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Post by crazyoldhermit on Nov 29, 2014 13:20:47 GMT -5
Bumping a thread just to give you guys a look at this beautiful Foster work. How is it that he (and Raymond, Eisner, and Hogarth) could draw this good in the 40s or earlier ? Most Golden Age art Ive seen is poor, with the occasional piece that promises talent. These are just amazing, on a par with some of the modern ultra-detailists. (or is it that the modern guys are on a par with Foster et al ?) For decades comic strips were seen as the legitimate format while comic books were cheap disposable crap for kids. Comic strips were where good artists went and flourished while comic books were just junk churned out by second-rate artists. It sounds incredible and unlikely but the work shows it. Remember, comic books were created as a means to recycle comic strips. Superman was just a creation by two untrained backwater kids who didn't know anything except how to tell a really exciting story. And Batman was just something to cash in on Superman's success. It wasn't an art game, it was guys going in to make a couple bucks. It was like the writers cranking out pulp stories for a penny a word. The guys who had gone to art school and gotten their educations and were trained draftsmen, they were the guys doing the comic strips. When did it change? Who can say? I'd say that Neal Adams was a big influence, as he was a commercial and strip artist who "lowered himself" to comics and it showed in his work. But there were other very fine artists who came before him, most prominently in EC Comics (Frank freakin Frazetta might have been the finest figure artist to ever work in the industry). As a child I would always skip Prince Valiant. Too boring, too stuffy. What a fool I was. My likeminded friend couldn't believe it when I told him what the strip is like years later, it's pretty much everything he was ever interested in as a child.
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Nov 29, 2014 18:17:51 GMT -5
I've thought about this a lot. Right now I'm tentatively going with Kurtzman at EC.
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Post by Paste Pot Paul on Nov 29, 2014 19:19:51 GMT -5
Lets not forget the amazing Mike Golden( I used to love trying to find those little stylised "g"s of his) What discussion of great classic artists is worth its salt without talking about the "best" cover artist.
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Post by MDG on Nov 29, 2014 22:48:36 GMT -5
I've thought about this a lot. Right now I'm tentatively going with Kurtzman at EC. If you're going to say EC, it's Gaines and Feldstein more than Kurtzman. They hired most of the artists associated with the line and have said that they encouraged artists to develop and draw in their own styles. And most of the EC artists did a lot more pages for Feldstein than Kurtzman (Severin and Elder probably being the exceptions). And Gaines, as publisher, treated artists a little more respectfully than other comic publishers.
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Post by crazyoldhermit on Nov 30, 2014 7:09:46 GMT -5
I've thought about this a lot. Right now I'm tentatively going with Kurtzman at EC. I don't think EC is the answer. EC is too early and was too ineffectual in the scope of things. I think the answer lies somewhere in comic strip history rather than comic book history.
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Dec 1, 2014 20:54:50 GMT -5
I've thought about this a lot. Right now I'm tentatively going with Kurtzman at EC. If you're going to say EC, it's Gaines and Feldstein more than Kurtzman. They hired most of the artists associated with the line and have said that they encouraged artists to develop and draw in their own styles. And most of the EC artists did a lot more pages for Feldstein than Kurtzman (Severin and Elder probably being the exceptions). And Gaines, as publisher, treated artists a little more respectfully than other comic publishers. Kurtzman as editor as much as artist - His stuff was more realistic - especially the war comics - more thematically mature and (IMO) quite a but better than any of the other EC titles. I can be persuaded that Gaines and Feldstein were important - I definitely think they were trying to hone recognizable talent in order to deliver a superior product. But Kurtzman was the first American editor who seemed to treat his comics as an art form.
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Post by brutalis on Jul 20, 2016 13:13:42 GMT -5
Giving a bump for all of us newbies to spotlight our faves in the classic artist world. Jump in guys and gals! Lets revive the discussion.
No particular order as i wrack my depleted brain cells for remembrances of those who stand out most in my memories of artists which i enjoyed the most or would follow no matter what comic they were on. For me there was just something special about the lines and design styling which had me hooked upon their artwork.
Gene Colan, Don Heck, Herb Trimpe, Jack Kirby, John Byrne, George Perez, Curt Swan, Wally Wood, Jim Aparo, George Tuska, Keith Pollard, Ron Wilson, John Romita Sr, Steve Rude, Mike Grell, Dave Cockrum, Alan Davis, Carlos Ezquerra, Jose Garcia-Lopez, Gil Kane, Dan Jurgens, Carmine Infantino, Mike Ploog.
A mere sampling as i know there are tons more which don't jump into mind at the moment. i will update as i remember...
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Post by electricmastro on Jan 15, 2020 1:17:27 GMT -5
Jack Cole (Smash Comics #69, February 1947).
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Post by Duragizer on Jan 16, 2020 1:09:39 GMT -5
- Mark Bagley
- John Byrne (pre-'90s; I find his output since then very hit-and-miss)
- Will Elder
- Kerry Gammill
- Tom Grummett
- Kelley Jones (pre-'00s; I don't care for how sloppy his style's become)
- Jack Kirby
- Mike Mignola
- Jerry Ordway
- George Perez
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Post by dbutler69 on Jan 16, 2020 19:16:46 GMT -5
George Perez is my favorite all time artist and Neal Adams is second.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2020 19:55:08 GMT -5
Jack Cole (Smash Comics #69, February 1947). I'm a fan of Jack Cole too.
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Post by Mister Spaceman on Jan 16, 2020 20:02:40 GMT -5
Gene Colan.
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Post by MDG on Jan 17, 2020 9:42:07 GMT -5
- Mark Bagley
- John Byrne (pre-'90s; I find his output since then very hit-and-miss)
- Will Elder
- Kerry Gammill
- Tom Grummett
- Kelley Jones (pre-'00s; I don't care for how sloppy his style's become)
- Jack Kirby
- Mike Mignola
- Jerry Ordway
- George Perez
It's probably an age thing, but I would only count two of these people as "classic."
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Post by brutalis on Jan 17, 2020 11:26:51 GMT -5
- Mark Bagley
- John Byrne (pre-'90s; I find his output since then very hit-and-miss)
- Will Elder
- Kerry Gammill
- Tom Grummett
- Kelley Jones (pre-'00s; I don't care for how sloppy his style's become)
- Jack Kirby
- Mike Mignola
- Jerry Ordway
- George Perez
It's probably an age thing, but I would only count two of these people as "classic." Considering ALL the artists listed have been in the business for well over 20-30+ years or more, they all can be considered as "classic" for their contributions over the years in various comics and publishers. Each one has their fair share of followers and well liked comics that they have produced.
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Post by Mister Spaceman on Jan 17, 2020 12:20:57 GMT -5
The definition of "classic" will always remain slippery and subjective. For my part, I agree with MDG re: that particular list of artists. Anyone who started their career after 1970 (or thereabouts) is not "classic" in my book. Again, purely a matter of perspective/opinion. I respect that this forum uses a more generous definition of "classic" than I do.
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