Most Important / Impactful Living Artist 1 1

[PhilipB2k17]

I'd throw in Dave Stevens, given how influential he was to many of today's modern artists. Steve Rude as well.

Oops. Forgot this is "living" artists, so obviously Dave Stevens isn't a possible answer.

Edited September 10, 2019 by PhilipB2k17

[PhilipB2k17]

12 minutes ago, glendgold said:

It's funny -- it's like trying to explain how Dylan is important.  He's a figure so baked into where comics are now that he's almost invisible, huh? Since his influence over the beginnings of underground artwork is massive, you can see his shadow over most autobiographical work, too, pretty much anything you'd see from Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly.  His transgressive work, his self-analysis, his joining of funny animal work with a genius eye toward social satire...I can't say he's one of my heroes or anything -- his work is intensely problematic -- but we're talking about "impactful/important." And in the larger culture, those kind of comics have a lot of mainstream readers.  I think you can make the argument that no Crumb/no Maus, or no Crumb/no Ware/Barry/Groening/Clowes, for instance.  He doesn't have much to do with superhero stuff, however, so if that's everyone else's criterion, I wouldn't nominate him.  Neal and Jim Lee and the other names above are more valid in that case, I think. 

I think Crumb is just given pride of place to honor underground comics, but doing do overlooks a some very influential artists like Vaugh Bode, Gilbert Shelton, Kim Deitch and bill Griffith. Crumb has broken out into the art collectors mainstream, but I think his "influence" is overrated, to some extent. Or at least, it gives short shrift to a lot of others. I also think saying someone like Chris ware was "influenced' By Crumb seems very off. Ware seems far more influenced by someone like Winsor McCay  than Crumb. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by PhilipB2k17

[glendgold]

13 minutes ago, PhilipB2k17 said:

\I also think saying someone like Chris ware was "influenced' By Crumb seems very off. Ware seems far more influenced by someone like Winsor McCay  than Crumb. 

From The Guardian interview with Ware:

Which living person do you most admire and why?
For intellect: Art Spiegelman. For art: Robert Crumb.

(later:)

I discovered the published sketchbooks of Robert Crumb, which changed my life.

 

[Peter L]

6 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

As a variation on this topic, who is currently having the greatest impact on OA? Neal Adams, I think, has been responsible for the greatest impact over time, but right now is a little different. Perhaps Lee?

 

I agree with this totally and I think well put.  I prefer Miller and Byrne and Simonson and Steranko much more personally, but as for most influential this says it all.  I like Miller and Bryne and Simonson and Steranko because they are so unique.  In some ways, they are not as influential because you can't easily copy their style as Neal Adams or Lee/Williams.   Adams and then Lee/Williams also became the predominate house style for the comics that marked their era,.

 

[jjonahjameson11]

You’re all wrong!  It’s Sal Buscema, dammit!!!

[PhilipB2k17]

1 hour ago, glendgold said:

From The Guardian interview with Ware:

Which living person do you most admire and why?
For intellect: Art Spiegelman. For art: Robert Crumb.

(later:)

I discovered the published sketchbooks of Robert Crumb, which changed my life.

 

"Ware laments, no one does work like Winsor McCay's sinisterly madcap turn-of-the-century cartoon "Little Nemo."

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-07-19-9407190310-story.html

[J.Sid]

I am shocked at some of the names being thrown out. Anyways, here's my 2¢

• Miller: Brought a character like DD to #1. Changed entire industry in the 80s with DK. Made printers up their game with Ronin. Then went all 'auteur' on us with Sin City and 300. 

• Neal Adams is up there. Raised the bar for detail/drawing quality in comics. Inspired/mentored dozens. Shook up storytelling with dynamic page layouts. Drew 'important' stories like the GL drug story.  

• Crumb is interesting, especially given the things that audiences respond to today and the things that clean up at the Eisners.

• Jim Lee.... I still think of him as a 'new' artist, but he's been at or near the top for 30 years now. Impact on other artists is undeniable, and he's still got the #1 selling comic of all time.

 

My vote (personal favorite) is Miller.

[Rick2you2]

17 hours ago, Peter L said:

I agree with this totally and I think well put.  I prefer Miller and Byrne and Simonson and Steranko much more personally, but as for most influential this says it all.  I like Miller and Bryne and Simonson and Steranko because they are so unique.  In some ways, they are not as influential because you can't easily copy their style as Neal Adams or Lee/Williams.   Adams and then Lee/Williams also became the predominate house style for the comics that marked their era,.

 

As a follow-up, you could probably divide OA into two categories: highly stylized and over-realistic. Artists like Miller, Mignola and Bruce Timm would fall into the first category, while Adams, Lee and Byrne fall into the second category. Collectors love the first category (as well as the second), but if you go to the newsstands, I think the second predominates. On that basis, I think the answer to the single most influential artist has to come from the second.

On a different note, I don’t think you can place Byrne at the top of the list as most influential—and I love his work. The strains of Neal Adams are too apparent in it.

[zhamlau]

1. Jim Lee (Artist)

2. John Byrne (Artist)

3. Frank Miller (Artist)

4. Todd McFarlane (Artist)

5. Frank Miller (Writer)

 

[zhamlau]

20 hours ago, jjonahjameson11 said:

You’re all wrong!  It’s Sal Buscema, dammit!!!

He's no Don Perlin, but I hear his work is passable...in some less informed circles....

[stinkininkin]

23 hours ago, BCarter27 said:

You old guys crack me up. Go look at the actual books on the stands. The most influential American comic artists living today are Jim Lee/Scott Williams.

Wait.  Who?

[exitmusicblue]

This is tough.  I say Lee/McFarlane/Sienkiewicz today.  25 years ago, would've gone with the two Adams.

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

1. Alex Ross.

2. Frank Miller.

3. John Byrne. 

4. Todd Mcfarlane. 

5. Jerry Ordway. 

6. Neil Adams. 

7 Art Adams.

8. Alan Moore.

9. Neil Gaiman

10. John Romita Sr.

11. John Romita Jr.

12. Mike Magnola.

13. Walt Simonson.

14. Stuart Immonen.

15. Jim Starlin.

16. Dan Jurgens .

17. George Perez.

18. Jim Lee.

19. Bill Sienkiewicz.

20. Brian Bolland. 

[grapeape]

On 9/9/2019 at 7:16 PM, Shemp said:

I guess we all have a different definition of living...

Shemp did you...did you highlight the dead guys in bold black..?

C o l d  b l o o d e d 

[grapeape]

On 9/9/2019 at 7:00 PM, SquareChaos said:

Art Adams

Neal Adams

Miller

 

Edit: poor reading skills on my part tonight

I do I all the time Square C 😉 

no worries 

🍇.    🦍

[grapeape]

On 9/10/2019 at 8:37 AM, SquareChaos said:

I also thought about adding Frank Quietly. His influence will only continue to grow.

+ 1

[Blastaar]

Greg Horn

 

 

 

[grapeape]

On 9/10/2019 at 8:43 AM, glendgold said:

It's funny -- it's like trying to explain how Dylan is important.  He's a figure so baked into where comics are now that he's almost invisible, huh? Since his influence over the beginnings of underground artwork is massive, you can see his shadow over most autobiographical work, too, pretty much anything you'd see from Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly.  His transgressive work, his self-analysis, his joining of funny animal work with a genius eye toward social satire...I can't say he's one of my heroes or anything -- his work is intensely problematic -- but we're talking about "impactful/important." And in the larger culture, those kind of comics have a lot of mainstream readers.  I think you can make the argument that no Crumb/no Maus, or no Crumb/no Ware/Barry/Groening/Clowes, for instance.  He doesn't have much to do with superhero stuff, however, so if that's everyone else's criterion, I wouldn't nominate him.  Neal and Jim Lee and the other names above are more valid in that case, I think. 

Crumb almost fits in his own category of influence and genius. I can’t really explain what he’s doing but I love looking deeply into his art hand finish.

 

 

[grapeape]

On 9/10/2019 at 9:08 AM, glendgold said:

From The Guardian interview with Ware:

Which living person do you most admire and why?
For intellect: Art Spiegelman. For art: Robert Crumb.

(later:)

I discovered the published sketchbooks of Robert Crumb, which changed my life.

 

Checkmate

[grapeape]

SAL BUSCEMA    🦗 🦗  🦗 😂 😐 

 

Frank Quietly      👏 👏 👏 

 

Most of the others you all have mentioned suit me.

 

🍇🦍