Bob Larkin (born July 10, 1949)[1] is an American comics artist primarily known for his painted covers for Marvel Comics' magazine-format titles Marvel Magazines in the 1970s and early 1980s and for his 32 painted covers on the Bantam Books paperback reissues series of the Doc Savage pulp novels.

Bob Larkin
Born (1949-07-10) July 10, 1949 (age 75)
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Artist
Notable works
Marvel Magazines covers

Biography

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Bob Larkin began his career as an illustrator in 1969[2] and his many credits include titles such as Crazy Magazine, Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu, Marvel Preview, Marvel Super Special, Planet of the Apes, Savage Sword of Conan, and The Tomb of Dracula. Larkin painted covers for many of the Marvel Fireside Books paperback collections, lending them a simple, movie-poster feel. He did the same thing for the cover to the second major intercompany crossover, Superman and Spider-Man. In addition, Marvel occasionally tapped Larkin to paint covers for premiere issues of such comic book titles as Dazzler (March 1981) and The Saga of Crystar (May 1983).[3] A rare example of Larkin providing interior art is the three-page story "For the Next 60 Seconds" in Epic Illustrated #1 (Spring 1980).[4]

Besides his work for Marvel, Larkin has painted covers for Vampirella and The Rook (Warren Publishing), The Amazing Adventures of Holo-Man (Peter Pan Records),[5] Lorelei: Building the Perfect Beast (StarWarp Concepts), and many others.[3]

Larkin provided covers to Bantam Books reprints of Doc Savage, as well as World Wrestling Entertainment merchandise featuring The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Kane, and Chris Jericho.

Personal life

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With former wife Fran, Larkin is the father of son Ken and daughters Claire and Holly.[6]

Bibliography

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  • Larkin, Bob (2009). Quartuccio, Sal (ed.). The Savage Art of Bob Larkin. SQP. ISBN 978-0865621756.
 
Larkin's cover for Superman and Spider-Man (1981)

Covers

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DC Comics

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Hammond Incorporated

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  • Hammond's Captain Atlas and the Globe Riders #1 (1987)

Marvel Comics

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Peter Pan Records

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  • Amazing Adventures of Holo-Man (Book and Record Set) #PR36 (1978)

Simon & Schuster

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Warren Publishing

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References

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  1. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  2. ^ Lawrence, Chris (2016). "Artist Profile: Bob Larkin". The Art of Painted Comics. Mount Laurel, New Jersey: Dynamite Entertainment. p. 100. ISBN 978-1606903537.
  3. ^ a b Bob Larkin at the Grand Comics Database
  4. ^ "Epic Illustrated #1". Grand Comics Database.
  5. ^ Thompson, Steven (June 2019). "What The?! Holo-Man". Back Issue! (112). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 50–53.
  6. ^ Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated July 1981, including Iron Man #148.
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