Thank You Ross Andru

[Dennis K]

It was your vision of Spider-Man that got me hooked on comics as a child, a hobby that has provided me with countless hours of pleasure over these many years. It's a debt of gratitude I can never hope to repay, but one which I wished to acknowledge.

[C.O. Jones]

I second that. My first ever Marvel comic was Amazing Spider-Man #135 back in 1974 and I've long since collected his whole run because of it. I loved reading that he actually went out to locations in NYC in order to render them just right for all of Spidey's swing-bys and fight scenes. He's the reason I love NYC to this day. And I think he missed drawing only 2 books in that whole run as well, 150 and 155. He even did the Giant-Size ASM's, too.

[Babylon23]

Ross was definitely one of the greats. I'd recommend his Metal Men issues to anyone looking for quality art from this highly underrated creator.

[Scott Shaw!]

Ross Andru (especially when inked by his "partner-for-life" Mike Esposito) is one of my all-time favorite comic book cartoonists.* His METAL MEN, WONDER WOMAN and "The War That Time Forgot" in STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES absolutely floored me when I was a kid, and it was a real honor and pleasure to collaborate with Ross on the first two CAPTAIN CARROT stories. I'm very glad I was given the chance to say "Thank you, Ross Andru" in person.

I'm not as quite as wild about his stuff for Marvel, but I own a page of an issue of SUB-MARINER he drew -- inked by John Severin -- that's just about one of the nicest art-jobs Ross EVER did. Exquisite stuff.

The last two issues of Roy Thomas' ALTER EGO have featured an in-depth interview with Mike Esposito about their careers together and apart, absolutely required reading for any Ross Andru fan.

Aloha,

Scott!

*Here's my Top Ten:

1. Jack Kirby
2. Gilbert Shelton
3. Sam Glanzman
4. Orlando Busino
5. Harvey Eisenberg
6. Bob Bolling
7. John Stanley
8. Ross Andru
9. Marie Severin
10. Ramona Fradon

[Rob Allen]

There's a book about Andru & Esposito in the works. They had a long & fascinating career; they were publishing their own comics before Simon & Kirby did!

I'll post again when the book's release is imminent.