Saturday, November 12, 2011

Same Story, Different Cover: And now for something completely out of canon


L: Uncanny X-Men #153 (Marvel, January 1982), pencils by Dave Cockrum, inks by Joe Rubinstein
R: Classic X-Men #57 (Marvel, March 1991), pencils by Mike Mignola, inks by P. Craig Russell

(Click picture to tall-tale-size)

2 comments:

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

This is a rather interesting contrast what with the decade between the two covers.

While I think the Uncanny cover (and its original) story look a bit goofy, there is no mistaking its content. Kitty has popcorn and cola raised, leaning up against a wall with a poster showcasing some swinging swashbuckling action with a big strapping hero and his lovely sidekick. Ominous villainess heads floating just above the city they appear to be holding hostage with cartoonish comic relief versions of our otherwise darker and more hideous characters like Wolverine and Nightcrawler off the side. Kitty's comment that this will be completely different is wholly accurate.

It reminds me a lot of Drew Struzan's comedy posters for something like Adventures in Babysitting or the Police Academy sequels were you have action in the foreground and funny background characters and events to lighten the mood.

As for Classic X-Men, well. Ugh. This issue doesn't have a "Win a Ten Speed" ad that squashes the logo into the rest of the cover, contributing to already crowded composition. Instead it has plenty of room to work, and doesn't do much with it. This reminds me more of a lobby sheet I'd see at the movie theaters today with a bunch of disconnected levitating torsos.

Storm (or is it Jean?) looks off the the side squinting into the horizon looks anddisinterested, the screaming skull looks off the side is apparently watching something far more interesting. Story-Kitty is seen a distinctly non-action pose, with long curly draping a bare shoulder while she looks down with closed "sad eyes" like some stupid romance novel cover. Wolverine looks angry as per his element, but personally I think hes ticked because his leg are invisible. There is nothing of substance, they're just abstract ideas against a blank background, with out any indication of story or context.

The Kitty in front of this poster is even worse. While I have no idea where Kitty in "Uncanny" is supposed to be in terms of setting, her pose and face at least tell me that this will be a "fun" story. "Classic" Kitty is posed like some sort of magazine model facing away from the elements of the story that she will be telling in this issue! The blacks of her hair and uniform run together in a sudden and inexplicable use of graphic design. Her bright eyes are now tiny dots while her mouth is an expression that I don't think has a name. Honestly it looks the face I made on school picture during my "I hate the world" phase of my teen years.

Ugh. I may love Mignola and Russell, but I despise this cover.

Bully said...

Another great analysis, Erik! Thanks!