From November 1968, two versions of the cover to DC Comics’ Justice League of America No. 66 have survived. The first, drawn by Dick Dillin and Joe Giella was rejected. The second was drawn by Neal Adams and made it to the newsstands. I’ve coloured them both up here from scans of the original art.
DICK DILLIN AND JOE GIELLA
Scan from Heritage Auctions.
Cleaned-up art.
With trade dress added.
Colour version.
NEAL ADAMS
The published cover.
Scan from Heritage Auctions.
Cleaned-up art.
With trade dress added.
Colour re-creation.
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I can see why the Dillin version wasn’t used – Batman’s head. You’ve corrected the worst bits, but the perspective is still odd. Lovely stuff. Oh that you were working on DC’s golden age reconstructions. Your work is a revelation, especially lesser known artists such as Springer and Sparling.
Thanks, Peter.
Yes, Dillin has done better rendering than this example, but I like the concept and composition of this one better than the published version.
And working on archival volumes would be sweet, though with DC and Marvel’s focus on replicating the original hand-separated colour is limiting, IMO. The older colour schemes were very effective for the rougher repro and newsprint of the day. I think we can improve on the strorytelling and dramatics without going to the hyper-detailed colour rendering now prevalent for modern material, and that’s what I practise in the stuff I show. So far, not a lot of takers outside commissions for that approach.