DC Special Series No. 27 Cover – Batman and the Incredible Hulk by José Luis García-López

It was the end of an era. Earlier in 1981, Marvel Comics had handled the second team-up of Superman and the Amazing Spider-Man. And then this book followed, shepherded through the DC offices. While DC and Marvel would still occasionally team-up their characters for reader excitement and mutual profit, the tabloids – a fixture of both companies throughout the 1970s – would not continue much further into the 80s.

So it was particularly nice that we got to see José Luis García-López’s art in the oversized format. Having debuted in the North American market with Charlton Comics a decade earlier, he had risen through the ranks at DC Comics to become one of its top artists. So much so that in 1982 he and Dick Giordano would produce the well-regarded DC Style Guide featuring the company’s characters. So influential, its art is still used for marketing and licenced items displayed the classic versions of DC heroes and villains.

And as the DC “house” artist, it was a treat to see him in a rare appearance drawing Marvel characters as well as his definitive versions of the Batman cast.

New colour and packaging by myself.

Front cover as published.

Back cover as published.

From the inside back cover, how the cover progressed from sketches to final art.

Original art scan from Heritage Auctions.

Art cleaned up and made production ready.

New colour version.

Re-created trade dress added with a few tweaks.