Marvel-ous Monday: "What If the Avengers Had Fought the Kree-Skrull War Without Rick Jones?" by DeFalco, Kupperberg, and Patterson

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Let's kick this week off with one of Ol' Groove's favorite comics: What If? #20 (January 1980)! "What If the Avengers Had Fought the Kree-Skrull War Without Rick Jones?" might have been a mouthful of a title, but it was a fistful of far-out and fabulous four color comics! All of Groove City knows that t'was the Kree/Skrull War (Avengers 89-97) that solidified Young Groove's standing as a comicbook fiend, so this comic was a particular pleasure when it came out--and it still is! Author Tom DeFalco (future Marvel EiC in the early days of his Marvel career, here) gave the original story some very cool twists and turns (including letting most every 1971-era Marvel character join in the fun). The art by Alan Kupperberg and Bruce Patterson was very different from Neal Adams' style on Avengers 93-96 (though Kupperberg had worked for Adams), and much closer to Sal Buscema (who drew Avengers 89-91--and according to Kupperberg, the first three pages of What If #20!) captured the look and feel of the original epic and did a great job of showing us the war side of the K/S War. We got a virtual graphic novel in 35 pages, baby! Dig it!

Cover art by Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott

Yep! There's the infamous DD miscolored panel! Whodunnit?

Making a Splash: The Kree/Skrull War

As true-blue Groove-ophiles know, The Kree/Skrull War in the pages of the Avengers 89-97 (March-December 1971) is what converted Young Groove from a comicbook dabbler to a full-fledged comicbook fiend. The works of Roy Thomas, Sal & John Buscema, Neal Adams, and company will forever hold the most special of places in my comicbook lovin' heart--as it does, I suspect, in the hearts of most Marvellites of my generation. Staring at these sensational splashes makes me misty-eyed and googly-eyed all at once! Join me, won't you...?

The Grooviest Covers of All Time #1

From time to time, I'm just going to sit back and let a great pic do (most) of my talking, and this is one of those times. This is not a countown or list of any kind, the numbering in the title is just to help me keep track with how many covers I've--er--covered, clear? Then, on wit da show!

Sal Buscema is one of the greatest, most underrated comicbook artists ever, and I think it's a shame. Just look at this cover, Avengers (Vol. 1) No. 89.

Now THAT's a Marvel comicbook cover! All the power of Jack Kirby, the anatomical grace of John Buscema, and the slickness of John Romita, Sr. pouring from the pencil and brush of Our Pal Sal!

Neal Adams gets all the attention, art-wise, when it comes to the Kree/Skrull War, but, dudes and dudettes, in Ol' Groove's opinion, Sal Buscema doesn't take a backseat to anybody!