# Top 50 Comic Book artists of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 18, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877 "2001-07-18T02:39:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/21 "2001-07-18T13:58:58Z")
There are a ton of the Usual Gang of Idiots who probably deserve consideration at least. Aragones, Davis, and Wood are up there already, but Don Martin, Mort Drucker and Al Jaffee belong, too. Jaffee deserves entry for the Fold-Ins alone. No Japanese artists? Huh. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/22 "2001-07-18T14:00:02Z")
Get Bill Seinkewicz off that list! Lord, I can’t stand his stuff. Those issues of New Mutants (I have a complete run up until around issue # 70) that you all keep mentioning look like the artistic equivalent of the infinite typewriter monkeys. I definitely preferred the Bob McCleod art in issues # 1-11 that **LordVor** misattributed to him. Let Tony (Starman) Harris have his spot instead. That, my friends, is beautiful artwork. A fantastic blend of stylistic and narrative. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/23 "2001-07-18T14:54:35Z")
> [@](#): > > And Gaudere: you own a piece of P.Craig Russell’s art?! I’m so jealous…what’s it from? p. 21 from Sandman #50. neener neener neener. 😉 Although a piece with his characteristic P. Craig Russell[sup]TM[/sup] elaborate water/clouds/fire would have been nice, I _do_ like his rendition of Dream. There’s a page from _Hothouse_ that I’ve got my eye on, too, but it’s in a museum for the next five years. He’s started putting his stuff up on ebay recently, and if you check out [his message board](http://lurid.com/forums/pcr/index.html) you can find out when he puts new stuff up, or just say hi. > [@](#): > > (And you are reading his Ring of the Neiblungen(sp) series, right?) Not yet. Seen the art at his website and it’s breathtaking, but finances preclude me from buying too many new comics right now. I figure I’ll wait until the series is done and get them all at one–saves me the frustration of waiting, too. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/24 "2001-07-18T18:11:19Z")
Oh, yes, definitely Barry Windsor-Smith. His Conan was great; his work had a certain otherworldliness that made the book special. The later Romita work was so pedestrian by comparison. And why not Mike Ploog? I really loved his Werewolf By Night and The Frankenstein Monster work. Cut out Colan, whose work is sloppy and imprecise, with poorly proportioned figures, to make room… ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/25 "2001-07-18T20:11:44Z")
I’m not a hard-core comics guy. (I only buy 4 or 5 titles a month). So I don’t recognize half the people on the list. But I gotta chime in a bit to mention Sam Kieth. His art continually blows my mind with its inventiveness and emotional impact. I agree with Fiver about Scott McCloud. I love Understanding/Reinventing comics, but not because of the art. Zot leaves me cold, but I’ve only read the online version. Matt Wagner gets a cheer, too. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/26 "2001-07-18T20:19:05Z")
**Golden Age through EC era:** Mac Raboy (Captain Marvel, Jr.) Frank Frazetta Walt Kelly **Silver Age:** The OP list is pretty good. I’m with **Fiver** , though; we can nix Infantino. Maybe replace him with Russ Heath for some of his good work on DC war comics. **Bronze Age** Jeff Jones Mike Kaluta Nestor Redondo (I loved his stuff in the DC horror mags.) Also, I realize your list is limited to comic **book** artists, but I also want to give a nod to the early influence of **Winsor McCay** and his work on [Little Nemo in Slumberland](http://www.gographics.com/funnies/nemoindx.htm). I think the first generation of comic book artists got most of their good ideas from those strips. ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/27 "2001-07-18T20:25:36Z")
**Phil Foglio!** I just ordered the second issue of _Girl Genius_ as well as the _D’arc Tangent_ works. His _XXXenophile_ is the only porn worth reading. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Creant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Miss\_Creant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Creant)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/28 "2001-07-18T20:35:33Z")
Alex Ross is an amazing artist but is an absolute shit of a human being. ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/29 "2001-07-18T21:24:17Z")
Jack Kirby’s work impressed me so much, I named myself after one of his characters. I don’t know much about much, but I’d also nominate Todd McFarlane and Adam Hughes. Yeah, they’re mainstream, but they’ve both got a great grasp of their craft. Single-panel newspaper comics don’t count? What about Dan Pirraro? Never much liked Phil Foglio, though. ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/30 "2001-07-18T21:24:19Z")
I’ll put in a plug for Walt Simonson. And, if you like your figures even blockier than that, Mike Mignola. How come Jim Lee isn’t on the list yet? Then again, I’m one of those John Byrne / Neal Adams mainstream-type fans. My vote for biggest bozo among all comics artists: Herb Trimpe! Bleagh! ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/31 "2001-07-18T21:42:02Z")
**spoke-** , since you seem to understand we’re not including comic strip artists I don’t see why you’re including Walt Kelly. You can’t mean his work in the juvenile comic book Pogo’s Comics and Stories which presaged the comic strip, do you? Because I don’t think it’s a large enough _oeuvre_, nor was Kelly good enough at the time, to merit his inclusion here. And if you nominate McCay, then I nominate the artist of the Bayeaux Tapestry. **Fenris** , you may as well give up on our posting 50-name lists of our own. Most of us don’t have the time or inclination for that kind of time investment. What’s magic about fifty, anyway? Just because the guy on Usenet had fifty? Let me clue you in to something you probably already know anyway: the people on Usenet are _idiots!_ Take your cues from there only at your peril. ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/32 "2001-07-18T22:54:44Z")
How can EVERYONE have forgotten [John Totleben](http://www.comicon.com/totleben/totleben.htm)? His issues of _Swamp Thing_ and _Miracle Man_ were incredibly beautiful. Totleben and Alan Moore were such a great team, especially with Steve Bissett pencilling. It’s an absolute tragedy that he’s going blind. He did some beautiful one-pagers for some of the _Sandman_ gallery issues: one of Destiny that I’m trying to track down again, and one of Death. I’ve never seen any work of his that wasn’t absolutely stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/33 "2001-07-19T14:30:13Z")
**Fiver** wrote: > [@](#): > > spoke-, since you seem to understand we’re not including comic strip artists I don’t see why you’re including Walt Kelly. You can’t mean his work in the juvenile comic book Pogo’s Comics and Stories which presaged the comic strip, do you? Because I don’t think it’s a large enough oeuvre, nor was Kelly good enough at the time, to merit his inclusion here. You dare to challenge me? Foolish mortal! Kelly did quite a bit of work for Dell in the Golden Age, including a regular feature in Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories and most of the early covers of that title. Those covers, by the way (all of which feature Donald Duck, I believe) are brilliant. His work in WDC&S is in addition to his work on the Pogo Possum comic (also a Dell publication) from 1946 to 1954. Kelly and Barks are the acknowledged grand masters of the “funny animal” genre. (Tell me, would you also exclude Barks from the list because he worked on a “juvenile comic book?”) (As if all Golden Age comics weren’t juvenile. Yes, I suppose Pogo just doesn’t have the gravity and social relevance of, say, Green Lantern and his sidekick Doiby Dickles.) As for the Bayeaux Tapestry, it lacks depth and its characters are wooden and stiff. I hereby blackball your nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/34 "2001-07-19T16:35:19Z")
I meant was a comic book for juveniles, **spoke-** ; it was not a pejorative. Pardon me for not using the Latin equivalent to prevent confusion. Walt Kelly’s comic **book** work was very good (I’ve got some of the Eclipse reprints), but he didn’t achieve greatness there. That came later, with the Pogo comic strip. Barks **did** achieve greatness in comic **books** ; I have no objection to his presence on **Fenris** ’s list. Nor should anyone. And the Green Lantern story arc where Doiby Dickles was shooting smack with wooden syringes (so the Lant’rin couldn’t stop him) was nothing short of brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/35 "2001-07-19T18:53:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\*And the Green Lantern story arc where Doiby Dickles was shooting smack with wooden syringes (so the Lant’rin couldn’t stop him) was nothing short of brilliant. \*\* Isn’t that the same arc where Winky, Blinky and Noddy (the Three Nitwits) sold “Goitrude” to support their speed habit and it ended with a drug-induced shoot-out with Percival Popp, Super Cop? Wasn’t there a subplot about Fatman’s ummm…interest in Peachy Pet? [sub]This is Sooooo wrong. I’m going straight to Hell for that last one.[/sub] Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/36 "2001-07-20T00:32:09Z")
Dang! Ya sit out a few days, and look what comes up. Well said on the late Mr. Barks, **spoke-**. I knew somebody would beat me there. A couple of thoughts: In Jim Stereanko’s history of the comics series, he included a few Golden Age illustrations from **Lou Fine** that are pretty spectacular. Under the Underground section, a couple of artists whose work I highly respected were **Sheridan** and **P. Schrier** , Check issues of “Mother’s Oats” or “Leather Nun” for some truly inspired work. Then, of course, **Dan O’Neill** of semi-surreal newspaper strip Odd Bodkins fame, who was shut down by Disney for his “Dan O’Neill’s Comics & Stories” and “Air Pirate Funnies” underground issues for putting Disney characters in sex, drug and rock 'n roll situations. Great stuff, and I someday expect to sell my issues for big buck$ (Dan had help from Bobby London and a few others, but it was his name on the mag) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/37 "2001-07-20T00:44:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > 38) Marshall Rodgers I think it’s Rogers, but I don’t even care. I had stayed out of this thread because I didn’t think anyone would mention him or even know who he was. And right there … on the OP and everything … sniff. I’m sorry. I’m getting a little verklempt. Talk amongst y’selves. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/38 "2001-07-20T01:25:13Z")
Since we’re going international and including such paragons of spiff as Goscinny and Uderzo, how can we forget Katsuhiro Otomo, the man behind “Akira”? Granted, I can only spell his name by consulting my English translation of Book 1, but still … Dragonblink ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/39 "2001-07-20T02:13:55Z")
If we’re going to include Japanese artists, I wouldn’t include Otomo (I’ve never been terribly impressed by him…), but I WOULD include Osamu Tezuka (Tetsuwan Atom, Jungle Emperor Leo, Blackjack), Leiji Matsumoto (Galaxy Express 999, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Space Battleship Yomato), and Hayo Miyazaki (Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind). But that’s just IMO… ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877/40 "2001-07-20T02:19:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tengu \* > \*\*If we’re going to include Japanese artists > > \ > > Hayo Miyazaki (Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind). > \*\* Um…Miyazaki did MANGA??? I thought he was just one of the world’s greatest animators. (I just got an 8 DVD set of all his films, in letterbox format. With Chinese subtitles…) I didn’t know he did comics too! If he did manga, I _ **must** _ get them. Fenris [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-50-comic-book-artists-of-all-time/72877.md?page=3)