Back in 2002, I decided to do a homage to those wonderfully bizarre gorilla covers that populated countless comic book covers during the “Silver Age” of comics– especially those published by DC Comics! And I was thrilled that the legendary Murphy Anderson, the artist who was responsible for many of those simian-centric covers, agreed to ink the cover of Supernatural Law #35, featuring “The Trial of the 800 lb. Gorilla!”
I penciled the cover (with my assistant at the time, Trevor Nielson) and when we presented it to Murphy, he let us know “the anatomy on this gorilla is not correct! I’m going to have to fix it!” Trevor and I were not about to argue! Thanks to Murphy, the end result was a delightful pastiche of the type of cover that graced the comics I read as a kid (right down to the Ira Schnapp-style lettering, courtesy of graphic designer/historian Arlen Schumer).
Murphy Anderson will always be remembered as one of the great talents of comic book art and to those fortunate to have met him, friendly, kind, witty, and a perfect gentleman. Jackie and I send our condolences to Murphy’s wonderful wife Helen and his children.
