(With thanks to the Make Mine Marvel UK Facebook Group for the WebFind): Back in the 1970s, Marvel UK offered a number of posters by Spanish artist Rafael López Espí to readers.
Born in Barcelona in 1937, Rafael López Espí is perhaps best known for his superhero work for publisher Ediciones Vértice in the 1960s and 70s, but his comics career, which began in 1953, has included covers for DC Thomson’s Commando and the Fleetway titles Air Ace, Battle, Roxy, Marilyn and Valentine.
His strip work includes western stories such as “Rex Raven”, “Billy McGregor” and “Riffle”, as well as several war and romance stories, and “Mytek the Mighty”.
Although his web site indicates he eventually tired of comics work because of issues over creator rights, he returned to the medium in 2009 to create Extra-Humans and Rayser, published by Panini, the latter inspiring a musical soundtrack by Zíclope and Scud Hero.
His Facebook page features a lot of his art for Ediciones Vértice and more of his Marvel hero-inspired imagery.
• You can find more info on the posters and the artist Rafael López Espí here (in Spanish)
• Rafael López Espí on Facebook
• Rafael López Espí: Lambiek entry
John Freeman
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek Magazine) and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”. He’s the writer of "Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies" for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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