BLADE RUNNER # 1, page 1 - Title page/splash by Al Williamson

DO COMIC ART COLLECTORS DREAM OF SCARCE ART?

I am a big fan of the film – BLADE RUNNER, and I’ve been looking for a prime page by Al Williamson from the comic book for over ten years, so when the splash page from issue 1 came available, I jumped on it.
When the art arrived, I discovered that the horizontal BLADE RUNNER logo that is present on the published BLADE RUNNER 1 splash was not attached to the art but was on an overlay. There was no evidence of glue residue on the art. After a bit of sleuthing and a web search, I realized that my splash had been used three times. The Williamson art was first published in – STAN LEE presents THE MARVEL COMICS ILLUSTRATED VERSION OF BLADE RUNNER, June 1982. The splash was also used as the back cover image for this book. Interesting to note – this was a black & white issue.
It was then reprinted as - A MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL # 22, Sept. 1982, which was a month prior to the publication of the two-part BLADE RUNNER series. This version was coloured by Marie Severin. The original dialogue text boxes had been moved to accommodate the horizontal Blade Runner logo. Also, 2 credit text boxes that weren’t present on the Super Special issue had been added to the splash for the third publication. The cover to the original MSS # 22 was a painted cover by Jim Steranko. The cover to issue 1 is by Williamson, whereas the cover to issue 2 is by Brent Anderson.

Williamson is a master at Sci-Fi art and this is a great example. A Blade Runner’s spinner is flying across the night sky towards the hulking squat pyramidal Tyrell building as plumes of fire belch into the night. Williamson at his best. When it comes to buying art, my preference is for pages with large panels and this one with 2 half-page panels checked all the boxes. Thanks to Frank for a great deal.

The art is framed and hangs on my office wall, and whenever I look at it, I get the same thrilling experience now that I had back in 1982 when I first saw the film. The plumes of fire are belching skyward, the music rises in volume and the spinner soars across the night sky. Excitement and thrills abound.