Saturday, May 30, 2015

The Daredevils: the posters

When I wrote my overview of the 1983 comic The Daredevils last week I promised I'd be showing you the posters that appeared in the issues. Without further ado, here are all 10 posters that appeared as centre-page pull-outs in every issue (except No.3, which carried an advert). These were brand new pieces of art commissioned by editor Bernie Jaye from some of the UK's finest talents. I don't think most of them have ever been reprinted. Marvel may have even forgotten about them. 

 Issue No.1, January 1983: Daredevil by Garry Leach. 


 Issue No.2, February 1983: Spider-Man by Paul Neary.


 Issue No.4, April 1983: Black Panther by Mick Austin.


 Issue No.5, May 1983: The Special Executive by Alan Davis.


 Issue No.6, June 1983: Mephisto by John Higgins.


 Issue No.7, July 1983. Art by Alan Davis. A promotional poster that readers were encouraged to ask their newsagents to place in their shop. If the shop agreed, and gave the reader a note confirming it, Marvel would send the reader a replacement poster signed by Alan Moore and Alan Davis. Did any of you out there get involved in this promotion? 


 Issue No.8, August 1983: Elektra by Dave Weir. 


 Issue No.9, September 1983: Brotherhood of Evil Mutants by... not sure. Could it be the work of Jerry Paris? Let me know if you can identify the style.


 Issue No.10, October 1983: The Fury by Alan Davis. 


 Issue No.11, November 1983: Merlin and Roma by Alan Davis.
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10 comments:

  1. Dave SheltonSaturday, 30 May 2015 at 17:19:00 BST

    No 9 Couldn't be Brett Ewins could it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lew StringerSaturday, 30 May 2015 at 18:49:00 BST

    I can see the similarity Dave, especially with the face of the figure at the top, but I've just had it confirmed by an editor that it was indeed by Jerry Paris.

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  3. James SpiringSaturday, 30 May 2015 at 19:18:00 BST

    I find it odd that Captain Britain was only on the promotional one and never had one to himself.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lew StringerSaturday, 30 May 2015 at 19:46:00 BST

    Yes, that is a bit strange. Perhaps they'd have gotten around to it if the comic had continued.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dave WeirSaturday, 30 May 2015 at 23:48:00 BST

    Happy memories. I worked for Bernie on a couple of issues doing paste ups. She agreed to take a chance on the Elektra poster. I'd been working with Alan Craddock and Angus McKie, experimenting with Corben's colour technique over black and white artwork.

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  6. Lew StringerSunday, 31 May 2015 at 00:19:00 BST

    Thanks for commenting, Dave. It's always interesting to hear background info. That's an effective technique.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ReubenSunday, 31 May 2015 at 12:14:00 BST

    I think the John Higgins one got recycled for the cover of the final thin issue of MWOM before it merged into Conan. Illyana Rasputin was pasted onto the cover from the X-Men spin off story inside. Strangely I thought the cover worked.
    Also it's nice to what posters I'm missing from my copies of The Daredevils.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lew StringerSunday, 31 May 2015 at 13:04:00 BST

    They were a nice extra in the comic. A shame they stopped when Daredevils merged into MWOM.

    Current UK Marvels occasionally use the centre pages for posters but they're reprinted covers, as they're not allowed to produce original art now unfortunately.

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  9. AnonymousSunday, 26 July 2015 at 08:15:00 BST

    The posters in The Daredevils were truly works of beauty. I recall that the posters in the UK weeklies were often reprints of classic US covers, sometimes with no relation to the other characters or content in the given issue. However, finding a centre spread by UK talent was a real treat, whether a reprint of the same issue's cover or an original poster by then up-and-coming artist. However, like the majority of it's content, the posters in The Daredevils really took the centre spreads to another level. Thanks for the reminder, Lew! Best wishes, Kieron

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  10. MarcoSunday, 17 May 2020 at 11:28:00 BST

    Thaaaank you! I had a number of those on my walls and the Mephisto one is still up thirty-five or so years and at least five homes later. I
    have been wondering who did that poster for a while now but just couldn't make out that signature.

    ReplyDelete

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