SUTTON / Chan - Dr Strange #29 (1978) opening splash
Artists: Tom Sutton (Penciller) , Ernie Chan (Inker) , Annette Kawecki (Letterer)
9 Comments - 268 Views - 10 Likes
Additional Images:
Printed page - 1978
Reframed splash - 2016 reprint
French printing - Arédit 1981
Artwork Details
|
DescriptionLet's go back to July 2020. Steve Bissette, with whom I had occasionally chatted on Facebook, had agreed to complete a commission featuring Dr. Strange's longtime love interest, Clea. Since Clea was a character that Steve had never drawn during his career, I sent him a few reference images of the type of rendition I was interested in - a Clea reminiscent of Abigail Arcane, one of Mr. Bissette's trademark characters. The reference material included mostly Gene Colan artwork, but also a wonderful page by Tom Sutton and Ernie Chan - the opening splash page from Doctor Strange #29, published in 1978. I had first discovered this page in the early 1980s and had come to consider it the most gorgeous Clea artwork ever created. Steve Bissette finally delivered the commission just before Christmas 2021, and it was a splendid piece! (https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1994663)A year later, in December 2022, while admiring Steve's wonderful commission, I was suddenly overcome with a pressing question: what had become of the original art for the opening splash page of Doctor Strange #29, if it had not been destroyed or lost? I asked a well-known collector friend, who informed me within 24 hours that the page I was interested in was actually visible on the Comic Art Fans website, in the gallery of another prominent collector. And there it was! The instant I saw the scan, I was captivated by the overall beauty of the page, the graceful, elegant, and skillful work of penciller Tom Sutton and inker Ernie Chan. On December 24, 2022, I emailed the owner of the page, expressing my strong interest in acquiring it if they ever decided to sell. In April 2025, I was once again consumed by the desire to obtain this wonderful piece of comic art. I reached out to the owner again, and this time they indicated they might be open to an offer. After several emails back and forth, we arrived at a mutually acceptable deal. The artwork arrived at my doorstep on June 14, a couple of weeks after my 60th birthday. This is the awesomest self-gift I have ever treated myself to - after all, one only turns 60 once (if at all!). And, to top it all off, it was signed by Tom Sutton in the bottom right corner!!! This is the sort of backstory that grails are made of... Social/Sharing |
About the Owner
|
 |
Contact the OwnerUse can use a contact form to send an email to this gallery owner,
|
Comments on this Artwork
You must be logged in to make comments.
DC's Showcase 
Member Since 2006
Posted on 6/16/2025
I love these stories, huge congrats! (also I'm not sure how well-known I am, but apparently like Jerry Lewis they love me in France :)
Jean-Paul Gabilliet
Member Since 2008
Posted on 6/16/2025
DC's Showcase wrote:
I love these stories, huge congrats! (also I'm not sure how well-known I am, but apparently like Jerry Lewis they love me in France :)
You ARE well-known!!! Just ask your wife and your mother...
Brian Boggs
Member Since 2003
Posted on 6/16/2025
Chan's inks really makes Sutton's pencil work pop. Gorgeous page.
Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 6/16/2025
Pretty hot with the 70's afterglow of Strange and Clea opening the story! Chan did a bang up job inking with Sutton decorating everything!
Peter Sullivan
Member Since 2006
1 - Posted on 6/16/2025
Marcus Wai wrote:
Pretty hot with the 70's afterglow of Strange and Clea opening the story! Chan did a bang up job inking with Sutton decorating everything!
You just can't help yourself, can you? Afterglow and bang, indeed. 'Strange' that you and I are 'Clea'rly on the same wavelenght as I had similar thoughts.
Sean Clarke
Member Since 2005
Posted on 6/17/2025
It's true that every time a comic art collector acquires a long sought grail, you hear a bell, and an angel gets his wings. I am delusional enough to believe that certain art belongs in certain collections, and I'm always glad when a grail page finds its one "true" home.
Michael McIsaac
Member Since 2020
Posted on 6/18/2025
This beautiful title page does deserve the award for most gorgeous Clea artwork. An absolute stunner!
Latest Updates
All |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Auctions ADVERTISEMENT
Auctions
| Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish O.M.A.C. #7 Story P |
Auctions
 |
FRANK FRAZETTA DEATH DEALER IV OIL PAINTING |
Auctions
 |
Dave Cockrum - X-Men #150 Cover |
Hakes Auctions
 |
SUB-MARINER #11 COMIC BOOK COVER ORIGINAL ART BY GENE COLAN. |
Subscribe to the YouTube Channel.. FREE!
3 Wishes
21 Accepting Commissions
Commission an Artist
For Sale Updates
Classified Updates |
|
Monty B9/5/2025 3:53:00 PM |
|
Saxa Luna Galianan9/5/2025 1:01:00 PM |
|
Will Gabri-El9/5/2025 12:25:00 PM |
|
Michele M9/5/2025 12:05:00 PM |
|
Tim J9/5/2025 12:04:00 PM |
|
Keith Veronese9/5/2025 11:09:00 AM |
|
Dealer Updates |
|
Coollines Artwork9/5/2025 8:41:00 PM |
|
Koch Comic Art9/5/2025 7:54:00 PM |
|
Anthony's Comicbook Art9/5/2025 6:43:00 PM |
|
Will's Comic Art Page9/5/2025 12:25:00 PM |
|
Essential Sequential9/5/2025 12:15:00 PM |
|
Achetez de l'Art9/5/2025 12:15:00 PM |
|
|
Become a Premium CAF Gallery Owner & you'll be supporting CAF and also gain access to many services and features not available to standard members.
|