[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #111  /  August 1963  /  Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers

Another one where I decided it would be easiest to remove the entire background and "just" clean up what was left.  Good thing.  The left-edge building had endless damage to repair, while the lower-right building edge had to be "filled in".  Once I got all that done, I copied the grays to a separate layer and removed ALL the color before lightening them up.

In addition, the logo green had to be adjusted on a separate layer, and quite a lot of airbrush had to be used on the rd and yellow areas.

Other than that (hah!) the colors on this came up REAL nice with less effort than usual.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EeIBFalwxKc/Uo6gEJm2qpI/AAAAAAAAPrw/KW65GjMwdIw/s1600/ST+111_cc_BP_HK++CB6.jpg

Also, for no damn reason, since I had a new sky background, I decided to do an alternate "Ralph Bakshi" tribute version while I was at it.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q7u57POthk8/Uo6hU6tUKbI/AAAAAAAAPsI/98jbrT1I3g8/s1600/ST+111_cc_BP_HK++CC6.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #112  /  September 1963  /  art by JACK KIRBY

Considering how DARK the scan was, this was surprisingly, a relative quickie.  After hitting "levels", the resulting colors required only minor lightening up.  After that, it was copy-and-paste to fill in the left edge and repair minor damage around the other 3 edges.  WOW!  This was the debut of The Eel.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dxuttop60xM/UpAvFPYOXKI/AAAAAAAAPsw/lY2mcIRapP8/s1600/ST+112_cc_BP_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES ANNUAL #2  /  [September 1963]  /  art by Jack Kirby & Sol Brodsky

I'd started a restoration on this several years ago, but had been unable to find a decent-sized one.  The other day I went looking again and found a nice selection at the Heritage Auction site.  I had to COMBINE 2 different scans to get the most detail, as I didn't want to lose anything along the right or bottom edges.  These areas required EXTENSIVE "copy-and-paste" and "airbrush" repair work to "fill in" what otherwise would have been lost.  I think it was worth the effort!

In addition, the yellow areas all needed to be airbrushed, while the green and DARK BLUE areas needed to be cranked UP in "color balance".  The detail on Spider-Man's dark areas had gone COMPLETELY black before I adjusted it!

Now-- FINALLY there's a decent image of this!!  One of the earliest major "team-ups" of the Marvel Age!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3b-pOFgurNo/UpQd6vDd0lI/AAAAAAAAPtk/brwppMjQ0eE/s1600/ST+A02_cc_HA_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #113  /  October 1963  /  Jack Kirby & Don Heck

This one was so off-rotation, I wound up having to do extensive copy-and-paste-into on 3 edges (left, right and bottom).  In addition, I used airbrush for the entire red area at the top.  Further, the dark blues, dark greens and the yellow in the text box had to be cranked up in "color balance" on separate layers.

I continue to be surprised at how good some of these are coming up, considering the really MISERABLE, dark scans I've seen online.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gSAh92QilBM/Upa__t6VvOI/AAAAAAAAPuQ/AKADOy7bFxA/s1600/ST+113_cc_HA_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #114  /  November 1963  /  art by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers

Once again, there was so much dirt on this, plus the inside showing through, I started out by removing the entire background and replacing it with a new one.  There were countless specks of dirt, discolorations and drops-outs, and this required a lot of airbrush and copy-and-paste-into (the latter where color patterns were involved).  Then I had to fill in both the left and right edges. Finally, the dark green in the logo, the skin tones, and 2 different shades of blue had to be adjusted on separate layers.

MUCH better!!!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5QOMEzGnrw/Up3cB2h8PYI/AAAAAAAAPvI/h-UWloVb82k/s1600/ST+114_cc_BP_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #115  /  December 1963  /  Jack Kirby & Steve Ditko

The biggest problem here was the excessive dirt down the left-edge of the cover.  I had to clean up the "glass" in that area on a separate layer from the rest of the glass, so as not to blank out the pale blue.

Further, the left, bottom & right edges all needed extensive "fill in" with copy-and-paste. The worst part had to be the lower-left corner.

Beyond that there were creases, damage, drop-outs, specks, dirt, you name it.  "The usual".  I fixed this with copy-and-paste (where there was color dot patterns) and airbrush (where there was flat colors, or white areas).

Finally at the end fo copied the DARK BLUE ceiling onto a separate layer and cranked up the blue, so it wouldn't look almost BLACK.  I also added WHITE to The Sandman's eyes & teeth where there had been NONE.  Call it fixing a 50-year-old slip-up.

