Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Making a Splash: Jim Steranko's S.H.I.E.L.D.

Can you believe this is post #300, baby? Time sho'nuff do fly! If you're a regular reader, then you know Ol' Groove digs the work of Jaunty Jim Steranko the most! Look up "far-out" in the dictionary and you'll see samples of his artwork next to it. So to make my 300th post extra-special, I thought I'd share a few Steranko splash pages with ya. Then I thought, why not share all of Jim Steranko's Nick Fury, Agent of Shield splash pages? Then I thought, why not toss in all the S.H.I.E.L.D. splash pages he did for Strange Tales? So I did! Why go to all of this trouble? 'Cause you-know-who loves ya, baby! Enjoy, Groove-ophiles!

Now, don't be surprised to find a truckload of full- and double-page Steranko splashes filling up another post one'a these fine days...

8 comments:

  1. I've never had the chance to read the Steranko Shield stories, but I plan on purchasing the next volume of Shield Masterworks which will include these tales. I really look forward to it.

    A lot of Will Eisner in those splash designs......and just great work overall.

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    1. Steranko was great, especially in his detailed full-page drawings. Nick Fury briefly had his own comic, and Steranko contributed five or six well-drawn issues. His "Who is Scorpio?" was unique from the cover on, and the sequel was even better!
      You might also look for his brief stints on X-Men (where he introduced the Lorna Dane/Polaris character) and Captain America (where he introduced the Madame Hydra character).

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  2. Thanks for posting, Groovemeister! You just can't go wrong with Steranko can you? And Nick Fury / SHIELD has to be the Sturdy One's masterpiece. It still amazes me that he made such an impact with so few stories!
    And Chris, I envy you reading these classics for the first time. Enjoy!

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  3. Quality, you and Joe Bloke have my favourite blogs and you both have an anniversary. Well done, keep up the good work.

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  4. Love Steranko. When you know who the artist is just by looking at his work you know he's a legend. Check out this kid's stuff. He seems to be chanelling the master in his work. Its the rings I know. Congrats on your 300th post. Your vision is unique and I love that you share with us. Keep doing that voodoo that you do.

    http://calvinscanadiancaveofcool.blogspot.com/2009/05/jirat-james-patradoon.html

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  5. Hey congrats on post #300.

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  6. "300" Congratulations + a Great Big "GROOVY BABY"!!!

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  7. So many thanks for the revival and appreciation of the Steranko art. I collected the originals and enjoyed and savored each and every issue. It's probably why I also enjoy espionage thrillers to this day and I do so truly miss the gadget-filled stories of the past. I also miss ol' Nick and his smolderin' stogie. But the change is one of political response and correctness. The times they are a changin' and sometimes something falls off as the cost to modernization

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Special thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics and Grand Comics Database for being such fantastic resources for covers, dates, creator info, etc. Thou art treasures true!


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