Since the olden days of the Marvel Bullpen, it has been tradition to draft an army of freelancers to do an overnight rush to get a book out on time. This week, the week-early release of HULK #2 on comiXology due to a computer error gave everyone who managed to snag a copy before it was withdrawn a chance to peruse the credits and they were a wonderful tribute to this Bronze Age tradition:
Just to give the complete lineup — which could actually form a soccer team:
• Marc Silvestri
• Whilce Portacio
• Billy Tan
• Michael Broussard
• Eric Basaldua
• Scott Hanna
• Joe Weems
• Rick Basaldua
• Jay Leisten
• Don Ho
• Crimelab Syndicate
Silvestri — who does double duty as the head of Image studio Top Cow — was the solicited penciller, so the way the credits rolled out may perhaps evade making the issue returnable. While not known for being timely, Silvestri and his team seem to have done a decent job on the interiors as shown by the above excerpt.
What’s more interesting about this panel is why, exactly the She Hulk has bolt-on breast implants. She’s a friggin’ MADE UP CHARACTER — she doesn’t need fake tits because she’s not real to begin with! WHATEVER!
Although Marvel sent out a preview of HULK issue #3 earlier in the week, that isn’t finished either, and getting it done has been hampered by Silvestri’s hospitalization due to a flare-up of cellulitis as tweeted by his wife, Bridgit. Silvestri suffered an ankle injury several years ago and this was apparently a flare-up.
CBR asked Top Cow’s Filip Siblik whether this was going to to impact on HULK #3
CBR News reached out to Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik for an update on Silvestri’s condition and how it will impact his workload. Sablik responded saying, “Marc is doing better and is being released from the hospital today. He’s feeling good, is in high spirits, and eager to get back to the drawing board to wrap up the last couple of pages of ‘Hulk’ #3. It should not affect the release of ‘Hulk’ #3 and Marvel has been fantastic and understanding in working with us so that Marc could complete the entire issue.”
Despite the injury and hospitalization, Silvestri was ready to get the issue finished, Bridgit tweeted:
Str8 outta the hospital Marc drew & inked until 4am! Now on wife’s orders bcuz ankle is swollen he is in bed w/foot up 2 layout last page!
Hopefully a team of doctorsinkers is standing by to finish the pages.
The new day and date digital that all comics companies are adopting is actually going to make this kind of last minute fill-in art even tougher than before — digital files need to go in a FULL WEEK before they are due at the printer. So get ready for more “Diverse Hands”
As for Silvestri’s art…we like it! Very Hulk-y.
She-Hulk has bolt on breast implants and the Hulk with popping veins and defined muscles has no nipples.
I like the Samson vibe on the preview!
Facial hair, but no chest hair?
I believe the Marvel Comics Super Special adaptation of “For Your Eyes Only” holds the speed record… done in five days? Hama’s “Silent Interlude” was also a speed record, written and pencilled by Hama, inked by Steve Leialoha, colored by George Roussos after the original story was lost. No lettering, to save scheduling time.
Wasn’t there some Golden Age get-together done in a weekend during a snowstorm? Mentioned in “Kavalier & Clay”…
And of course, 24 hour comics…
As I pointed out over at Robot 6, “Crimelab Syndicate” could up that total number of artistic contributors by another SIX, since (according to their Twitter) they’re made up of Danny Miki, Allen Martinez, Victor Olazaba, Russell Jackson, Scott Kobayashi, and Jonathan Glapion.
Man, that She-Hulk picture is gross.
pardon me if i don’t see this as return to the hallowed traditions of the Bullpen days.
this reads like it came straight from marvel.com.
(except for the fact BCool ran it first—uncredited here)
The Beat was able to provide it with some extra spin—Gabriel call you again?
Utterly friggin’ ridiculous. I understand extenuating circumstances, but when there are so many good and fast pencillers and inkers out of work (ahem), there should NEVER be any excuse for one book to need so many artists on it.
Surely no one is really putting pressure on Marc Silvestri to finish Hulk #3 – the guy’s sick, let someone else do it, or let it be late. It’s just a comic, not worth risking your health for.
I contributed to a few 5-day specials, back in the day, but “Silent Interlude” was not one of them. A 5-day special, that is…
Were you a Crusty Bunker, Steve?
Loved your Spider-Woman work, especially.
I was never a “Crusty Bunker” but I did pitch in on a few of those jobs. I learned a lot from Neal & Dick!
Will Marvel and DC ever learn from their mistakes?
You would think that they would wait until they had a couple issues finished before they announce a title when working with an artist with a reputation for missing deadlines.
I wonder how many issues of Avenging Spider-Man we’ll see before the title slips behind schedule or gets a fill-in artist.
I’m sorry to hear that Marc is under the weather, but this probably would have happened anyway.