GASPAR SALADINO in MARVEL TEAM-UP Part 2

All images © Marvel. From MARVEL TEAM-UP #48, Aug 1976

Continuing my chronological look at the lettering work of Gaspar Saladino for this long-running Spider-Man team-up title, most of his work in this second half was on first story pages otherwise lettered by others (in some cases he did more than one page). Gaspar’s fine block letters are in this story title, with the most important word largest and all black for emphasis.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #50, Oct 1976

This story title has a banner to separate it from the background art, and I like the way THE is tucked into the M in MYSTERY to allow that word to be larger.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #52, Dec 1976

Saladino was a freelancer who lived a good distance away from Manhattan (home of both DC and Marvel Comics), and his usual plan was to come to the offices once a week to hand in and drop off work. Sometimes he would do a few rush jobs there before heading home. This cover might have been one of those, not that the work looks rushed, but his cover work at Marvel declined some in the later 1970s I think because Marvel’s output grew and deadlines were always tight, so it made more sense to have most of the covers lettered by staffers who were always on hand, Danny Crespi being the main one, but also Morrie Kuramoto and others.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #54, Feb 1977

I think the deadlines on these first pages were usually less frantic because Gaspar only had to letter one per story in most cases, while the main letterer needed time to trudge through the rest, but he might have also done a few of these on his office visits.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #55, March 1977

The reproduction is poor on this image, but Gaspar’s title lettering still stands out.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #57, May 1977

I like the graceful Art Deco S’s in this story title for the character’s name. Stan Lee-inspired jokes and nicknames in the credits had faded away by this time, so they were a little easier.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #58, June 1977

Brush work on PANIC sets it apart, creates interest, and provides contrast to the rest of the title.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #59, July 1977

This story title is surprisingly small and subdued for Gaspar, but the dynamic balloons at the bottom make up for it. The title and Gaspar’s lettering continue on the next page.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #60, Aug 1977

This title is more like it! DEATH gets the usual extra effort for emphasis.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #61, Sept 1977

The use of archaic forms Thy and Thee in this title might have suggested something Medieval, but Gaspar went with his unique rough letters instead, including lower case E’s.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #62, Oct 1977

This title could have been boring if all lettered the same way, but Saladino makes it interesting through emphasis and style choices. I also love the Skrull balloon.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #64, Dec 1977

DEATH is one of the most frequently used words in comics titles, and Gaspar always made it dramatic.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #66, Feb 1978

The story title, well designed by Tom Orzechowski, is on a later page of this issue. Gaspar also did the top banner lettering.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #67, March 1978

Again, contrast in styles makes the title interesting. The indents on the right sides of the R’s are almost invisible.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #71, July 1978

This extended version of Death in the title has rough edges and texture to add drama.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #74, Oct 1978

A memorable team-up with the Saturday Night Live cast, Gaspar lettered three pages of the story, the first and the title spread on pages 6-7. This is one of those.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #81, May 1979

The large title is a bit hard to see here due to the dark coloring. I love the incantation balloon at the bottom.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #82, June 1979

The newspaper headline and credits in perspective are by Gaspar here.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #84, Aug 1979

A poor scan is all I could find for this title page, but Saladino’s lettering looks fine.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #87, Nov 1979

I almost overlooked this cover blurb, but the shape of the S caught my eye, it’s surely by Gaspar.

From MARVEL TEAM-UP #87, Nov 1979

Inside the book he also did this fine first page, with a typical THE in the title.

To sum up, I found Saladino lettering on these covers: 12, 14-15, 19-20, 23, 34, 38, 52, 87. That’s ten in all. Gaspar’s story lettering is in these issues, always just the first story page except as noted: 8, 10, 12, 23, 35-36, 38-45, 48, 50, 54-55, 57-58, 59 (2pp), 60-62, 64, 66-67, 71, 74 (3pp), 81-82, 84, 87. That’s a total of 36. More articles in this series and others you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

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