Mike Zeck, that's who doesn 't get enough props. Especially when it comes to Master of Kung Fu.All too often he gets disregarded as the "guy who came between Paul Gulacy and Gene Day." Which is not only nuts, but way unfair.
Zeck's first real work for Marvel was MOKF #55, when, in his own words, "Marvel needed 22 pages of pencils in a week." After (seemingly constantly) pitching in fill-in issues because Jim Craig simply couldn't come anywhere near meeting a monthly deadline, Zeck was finally offered the job permanently with #71 (he had already been drawing all the issues since #67).
His tenure on MOKF was as versatile as it was underrated, as Shang-Chi and company blithely skipped from back-alley gang fights to cartoonish super-villains to grand sci-fi opuses to vicious kung fu battles...and usually a mix off all of those.
He's better known for his work on the Punisher and Secret Wars and Kraven's Last Hunt, but I come to tell you this--Zeck rocked MOKF hard.So, this week has become the Unofficial Mike-Zeck-Era Master Of Kung Fu Week. Join us, won't you?
All pencils and inks by Mike Zeck, except the cover to MOKF #97, which was inked by John Beatty
Since Day's unfortunate death, his reputation has--in my opinion--become inflated in the time-honored manner of James Dean, Kurt Cobain, etc. Zeck was equally stylish, infinitely more versatile and a better storyteller. After Gulacy, Zeck's work is what always stood out to me (although I have a fondness for Keith Pollard, also, and was finally able to tell him that at a con last year!)
ReplyDeleteGreat week ahead!
ReplyDeleteMike Zeck also drew my favorite Captain America.
Thanks, I'll have to check out Zeck's MOKF.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Siskoid, Zeck drew one hell of a Capt. America. Only his creator could render him better.
It seems that Zeck and his best inker, John Beatty, just don't get enough recognition for their work in general.
I'm gonna enjoy the next week!
Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteWM
Hell yes! I like Zeck, but haven't read these, so bring it on!
ReplyDeleteJust bought the (near) entire run of MOKF--goodbye 30 Star Wars action figures bought at 1993 yard sale for $10.00!-- and I do think Zeck gets overlooked but when inked by Gene Day--who deserves the praise he gets--Zeck's work is amazing. I second the love for his Captain America art, as well.
ReplyDeleteCK About time :-p
ReplyDeleteIt was fun watching Zeck "grow up" as an artist on MOKF.