1 - Posted on 4/30/2023

Baller.

1 - Posted on 4/30/2023

Ordinarily I am not a huge fan of headshots but this one presents really well!  Nice cover!!!

1 - Posted on 4/30/2023

Love the pencils! One of my favorites from this series. 

Posted on 5/1/2023

Yaaayy, a comment from Michele! 😀 It's an honor, since you are the owner of the best collection of Strange Academy art out there, and  a fellow Ramos enthusiast to boot. Thanks!

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

It really is a fantastic rendition of the Dread Dormammu, so cool looking! But, uh...."Doyle Dormammu"? Really?!? 🙄

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

As I understand it, Dormammu's insistence that he be called "Dread Jr.' led to many a lively duscussion, but in the end his mother got her way.  Family name and all that.  But Doyle is better than the nickname his classmates gave him...Dorkmammu.  Seriously.  I'm not making this up.

Posted on 5/1/2023

That's the sad thing, Pauly, I never for a moment thought you were joking. Ah, Marvel...where have you gone?

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

Okay, I made up Dread Jr, haha.  Dorkmammu, on the other hand, is real.  But come on...That's funny!!  I have to believe that Doctor Strange even called Dread Sr that particular name a few times over the years.

Posted on 5/1/2023

But you see, this is the thing for me. You have a character who has been around since the beginning of the Marvel Universe's conception who is supposed to be taken seriously as an extreme danger to Dr Strange and anyone else. So when the publisher takes that character and uses them in a comedic manner, with other (powerless) characters calling him names like "dork" or anything else, the danger is that a character that was taken seriously for decades is suddenly going to be looked upon as buffoonish and someone to be thought of as a "punching bag" for any hero that comes along.

Marvel already has a ton of cool looking characters who have never gained much popularity (but easily could have) for the simple reason that writers treat them like they're useless buffoons. They don't need to convert more of them. If this series is happening in it's own self-contained universe and ISN'T cannon, then it's not as bad. But still, I don't like it when they fuck around with long established characters like this. That's a big part of the problem though, Marvel lost all their creativity decades ago, which is why all they ever produce are retreads of old shit that they've already done to death. If they want to do a humorous comic, hire people who still have an ounce of imagination. Look at Rek-Rap, it's funny because it's so over the top stupid. They didn't need to take an established character and make him act out of character like that. Why use established characters and suddenly try to make readers think those characters are to be made fun of, when you can just create new ones?

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

I love how art can spark spirited debates like this! 

And I hear ya, but to be fair, through all of this, Dormammu has remained ultra cool and signifucany scary.  I mean, look at him on this cover image.  He has been and always will be a force to be reckoned with!  It's just his son (and he's only a 'son' because Dormammu gave him some of his power/essence to save him) who is treated a bit tongue in cheek, being called Dorkmammu by his classmates.

The Strange Academy series was meant to take imposing and scary characters like Dormammu and deal with their offspring in a more lighthearted way, having them interact in classes, mess around with each other, and generally act like the kids they are.

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

And I love that you mentioned Rek-Rap.  He is going to make another rip-roarin' appearance in my CAF very soon!  Stay tuned!

3 - Posted on 5/1/2023

You, have artwork to post
Must have Ramos, that you can live by
And so, become yourself
Because the best is just a good buy

Teach your children hell
Their father's spell did Humberto lines
And feed them on dark dreams
The one they pick's Dormammu spellbind

Doyle would never ask him, "Why?"
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at him and sigh
And know Dormammu

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

Great song choice, Marcus, and great parody lyrics as always.  "Teach your children hell."  Haha!  I love that play on words. Quite appropriate when Dormammu is involved.  It's been a while since I listened to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.  I forgot how much I love those beautiful harmonies.  

Posted on 5/1/2023

I hear you man, I do. But I just feel that even though it's the kid that's being called names, it all reflects back upon the original character because that's the name being thrown around. As I say, while it does sound like it could be fun, I still think it easily could and should have been done as something that's clear to the readers that it takes place outside of cannon. I mean, a kid going around using Dormammu as his last name? The entire concept just seems to fit more a different line of comics geared towards teens, rather than making it part of the Marvel Universe proper. Either way, I don't need to read contemporary comics to enjoy the art, so it doesn't matter from that point of view. The cover is really cool. I'm just happy enough not to support anything the publisher does that I think are bad ideas, inso far as buying the comics is concerned.

In any case, I'm happy we can have these types of lively discussions without buying into the fallacy of some unwritten "rule" that the comments section of CAF should only be used to make specific comments about the art in question. If more collectors realized that, there wouldn't be any need to also have to sign up to multiple other online platforms, each with their own set of different rules about what you can and cannot say. Happy to chat here with you as always!

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

AMEN brother! to what you said there at the end.  Of course it's super fun to hear what people think of the posted piece (especially when it's positive, lol), but the comments section can be so much more than that if people are willing to engage a bit --- and yes, even disagree sometimes (though, again, just so long as the underlying comment is how great the piece is, haha).  I always appreciate your complete honesty, as well as your complete passion, when it comes to all things comic art.  I look forward to many more spirited debates, both here on CAF and in our emails!

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

And a big amen and halleleujah to that, broski! 🥰

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

Dude, I love this one!  Such an effective cover image, upped by the connection between these 2.  Definitely makes you want to open up the comic to see what happens inside!  Really like that contrast of one side of the board just being HEAVIER than the other, and you got some nice scratchy inks throughout that really fit the subject matter.  Congrats, Paul!

1 - Posted on 5/1/2023

Wow - this cover is a stunner for sure! Fantastic addition to your collection!

1 - Posted on 5/2/2023

What's better than one flaming head on a splash page?  How about one flaming head and a second giant flaming head.  So cool!

1 - Posted on 5/2/2023

Loved seeing this cover in it's original glory, a really fantastic piece, where the original B & W inks stand up to the final colored published cover. Congrats on this beauty. 

1 - Posted on 5/9/2023

Great call on the Wizard of Oz imagery, Paul, as Humberto could easily sign this cover as "L. Frank DaBomb"!  An incendiary (and perfect) image depicting the inevitable confrontation one has with one's parents as one grows and stakes one's claim on their own life and choices.  Plus it's, y'know, Dormammu. :) Love how Humberto renders the Big D's flaming ember head here, too.  Fantastic Ramos, Paul!  Great pick up (and post)!

1 - Posted on 7/14/2023

Always adding more fire to this incredible collection of yours! Awesome cover!