GASPAR SALADINO in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU

GASPAR SALADINO in DAREDEVIL Part 2 GASPAR SALADINO in THE DEFENDERS

GASPAR SALADINO in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU

[image error]All images © Marvel. From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #2, June 1974

In the early 1970s, Marvel Comics expanded their line by adding larger-sized black and white titles in the style of Warren’s CREEPY and VAMPIRELLA, and this was one of them. The book ran 33 issues from 1974 to 1977. Gaspar Saladino lettered some single pages, or double-page spreads on stories otherwise lettered by others. This move by Marvel made less sense here than when he did the first page of many Marvel color comics, at least to me. There his work might entice a potential buyer picking up the comic at a newsstand, helping make a sale. Here, Gaspar’s work was buried inside the issues, sometimes well at the back. The stories themselves certainly benefitted from his fine title work and lettering, but I’m not sure the extra money I believe he was paid for this kind of thing led to increased sales. By the time a reader got to it, he’d probably already bought the book. In the first example above, Saladino’s talent is obvious in the lettering of FU MANCHU and the creator credits. Letterers were not credited.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #10, March 1975

These books were sometimes a training ground for upcoming artists, like George Pérez here. Gaspar’s story title is full of scary drama, and his nearly rectangular balloons are a strange choice not matched in the rest of the story lettered by someone else.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #11, April 1975

This story title, once you see it, is impressive, perhaps penciled in by Pérez, and I think the SONS OF THE TIGER logo is also by Gaspar.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #13, June 1975

As he liked to do, Saladino has lettered DEATH with a dry brush, then outlined it with a small pen point. Two of the signs are type.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #14, July 1975

A poor scan on this image, but the lettering is pretty clear. I like the wobbly balloon borders in the first few panels. This is the second story page.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #17, Oct 1975

Here’s the left side of a spread, pages 1-2 of the story. The whole image would be too hard to read. Another dramatic version of DEATH, one of the most common title words in comics.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #18, Nov 1975

Another left half of a spread, pages 2-3 of the story. This time DARKNESS gets the scary treatment. I also like the banners on the left.

From DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG-FU #19, Dec 1975

The most interesting style choice here is to drop the balloon border at lower left. I would never have thought of that, and it wouldn’t work in a color comic, but looks fine here.