BOB LARKIN THE ILLUSTRATED MAN

BOB LARKIN THE ILLUSTRATED MAN
Mr. Larkin is an American Illustrating Legend
This is the ....
Bob Larkin Omigod Gallery

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Bob Larkin: Jack of Hearts (2006)


Sure, he might have a name and a costume that would make you think he was an act for a Las Vegas casino, but this is no Cirque du Soleil escapee—this is a straight-up 1980s Marvel superhero (although not really one of their greats; his powers were so unstable he blew himself up—twice!).

Created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen in (of all places) the 1970s Marvel magazine Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu, Jack got his powers from immersion in a vat of “zero fluid” (that sounds kinda dirty) and originally wore a costume much uglier than what you see here—because it was based on the jack of hearts playing card (Holy RenFest!).

In this painting for a Marvel trading card set, Bob gives Jack some of the dignity that he was lacking in his comic book appearances.
Steve Roman

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