Friday, November 22, 2013

Making a Splash: The Bludgeoning Beast!

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Ol' Groove has mentioned before that one of my early fave series was Steve Englehart and Tom Sutton's Beast from Amazing Adventures 11-17 (December 1971-December 1973). Tom Sutton, one of the best of the Boys from Derby, was the regular Beast artist, and his style of storytelling worked exceptionally well with regular writer Steve Englehart's take on the former X-Man. Today I'd like to look back at the splashes Mr. Sutton produced, along with the last couple which were drawn by Bob Brown and Jim Starlin. Notice what a different look each inker gives Sutton's pencils. Ploog's inks were tops to me. Which inker do you prefer?







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6 comments:

  1. Ian MillerNovember 22, 2013 at 12:54 AM

    It's interesting to see this version of the Beast, which was handled much more like a horror book than a superhero book. I've never seen him so animalistic - Even at his most beastly I still remember him as being like a teddy bear with a very human personality.

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  2. hobbyfanNovember 22, 2013 at 12:40 PM

    I had the first two issues at one time, acquired via back issue lots.I don't know how Hank's fur turned from black to blue by the end of the run, but considering what other writers have done with him since.......! Oh, I'd love to see this collected in trade paperback, but is Marble willing to take a chance?

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    1. The Groovy AgentNovember 22, 2013 at 1:48 PM

      If I'm not mistaken, hobbyfan, the AA Beast run is reprinted in Essential Classic X-Men Vol. 3. Rejoice!!

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  3. DuffsNovember 22, 2013 at 7:45 PM

    I recall that, in the issue that starts with the "Beast faints on top of Patsy Walker" splash, his fur turns blue while he is unconscious. Patsy notes it and Hank speculates that he's continuing to mutate. (He drank a formula in issue 1 to mutate himself..for the dumbest reasons, really.) I liked this series a lot as a kid and bought all but one or two issues in the run! Thanks, Groove!

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  4. Rich GignacNovember 23, 2013 at 12:46 PM

    I love the Beast's run in Amazing Adventures...could never figure out why Marvel never gave him another series.

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  5. Rip JaggerNovember 24, 2013 at 3:44 AM

    I had forgotten he was called "Bludgeoning" which makes little sense for him actually. As a revision of a hero this might one of the all-time best. Hank McCoy was an able but somewhat dull member of the X-Men, but when he became the furry Beast (first gray then blue) he found a spark which elevated him into the upper decks of heroes. He was suddenly truly tragic and truly interesting, and his powers, meager as they were, were fun. Putting him in the Avengers was genius.

    Rip Off

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