COVER TUNES
COMIC COVERS MEANT TO BE TURNED UP LOUD
ISSUE 210 – Neal Adams
DISCLAIMER: One image in this article depicts artistic nudity. Please, proceed accordingly.
Welcome back to yet another Cover Tunes, all of you fine folks! Neal Adams… where to begin. Other than that I for one will miss his ridiculously enormous table set-up at cons as well as his masterful art, I guess I will start with a personal story.
When I first REALLY met Neal Adams a few years ago in Cincinnati, it was because my buddy John pulled me aside and said, “After years of not doing it, I’m finally going to get a Neal Adams commission. You should come with me and get one, too. You never know when he’ll stop doing the circuit. He’s one of the last living legends and we never get another chance.” I agreed and I joined John and we both got commissions from Adams. However, as bad luck would have it, my friend was 100% correct. That was the last time I’d ever talk to Neal. Nearly immediately after that show in Cinci, COVID hit and the con circuit shut down for over two years. Before it ramped back up, Neal had passed away.
Adams had a bad reputation for being surly at cons; as if he didn’t want to be there or meet and talk to fans. My experience with Neal that day could not have been more opposite. He was fun to talk to, albeit a little rough around the edges (but so am I) and we chatted for over a half hour about the old Bronze Age days at DC, artists whos styles he liked and didn’t like, how the color printing process worked back then and the limitations it caused, how to draw “squishy” women and which people around the DC offices were used as models for characters.
That day, I asked him to draw me a slightly more obscure character (Abel) who prior to the new Sandman show on Netflix was basically unknown to anyone outside of super-nerds like me. He was surprised at the request and even though I only paid him for a headshot, what he actually drew for me was almost cover level; A full bust-up of Abel holding his cane, a path leading back to the House of Secrets in the backdrop, and a full moon with the ubiquitous clouds piercing through. In typical Adams fashion, he attempted to charge me more when I picked it up, but his wife chimed in and said, “No Neal, this gentleman will NOT pay more. It’s not his fault that you got excited and drew more than he asked for.”
All-in-all, the experience was one I will never forget and I know my buddy John and his daughter had a similarly wonderful experience as well. Regardless of my experience(s) with the man, though, Neal Adams is known for much more than his gruff exterior. He is more well known for his wondrously dark depictions of Batman, his DC horror covers and of course his fiery advocacy for the intellectual rights of artists’ works. This week, I want to feature a few of my absolute favorite Adams covers. Let’s make it an even 10. A couple of them may surprise you.
Let’s dive in…
Let’s just get this one out of the way right away…
Batman #227
PUBLISHED: DC – December, 1970
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Okay, everyone knows this cover. Most people want one. High grades are really tough to get and it’s an expensive book even in lower grades. However, while most of my list this week consists of non-keys, I’d still be remiss if I didn’t feature this on a “my favorites” Neal Adams list. The original ‘Tec #27 is incredible and it’s amazing that Neal’s homage is just as good or better. This is everything you’d want a Neal Adams cover to be or else I guess you just don’t lkike Neal Adams.
Detective Comics #402
PUBLISHED: DC – August, 1970
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Honestly, just as moody and dark as the Batman above and in some ways, maybe even a better composition (gasp!). It was, after all, done just a few months prior to that one. This one has long been my favorite of the Batman-related Adams covers and was surprisingly tough to find in good shape.
Phantom Stranger #18
PUBLISHED: DC – March, 1972
ARTIST: Neal Adams
The fluidity and grace of the lines mixed with gorgeously contrasting color, the mastery of splashing water and impeccable layout make this a standout in any Adams collection. Full of action, movement and drama, this is honestly among his best. His Phantom Stranger covers are the unsung gems of his career.
Phantom Stranger #14
PUBLISHED: DC – July, 1971
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Prototype Swamp Thing (1st app is the same month)? Hmmm. Man-Thing prototype which was a published a few months prior (I mean look at Monsters Unleashed #3. It’s virtually the same cover and also by Adams)? Either way, an undeniably masterful cover with loads of linework detail and wonderful layout.
House of Secrets #88
PUBLISHED: DC – November, 1970
ARTIST: Neal Adams
All about depth, perspective and mood, this one has a little of everything and besides a few from Wrightson like #92, this is one of the best in ther series. The woman-running-from-the-house trope was done many times, but few are this atmospheric and dramatic. Gorgeous work.
House of Mystery #192
PUBLISHED: DC – June, 1971
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Creepy and macabre to the level of most of the top pre-code horror book, this is terrifying stuff. I’m almost suprised Neal got away with this one on a mainstream book during the code years, but it somehow passed. This is the most suggestively violent cover in the entire series (perhaps even in all of Bronze Age DC horror) and THAT is why I love it.
From Beyond the Unknown #3
PUBLISHED: DC – March, 1970
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Proof that Adams could do something other than horror during this era and that his Sci-Fi stuff was just as good or better than everyone else at the time. Stunning color, great detail and near-perfect use of space. I wish the trade dress weren’t so large, but beggars must not be choosers.
Savage Tales [Featuring Conan] #4
PUBLISHED: Marvel/Curtis – May, 1974
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Yep, Neal did some Marvel and he even did some Atlas and other indies during this time, but few if any of them can match this one. Not only is gritty and dark, but we get a “squishy” Adams woman front and center, a nearly feral Conan, fantastic color palette and (as usual) impeccable layout.
Star Reach #2
PUBLISHED: Star Reach Prod. – 1975
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Try not to be angry with me for choosing a nude, but it’s sci-fi/artistic and stylized nudity. Hopefully that gives me a free pass in using this stunning and psychadelic beauty. Proof that Adams could go off into the impressionistic when he so chose to and I’d challenge even the most “artsy” artists to match or surpass this… even my boy Sienkiewicz. Obviously, there is brilliant use of color and fluidity of line, here. Perhaps my overall favorite Adams cover.
Samuree #2
PUBLISHED: Continuity – August, 1987
ARTIST: Neal Adams
Unfortunately rendered in that very late-80’s/early 90’s style, but the underlying linework, layout and perspective are fantastic AND it’s on a book that can be found in dollar bins. Hard to beat that.
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This is clearly a list that could go on forever, so I needed to stop it with my absolute favorites. Obviously, I left out Green Lantern and Superman, but honestly I don’t think any of his best covers exist in those series. Yes, some of his most famous like Green Lantern #76 and Superman #233, but those covers have lots of anatomy flaws and compositional missteps. Your mileage may vary, though. I’d love to know your favorites. Please, chime into the comments section and let me know what I missed. Until next time, stay safe, be good to each other, thanks for reading and happy hunting.
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