John Romita Sr. Original Cover

‘LARGE’ SPIDER-MAN ART FROM 1968 REFLECTS MARVEL MASTER AT HIS PEAK

WITH MARVEL’S INHUMANS scheduled to headline their own big-screen movie, fans are eagerly snatching up related collectibles – especially those by legendary artist John Romita Sr.

“There’s a reason John Romita is called a Marvel Master,” says Heritage Auctions’ Director of Operations for Comics and Comic Art Barry Sandoval. “While Steve Ditko and Stan Lee created Spider-Man, the look Romita gave the character is more familiar to most, and the definitive look in the minds of many.”

Romita’s clean, romantic style is on full display on this 1968 cover for Amazing Spider-Man #62, featuring Medusa of the prehistoric earthlings known as Inhumans. Related characters already have been featured on the TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., with an Inhumans movie reportedly set for release in 2019.

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“This ‘large’ cover art has been locked away in a personal collection for some three decades,” Sandoval says. “Comic art collectors especially prize art done in the larger 13-by-18-inch size, also known as ‘twice-up.’ Around 1967-68, publishers switched to having their artists draw originals on a 10-by-15-inch image area. Romita took over the Spider-Man title in 1966, so only his first two years of covers are in the large size. Every collector seems to want one, and there aren’t enough to go around.”