If you’re a fan of The Spider, first published in the weekly adventure comic, Lion, then you may want to check out an original cover for Stupendous Stories by Alessandro Biffignandi, currently on offer on Catawiki.
Part of the latest regular Comic Artworks Auction curated by Louis Girard, which also includes Modesty Blaise original art by Neville Colvin and Enrique Badia Romero, on offer is the cover of Stupendous Series No. 8, published in 1967 by Fleetway Publications, a title now owned by Rebellion, together with a copy of comic.
Like the other two Fleetway Super Libraries, Front Line and Secret Agent, Stupendous Series (the first two issues titled Fantastic Series) ran from January 1967 to January 1968, two issue per month with alternating stars, for a total of 13 adventures each – 26 issues in total. In this series case, the two alternating leads were Valiant‘s Steel Claw and Lion‘s The Spider.
Issue 8 focused entirely on The Spider with a story entitled “The Man who Stole New York“, a story attributed to writer David Motton, drawn by Aldo Marculeta, and Alessandro Biffigandi provided a dramatic cover, The Spider’s face a picture of rage, perhaps reflecting the story, which opens with the antihero occupying the Empire State building and determined to move in – until another supervillain, The Fulcrum, steals the whole of Manhattan! Needless to say, this upset doesn’t go down well.
Alessandro Biffignandi (8th October 1935 – 22nd January 2017) was an Italian poster artist and cover illustrator, who, Lambiek notes, also worked in comics from 1958 onwards after moving to Milan, initially as a cover artist for French pocket comic books published by the Lyon-based publishing house Lugafter, such as Nevada, Hondo, Kiwi, Yuma and Rodeo, working for international publishers through art studios like D’Ami.
His work for Fleetway included covers featuring The Spider and Johnny Nero, for the Fleetway Super Library series, but also for the publisher’s war comic titles, such as Air Ace, Battle and others. He also provided illustrations for “The Wonderful Story of Britain” for Treasure, published in 1963, and the feature “Strange Facts’ for Tell Me Why (1968-1969) and worked on titles such as Hurricane and World of Wonder.
He is best known for his painted cover illustrations for Italian adult comic books published by Giorgio Cavedon (Ediperiodici) and Renzo Barbieri (Edifumetto) during the 1970s and early 1980s.
Paying tribute to the artist in 2017, Steve Holland noted that most of his work was done anonymously, and it wasn’t until later years that his art was celebrated. An exhibition of his work was held in Perguia Palazzo della Penna in 2014, and a book, L’Arte di Alessandro Biffignandi, was published by Lo Scarabeo at the same time.
Korero Press published Sex and Horror: The Art of Alessandro Biffignandi in 2016, an English-language collection of his horror, fantasy and sci-fi paintings.
He died in January 2017, aged 81.
• Check out Alessandro Biffignandi’s art for The Spider – The Man who stole New York (1967) here on Catawiki | Auction closes Thursday 8th August 2024 at 7.00pm
• Art by Alessandro Biffignandi for sale at The Book Palace
• Alessandro Biffignandi (8th October 1935 – 22nd January 2017) – a tribute by Steve Holland
• Alessandro Biffignandi – Lambiek Profile
• Alessandro Biffignandi – Wikipedia Profile
• Alessandro Biffignandi – Cloud 109 Items
• Alessandro Biffignandi – Bridgeman Collection
• The Spider vs. the Crime Genie (aka Jerry Siegel’s Syndicate of Crime vs. the Crime Genie) is rleased next week by Rebellion (Affiliate Link)
Creators include artist Reg Bunn
Out: 15th August 2024
Paperback, 112 Pages
ISBN: 978-1837861767
The Spider is a fabulous intellectual adventurer who straddles both sides of the law and uses a whole host of super equipment to stay one step ahead of his enemies.
When small-time hoodlum Steve Gurko unwittingly releases a magical entity from captivity, he quickly gains the kind of power he could only ever dream about. Embarking on a crime spree, Gurko soon finds himself on the Spider’s radar. But the astounding crime fighter is about to face his toughest opponent to date because the Crime Genie won’t be enslaved by a fool like Gurko for long. Once unleashed, this mystical menace possesses enough might to enslave the human race forever!
In 1944 Reg Bunn survived a serious car accident which rendered him paralysed from the neck down, he recovered and went on to take part in the 1949 Amalgamated Press talent search which would gain him work for The Comet. He is renowned for his work on Lion, and his greatest creation is The Spider with writer Ted Cowan.
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. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 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.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Auctions, British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Other Worlds
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