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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 25, 2018 14:00:07 GMT -5
I like when Alex Ross does a special project, but I wouldn't want a steady diet of only his art.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Sept 25, 2018 14:36:00 GMT -5
Alex Ross wowed me in Marvels. And issue #2 (Human torch issue) is the only comic I have a signature on was signed in person. He was a nice as hell guy and was really flattered I gushed over his work on Marvels. That said, out of anything else of his I own, is probably just covers. I agree with MDG and badwolf, for the reasons that they mentioned of how it worked in Marvels over maybe other works of his.
Although I hear good things about Kingdom Come a lot on this forum and I have yet to read it too.
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Post by rberman on Sept 25, 2018 14:43:50 GMT -5
Alex Ross wowed me in Marvels. And issue #2 (Human torch issue) is the only comic I have a signature on was signed in person. He was a nice as hell guy and was really flattered I gushed over his work on Marvels. That said, out of anything else of his I own, is probably just covers. I agree with MDG and badwolf, for the reasons that they mentioned of how it worked in Marvels over maybe other works of his. Although I hear good things about Kingdom Come a lot on this forum and I have yet to read it too. Yes, Kingdom Come is worth checking out. Both for practical considerations (how long it takes) and financial ones (how much he can rake in for covers and pin-ups), doing an ongoing series doesn't make sense for him. I'm only aware of a few projects longer than one-shots: Marvels, Kingdom Come, and Justice. Has he done any other multi-issue series?
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Post by EdoBosnar on Sept 25, 2018 15:35:46 GMT -5
Ross did the full art for a two-part Uncle Sam story, published under the Vertigo imprint, in the late 1990s. It was written by Steve Darnall. He also illustrated a series of treasury editions, all written by Paul Dini, that came out more or less once a year from 1998 through 2003: Superman - Peace on Earth, Batman - War on Crime, Shazam - Power of Hope, Wonder Woman - Spirit of Truth, and JLA - Liberty and Justice. Of all the stuff that's been mentioned, I've only read Kingdom Come and Uncle Sam. I liked the stories, but did not really like the art. I'm not a big fan of Ross. Like beccabear, I just like his occasional covers or posters. His art in actual stories looks too stiff to me, kind of like Fumetti comics. I think I'd like his work better if he just did standard pencil and ink art. Here's an example of a preliminary pencil and ink version of a Guardians of the Galaxy cover: Which I think looks better than this finished version:
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Post by badwolf on Sept 25, 2018 15:38:52 GMT -5
I like the pencil Guardians better as well.
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Post by chadwilliam on Sept 25, 2018 19:56:38 GMT -5
Someone once remarked that Ross' figures look like they subsist on a steady diet of meat and potatoes three times a day which I think is an apt description of much of his work.
Neal Adams also once remarked that an artist's style is his mistakes which I took to mean that anything that deviates from putting something that looks photorealistic on the page, is something that makes your work distinctively your own. I don't think Ross has this failing and oddly enough its the lack of mistakes he makes in presenting these characters as real people that turns me away from much of his stuff. A person in a Batman outfit would look uncomfortable; a Superman outfit would have visible seams; a Flash costume would make you realise how his mask wouldn't fit perfectly on his face - they would have that weird spandexey shine; masks without white eyelids; emblems that could peel off if you washed them look. Realistically, of course. These are details that other artists conveniently forget about when they put pen to paper and its something I wish Ross would slip up on as well.
He's definitely a master talent and his Marvels is a thing of beauty, I just wish he'd draw more inspiration from the comics and less from cosplayers.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2018 23:06:49 GMT -5
I look at Marvels about 3-4 times a year just for the art of Alex Ross alone.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,069
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Post by Confessor on Sept 26, 2018 7:23:07 GMT -5
I like Alex Ross's comic work a lot. I really don't get the "static" accusations made against his work at all...I see lots of movement and plenty of ability with narrative flow from panel-to-panel in his art. I like more traditional, slightly more stylised comic book art as well, obviously, but my tolerance of stylized art only goes so far: I'd much rather read an Alex Ross drawn comic than, say, Frank Robbins on The Invaders, Rob Liefeld on anything, late period Carmine Infantino, or more recent stylized artists like Eric Canete.
