Sal Buscema - The Inker 0

[alxjhnsn]

Mark Levy posted about some art for sale. One of the pieces is a Conan BWS page inked by our pal, Sal.

In the description, he wrote:
 

Quote

* For newer collectors, there are a few BWS issues that have inferior inks and HA results reflect this - you can identify them quite easily by looking at past results on HA.com (I don't want to denigrate anyone's choices by specifying these)...of course, the reverse goes for the superior pure BWS pages that don't seem to trade publicly

Since it's been a long time since I looked at BWS pages, I thought I'd see who inked his. It was Sal and it is quite good.

That made me think about Sal as an inker. According to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, Sal inked more than 8400 pages in his career and penciled about 12,000. So, while not primarily an inker, he certainly was a prolific one.

What's the general opinion about Sal as an inker?

[zhamlau]

[grapeape]

1 hour ago, alxjhnsn said:

Mark Levy posted about some art for sale. One of the pieces is a Conan BWS page inked by our pal, Sal.

In the description, he wrote:
 

Since it's been a long time since I looked at BWS pages, I thought I'd see who inked his. It was Sal and it is quite good.

That made me think about Sal as an inker. According to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, Sal inked more than 8400 pages in his career and penciled about 12,000. So, while not primarily an inker, he certainly was a prolific one.

What's the general opinion about Sal as an inker?

Sal was best when he inked his own work. Here he inks his own signature.

[zhamlau]

ARTSOC jokes aside...

I think he "plays well with others" as an inker. He adjusted his style rather well to accommodate who ever he was inking for, especially earlier and in the middle of his 45 year working window. As he got older his work/presence became more pronounced and there is good and bad comes with that.

Side note, I pulled top 25 lists for artist across all publishers and then Penciller and Inker for just Marvel. Few things struck me.

1. Wow John did a LOT of pencilled work Marvel. I never would have guessed he was that far above everyone else production wise.

2. Scott Hannah and Vince Colletta are 1/2 on this list yet i cant ever remember seeing either of them pencil much of anything. Talk about focused craft. Shame Vince didn't take his time on Kirby, he really was good when he tried.

3.Sal is the only guy to be on the top ten list for both Pencils and Inks, that really surprises me but the more I think about it , it shouldn't. Guys really specialized, even Al Williamson hardly touched a pencil in his last 26 years of publishing work and its clear that he was great at pencilling

 

.

 

[grapeape]

Sal over brother John. I liked him on Silver Surfer though my favorite was Dan Adkins. Sal a top ten penciler and inker adds up to top 5 overall artist?

Maybe

Edited November 17, 2019 by grapeape

[zhamlau]

Actually Sal and Ayers are the only guys to be on the top 25 list for both penciller and Inker. Sal is at the top of both and Ayers middle to bottom but they are only two. Specialization indeed.

Edited November 17, 2019 by zhamlau

[grapeape]

Not mine but Thor 193 Sal over John again. Very pretty.

[grapeape]

2 hours ago, alxjhnsn said:

Mark Levy posted about some art for sale. One of the pieces is a Conan BWS page inked by our pal, Sal.

In the description, he wrote:
 

Since it's been a long time since I looked at BWS pages, I thought I'd see who inked his. It was Sal and it is quite good.

That made me think about Sal as an inker. According to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, Sal inked more than 8400 pages in his career and penciled about 12,000. So, while not primarily an inker, he certainly was a prolific one.

What's the general opinion about Sal as an inker?

Good idea to focus on Sal the inker! Funny, up to 10 years ago I mainly thought of Sal more in terms of his inking prowess. He certainly has my respect as a well rounded Marvel- treasured all around artist today.

[Unca Ben]

I really like Sal's art at that time - penciling and inking.

Anyone who doesn't can go pound sand.  

[stinkininkin]

Sal Buscema inking over his brother John in those early issues if Silver Surfer is my favorite Buscema art in total.  They also collaborated on a Capt America story around the same time and it is equally beautiful.  After that, there is a drop off (to my eyes).  Ironically, the only time I ever bought any Sal Buscema drawn books was later when he was used as a canvas for certain inkers I admired, like Klause Janson on Defenders, or Bob McCloud and Joe Rubenstein on Hulk.

[exitmusicblue]

All bow down in the Temple of Sal.

[zhamlau]

39 minutes ago, exitmusicblue said:

All bow down in the Temple of Sal.

[theflashunc]

I was always partial to Sal's Balder the Brave limited series he came in on during Simonson's run on Thor. 

And the stats show, man the guy did work.