Journey #6 [1984]
Illustrated letter by Larry Marder
This is the first of the many letter column illustrations by Marder to appear in William Messner-Loebs comic JOURNEY. It’s a great example of how Marder was able to make the very simple designs very expressive, as the Bean figure in this one speaks volumes about his enthusiasm for the comic he just read and the worlds it opens up.
By the way:
Jim Bridger by Stanley Vestal
Lord Grizzly by Frederick Manfred
The Frontiersmen by Allan Eckert
Categories: Marderography
Savage Dragon #50 [1998]
Pin-up by Larry Marder
Erik Larsen’s SAVAGE DRAGON is a bit of an anomaly among the founding Image comics, in that Larsen has continued to write and draw it from its inception, instead of handing it off to other hands.
Anyway, back in 1998 he reached a milestone, #50, and decided to celebrate it with a big 100-page issue with a lot of guests on pin-up pages and back-ups while continuing his string of writing and drawing the main story. Among the pin-ups was this piece from then Image executive director Larry Marder. Taking the same approach as he did with his earlier Shadowhawk piece he reduces the character down to iconographic basics, in this case the impossibly muscled arm, the clenched fist, the fin and the angry eyes (looking kind of like Dreamishness’ eyes during Total Eclipse), and surrounded by symbols of power and energy. Sort of a spawn (if you’ll pardon the expression) of the Kirby branches of the Inspiration Constellation. Cute piece, I think.
Categories: Marderography
Concluding Shield Albright’s much appreciated comparison of the self-published Beanworld issues with the eventually published final version a few years later, this time what may have been the final self-published issue (can anyone confirm?) with the first part of TotB #2, plus all the additional material sent with the issues.
Thanks again for the detailed info, and check out Shield’s detailed chronicling of another comic book creator at neilgaimanbibliography.com.
TOTB self-pub #5/TOTB #2
1/1-2: Scan will show you many differences. Can only see half of Gran’Ma’Pa, whose roots are rounded at the end. Explanatory box provided for Gran’Ma’Pa says a little more. The beans in a daze have no dialogue; notably one bean is no longer laughing. Proffy’s speech includes text from the first two panels of the next page in regular edition. No prayer speech bubbles are used. The speech is slightly altered, most significantly some text is in thought bubble instead of spoken and “This mountain of chow” in the regular edition was originally “Your mountain of chow.” (Consider the tone of accusation changed with that one word!) A horizon line is present with what could be bushes. The ground has grass clumps, but no specks.
2/2: Three tiers. Top tier has text from panel three of top tier regular edition. Image is a distant view of the scene showing, from left to right, a bean with his hands in the air, Gran’Ma’Pa (in full), Proffy on the chow, the Chowdown Pool and Proffy’s Fix-It Shop, along with three wandering beans. Second tier is the classic image of the Beanworld and the four realities, etc, same text as reg. edition second tier. Third tier matches exactly.
3/3: Top half is the same. Bottom half has same text and layout, but was redrawn. Original had more specks of chow in the pool, the beans with their hands in the air were both looking at Mr.Spook, and the lower left bean was missing.
4/4: Most art was reused, but Proffy was redrawn, originally sitting on the chow, stomping feet. Spook is redrawn, but in same position. The Pluk & Plop word balloon was in a box instead of giant quotation marks.
5-7/5-7: Same
8/8: Three tiers match first three panels. First tier, Boom’r instead says “Prof G. Having A Tough Time?” Ground has light layer of zip-a-tone. Second tier, can’t see the top of the Fix-It Shop, no exclamation point. Third tier, can see Proffy’s arms, one holding the door, the other held up in exasperation. Twinks on ground have wavy lines above them (like stink lines or anger lines – hard to describe a line without showing it!). Boom’r is not laughing. Zip-a-tone used for ground again. Door stays in panel. Minor text change of “You ‘N’ Yer Big Ideas” to “You & Your Big Ideas”. Narration box says “To *picture of regular bean* Continued!”
And that’s the end of the five issues I received. However, that is not all that was in the package! This was a promotional package. It included the five self-published comics, a photocopy of Cat Yronwode’s Fit To Print review from The Comic Buyer’s Guide Oct 21, 1983 (background drawn by Marder), and a single sheet survey with self addressed stamped (20 cent!) envelope back to Larry Marder. All this was sent in an envelope with a Beanworld sticker on the front.
Categories: Marderography
There’s a large selection of interesting convention sketches over at Patman’s site, scroll down about halfway for the one by Larry Marder of Mr. Spook and the Elusive Notworm.
Categories: Links
Larry Marder’s Blog Larry Marder’s Blog (Comments)
