Classic Marvel: Stunning Posters by Adams, Golden, Finch, and Ross

Here are five posters featuring the Marvel Universe's greatest characters that no true believer can deny are superb!  Four of them I have featured previously, but the first one I believe is new to my site...



Arthur Adams produced the "Marvel Heroes and Villains" lithograph for Dynamic Forces.  We could easily peg these versions of Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-Men, and their various villains in the mid 1960s era.  You've got Daredevil standing next to Black Widow, that edges you in the 1970 territory.  :-)



Golden drew this poster of the Marvel Universe in the 1970s.  It actually may have come out around 1980 or so--Moon Knight is featured, and he wasn't popular until the late 70s with his series starting in 1980.  But it's very 70s in spirit, with the All-New X-Men, Storm's classic costume, the Avengers (just love the Vision sinking into the ground), Black Bolt, Hulk, Doc Strange, Silver Surfer, and the Watcher on the left.  There's a few Marvel Monsters with Ghost Rider and Man-Thing.  Heck, even Ka-Zar, Luke Cage, and Captain Universe are in there.



Golden also drew this print that was featured in a 1980s Marvel Calendar.  You can immediately see the difference in this post-Secret Wars era, with Spidey's black costume, Beta Ray Bill, Grey Hulk Joe Fixit, New Mutants, Archangel, and Iron Man's armor that he donned in IM #200.  Note also the prominence of Daredevil and Elektra due to Frank Miller's work on the series.  The Punisher, another top seller, is also in the background.  Beyond the characters, the awesome sauce is the setting--the heroes in front of the Pan-Am building and crawling around the statue in front.



Alex Ross produced this cover for the Marvel Comics Encyclopedia.



This widescreen poster by David Finch, collecting all of his covers from X-Men Legacy, will be arriving in comic stores this June.  Didn't read the series, but this image is stunning.  Classic X-Men and New X-Men as bookends, with Sentinels, Hellfire Club, and Magneto sandwiched in-between.  Nuff Said!

Update: Comments from my old MT blog...

4 Comments

By dusty abell on August 18, 2010 11:20 AM

You picked some great ones today, I have Art's piece framed up on my wall, I love it, those are the Marvel characters the way they looked in my earliest memories of reading them, in the marvelous softcover reprint books of the early 70's, Origins of Marvel Comics, Bring on the Bad Guys, Women of Marvel Comics, Sons of Origins and the rest.

I was one of the kids that sent away for the Golden mini poster in the mail and got it. I hope one day they'll release a print without the updated color and the crazy star burst effect on it. I'd get one for sure.

Alex's group shot is one of my favorite Marvel pieces he's done, the best in my opinion being the 70's Marvel litho, which i also happen to have framed up on my wall.

By Richard Guion on August 18, 2010 12:51 PM

Thanks, Dusty! I have the Alex Ross 70s Marvel Litho at home as well. I have searched in vain for a good scan of it, but can't find one anywhere to post on the blog.

Yes, now that you mention it, I remember getting that Golden poster all rolled up. I think mine was kind of in crinkly condition, too.

By Andrew Wahl on August 19, 2010 8:59 AM

Richard:

Beautiful pieces, all. I’d love to get the Adams and '70s Golden posters for my office. Didn’t Byrne do a Marvel U poster, too? I know he did a Fantastic Four one (I’d like to get that one, too, along with the Pérez Titans and Giffen Legion posters that came out around the same time).

Cheers,
Andrew
ComicsBronzeAge.com

By Joseph on August 28, 2010 11:28 PM

I, too, sent in for that Golden poster in the early 80's (82 or 83 is my guess). Just recently, my young son had it up in his room as well. Of course, he wondered why Wolverine had that 'strange' costume on, but still.