Continuing my ongoing series about the cover lettering of Danny Crespi at Marvel Comics, mostly from 1974-1979. Photocopies of saved cover lettering from Danny’s files were compiled into a collection by letterer and friend Phil Felix during the 1980s when he worked with Danny on staff at Marvel, and Phil sent me copies. This time I’ll look at pages 53 to 56. Page 53, above, is all by Danny Crespi. Sources follow.

“Lunatic on Every Corner” from MAN-THING #21, Sept. 1975. Danny’s lettering looks good reversed here (white letters on black).

“Man-Elephant” from SAVAGE SHE-HULK #17, June 1981. Late for Danny, and the top line is typeset, but the open letters are Danny’s. As Stuart Moore said about this one, “I don’t know if I actually want to Make Way for the Man-Elephant. Perhaps the Man-Elephant could take a different route?”

“War Against the World” from AVENGERS #147, May 1976.

“The Nightmare Box” from MAN-THING #20, Aug. 1975. The caption under the logo is also on this page. Note that the line “Because you demanded it” must have been pasted separately on the original lettering, and is missing.

Finally, “Doom’s Day at the U.N.” from SPIDEY SUPER STORIES #9, June 1965.

Page 54, all lettered by Danny Crespi.

“Turmoil in the Time-Stream” from THOR #243, Jan. 1976. This one looks great with a red caption box fill, but I hate the way it’s pasted over Thor’s foot. I would have made it a little smaller and moved it left.

“Battle Beyond the Stars” from MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #51, July 1975.

“Midnight in the Morgue” from CHAMBER OF CHILLS #20, Jan. 1976.

“Slave to the Power Imperious” from IRON MAN #75, June 1975. This one was hard to find because they removed a letter from IMPERVIOUS on Danny’s original to make it IMPERIOUS. Funny how it works either way. Thanks to Michael Styborski for finding it.

Page 55. The top three are by Danny Crespi, “Weathermen” is by Gaspar Saladino, and I think “A Princess Alone” is by Jim Novak.

“Ghost Rider and Satana” is from MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #22, June 1975.

“Unhumans” from JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #17, June 1975.

“Stalking Dead” from SUPERNATURAL THRILLERS #13, June 1975. Note that these first three were all published in the same month, and might well have been lettered at the same time by Danny.

“Weathermen” from AVENGERS #210, Aug. 1981. Things that indicate this is by Gaspar to me: the TH joined twice in the top line the low indent on the right side of the R in WEATHERMEN and the line shading in that word.

“A Princess Alone” from STAR WARS #30, Dec. 1979. Jim Novak was the best at imitating Gaspar Saladino, and even copied some of Gaspar’s personal style points like the low indent on the right side of the R here, but the shape of the letter S, among others, is not like anything else Gaspar did, so that’s why I’m guessing it’s by Novak.

Page 56, all by Danny Crespi except “Mr. Danger” at bottom left, which is by Gaspar Saladino.

“Fu Manchu” from MASTER OF KUNG FU #18, June 1974.

“Blazing Six-gun Action” from RINGO KID #28, July 1976. A rare large block of lettering with no caption box from Danny, with excellent flame effects in BLAZING.

“Just a Doom Called X” from POWER MAN #27, Oct. 1975. I think putting a large X on just about any Marvel Comic was likely to get attention.

“Shadow over Haunted Castle” from TOMB OF DRACULA #23, Aug. 1974.

“Mr. Danger” from EVEL KNIEVEL #1, a rare custom comic from Marvel with cover lettering by Gaspar Saladino. Two style points that suggest this: the dry-brush work on PERILOUS, and in the other burst balloon on the cover, a very Gaspar sort of burst, unlike what Crespi did.

Finally, “The Night Shocker” from POWER MAN #26, Aug. 1975. This one by Danny looks great. Note the upturned right legs of the K and R in SHOCKER, a Crespi style point.

More of these when I have time to research them. Previous parts in this series, and other articles you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.