My SECOND Slab! 0

[StreetPreacher]

They're starting to pile up now, and it's all under protest!  I would have preferred raw copies of both books because I DO enjoy reading through the real thing at least once, but I keep finding deals that are less expensive than any of the raw copies I can find!

Anyway, I now own slabs of McFarlane's first cover work on both Amazing Spiderman & Incredible Hulk, with my 6.0 CGC slab of ASM #298, and then just today I grabbed this slightly higher grade Incredible Hulk #330! 

 

I guess this isn't considered one of Todd's better covers, and Marvel must have agreed because McFarlane didn't do another Hulk cover until he came back strong with the Iconic #340!  Although he was still allowed to do pencils on Hulk #331-339...

Edited September 23, 2020 by StreetPreacher

[chrisco37]

The inker on this cover overpowered Todd's lines.  It really doesn't have that McFarlane style.  333, although it isn't credited to Todd, looks more "McFarlane" than this one.  Still, a good book.  Congrats!  

[StreetPreacher]

3 hours ago, chrisco37 said:

The inker on this cover overpowered Todd's lines.  It really doesn't have that McFarlane style.  333, although it isn't credited to Todd, looks more "McFarlane" than this one.  Still, a good book.  Congrats!  

Whatever happened, I think we can all agree that this definitely wasn't McFarlane's finest hour, but I wonder if this cover was considered a disappointment, and is the reason that he didn't get to do another 'official' Hulk cover until #340? 

And then after that iconic #340 cover, he came back with another 3 in a row that I also consider top notch, those being #343 showing Hulk carrying a woman's body with a full moon in the background, #344 where Hulk is smashing the chains, and #345 where Hulk had smashed the comic Title, knocking "Incredible" onto the floor while he forces his way through the "Hulk" lettering!

The cover for #346 is technically McFarlane's last work on Hulk, but the art is ALSO signed by Erick Larsen, and yon DEFINITELY see some Larsen style, so I like to consider #345 the final McFarlane Hulk

And I absolutely agree with you on Hulk #333 looking like McFarlane might have at least had some input on the layout...  #333 always reminded me of one of Todd's very early covers on Infinity Inc.  And I believe that McFarlane's formal training was in design, which is probably one of the reasons that he tends to crib from himself when he finds something that works!  And actually, looking at these side-by-side, you could even argue that the Hulk cover is a complete SWIPE of infinity inc?

EDIT:  Nevermind, I just checked and it doesn't look like the Infinity Inc cover was credited to McFarlane, and he only did interior pencils on the Infinity Inc #36 as well...  Guess it's just a coincidence? 

 

But thanks, this was a book on my short list, and I guess it's a minor 'key' since it is officially the first Hulk cover penciled by McFarlane?

Edited September 25, 2020 by StreetPreacher