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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 9:44:35 GMT -5
Interesting article geared towards contemporary comics fans and retailers to point out classic creators to explore... Previews World featuresome great choices but sad that some of these are creators that have to be pointed out for people to check out when their contributions are the groundwork this artform/storytelling medium was built upon. Of course it's Previews (i.e. Diamond), and meant to market comics, so each blurb concludes with a product suggestion they are currently selling... but here's the 10.... Windsor McCay Dale Messick Will Eisner Tove Jannson Jack Davis Wally Wood Osamu Tazuka Joe Kubert Jack Kirby Steve Ditko There's actually a couple in there I only know by rep, so I probably need to address that at some point, but many of those on that list are staples of my read and buy piles to this day. -M |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Nov 7, 2016 10:17:15 GMT -5
I'm actually entirely unfamiliar with Dale Messick, Tove Jannson, and Jack Davis. I will have to investigate further.
Thanks for this!
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 7, 2016 10:35:40 GMT -5
I'm actually entirely unfamiliar with Dale Messick, Tove Jannson, and Jack Davis. I will have to investigate further. Thanks for this! Really, Jack Davis? Not a Mad fan or just too young to have seen his work? It was years before I saw his EC work; but, he was a big part of Mad, used to do covers for Time Magazine, stuff for TV Guide and a bunch of movie posters in the 60s and 70s. Dale Messick is legendary as one of the first superstar comic strip creators, due to Brenda Starr. Her given name is Dalia; but, Dale was more ambiguous and made it easier to sell the strip. She has a few comic book connections. Mike Grell was an assistant, before coming to DC, and Ramona Fradon took over the Brenda Starr strip, in later years. Tove Jannson I haven't read; but, we carried her work in the humor section, at B&N, where I used to work. I'd add a heck of a lot more to that list: Jack Cole Harvey Kurtzman Al Feldstein Archie Goodwin Russ Manning Hal Foster Alex Raymond Al Capp (and associates) VT Hamlin (Alley Oop) Al Williamson Milton Caniff Noel Sickles Crockett Johnson Sheldon Meyer I can go on.... |
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,873
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Post by shaxper on Nov 7, 2016 10:44:24 GMT -5
Really, Jack Davis? Not a Mad fan or just too young to have seen his work? It was years before I saw his EC work; but, he was a big part of Mad, used to do covers for Time Magazine, stuff for TV Guide and a bunch of movie posters in the 60s and 70s. I've never had more than a passing interest in Mad. I recognize its historic importance, but I've never had a yearning to explore the stories myself beyond what I bought off newsstands in the late 1980s. Interesting. I've only explored a few serial works in depth -- Nemo, Terry and the Pirates, Little Orphan Annie, and (more recently) Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, and Bloom County. I'd like to get into Prince Valiant. Never gave Brenda Starr much thought though. What am I missing? |
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Post by hondobrode on Nov 7, 2016 13:19:19 GMT -5
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 7, 2016 23:11:46 GMT -5
Really, Jack Davis? Not a Mad fan or just too young to have seen his work? It was years before I saw his EC work; but, he was a big part of Mad, used to do covers for Time Magazine, stuff for TV Guide and a bunch of movie posters in the 60s and 70s. I've never had more than a passing interest in Mad. I recognize its historic importance, but I've never had a yearning to explore the stories myself beyond what I bought off newsstands in the late 1980s. Interesting. I've only explored a few serial works in depth -- Nemo, Terry and the Pirates, Little Orphan Annie, and (more recently) Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, and Bloom County. I'd like to get into Prince Valiant. Never gave Brenda Starr much thought though. What am I missing? I meant to say Dale Messick was one of the first female superstar comic strip artists. Brenda Starr was a globe trotting journalist and adventurer, travelling the path set by historical women like Nellie Bligh. The character was also a fashion plate and had all kinds of romantic entanglements. It had enough adventure (and cheesecake) to keep the men interested, and fashion and romance for the women. It was strongest from the 40s to the 60s. The soap opera elements were far stronger in later decades, though it was always there. Mike Grell has said everyone, including himself, was in love with Messick. She was just a charming, smart, and vivacious lady. She was also a pretty darn good storyteller. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 7, 2016 23:24:00 GMT -5
Davis was a good old boy from Georgia, about as laid back as you could get, and had a hilarious way with caricature and humor, while also being able to illustrate some grisly work. He did one of those videos, with Stan Lee, back in the 90s, and it was a great time. Crockett Johnson was the creator of Barnaby, a strip about the comical adventures of a 5 year-old boy and his fairy godfather, Jackeen J. O'Malley. Barnaby gets into all kinds of trouble, usually due to O'Malley. Only Barnaby can see O'Malley, which results in a lot of consultations with psychologists and the like. It is one of the thematic forefathers to Calvin & Hobbes, along with Walt Kelly's Pogo and George Herriman's Krazy Kat. Crocket Johnson is also the author and illustrator of the beloved children's book, Harold and the Purple Crayon. Meanwhile, every comic fan should read Alley Oop. It was a wonderful mix of comical and adventurous. Caveman Alley Oop has plenty of misadventures in the past; then, gets pulled out of time by a scientist, and has adventures in other time periods. He also rivalled Popeye for the biggest forearms. My local paper carried the strip when I was a kid (and it dates back to the 30s) and I loved it. The daily strip usually had the adventures, while the Sunday was pretty much pure gags. Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon, both from Caniff, have the best illustrations of illustrative storytelling you could ever want to find. Every comic artist from the Golden Age and most who started in the Silver Age would usually list two major influences: Milton Caniff and Alex Raymond. They were ripped off endlessly. The other names that would be thrown out are Hal Foster (especially Wally Wood and Russ Manning) and Roy Crane (creator of Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy). Anyone who is a fan of James Bond or Nick Fury should read Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson's Secret Agent Corrigan. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 7, 2016 23:52:04 GMT -5
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Post by MDG on Nov 8, 2016 9:28:58 GMT -5
Davis lived near me (I caddied for him once), so I not only saw his work on magazines and billboards, but also rummage sale signs, awards dinner posters, in stores (caricatures of the owners), and when I go back to visit, this is on all the buses:  |
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Post by hondobrode on Nov 8, 2016 10:50:46 GMT -5
I knew about Barnaby from Fantagraphics but didn't recognize the name. It's supposed to be very good.
Brenda Starr was one of those strips I hated as a kid but would probably like now.
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Post by codystarbuck on Nov 8, 2016 11:14:59 GMT -5
Stan Lee, with Harvey Kurtzman and Jack Davis. Note, Harvey was in pretty bad health and passed away not too long after this:
Davis and Gary Groth, at a book signing:
Dale Messick, from 1963:
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