• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

"The King is dead ,long live the King!"

Started by rrichards,

44 posts in this topic

rrichards

rrichards

Posted
Posted

So it’s a cold night in the northeast and I’m sitting in front of my computer and wondering“Whose the King now?” “King Kirby “ has been gone for a few years and even though he will never be replaced I was wondering if any collectors want to check in on this election of a “New” King.

I think any nominee should have 4 of the 5 listed qualifications (Stan Lee rule!)

 

A. An artist that is still alive.

B. An artist that has a distinctive and acclaimed artistic style

C. An artist that has also writing credentials

D .An artist that has created or co-created characters

E. Longevity in the field

 

With those qualifications in mind I nominate the following in order of preference.

 

1.Joe Kubert

2.Robert Crumb

3.Frank Miller

4.Joe Quesada

5.Stan Lee

 

Hey, but I’m old school , maybe some of you younger guys can clue me in on some of the newer artists that might qualify! Let’s have some fun with this and, if we get a response, I’ll total it up at the end of the month and announce a new King . Maybe ,we’ll call him (or her) the Prime Minister as not to offend the Kirby fans!

Anyone care to cast their vote?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
blowout

blowout

Posted
Posted

If we are eliminating Kirby from the equation I would also discount all of his peers from the list too (Ditko, Romita et al)

 

That said, my list would read...

 

1. Frank Miller

2. Neal Adams

3. John Byrne

4. Jim Starlin

5. Barry Windsor-Smith

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tth2

tth2

Posted
Posted
If we are eliminating Kirby from the equation I would also discount all of his peers from the list too (Ditko, Romita et al)

 

That said, my list would read...

 

1. Frank Miller

2. Neal Adams

3. John Byrne

4. Jim Starlin

5. Barry Windsor-Smith

Substitute Todd McFarlane for Jim Starlin, and that would be a pretty good list of the 5 biggest post-SA artists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rrichards

rrichards

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hey ,these are good choices and great artists but,and pardon my ignorance, are Feldstein and Heath still alive? Did Starlin create any major characters?

Also,in regards to "still alive" and "created characters" how could I forget Infantino

(only started the silver age!) and Ditko as they are still with us. Maybe I'll bump Quesada from the list!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Claudio

Claudio

Posted
Posted

When I think of Kirby I think of stylized art and I think about the obscene amount of work he produced. I do not think about his writing. 2c

 

The closest I think that anyone comes to matching Kirby is Byrne. He is a much better writer but he is also a much worse artist. Again, just my 2c

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Spider-Variant

Spider-Variant

Posted
Posted

If I saw a piece of art by Stan Lee, I would never be able to identify it. The same is not true of the majority of artists listed in this thread. I love Stan the Man, but to say he was an artist with a distinctive and acclaimed style is a bit of a stretch, IMHO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Catwoman_Fan

Catwoman_Fan

Posted
Posted

Yep, Feldstein and Heath are still alive

 

I choose these guys because like Kirby they worked both sides of the isle (on the major books), and have consistently produced for years - are still at or near the top of their game. They all created some characters, of minor or major note.

 

George Perez

Mark Bagley

Jim Lee

Alex Ross

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AKA Rick

AKA Rick

Posted
Posted

Frank Miller is probably on the top of the list of those who is revered for producing at a high level both as a writer and artist, even more so than Kirby, because both Miller's writing and art has a unqiue style.

 

Other artists who write that I've enjoyed that has mastered both crafts well includes:

 

Keith Giffen

Walt Simonson

 

...and there's lots of the more independent comic creators who've created solid characters, written epic tales, and illustrated their own work like:

 

Josh Howard

Dave Sim

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mephisto

Mephisto

Posted
Posted

Out of all the names I'm seeing I would probably have to go with Frank Miller and Todd Mcfarlane as Kings, but would probably give the edge to Miller.

 

Frank Miller took one of the lowest monthly Marvel characters and took him from a D character to a B character in Daredevil. He did Dark Knight Returns which I found horrible but the masses say otherwise. Took Wolverine who Byrne and Claremont had just built up and cemented him with his own mini series with a few classic covers. Mr. Hollywood having his Daredevil work be the frame work for that film and his other more independent comic works such as Sin City and 300 were both made into rather successful films.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alxjhnsn

alxjhnsn

Posted
Posted

If you are looking for folks with all those credentials, I'd suggest:

 

Jeff Smith (Bone, RASL)

Terry Moore (Strangers In Paradise, Echo)

Sheldon Mayer (Scribbly, Sugar & Spike, co-creator of various DC Heroes)

Linda Medley (Castle Waiting)

 

and a number of others that I can't remember at the moment.

 

I have to admit my picks aren't as trendy, but give their books a try. Bone and SiP are graphical storytelling at its best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mutant Manatee

Mutant Manatee

Posted
Posted
If you are looking for folks with all those credentials, I'd suggest:

 

Jeff Smith (Bone, RASL)

Terry Moore (Strangers In Paradise, Echo)

Sheldon Mayer (Scribbly, Sugar & Spike, co-creator of various DC Heroes)

Linda Medley (Castle Waiting)

 

and a number of others that I can't remember at the moment.

 

I have to admit my picks aren't as trendy, but give their books a try. Bone and SiP are graphical storytelling at its best.

 

Sheldon Mayer passed away in 1991. :gossip:

 

But everyone on your list certainly has created some wonderful comics!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Romain

Romain

Posted
Posted

Starlin will always be my King !!!! He did create major heroes and even more he reloaded major heroes and major sagas as well !!! He will definitly be recognized as the best SCI fi influence after Kirby !!!!!!!!! IMHO Best artist, best writer, he was among the first artists to manage to own their art and to do whatever they liked ...

He created universes where even G.Lucas did find some things to use ... :cloud9:

and he still explores them creating an infinite link no one has ever been close to ..

 

Now who's the King now ???

 

Franck Miller ? definitly not as most people prefer his DD art toward his modern and styled artwork..

Neal Adams ? Not the King anymore ....certainly a King once ........!!!

Mc Farlane ????:!!!!! Oh please .....

Jim Lee ???? ...not really..

Romita Sr ? Why not ??? maybe too Spiderman exclusive...He would have been a greart King to me ...

Byrne ????? big question !!! My belief is he wanted too bad to be the new King that he lost his crown a long time ago ...

Mignola ???? King of Mignola's kingdom...

Pérez ???? tempting but ...no

Ditko is no King but The mighty Enchanter !!!!

Alex Ross could claim the title...I wouldn't be counted as a follower though .............

 

 

Personnally I like Mike Mayhew but I unfortunatly can't manage to purchase his art as I don't read much modern comics and have too much to deal with already ...

But I really see in Mayhew something you don't see in any other artists that come to my mind ...I wouldn't crown him the King though ...but would definitly nominate him as Knight of the Round Table !!! :takeit:

 

My conclusion would be there are no more King now that the King is dead .....

Starlin it is different HE's a GENIUS ................................ <3

 

Also in my MHO Joe Sinnott was a King as well !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and we should think more of the inkers while we refer to the best artists ...!!

 

 

:preach:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NYComics

NYComics

Posted
Posted

I thought of Romita Sr. because of all of the roles that he has played in Marvel. He has worked on WAY more titles than just Amazing Spiderman, he helped create wolverine and punisher.....that and I love his artwork. Anyone see any of his recent spiderman covers? he is even better now.

 

 

(I am having lunch with him on 1/28. Does anyone have any questions they want me to ask? I can do my best.)

 

 

Also Joe Simon is still around and he meets lots of this chriteria as well.........He wrote and drew, heck he introduced Jack Kirby to cigars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing