One more Campbell variant that deserves better
0 Comments Published by Avi Green on Friday, July 25, 2025 at 8:50 AM.
As seen above, J. Scott Campbell posted another variant cover he drew for the 2025 Marvel Swimsuit Special - one more example of covers offering far better quality than what's inside the otherwise mediocre special - and explains this is something to expect at conventions like SDCC, and can't be sold or offered at his own internet store.
But then, isn't that why it's a shame his art is seeing its impact dampened by the weak efforts inside the special? Of course, especially since this appears to be a wraparound cover, something I recall at least 12 of the 60 Marvel Fanfare anthology covers employed as well during its 1982-91 run (which would be at least a 5th of the covers printed). And, maybe an illustration like this would've made a great example for publishing inside the special, since IIRC, a handful of drawings from the original 5 were the length of 2 pages.
Which could explain all that's gone awry with how this new swimsuit special was marketed and promoted - instead of printing the illustrations of artists like Campbell inside the special, they only print it as variants on the outside? See, that's where they fumbled the ball. As I've noted at times, all the relentless focus on variant covers has made a joke out of the industry, and here, when they have a chance to publish talented artists' work on the inside, they do it instead on the outside, and the focus on "exclusives" is just another mistake in the marketing. And there's no telling if this'll ever be mended for as long as Marvel/DC are still around. Campbell and other talented artists whose work is being marketed the wrong way deserve far better.
But then, isn't that why it's a shame his art is seeing its impact dampened by the weak efforts inside the special? Of course, especially since this appears to be a wraparound cover, something I recall at least 12 of the 60 Marvel Fanfare anthology covers employed as well during its 1982-91 run (which would be at least a 5th of the covers printed). And, maybe an illustration like this would've made a great example for publishing inside the special, since IIRC, a handful of drawings from the original 5 were the length of 2 pages.
Which could explain all that's gone awry with how this new swimsuit special was marketed and promoted - instead of printing the illustrations of artists like Campbell inside the special, they only print it as variants on the outside? See, that's where they fumbled the ball. As I've noted at times, all the relentless focus on variant covers has made a joke out of the industry, and here, when they have a chance to publish talented artists' work on the inside, they do it instead on the outside, and the focus on "exclusives" is just another mistake in the marketing. And there's no telling if this'll ever be mended for as long as Marvel/DC are still around. Campbell and other talented artists whose work is being marketed the wrong way deserve far better.
Labels: conventions, good artists, marvel comics, sales, women of marvel
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