MUCH better!!!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oj_htF8_nVs/UqKitC19I-I/AAAAAAAAPvw/bxZqqoOZNHk/s1600/ST+115_cc_BP_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #116  /  January 1964  /  Jack Kirby & George Roussos

I did a lot of copy-and-paste work on the sky background, but fortunately didn't have to REPLACE it as on several of therse recent ones. While I was at it, I also had to fix ALL 4 edges (top, left, right & bottom). I used airbrush to clean up the red areas of the lettering, as well as the color-plate registration problems on the figure of Alicia. I also added white to her eyes and teeth.

Finally, I adjusted the dark greens, dark blues & dark orange on separate layers.  MUCH better!

Still, nothing can help the REALLY LOUSY inking...  (Alicia & The Puppet Master, especially, are genuine nightmares.)

Before:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pLyetBjjrsI/UqP2yWtJ8hI/AAAAAAAAPwg/Rge50yR48dU/s1600/ST+116_cc_BP_HA++A4.jpg

After:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YILGSSfNCcA/UrMqrZpi93I/AAAAAAAAP3U/I0jxi9okys8/s1600/ST+116_cc_BP_HA.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

STRANGE TALES #117  /  February 1964  /  Jack Kirby & Sol Brodsky and Steve Ditko

This one was a NIGHTMARE. I hoped things would go easy, as for once, when I clicked on "levels", ONCE, all the colors-- ALL of them-- came up beautifully.  But there was a TON of damage down the left edge, plus dirt, and discoloration, and on top of that, endless specs of dirt and stray specs of ink EVERYWHERE.  What made it take forever was those damnable puffy clouds-- complex dot pattern blends which had to cleaned or replaced TEDIOUSLY, a bit at a time, and another bit, and another bit...  This is the kind of clean-up that would make me wanna take a break from doing any more of these for maybe 6 months.

Well... all done now...

BEFORE:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oHBqbiXmycE/UrOBWYQGIYI/AAAAAAAAP3k/1L6JdUMur1Y/s1600/ST+117_cc_BP_HK++A4.jpg

AFTER:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HAkF9JpBRTQ/Ur-gHdJkEeI/AAAAAAAAP4k/6CsTuDaSrsA/s1600/ST+117_cc_BP_HK.jpg

[giggle-ite]

WOW!! Great job!! Love the touch-ups! Thank you for the accomplishment!

[profh0011]

Thanks.  This one wound up taking much longer that I would have liked.

By the way, it's come up that although Kirby & Brodsky did the bulk of the cover, for whatever reason, The Eel was pencils & inks by STEVE DITKO. Anyone know if a scan of the pencils is around anywhere?

[profh0011]

You've read the novel! You've seen the movie! Now-- read the comic!
  Dell's FOUR COLOR #614 (late 1954) presents...

Jules Verne's 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

adaptation by Gaylord DuBois / art by FRANK THORNE!!!
Gloriously, painstakingly restored! (Trust me, folks, this looks BETTER than when the comic was NEW.)

Part 1 of 3:
http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2014/01/jules-verne-part-3.html

[profh0011]

This isn't exactly "finished"... but what the hey.

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY

http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2014/02/journey-into-mystery.html

[profh0011]

Still in progress, but I've just added a new page to the blog...

BEST OF THE WEST !!

http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2014/02/best-of-west.html

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

A-1 #93 / BEST WESTERN #8

All-reprint collection  /  new cover by FRED GUARDINEER

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVhehVBCpwQ/UwprfqMQrvI/AAAAAAAAQVc/X5QbNqG34Y0/s1600/A-1+093_GW+08_cc_HA_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

A-1 #105 / GREAT WESTERN #9  (April-June 1954)

All-reprint collection  /  new cover by FRANK BOLLE

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rfrvr-xLDoA/Uw1lYGUIAqI/AAAAAAAAQWM/YAs3OUQlm3g/s1600/A-1+105_GW+09_cc_HA_HK.jpg

A relative quickie, except for my having to do a huge amount of "copy-and-paste-into" on all 4 edges, especially the right edge, where I reconstructed about a 1/2" strip all the way down using a 2nd scan for reference.  To give you an idea of what was involved, there's 2 horses all the way over there, and the right one was completely missing on the big scan.  I'm always amazed when the finished result looks this good!

