As Irene and I walked south down Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Saturday, I happened to look to the left at just the right moment to spot the Hulk looking back—because this print by artist Doug Bloodworth was hanging in a gallery window.
Here’s a clearer version of the piece, with the image not obscured by the glare of the street lights.
And here, for comparison, is the original cover by Ernie Chan which the artist incorporated into his image.
I have no idea how much Chan got paid for his cover back in 1978, but Bloodworth stands to make far more. The print, titled “Cheese & Hulk,” was one of 150, and the asking price, at least of the one I saw, was $1,200—which means that if all sold at that price, the artist would gross $180,000. (Obviously, gallery fees will eat into that. But still.)
Bloodworth has given other comic book covers a similar treatment, such as this painting which features Neal Adams’ cover to Superman #233 …
… and this one, which uses Marie Severin’s cover to Silver Surfer #15.
As Irene and I stood in front of the gallery looking at Bloodworth’s image in the window, she said what I was thinking: “I’m okay with this.”
Which is meaningful, because Irene and I have always been sensitive to mainstream artists using comic book imagery, but especially so ever since I took issue in 2011 with Sharon Moody’s appropriations. But I was fine with what Bloodworth had done, just as I’d been with Vin Vicini and Mr. Brainwash. They each (in my opinion) brought more of themselves to the table, and were sufficiently transformative for me to be comfortable with the results.
And though I’d much rather have any of the original comic book covers used above on my wall rather than Bloodworth’s composition—sorry if that makes me a Philistine—it’s entirely a matter of taste. Ethics doesn’t come into play.
Which makes me happy. You think I like having to point fingers?
