blacksmithbob

March 3, 2012 6:33 am This edition puzzles me. I know it's Marvel Silver Age stories/art, and is undoubtedly produced with super-high standards. But it's a John Romita "artist's edition," and supposedly the stories reproduced are from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #s 67-69, 71, and 74-75. Issue #67 is penciled by John Romita, with inking by Jim Mooney, so no huge issue there. But #s 68-69, 71, and 74-75 all have but John Romita LAYOUTS, with finishes (pencils and inks) by JIM MOONEY! This is arguably more of a Jim Mooney "artist's edition" than it is Romita's! I'd also take issue with the particular stories reprinted, which I don't feel were that outstanding (in terms of writing AND art). There was certainly much better Romita material published in the Silver Age. And it would have been more appropriate to publish Spider-Man tales 100% drawn by Romita, and stories where Romita provided 100% of the penciling as opposed to merely layouts. For example, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #s 39-40, Romita's first issues on the title, would have been appropriate and feature full Romita pencils (with Mike Esposito inks). And DAREDEVIL #s 16-17 would have been a plus, with Romita's "try-out" of the guest-starring Spider-Man, and also boast full Romita pencils (with Frank Giacoia inks). I realize a lot of Romita original art from the comics I mentioned above, along with many others, may not have been available for reprinting puposes. But to "default" to those particular issues of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN seems strange to me.