Ralph Reese Query

Here's a piece of signed Ralph Reese art sent to me by Larry S who's attempting to identify it. It definitely looks like an EC homage. Or maybe that's Flash Gordon? Was it for anything in particular and was a version of it ever used? I know some of you will have some idea.

BTW--Speaking of Mr. Reese, I just watched the 1970 TV documentary THIS IS AL CAPP and Reese is featured as an "underground cartoonist" along with Spain, Trina and Kim Deitch, none of whom Mr. Capp was a fan.

UPDATE--Almost as soon as I posted it I remembered why it looked familiar. It was--as drawn by Al Williamson with a different background, the cover to the Williamson fan mag, THIRD RAIL.

EC Con Book-1972

Bruce Hershenson (now the operator of EMOVIEPOSTER.COM at http://www.emovieposter.com/) who would later go on to co-produce the near-facsimile EC reprints from East Coast Comix came out with this book to commemorate the one and only EC Fan-Addict Convention/Reunion from 1972. Here's a fanzine ad for the book which became my own personal first exposure to EC stories and Wood's earlier sci-fi style.

Three Doors To War-1959

From OUR FIGHTING FORCES # 10, 1959, comes this nondescript war story credited to writer Bill Finger. GCD says Wood did pencils AND inks and cites editor Julie Schwartz's personal records to that effect. Of course, that doesn't mean there wasn't an extra hand or two filling in blacks or bordering. The inklines look much thinner to me than Woody's own. More like Williamson or Torres or even reminds me of John Rosenberger (who, as far as I know, never worked with Wood).

Power Girl

I'm not sure who actually designed Power Girl but, due to her rather obvious, err...assets as well as the fact that he inked her earliest appearances, Woody is often given the credit. Were he alive today, he would undoubtedly have taken a zillion commissions for pieces like this naked Power Girl. In fact, one can find literally hundreds of images similar to this (or MUCH more explicit!) online in a matter of minutes. This, however, is the only one I've seen attributed to Wally Wood. I'm fairly certain that I have seen a Wood pencil version of this but this colorized version looks to have been completely (and not very well in spots) traced on computer by whomever added the color.

Creeps!

Here's a link to an online version of Archie Goodwin's 1976 CREEPY story, CREEPS which brought together the diverse styles of EC alumni Wally Wood and John Severin. Since both of these artists's tended to overpower the work of anyone they collaborated with, it's a fascinating combination! Throw in the fact that I'm pretty sure I detect some Ralph Reese work in there and Reese is an artist with the rare ability to overpower even Woody's work and you have a truly bizarre comics art treat.

http://blacknwhiteandredallover.blogspot.com/2010/03/post-34-creeps.html

Woody's Classic Covers # 36

To be fair, I don't think this actually IS Woodwork but this French SALLY FORTH reprint's cover is certainly based on his characters and done in his style.

Larry Hama's First

Larry Hama posted this page over at his Facebook place today, saying that it was from his very first "straight" piece for Marvel but that Marvel had never published it due to the original art being stolen. Apparently, however, it WAS published in France. Inking is by the legendary ad hoc team known as "the Crusty Bunkers," at that time consisting, according to Mr Hama, of fellow Wood-alumnus Ralph Reese, Neal Adams, Terry Austin and possibly Bob Wiacek.