The Question miscellany

Figured as an adjunct to the posts about the O'Neil/Cowan QUESTION series I'd post a few other favourite images that don't come from the series proper.

First up there is from a house-ad which ran on the back of some DC books the month the series launched. It's a very nice, simple design with a great tagline. There's mention in one of the issues of a Question promotional poster. Does anyone know if it has the same art as this? If not, could anyone get me a scan of it?

Thanks to Eric of www.vicsage.com for providing a scan of the elusive promotional poster, which is in fact different from the house ad. It's a gorgeous Cowan/Magyar image, very detailed and with great colouring. They should use that as the cover of a tradepaperback when we finally see one.

Next is the cover to AMAZING HEROES #108, December 15, 1986. The two Charlton relaunches from DC got the cover, with their respective creative teams handling each character. Really like that Cowan/Magyar image of Vic, makes me wish they'd done a few covers together, much as I like the Cowan/Sienkiewicz covers. Inside is a 5-page article on the relaunch, with some quotes from the various creators, including mentioning a few story plans (Vic getting involved in the Wayne Foundation, leading to a confrontation with Batman, a STAR Labs story involving science ethics) that were never realized.

Here's a closeup of just the Question figure.

Over two years later the Question returned to the AH cover on #163 in April 1989. Extensive interview with Cowan in this issue, as well as a detailed article about the history of the character, the themes and fan reaction to the revamp, including a 2-page profile of Vic Sage and his public history that was really well done. You can read more about it in this comment from Dwight Williams from when I posted the cover before.

Next is a painted retail poster for the "Fables" crossover featuring Batman, Green Arrow and the Question by Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz. Had a copy of this on my wall for the longest time, and it was much admired, though I always had to explain who the Question was. 

Here's a line-art version of the same image used in house-ads for the story.

Following that is something from the only evidence I have that DC once planned a tradepaperback of the first five issues of the series, titled THUNDER OVER THE ABYSS, from an issue of DC's promotional material of the time. The image they used with the promo was a re-coloured panel from #5, apparently it was going to have a painted cover by Cowan. I wonder if the cover was ever actually done?

Next is part of a large jam image that was included in the hardcover HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE collection in 1987, as well as a postcard in that issue that could be sent in to buy a separate poster. Among the over fifty characters and over fifty artists is the Question as drawn by Denys Cowan. Go here for an image of the full poster, including a certain Question inspired character.

The first iteration of DC's WHO'S WHO profile series preceded the O'Neil/Cowan series, so the Question featured there was the original Ditko version, drawn by Ditko himself in his final work on the character. The first update in 1987 featured entries based on the new series, with Lady Shiva by Jan Duursema, the Question by Cowan and Bob Smith and oddly one-shot villain Mikado by Cowan and Greg Brooks. Todd McFarlane did the cover for the issue featured Vic and Mikado.

The next version of WHO'S WHO, the looseleaf three-hole punch version, also featured some entries of interest, including the Question by Cowan

They collected the main series in a set of six paperbacks from 2007 to 2009, using covers from the series. Nice enough books, but without any extras, and not including the Annuals (and Green Arrow and Detective crossovers) and stopping short of the Quarterly and other later stories.

Any other promo images or merchandise for the series I missed? Let me know.