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 26, 2018 8:57:26 GMT -5
I think Ross is the greatest expression / full realization of all of the artists who painted superheroes from the 60s - 80s, such as Bob Larkin, Ken Barr, Neal Adams and John Romita.
Ross took that kind of work beyond the setpiece cover (no matter how exciting and brilliant the work of the aforementioned artists were) to the moment-by-moment, "living action" level that created a new language in panel comics, picking up where an older master such as Fernando Fernandez left off. As a result, I'll argue that Ross is the undisputed supreme talent of his generation, with all others (including other contemporary painters in the medium) not in the same conversation nor having his impact.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2018 6:04:57 GMT -5
@transcendentalmental -- Son of a Gun,^^^ you are right on the nose on the Stone Cold Steve Austin description part!
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Post by brutalis on Sept 27, 2018 8:15:05 GMT -5
Seen review for the 1st issue of DC's Heroes in Crisis #1. The big hype (SPOILERS).......................... being that Wally West (Kid Flash/Flash) and Roy Harper (Speedy/Arsenal) are killed.
While I haven't read (nor do i intend to read) this, so I have no idea how this story idea will play out or end it just seems to me that it smacks of shock value and feels like it shows contempt to the fans who adored these 2 characters. That is my initial thought just on hearing about this. Enough with the death and angst already and let's have heroic ideals and good triumphing over evil! I don't need or want to read a book focused on heroes with PTSD.
To many Wally West became the Flash or is destined to become the heir to the Flash role. Roy Harper overcame his drug addiction to be a better person and concept as a hero who is stronger than his personal demons. Now both are killed, and yes I know nobody is ever truly dead in comic books but I feel like there is no longer a strong editorship in DC or Marvel that should be guiding writers of today. A good editor might say to them... HEY that is a great idea but we don't really want to destroy beloved heroes (or characters) just for the sake of an idea. How can we turn this idea around and still make a story that won't piss off or push away our readers and encourage readers to WANT to read more about them?
There I said it!
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Post by rberman on Sept 27, 2018 9:06:27 GMT -5
Seen review for the 1st issue of DC's Heroes in Crisis #1. The big hype (SPOILERS).......................... being that Wally West (Kid Flash/Flash) and Roy Harper (Speedy/Arsenal) are killed. While I haven't read (nor do i intend to read) this, so I have no idea how this story idea will play out or end it just seems to me that it smacks of shock value and feels like it shows contempt to the fans who adored these 2 characters. That is my initial thought just on hearing about this. Enough with the death and angst already and let's have heroic ideals and good triumphing over evil! I don't need or want to read a book focused on heroes with PTSD. To many Wally West became the Flash or is destined to become the heir to the Flash role. Roy Harper overcame his drug addiction to be a better person and concept as a hero who is stronger than his personal demons. Now both are killed, and yes I know nobody is ever truly dead in comic books but I feel like there is no longer a strong editorship in DC or Marvel that should be guiding writers of today. A good editor might say to them... HEY that is a great idea but we don't really want to destroy beloved heroes (or characters) just for the sake of an idea. How can we turn this idea around and still make a story that won't piss off or push away our readers and encourage readers to WANT to read more about them? There I said it! They'll be back. Temporarily killing or defaming core characters is Standard Operating Procedure at both companies for years now.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 27, 2018 13:36:58 GMT -5
Someone once remarked that Ross' figures look like they subsist on a steady diet of meat and potatoes three times a day which I think is an apt description of much of his work.
Ha ha ha
I remember thinking this guy on the right was Stone Cold Steve Austin when I first saw him
If I remember correctly, Ross uses the same model for both characters. That must have been an interesting image to stage for the reference photos.
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Sept 27, 2018 13:47:13 GMT -5
I agree with anything good anyone has to say about Alex Ross.
Also anything bad anyone says about Alex Ross. 😀
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Post by comicsandwho on Sept 27, 2018 16:25:46 GMT -5
Alex Ross is an unrepentant meth-head...who calls his mom every Sunday.
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