 |
| Marvelous Marvin Hagler, dressed as Captain Marvel (Shazam), in homage to an original 1981 Ring magazine cover by Jack Goodman. Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Copic marker on 9" X 12" Strathmore Art Bristol Board |
As a pup, I was always thrilled to see a new issue of The Ring in the local grocery store or 7-11's magazine section. As an extremely young boxing fan, that was as far as my enjoyment went because whatever scratch I saved up was used on comic books and action figures. (I did start buying The Ring when I was around 12 or 13 however.)
But one particular cover stuck out like a sore thumb. When I was nine, the April 1981 issue of The Ring hit shelves and it caught my eye for more than one reason.
The subject: Marvelous Marvin Hagler, a man who became my favorite middleweight and favorite middleweight champion of all time in a quickness, thanks to his drive, work ethic and undisputed championship (then just the WBA and WBC titles) win over Alan Minter in September of 1980. (Look that one up. A doozy with a shameful aftermath.) Its accompanying headline: "'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler: Boxing's new superhero."
The other variable that jumped out made my heart leap...well kind of, once I fully examined the photo.
In the image (photographed by Jack Goodman, I believe. If there's anyone out there who can correct me, please do!) Hagler is dressed in tights evocative of my absolute all-time favorite (it seems this is a recurring theme!) superhero Captain Marvel (not the female version published by Marvel Comics but the original Cap created by CC Beck and Bill Parker for Fawcett Publications in late-1939, then published once again by DC Comics under the title "Shazam!" in 1973).
