Simply the Best: Superhero + Monster = Perfection

Back in the early 70's, in addition to my new obsession with superhero comics, I was a fan of classic movie monsters as well. One problem, though...unlike easily-obtainable comic books, I'd never seen any of those classic monster movies.  You see, this was back before the era of VCR machines and video rental shops, so there was hardly any way for a kid of modest means (i.e. "no cable TV") to see famous monsters like Frankenstein, King Kong, the Wolfman, or Dracula. 

However, there were a couple of monster "proxies" I could fall back on...such as movie monster paperbacks (loaded with cool photos and facts) and the great monster titles of Marvel Comics. Reading The Monster of Frankenstein, the Tomb of Dracula, and Werewolf By Night gave me at least a taste of what the elusive movie versions might have been like.

As entertaining (and genuinely creepy) as the monster comics could be, imagine my surprise when the Marvel monsters intersected with their superhero universe in Giant-Size Spider-Man and Dracula #1 (1974).  Of course, Spidey and Dracula appearing together in one story wasn't exactly a hard sell...but after seeing this amazing cover by John Romita Sr., that kingly sum of 50¢ was as good as spent.

Although it's been almost thirty-four years since I first grabbed it off the stands, this cover remains one of my absolute favorites for a variety of reasons:

1. Its stars.  I'm still a nut for superheroes and movie monsters, and seeing Spider-Man and Dracula share a cover never really loses its jolt.

2.  The perfection of John Romita's Spider-Man....from that splayed out "Twister Board" pose to the solid physique (none of the too-skinny Spidey we see so much today), I can never get enough of the Jazzy One's wall-crawler.  Oh, and the mask "eye" shapes as well. Nobody's were quite as distinctive as Romita's.

3.  That fantastic color palette. The deep purple and black background help the foreground colors pop off the page, lending a 3D-feel to the Spider-Man and Dracula figures. In fact, the colors of the central figures are so strong, that the rather cluttered use of text boxes and the top-heavy logo section don't take anything away from them. That's quite a feat of design.

4.  Spider-Man's web (besides directing the eye to Spider-Man) is an almost ironic element here, as the spider's traditional role of predator ("Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly") is ceded to the looming Lord of the Vampires.

5.  While clearly not the shadowy, amorphous figure seen in Tomb of Dracula, Romita's somewhat slicker interpretation of the Count nonetheless preserves the essential look and feel of Gene Colan's definitive version.

6.  In graphic design, the "Rule of Three" involves the arrangement of visual elements into eye-pleasing, triangular formations.  This fiddling with "visual architecture" is tricky and takes years of practice to pull off in a subtle yet dynamic way.  Of course, leave it up to a master like Romita to incorporate not one but two triangular formations, which keep the viewer's eye moving and dancing over the cover...yet never "allowing" the eye to entirely leave the central focus of the triangle interiors.

7.  As if Spidey and Dracula weren't enough, the Human Torch pops up in the lower left corner...and to any kid, throwing in a guy who could start himself on fire and fly was always a plus.

8.  Although I mentioned thinking there were too many text boxes on the cover, I have to admit I'm a sucker for that old school Marvel cover hype. Probably penned by Stan Lee protege' Roy Thomas, the wonderful tradition of breathless hyperbole continued with phrases like "First Issue Phantasmagoria" and "The Fightin', Flamin' Human Torch".  To a "Bronze Age Boy" like me, it's "comfort food" in written form.

Comments

[Kyle]

Classic issue, Mark! I remember having to trade my copy of this issue to my best friend after bringing it home, 'cause my mom had a strict "no vampires!" rule in the house. If I recall, I made out okay in the deal... got a two-issue Avengers vs Kang storyline in return.

[Mark Engblom]

Hah! I love that story, Kyle! The "no vampire" rule. Yeah, you got a pretty good trade with the Avengers comics (good of you to insist on two comics for the double-sized Spider-Man/Dracula comic book).

Your comment also puts me in mind of something else I've been meaning to write about: the hallowed days of "the comic book trade" and its attendant rules and customs. I'll get to it soon.

[Captain Average]

Also appreciate the way the threat of Dracula is increased thru his size and the way his clawed hand comes out of the shadow of his body. And I would have said it couild do without the two spotlight circles under the title until you pointed out their purpose. Excellent analysis.

[Mark Engblom]

Yeah, I always enjoy the use of symbolically large, looming figures on comic book covers (see the previous "Simply the Best" Daredevil cover), especially when the figure is Dracula (with the added symbolism of his pure-black "interior")!

[Ivan Wolfe]

So that's what the "rule of three" is! All those Charmed episodes lied to me. I'll never trust another TV show as long as I live.

[MaGnUs]

Dracula+Spidey=match made in heaven. And yes, all those phrases like "First Issue Phantasmagoria" are beautiful. Nice blog, I plugged it in my latest column (see url); although I mistakenly thought it was called "Profiles in Villainy" and linked only to that tag... :<

[Mark Engblom]

Hey, thanks for the link, MaGnUs. Glad you like the blog, as well as those old Marvel covers!