who kills Nomad and captures Cap; When Cap awakens, he discovers that he is going to be starring in a very different movie...The Death of Captain America courtesy of the Red Skull.  The story continues in # 263 where Cap tries very hard NOT to star in a movie Red Skull is trying to make about his death; He is able to break Ameridorids programming and escape before the final curtain; The recently deceased Nomad is revealed to the public as a phony; A movie exec pulls the plug on the Captain America movie; Cap takes on the Nihilist Order and battles the Red Skull and gets a little timely help from the dying Ameridroid. Great story which was made better with the art of Mike Zeck.

I tried my best to keep up with this title but it was hard those days as shipments were erratic and the comics were not a priority for the book stores.  I lost track of a lot of Captain America issues drawn by Mike Zeck.  Something else I regretted.  A few years later I found out that Zeck left the title at issue # 290.  It was then that I saw a trade paper back containing a three part issue drawn by Mike Zeck.  I was kicking myself for missing out on those three issues but I did get the trade paper back.  What a great story that was.  You may remember it, here's the cover.

In this storyline which ran from # 286 to # 289, a clone of Luther Manning comes back in time from 1991 (this changes to 1993 in issue #288) to find the Deathlok cyborg. Steve is supposed to be spending a weekend at Bernie's (get it?) when they almost run down Manning. Cap follows him into an abandoned Brand Corp. building where they come up against Brand soldiers and Deathlok himself.  

Zeck also did a number of great covers for other titles as well, in particular for a comic called G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe Special Missions.  Here are a few of my favorites.

One cover in particular was a favorite of mine from G.I. Joe, it was the cover to issue # 43. The cover itself did not feature a single G.I. Joe character, here have a look.

The cover featured The Grim Reaper shooting an M60 machine gun.  I remember I tweeted this as being one of the most memorable covers by Mike Zeck.  I was surprised to hear from Mike Zeck himself, he tweeted back that he came up with the concept of this cover devoid of all the Joe characters, from Cobra and just featured the Grim Reaper on the cover.  The message was in war, no one wins, only death wins.

In 1984, Mike Zeck illustrated a limited series called Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars.  I was so excited and I wanted to get this limited series but as luck would have it, I never saw a single copy of Secret Wars until some years later, I was finally able to buy the series years after it had come out.  Zeck drew the lion's share of the 12 part limited series and I loved his artwork on Secret Wars.

Issue # 8 of Secret Wars sported Spider Man's new costume which was designed by Mike Zeck.  Over the years a lot of people have tried to take credit for the black and white Spidey costume but it's been proven that Mike Zeck was the guy who created the costume that would be a Spider Man Villain Venom. Secret Wars for me was an unforgettable comic book, I loved each issue, I read almost each issue almost a hundred times in particular issue # 12 which was my first look at Secret Wars.

In 1986, Mike Zeck illustrated quite possible my all time favorite comic book.  It was a four part limited series, well it was first supposed to be a four parter but an extra issue was added on.  Zeck drew the first four issue while Mike Vosburg did Issue # 5.  Zeck collaborated with writer Steven Grant for this limited series which would be collected as The Punisher: Circle of Blood.

Punisher: Circle Of Blood became my all time favorite Mike Zeck comic, in fact to this day it's my unattainable prize, my holy grail if you will.  I am still looking for this comic book.
Have a look at these covers.

Beautiful aren't they?  I love the way Mike Zeck drew the covers and how Phil Zimelman enhanced an already beautiful set of covers and made them look so beautiful.  After the success of this mini series, Zeck would collaborate with Steven Grant on another Punisher project.  This one I actually have in my collection.  I made sure I bought it, Punisher: Return To Big Nothing, a hard cover graphic novel.

Again apart from Steven Grant, Mike Zeck collaborated with Phil Zimelman to create another great cover.  Just beautiful.  In 1987, Zeck illustrated what would be referred to as one of the quintessential stories in Spider-Man's history, as well as the definitive Kraven The Hunter stories.  Kraven's Last Hunt was a part storyline that ran through all the Spider Man Titles.

Mike Zeck once again collaborated with his former Captain America writer J.M.
DeMatties for this storyline.  DeMatteis remarked, "Because Mike nailed the plot elements so perfectly in his pencils—every action, every emotion, was there, clear as a bell—I didn’t have to worry about belaboring those elements in the captions or dialogue. I was free to do those interior monologues that were so important to the story. If any other artist had drawn “Kraven’s Last Hunt” ... it wouldn’t have been the same story.  I agree.  His art was spot on and it was just magical what Zeck did.  It's no wonder that Zeck and DeMatties worked so well together.

Apart from his work at Marvel, Zeck has worked for DC Comics, IDW and a few other companies as well. Zeck did the covers for DC Comics' Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast, a storyline that ran from Issue # 417 to # 420 in 1988 among various others.

Zeck also drew a few covers for various DC Comics Titles as well, one of my favorites in this one for Deathstroke The Terminator.  Here's a look at the covers he drew.

Mike Zeck, one of the truly talented artists in comics.  His artwork has been in comics published by Charlton Comics, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, to Dark House, Devil's Due, First Comics, Image, Homage, Malibu, Topps and just so many more.  For this edition of the broadcast, I'm just showing you some of my favorites, some I have in my collection, some I hope one day will be in my collection.  These days you can meet Mike Zeck in person as he makes appearances in various comic cons, I hope to one day be able to meet him at a con, fingers crossed.

If you'd like to know more about Mike Zeck's body of work, the titles he's worked on, then you can visit his website www.mikezeck.com and find out more about this talented artist.  Myself, I created a pinterest account to showcase his artwork, you can go to pinterest.com and look for "Mike Zeck Artwork".

I hope you enjoyed this edition of The Drawing Board on the Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast. I hope you've enjoyed looking at The Art Of Mike Zeck.  I know sharing all his art with you has brought back a lot of great memories of reading comics and discovering his art work.

Drop by again for another edition of The Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast and as always, take care!