Western Publishing loved movie adaptations. Over the years they did many dozens, employing some the greatest comic book artists and writers who ever worked in the beloved medium. Before we get to the story, let’s enjoy this unusual painted cover (photo-covers were the norm for the movie tie-ins). The artist is, sadly, unknown.
During the silver age, John Buscema did several movie adaptations for Western Publishing. “Hercules” - from Four Color No. 1006, July 1959 – is one of my favorite Buscema adaptations as it showcases the artist’s ability to render mortals of amazing density, weight, power, and (most importantly) action – a rare skill put to good use during his Conan years at Marvel. Paul S. Newman provides the concise, poetic script.Also on grand display in this issue is the superb coloring for which Four Color was so famous.
fantastic art and storytelling! gotta say it- better than the movie!
ReplyDeleteI remember liking the art on this book before John Buscema even began drawing for Marvel. Class act.
ReplyDeleteNice ! Never seen this Buscema work before Mykal, thanx for posting ! Always loved the original Steve Reeves movie and all the campy sequels (most with other actors). Did he reall fight a Dinosaur in that movie ? I have no recollection of this. Perhaps it was only in the comic book script ?
ReplyDeleteProf.: Agree about art and storytelling - both so strong here. The Buscema art - well - it's just so great, but the Newman script is such a rip-snorter!
ReplyDeleteGary: I wish I had seen this before Conan! I have begun collecting all the other Buscema Dell/Four Color tie-ins. I bet you already have them, you dog! ;-)
Lysdexicuss: I remember seeing this film, but it was so many years ago. The Four Color tie-ins were usually extremely faithful to source material, so I am guessing there was a dinosaur, but not sure. I got so nostalgic, though, I may have to order the Steve Reeves Collection from Amazon and find out!
Thanks, gentlemen, for commenting!
Confirmed: It is not Hercules that fights the Dinosaur in the movie anyway, it is Jason. Except in the comic, the Dinosaur looks way different, which means perhaps the two mediums were produced simultaneously and Buscema never got to use still photos for reference !
ReplyDeleteLysdexicuss: Cool. Good theory about the comic and movie being produced simultanously - they came out the same year, so that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSince this is a kids comics blog I will refrain from posting the appropriate epithet that comes to mind as I realize that you've added another comic to my "must have" list.
ReplyDeleteChuck: your self-restraint is noted! ;-)
ReplyDeleteBig John is the reason I chose comics as a career! I have tons of Buscema's pre Marvel work and among the Four Color books this, The Vikings and The 7th 7th Voyage of Sinbad are simply incredible.
ReplyDeleteBTW, in regard to photo reference for the adaptations, apparently it was hit or miss as the cyclops in Buscema's "7th Voyage" has human limbs, not the goat legs of Harryhausen's creation. Buscema considered Sinbad one of his favorite jobs.
ReplyDeleteJoe: You just beat me to the punch! I was going to mention that Buscema apparently thought that the Sinbad adaptation was his best. I don't have that one, but am on the hunt and will track it down soon and post it.
ReplyDeleteCount me a Buscema fan of the first rank!
Mykal,
ReplyDeleteSinbad pops up on Ebay a lot! I linked this to my Facebook page so you should be getting a lot of traffic! :-)
Thanks for the tip, Joe - and thanks for the link-up!
ReplyDeleteThe Vikings
ReplyDeletehttp://hairygreeneyeball2.blogspot.com/2010/05/john-buscemas-vikings.html
7th Voyage of Sinbad
http://hairygreeneyeball2.blogspot.com/2010/03/john-buscemas-7th-voyage-of-sinbad.html
IIRC, the monster guarding the Fleece in the movie looked as much like a Tyrannosaurus Rex as anything. (In Jason and the Argonauts, it was a Hydra.)
ReplyDeleteThe depiction of Hercules in 1960's Marvel and Charlton comics was probably influenced by Steve Reeves.
ReplyDelete