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WebFind: Liam Sharp’s first Marvel comic cover – the 1991 Marvel UK Summer Holiday Special

By John Freeman on August 31, 2025

1991 Marvel UK Summer Holiday Special - Cover by Liam Sharp and Paul Neary

Fun in the sun! Here’s the cover for Marvel UK Holiday Special 1991, the cover by Liam Sharp – his first mainstream cover – and Paul Neary.

“This was my first ever shot at a mainstream cover featuring iconic Marvel characters,” Liam recalled earlier in the year. “I was so excited to do it! You can, of course, tell it’s the very early 90s! And that Hulk was me trying to replicate something of the amazing Dale Keown run. Thor looks like Arnie too!

“I would obviously do it very differently now, but it’s a happy memory, and having Paul Nearly ink me? Wow.”

Inside, it’s a great selection of reprint material: “Toys Night Out!” written by Bill Mantlo, art by Don Heck, from Marvel Fanfare #56 (April 1991); “The Day After” featuring The Thing, written by Danny Fingeroth, art by Tod Smith, from Marvel Fanfare #46 (October 1989); “Never Say Die!” written by Dan Mishkin, pencils by David Ross, inks by Chris Ivy, from Marvel Fanfare #53 (October 1990); and “Triumph”, a Doctor Doom story written and drawn by Dave Cockrum, inks by Joseph Adiletta, from Marvel Comics Presents #75 (Early April 1991).

This may, of course been Liam’s first mainstream cover, yes, but not the first time he drew Wolverine for Marvel UK. Earlier still, there was an unrealised project, written by me, John Freeman that Liam created some visuals for, pitting the X-man against… Monark Starstalker?!

Head downthetubes for…

Rourke of the Radlands, Monark Starstalker and Wolverine - SNIP

• Marvel UK Comics That Never Were: Rourke versus Wolverine, versus… Monark Starstalker?

• Liam Sharp is online at sharpy.net

Content info via comics.org with thanks to Allan Harvey

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as 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.