Classic Phoenix

When researching an article for a recent post, I ran across this image in Marvel Age #82.  It's the cover for Classic X-Men #42 by Steve Lightle, without the logo and cover elements.  The coloring is different, which is common for Marvel Age art.

Paul Smith Week / Uncanny X-Men 169

While this image later saw print in the back pages of Classic X-Men #24, it was originally intended to be the cover for Uncanny X-Men #169.  Check out the original art and the published cover below.

Classic X-Men 111

This pinup appeared as the last page of the last issue of Classic X-Men.  If the next issue had been published, it would have reprinted Uncanny X-Men #207, which included this battle between Wolverine and Phoenix over the fate of the Black Queen.  The Terry Dodson art below was most likely intended to be the cover for what would have been Classic X-Men #111.

The Hall of the Shadow King

I think it's safe to assume this unfinished piece by Art Adams was intended to be the frontispiece for Classic X-Men 23.  The printed version is included below for comparison.

Days of Future Passed

Here's the cover for The Uncanny X-Men bookshelf edition of Days of Future Past by Jackson Guice, offering a different angle of the action.

On a side note, Classic X-Men did not reprint the Days of Future Past storyline due to this book's release around the same time.

Classic X-Men Week Finale - Carlos Pacheco

 From the One Minute Later Gallery at Comicartfans:

"Recipe for a Carlos Pacheco One Minute Later:

Start with an unpublished X-Men pencil pin-up by Carlos. Find Jesus Merino (via their mutual art agent) and have Jesus ink the pin-up. Next, meet Carlos in person at Wizard World Philly 2011 and explain to him the One Minute Later concept and show him the One Minute Later sketchbook. Watch as Carlos tranforms the piece into Classic X-Men One Minute Later by adding FOUR characters (Angel, Beast, Ice-Man and Havok) and tightens Nightcrawler. Viola!!!!"

The commission was based on this piece which appeared as an X-Men poster, and a double page spread in X-Men: The Ultimate Guide.

I could not find a good scan of the poster, but this cover for Dolmen, a foreign language publication is much better in quality.  (Click for a larger version)

Here is a link to the One Minute Later gallery:

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=779747&GSub=118778

Update!  Here's a better version of the image from X-Men: The Ultimate Guide.  Right click to view the larger image, and please pardon the seam in the middle of the scan.

Classic X-Men Bonus: Ron Lim

Generally we only post three days a week, but Ron Lim's take on Classic X-Men #1 was too good to be left out.

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=24896&GSub=83006

Classic X-Men Week: Dave Cockrum

Here's Dave Cockrum's take on Classic X-Men #1, along with the original art.

Images from Comicartfans:

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=845187&GSub=81502

Classic X-Men Week - Art Adams

Here's an interesting look at the evolution of a cover:  The original version of Classic X-Men #1 by Art Adams.

The prelim sketch below was credited to John Romita.  Was he teaching Art how to tighten up his layout?

Below is Adams' second prelim, based on John Romita's poses, perhaps.

And here we have the final Classic cover!

Along with a recolored version.

Finally, we have a recent commission showing how Adams would attack this composition today!

Most of the images come from Marvel Comics of the 1980s:

http://marvel1980s.blogspot.com/2010/09/1986-classic-x-men-covers.html

Marc Silvestri Week

I don't have any new information on this art that was apparently produced for the Fall of the Mutants story in Uncanny X-Men 225-227.  This colored art by Marc Silvestri and Dan Green appeared in Classic X-Men #28.