Monday, May 18, 2009

The Marvels Project #1 Cover


(click image to enlarge)

Preview solicitations are out for August 2009 featuring The Marvels Project #1. Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

THE MARVELS PROJECT #1 (of 8)
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by STEVE EPTING
Variant Cover by GERALD PAREL
70th Anniversary Party Variant by PHIL JIMENEZ
The centerpiece of Marvel's 70th Anniversary celebration! Who is the mysterious old man who lies on his deathbed in a hospital in 1939, and how does his passing mark the beginning of the first heroic age of the Marvel Universe — and signal the rise of the superhumans? Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting unveil the defining story of the origin of the Marvel Universe, revealing the hidden connections that unite the earliest costumed champions, and whose reverberations are felt dramatically into the present day! It’s a world on the brink of war, and the race is on to create the world's first super-soldier! Witness the first days of the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and many more-- how they shaped the world to come, and how the future they would create in turn shaped them! The must-read event of the season for any Marvel fan from the Award-Winning creators who redefined Captain America for the modern audience!
32 PGS./Cardstock Cover/Parental Advisory ...$3.99

Lots of texture overlays and some different painting techniques this time around, resulting in a slightly different look than the Captain America covers (at least I think so). I wish I had more time to experiment, but the ever present deadlines are relentless, as always.

21 comments:

Francesco Francavilla said...

I am drooling already...
So glad it is you,S teve: you are PERFECT for this :)

Cheers,
Francesco

azhar said...

Hi Mr Epting..

just found that about your blog existence..

back in the 90s i saw your work in Avengers...i skip..

later i saw your drastic difference and amazing realism approach on your drawings in Captain America..

and i was glued..and adore..

an inspired comic artist myself in my hometown..and fond to brush inking..wash technique..

i'm now your biggest fan

Raphael Loh said...

Amazing! I can't wait for this to start.

Forgive my ignorance, but can you tell me who the third hero on the cover is? Namor, Torch and ??

Steve Epting said...

Thank you Francesco and Azhar. I appreciate it!

Raphael, that's The Angel (the original Golden Age character - not the member of the X-Men), with a slightly altered appearance that will be explained in the story.

Jay Boaz said...

Cool, I'm a sucker for anything involved the old Invaders days. Is this an in-continuity story or out of continuity (ala Earth X)?

Jay

Steve Epting said...

Jay - definitely in continuity. It's essentially telling the origin of the Marvel Universe and the first superhumans.

jokesterjmac said...

I heard about this a longggg time ago.
im so psyched!!!!!!
but seriously, anything with you name on it's amazing.

HoldyourfireAl said...

It totally sucks that you are not drawing Cap right now. If Marvel actually brings Steve Rogers back & you aren't there to complete the story, I'm going to feel ripped off! That being said...

I am PSYCHED about what you & Mr. Brubaker are about to do with this new series! I can't wait to read it! One question...Did you do both covers for issue #1? I'm talking about the one with the Hulk having a mustache.

HoldyourfireAl said...

Mr. Epting - We're having a big debate on my site about Cap's costume.Randy Bowen posted, asking us how we would prefer an upcoming Captain America mb? Should he continue with the subtle chainmail look that he has used for his previous statues or go with the McGuire/Cassaday - individual plates look? I HATE the modern look of the moldy mask, plate feathers, and utility belt. What are your feelings? You seem to go back & forth as to how you draw the uniform.

Please join our debate, already in progress, here...

http://www.statuemarvels.com/f87/new-captain-america-mb-3178.html

Thanks!

Al

Steve Epting said...

Thanks Jokester.

Al -

1. I don't know if Marvel is bring back Steve Rogers or not (I'm sure I could find out, but I haven't asked). The plan is for me to return to Cap after the Marvels mini series, so I guess we'll see what happens.

2. I pretty much agree with you on the scales. At the beginning of my Cap run I stayed closer to the Cassaday version because that's the way he was being drawn everywhere else in the Marvel U. I've tried to gradually move away from it toward the tradition depiction. As for the statues, my preference would be to keep them the way they've been with the subtle chainmail. It might be interesting to see what it looks like the other way though.

Steve Epting said...

Oh yeah, Al - the other cover was done by the INCREDIBLE Gerald Parel.

David Pentecost said...

Steve,
This looks like a very interesting series...I'll have to pick it up.

HoldyourfireAl said...

Steve - Thank you for your reply! I can tell by your art, you're a big admirer of the "classic" Silver & Bronze Age Marvel artists, such as John Buscema & others. As great an artists as John Cassaday is, I would have rather read Cap with him drawing Cap's uniform the way it was always illustrated, as oppossed to the Kevin McGuire revisionist look. I'm glad you've decided to try to steer the look back to the way it's been for decades!

:)

HoldyourfireAl said...

Hate when I see a typo in my posts after I post it! Arrggghhh! "Artists" should be "Artist."

Crappy Typer

Al

HoldyourfireAl said...

Steve - A few things....

On my website, www.statuemarvels.com, I started a thread to bring attention to The Marvels Project here http://www.statuemarvels.com/f116/

There are a good number of our 800+ members who have given up on current comics & only collect the Bowen Designs statues based on the classic books they loved. I try to steer them in the direction of good, new works, such as what you & Ed do for Marvel. Hopefully, it will help raise awareness a bit!

Al

HoldyourfireAl said...

Another thing, Randy Bowen of Bowen Designs, has posted pics of his forthcoming "Bucky" Captain America statue on our site,

http://www.statuemarvels.com/f87/modern-chrome-captain-america-update-3082.html

What do you think?

:)

HoldyourfireAl said...

Finally, here's the thread that sparked the whole, subtle scales vs. plates/feathers look for Cap!

http://www.statuemarvels.com/f87/new-captain-america-mb-3178.html

Please stop by when you can!

Al

HoldyourfireAl said...

By the way, Randy Bowen just sneaked his new work in progress Action Captain America on my site!

http://www.statuemarvels.com/f87/bowen-designs-captain-america-action-uniform-classic-modern-3288.html

Steve Epting said...

Thanks for all of the links Al. Good stuff!

HoldyourfireAl said...

Your welcome! Just make sure you get back on Cap after the mini-series! :)

HoldyourfireAl said...

Steve Epting said...

Al -

I pretty much agree with you on the scales. At the beginning of my Cap run I stayed closer to the Cassaday version because that's the way he was being drawn everywhere else in the Marvel U. I've tried to gradually move away from it toward the tradition depiction. As for the statues, my preference would be to keep them the way they've been with the subtle chainmail. It might be interesting to see what it looks like the other way though.

***********************************

You know, Steve, I was thinking...you should not be following anyone's style when it comes to Cap! For example, whose Cap series was more successful, yours or Cassadays? C'mon!!!! The rest of the artists at Marvel should be following YOUR lead on Cap, seeing as how you have had the most sucessful run in YEARS! Anyway...my new, big worry is this Reborn thing coming out! I absolutely trust Ed, but Hitch...sigh...if Steve Rogers comes back & Bryan Hitch designs a new look to him, I'm gonna scream! Red, pirate boots FOREVER!!!! :)

Al