Comic book art IS art!

I have been debating about what would be my first post on my new blog...and this seems perfect. 

I can't thank the guys The Hall of Comics enough. Last night they held a special comic book art event that included art based on comics and and comic trading cards, original comic artwork and actual comic book covers and pages from published and yet to be published comics.

Who is that guy in the Cap hoodie?!

These are pieces/art you'd only get to see if you paid a mint to get into one of the major conventions (ie San Diego or New York) and you'd have to wade through lines of people to see them. I've seen pictures of art like this but I never thought I'd be able to see it, handle it...much less actually own a piece! So there were tons of artists represented and stacks and folios of artwork. I had my eye on a couple but then flipping through the folios I came across this. Yup, that is an actual, original pencilled page from the "Hulk" comic book-issue 21, page 24 drawn by Mr. Ed McGuinness. It contains Red Hulk, Bruce Banner, Hulk, MODOK, Sentinel AND The Leader (a long time Hulk nemesis).

When I came across it I was just stunned. McGuinness stood over this page and drew it filled with Hulk/Marvel heavy hitters. A close inspection of the page shows that he framed out the standard comic page to get the 4 sub panels and barring 4 or 5 erase marks, drew the whole page error free. This pencil drawing is the original base of the page and then it's later inked and colored, then became a page in the published comic. As a comic geek and wannabe artist I can't even begin to explain how exciting it was to see a true artist's work up close, an artist who's work I love...and now I own it!