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

A-1 #113 / GREAT WESTERN #10  (July-September 1954)

All-reprint collection  /  new cover by FRANK BOLLE

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hgmzlBoPdgA/UxRyKhqoBfI/AAAAAAAAQXc/1TILzGd82RY/s1600/A-1+113_cc_CBP.jpg

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

A-1 #103  /  BEST OF THE WEST #12  (April-June 1954)

cover by FRANK BOLLE

This was a real challenge.  The entire right edge was missing, and had to be reconstructed using a 2nd, much-smaller scan for reference.  The entire logo area had to be cleaned up with airbrush, the left, bottom & right edges required extensive copy-and-paste, there was a lot of color-plate registration problems (especially on the figure of Red Mask), and the greens in the villain had to be cranked up.  MUCH better now!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xGxdz7EkFuo/UxPwHTHvNvI/AAAAAAAAQXM/-zgnlHhhsVI/s1600/BOTW1+12_cc_HA_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

Just finished some stunning restorations on a set of "GREAT WESTERN" covers from the early 1950's. 1 by Fred Guardineer, the other 3 by Frank Bolle! They're posted on my "A-1" page. Enjoy!

http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-1.html

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

A-1 #127  /  GREAT WESTERN #11  (October-December 1954)

Another all-reprint collection, NEW cover by FRANK BOLLE

This one required me to airbrush the entire yellow background, plus the black and red in the logo, carefully trimming a bit off the bottom and adding more space at the top in order to get the entire "ME" and "ANC" logos in, plus some minor repair for creases & damage.  NOT BAD!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5I_XrMAv4hQ/UxX6GuOKhXI/AAAAAAAAQX8/5ZJeje54MA4/s1600/A-1+127_GW+11_cc_CBP_HK.jpg

[profh0011]

Not exactly the latest restoration, but I did just do some important "additional clean-up" on this...

THOR #126   (March 1966)
cover by Jack Kirby & Vince Colletta

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkdRZjKenrA/UxqgLcOgWKI/AAAAAAAAQYY/pXV2ikbWKZo/s1600/THOR+126_cc_HK.jpg

WOW!!!   

[profh0011]

The latest restoration...

A-1 #70  /  BEST OF THE WEST #6  (December 1952)

Originally, I cleaned up the scan found here at the Comic Book Plus site. However, I've since found a MUCH-higher quality scan at the Heritage Auctions site.  This was off-rotation, so it required copy-and-paste to fill-in ALL 4 edges, plus some minor clean-up, especially in the upper area.  MUCH better!!!!!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q24tALe9N9A/UyJYbNJ7yfI/AAAAAAAAQYs/2aO_MqIpwDQ/s1600/BOTW1+06_cc_HA_HK.jpg

And that takes care of all 12 issues of this series!!!

[profh0011]

Here we go, stunning restorations of ALL 12 issues of BEST OF THE WEST from Magazine Enterprises!

http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2014/02/best-of-west.html


And here's something to go with it...
One of my favorite songs of the last few years...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf6EvzdgFSw

[paw broon]

That's a great track.  Thanks.  At first, before the vocals, it sounded just like '60's guitar bands - Ventures, Shadows, Spotnicks. So, surprised to hear those vocals. 
You can hear (and see) The Spotnicks here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVvGKZklugE

And from the dim and distant past, Bert Weedon (an unlikely pop star) Sorry Robbie:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3FkKWDV_gs

A bit off your topic but it seemed there were different styles of instrumental groups in the '60's.  The guitar bands - Ventures, Shadows, Nero and The Gladiators
Keyboard oriented groups e.g. Johnny and The Hurricanes, Tornados
and bands with sax players (and sometimes keyboard) Rockin' Rebels, Lord Rockingham's Eleven.
All producing great singles.  And even better, if your old 45's are in as bad nick as mine, they are mostly available on youtube.

[profh0011]

As it happens, since I updated my "Total Recorder" program (which allows me to record streaming media), I've been able to record audio off of Youtube.  This came in handy the other month, when I was trying to put everything I had by some bands onto CD, in places where my vinyl was in TOO TERRIBLE shape to clean up successfully.

My intro to "surf" or "intrumental rock" was LOS STRAITJACKETS back in Nov'95.  Since then I've found HUNDREDS of bands who do this stuff.  The Volcanos was one of ther more obscure ones, except, for their "side project", when they recoreded as The Hellbenders.  Earlier, I'd heard them on a various-artists comp titled SPAGHETTI: DUCK, YOU SUCKERS!  15 tracks by different bands, all doing that kind of stuff ("spaghetti western surf").  About a third of The Hellbenders' album has vocals. I love it!!!

I remember the day my friend "Palmyra Delran" walked out from behind the counter at Tower Records, walked me over to one of the aisles, grabbed a CD and told me, forcefully, "THIS is what you gotta buy NEXT!"  it was THE BEST OF DICK DALE & HIS DEL-TONES.  how's that for "suggestive selling"?

[profh0011]

2 of my favorite "instro" bands are both from Zurich, Switzerland-- THE MEN FROM S.P.E.C.T.R.E., and organ-driven 5-piece combo, and, STEREOPHONIC SPACE SOUNDS UNLIMITED, a studio-bound duet.

In the back of my mind, I always kinda figured I'd eventually do some music-related stuff on my blog... but I've been too busy with the comics stuff to ever get around to it yet!