| Slot: |
1st Issue Special 8 |
| Item: |
1st Issue Special 8 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1214856007
|
Owner Comments
As much as I adore Mike as a human - I do have to admit his cover art is all over the place. This particular cover I like - quite a lot actually. I admit that there is some foreshortening/rendering issues with the leaping female character - and I'm not discussing the overhead two-handed stab maneuver - but in total, it works. And it's the little things that make this cover work for me - like the giant toe blades on the dinosaur, it just makes it a little bit more dangerous. The tension between our protagonist & the dino is good - very strong and balanced fight positions that feel strong, feel tense, like combat and stabbing are happening.
Now, I can't say for sure - but Mike is one to chat over coffee, and he once regaled me with how much he thought Rima, the Jungle Girl was amazing. And when I look at the background rendering on this issue, I see a little bit of that same imagery going on. Not the same - but in the same vein. And that's like him.
So...as a special treat, a Warlord action figure - very much not mint on card, but I happened across it and had Mike sign it for me anyway. And it came with a story too, about how me met the man locally who designed the He-Man bodies. But really, how cool is that? Not only do you get free rein to write and draw your comic idea, but then you also get a set of your own character's action figures.
People may say that Mike can only draw two faces, but he drew comic books for 35+ years with that skill, had his own runs with Warlord, Sable, and later with Longbow Hunters/Green Arrow, and he had his own action figures. Shit, if that was me - I'd be pretty damn happy.
Now if someone would just make a Sable movie.
Overall, yeah, I'd probably blow my hard earned quarter on this baby, just based on the cover.
|
| Slot: |
Warlord 1 |
| Item: |
Warlord 1 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0182481020
|
Owner Comments
Everything by Mike - story, art, & cover. It's interesting to contrast 1976 with 2009 - why? Because Mike performed with me as a jouster & swordfighter & actor in the years between. And we had many a good day together doing so. But, yeah, the 1976 cover. Man that thing is kind of awful. And not just the draftsmanship, I mean, like the poses and body language - they're all terrible. Off balance; no strength behind his upswing; her stance is stupidly too wide. Just no. There's just no way I would have purchased that book from the spinner rack. Now, look at 2009 (ignoring that he's personalized it to me). The draftsmanship shows decades of daily work. It's obvious that time has passed and he's spent that time drawing & painting. It's just better. But also - look at the fighters. Fighting on stairs is difficult, but his weight is down low, and although he's leaning forward to land that blow with his shield edge, he's still mostly centered over his hips. She looks a bit uncoordinated with that twist, but really a good two-handed down thrust looks a little odd due to the torque required. Just better.
Overall - yeah, I can't see myself buying the 1976 issue off the spinner rack. It just doesn't click with me.
|
| Slot: |
Warlord 2 |
| Item: |
Warlord 2 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4142025001
|
Owner Comments
"Arena of Death!" - Once again, everything by Mike Grell. I think it is hard to impress upon people how uncommon this was in the 70s - this kind of total creative command of your book, its story, and its look. I don't think this is Mike's finest work, there's something weirdly stiff about our protagonist - but one thing I will always acknowledge is that Mike knows how to hold a damn sword (and a bow, and a gun - he's an excellent shot), so when his characters hold weapons, they hold them correctly, and with the blade indexed properly. Now - I don't know how our intrepid characters are getting out of this mess, particularly since they are changed to each other at the ankles, back to back, but since Mike got to write this book for about 500 years, I'm sure they do fine.
Overall? Oh, I'd totally part with my hard earned quarter to find out what happens based on this cover art
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