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Page 43
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Romita’s later work on Captain America, an attempt by Marvel
provided a wonderful contrast for him, indicating just how far he’d
to bring readers in to the then failing book by using the popu-
come professionally. Heady stuff!
lar Spider-Man artist, has risen in fan appreciation.
Back in the early ’90s Glen’s first ambitions in the acquisi-
“Besides just being a beautiful image,” said Californian Glen
tion of comic art was to get a classic cover of Amazing Spider-
Brunswick, owner of the ASM #68 iconic cover, “the cover
Man drawn by John Romita Sr. “I started going to conventions
evokes imagery of the Vietnam protests and Kent State. Spider-
and was offered a few ASM covers that I passed on. At this
Man’s job is to protect the innocent kids who are protesting.
time, in 1994 they were going for about $3,000 - $5,000. Cur-
But he’s also a crime fighter that must uphold the law. It’s pretty
rently these same covers are in the $30,000 - $50,000 range.
clear he’s about to get caught in the middle. You get the sense
Anyway, I figured if I was going to spend that kind of money it
that he’s about to swing out of his comic book world and into
had to be a cover I truly desired.”
a severe real-life incident that’s about to land him in a whirlpool of trouble.”
Glen was told that if anyone could help him secure the cover he wanted, it would be dealer Mike Burkey, who went
One of the greatest professional thrills for Glen, a professional
under the nom de plum of “Romitaman.” His favorite Spider-
writer of screenplays and comic books, was while on the book he
Man cover happened to be the Amazing Spider-Man #68
created for Image Comics entitled Gray Area, he was paired with
which has graced his collection now for 13 years. “When I con-
artist John Romita Jr., the extraordinarily talented son of Glen’s
tacted Mike back in ’94 he had just sold the cover to another
childhood comic art idol John Romita Sr. Glen still retains a num-
prominent collector. He told me he would try and get the cover
ber of covers and a good portion of the artwork from that series.
back for me.”
While John Jr. and he were working on the book, Glen was con-
But after a few months’ effort Burkey informed Glen of the
stantly inspired by Romita Sr.’s original Spider-Man art that hung
sad assessment that the deal just wasn’t going to happen. The
on his office walls. The art that fueled his imagination as a child
new owner loved the cover too much. “He was nice enough to
OPPOSITE: The Amazing Spider-Man #68 (Jan. 1969), cover, art: John Romita. LEFT: The Amazing Spider-Man #81 (Feb. 1970), cover, art: John Romita. RIGHT: The Amazing Spider-Man #83 (Apr. 1970), cover, art: John Romita. Characters TM & ©2009 Marvel Characters, Inc.
Book GRAILPAGES: Original Comic Book Art and the Collectors
pg. # 43