The artists clearly enjoyed it because it gave them a chance to show their characters in more - ahem - casual attire and inject a bit of humour. The teenboy audience clearly liked it because it combined their two favourite subjects: comics and the untouchable opposite sex. What more could you need on those hot summer nights?
Swimsuit editions were a bit of a thing back in the day, even the otherwise reputable AMAZING HEROES jumped on the bandwagon with a couple of special issues of the regular run. Unfortunately their comparatively low-fi production values hardly elevated them into the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (which is what this one-shot was spoofing) top tier.
I don't think Marvel ever repeated this just-post-pubecent PLAYBOY substitute and the whole thing feels like a bygone from another age today.
Re: "I don't think Marvel ever repeated this [...]"
ReplyDeleteThey did! It was an annual event for ... five issues? (I may be wrong, there may have been even more)
Covers to #2-5 (AKA 1992-1995) here (nice Joe Jusko painting [of Rogue] on 1993):
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Marvel_Swimsuit_Special_Vol_1
Wow. I'm impressed that they kept it going so long.
DeleteI stumbled across a sales chart the other day that had one of these in (I think) the top five for that particular month. From all publishers. Which clearly explains Marvel's enthusiasm for keeping 'em coming.
Yup, I remember picking up several of these annual editions, back when I was a full-on comic book geek. They were cheesy, but fun - and, let's be honest, kinda hot. :)
ReplyDeleteI remember it being pretty 50 50 in terms of pictures so there was a fair bit of beefcake to go with the cheese. they with the year books had some great fake ads that were very funny.
ReplyDeleteis it just me or does this chap remind you of DIGITEK ,the M-UK character from the 90's ?
ReplyDeleteor maybe electro from the spidey movie ?
http://marvel.com/news/comics/26315/introducing.mosaic
pick of the week by a country mile is the new BACK ISSUE which has a superb article on THE BLACK HOLE comic spin-offs. Among which were a Jack Kirby movie adaptation covered here :
ReplyDeletehttp://space1970.blogspot.ie/2011/10/black-hole-1979-by-jack-kirby.html
According to the article, this was also published in France. The Mexican re-prints are also covered.
also out this week is the new issue of SFX with a striking trek cover in the style of ST:TMP. The SF QUIZ book is a nice and welcome addition even though it means a price increase.
I've not opened the SFX yet and didn't clock that they had bumped up the cover price. It was nice to see a book included in the package for the first time in what seems like ages. A pity it had to be a quiz book and not one of the episode guides of old, They were worth getting and hanging onto.
DeleteThe new issue of BACK ISSUE is definitely STARLOGGED friendly and comes highly recommended. I've been looking forward to this one since it was announced. The romp through Marvel's movie adaptations of the period has a couple of omissions (which long-time STARLOGGERS should be able to spot) so I've dropped the editor a note.