As a counterpoint to the negativity of the other thread (which I have certainly contributed to), let’s talk about our favorite comic book artists, and the all-time greats.
Of course everyone cites Jack Kirby as the legend, the master, the King, and I will totally give credit where credit is due. But I’d rank Will Eisner and Jim Steranko up there with him as some of the timeless greats. I think Gil Kane, who was doing great work throughout the '90s and passed away recently, ought to be in that pantheon as well. He had a great fluid sense of anatomy and designed two classic superhero costumes that have never gone out of style or required major changes all these decades later: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and the Atom.
As for my personal favorite artists:
Mike Allred
Darwyn Cooke
Arthur Adams
Kevin Maguire
Adam Hughes
Howard Chaykin
Matt Wagner
Tony Harris
Guy Davis
J. Scott Campbell
Jim Lee
Travis Charest
Kyle Baker
Phil Noto
J.H. Williams
I have to agree that Jack Kirby is the most “awe inspiring” artist – his galactic vistas from Thor and FF, and the overblow superscientific gimmicks of Mr. Fantastic and Dr. Doom blow anything else off the map. Of course, he made evertyhing look as if it was carved out of stonde (including the women), but it’s all as impressive as hell.
One you didn’t mention was Barry Smith, later Barry Windsor-Smith (how come?). I thought the issues of Conan the Barbarian he did (the first 18 issues or so, along with the earliest Savage Tales and Savage Sword of Conan) were awesome, blending the rough-hewn Cimmeriam barbarian with downright “oriental” settings. It’s too bad he didn’t finish up the Turanian war story her started drawing in Conan – John Buscema’s completion of it looked too literal and pedestrian (and Buscema himself is no slouch as an artist).
Offhand, Will Eisner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Ditko, Brian Bolland, Gene Colan, and Kevin Maguire are the only artists that consistantly amaze me with just about everything they do/did.
Barry Windsor-Smith is one fan-favorite I just never “got.” Then again, I know his stuff best from the Weapon X serial in Marvel Comics Presents in the early '90s, and then his work with Valiant Comics. I’ve never been into sword and sorcery/fantasy/barbarian stories or artwork anyway, so his stuff could be fantastic and just not impressive to me.
I remember a guy called Trevor Von Eeden who drew a few Green Arrow stories back in the mid-1980s. I was quite taken with his style at the time. It seemed quite original, more like “art” than “drawings,” sort of the impression that Frank Miller’s work gives.
I used to know someone who couldn’t get over Alex Toth’s art, went on and on about how wonderful it was. I was never sure what to make of that.
I wish I had a name to contribute, but alas, I’m just watching so I can look up the names others mention, since my knowledge only goes back about ten years. Picking from just the artists I’m familiar with, I’m stuck with Alan Davis.
He did a miniseries called Thriller in the '80s, that a lot of people love and speak highly of. Since you’re a fan, you could probably find it for cheap in bargain bins at a good comic store or a convention, or possibly on eBay. I don’t recall hearing about a new Von Eeden project in many, many years.
Man, I am stunned. If you know BWS from the “Weapon X” series, and you don’t “get” him, then you certainly wouldn’t appreciate his “Conan” work. I consider that “Weapon X” series one of the best ever printed !
My list:
Jim Steranko
Neal Adams
Berni Wrightson
Michael Kaluta
Paul Gulacy
Barry Windsor Smith
Arthur Suydam
Frank Miller (more for “Sin City” and “Dark Knight Returns” than DD)
Geoff Darrow
Jeff Jones
Kelly Jones
My Favorites:
Neal Adams
Frank Frazetta
Berni Wrightson
Mike Kaluta
John Romita Sr.
Jack Kirby
Al Williamson
Alex Raymond
Gil Kane
Gene Colan
Dave Stevens
Mark Schultz
Will Eisner
Jack Cole
C.C. Beck
Jack Davis
Graham Ingels
Jim Steranko
Mort Drucker
Wally Wood
Very cool - less of a technical dissertation - more of an appreciation.
Personally, I like what I grew up with - which is Marvel Silver Age. I started with the less stylized artists - the Buscemas, Romita, etc. and then got more of an appreciation for artists with a more discernible style -
Gil Kane (I love his shadowed noses - why; I dunno, but I love the early Iron Fist books)
Steve Ditko - very ordinary human kinda guys
Kirby - 'nuff said.
I would say my favorites are probably Steranko and Neal Adams - their forms are so fluid and sensual.
I remember Frank Miller’s first run on Daredevil vividly. It was such a huge departure from the standard style of the time, it really left me speechless. Some of his later stuff was more questionable, but Daredevil should be remembered as one of the great moments in comics history.
Walt Simonson on Thor was something else.
John Byrne on the original Dark Pheonix story arc in X-Men. It’s become trite now, with every mainstream artist trying to imitate it (and how many times have Jean Grey and Dark Pheonix been dug up and re animated now?) but when it first came out it was incredible.
Dave Sim on Cerebus. Yeah, Cerebus became horrible junk late in the run, but all the way through Church and State there was nothing better out there. it was clear by the end of Church and State that Cerebus had jumped the Shark. Tragic, really.
I’ll never forget reading Will Eisner’s “Heart of the Storm” for the first time. There was good reason everybody worshipped the guy.
Other greats:
Walt Kelly
Bill Watterson
Hal Foster
Peter Bagge
I’ve never once thought of Neil as an artist – as far as I know, he isn’t. He’s widely worshipped as a writer (along with Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, Grant Morrison, Frank Miller, Brian Michael Bendis, etc.), but this thread was about artists. Of course, we can discuss writers too if people want to, or some of my favorites, the guys who do both: Chaykin, Wagner, Cooke, Mignola, Baker, Allred, Miller.
No, Gaiman wrote Sandman, but to this day, he’s listed as a co-creator with original artists Sam Kieth (eewww) and the late Mike Dringenberg. Every storyline in the Sandman comic (75 issues, reprinted in 10 trade paperbacks) was written by Neil and drawn by a different artist.