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Greatest American comic book artists of all time.
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136 posts in this topic

2 minutes ago, Ken Aldred said:

To incite still further, was Robbins really so bad when you compare him to a certain ‘creator’ mentioned in the all-time best list; the infinitely overrated Bob Kane? 
 

I actually like Frank Robbins on Invaders. He brought a nieve golden age feel to what was after all an homage to golden age books.

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Just now, Whizzer said:

I actually like Frank Robbins on Invaders. He brought a nieve golden age feel to what was after all an homage to golden age books.

In addition, his newspaper strip artwork is actually very nice.

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9 minutes ago, Whizzer said:

Joe Kubert...

On super-hero books he would be in my don't like list. 

He didn’t do that much at DC.

His version of Hawkman is classic level, though. Quite brilliant.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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On 4/23/2020 at 8:43 PM, aardvark88 said:

Do tell. Worst USA comic artist:

 

Rob Liefeld is #1. I could forgive his 90s stuff if it weren't for the fact that it has been 30 years and he has not improved one bit as an artist. #2 is a guy whose name I can't recall, but he worked on spider titles around 1996 for awhile. I think his name might have begun with an F?

Edited by SBRobin
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On 4/23/2020 at 8:43 PM, aardvark88 said:

Do tell. Worst USA comic artist:

1. Frank Robbins

2. Rob Liefeld ?

3. Sal Buscema

4. JR Jr.

5. ...

I presume quite a number of people would call Jack Mendelsohn the worst USA comic book artist assuming they ignore his intention:

From Four Color #1091 (April 1960, Dell Comics):

VFFfIP6.jpg

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N7RLOrX.jpg

GGn0Iok.jpg

13JG5wF.jpg

bWg4HA3.jpg

5tBppFr.jpg

Edited by Electricmastro
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31 minutes ago, Electricmastro said:

I presume quite a number of people would call Jack Mendelsohn the worst USA comic book artist assuming they ignore his intention:

From Four Color #1091 (April 1960, Dell Comics):

Excellent panel and story layout, pacing which kept me engrossed from beginning to end.

Not without talent. A simple-but-clear style.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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4 hours ago, Whizzer said:

Some artists are suited more to one genre than another. The example that springs to mind is Joe Kubert. On war or jungle books he is a master. On super-hero books he would be in my don't like list. 

I put Al Hartley on that list. I really like his cartoon-y style on Archie and some Spire titles, but his more realistically rendered art for Marvel falls into the middle of the pack IMO.

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I always like Frank Miller but get confused if it was him or Klaus Janson or his ex wife Lynn Varley.  I dipped my toe into collecting OA  Miller art but it just got confusing if he did it or Janson plus just couldn't hang with the big boys who collect OA. 

Bill S. was great before he went completely off the rails. There was a sliver of time when it had weirdness but still cohesive. Then it just got stupid for stupid's sake - Electra Miniseries was God awlful.

Steve Ditko grows on you but Romita did a better Spiderman I thought. But Ditko's Dr. Strange stuff and horror stuff where a character is freaking out looking out a rain soaked window - nobody does that s - better.

Steve Bisset on Swamp Thing was great. Everything from the 90s seemed to suck serious anus.

Edited by NoMan
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18 minutes ago, NoMan said:

Bill S. was great before he went completely off the rails. There was a sliver of time when it had weirdness but still cohesive

The later Moon Knight issues, and his work on New Mutants; Demon Bear, Warlock, Legion.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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3 hours ago, Electricmastro said:

I presume quite a number of people would call Jack Mendelsohn the worst USA comic book artist assuming they ignore his intention:

From Four Color #1091 (April 1960, Dell Comics):

VFFfIP6.jpg

ZmavShN.jpg

N7RLOrX.jpg

GGn0Iok.jpg

13JG5wF.jpg

bWg4HA3.jpg

5tBppFr.jpg

Looks like aline kominsky-crumb.  In my opinion nothing of hers would have ever seen print if she wasnt married to R Crumb and piggybacked off him.

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1 hour ago, kav said:

Looks like aline kominsky-crumb.  In my opinion nothing of hers would have ever seen print if she wasnt married to R Crumb and piggybacked off him.

Even if that is true I am glad because I never would have seen her work otherwise. I love her work. I purposely left out most artists I like because if I listed Gary Panter, Rory Hayes, George Hansen, John Porcellino, people would go nuts saying how they suck. But I like weird stuff, outsider art etc.

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Great artists for me: I am no art expert but I know what I like

Adam Hughes- The female form is God’s greatest work. AH has a unique way of drawing that form that appeals to me. 

Jim Lee- I think his Batman is the best. 
 

BWS- Proportions seem correct and he drew my favorite classic VALIANT cover.  
 

David Mack- His use of color makes me happy and he drew my favorite modern VALIANT cover. 
 

Worst: Rob Liefeld- Is this really up for debate? I thought this was generally accepted. 

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48 minutes ago, Summydad1 said:

Worst: Rob Liefeld- Is this really up for debate? I thought this was generally accepted. 

I personally don’t think Liefeld necessarily draws bad art, though at least for me, I think he tends to go overboard with details like shading, and draws bulky close-ups and just over the top imagery in general to the point that it can get obnoxiously repetitive after awhile. I still think he draws decent, if not, serviceable art when best consumed in short bursts though:

X-Force #4 (1991):

lYV8IYo.jpg

Youngblood #4 (1993):

CWilBHw.jpg

Youngblood Strikefile #2 (1993):

xFlpBkf.jpg

Edited by Electricmastro
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9 hours ago, Electricmastro said:

I personally don’t think Liefeld necessarily draws bad art, though at least for me, I think he tends to go overboard with details like shading, and draws bulky close-ups and just over the top imagery in general to the point that it can get obnoxiously repetitive after awhile. I still think he draws decent, if not, serviceable art when best consumed in short bursts though:

X-Force #4 (1991):

lYV8IYo.jpg

 

This is one of the worst pages I've ever seen. I can't even tell what is going on in this sequence. I didn't even realize those were Shatterstar's knees for several minutes and thought they were his pecs. I wouldn't be able to tell he was cutting Juggernaut if not for the letterer. This kind of art would be acceptable for a new 22 year old artist on a minor title. This art is not acceptable after spending 30 years as a professional artist.

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On 4/23/2020 at 8:43 PM, aardvark88 said:

4. JR Jr.

I’ve liked some of John Romita Jr.’s art as well:

Daredevil #256 (1988):

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Daredevil #281 (1990):

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Iron Man #256 (1990):

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Cable: Blood and Metal #2 (1992):

PboyQ6o.jpg

The Uncanny X-Men #300 (1993):

8DSejD9.jpg

Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights (1994):

gQrkXti.jpg

Thor #25 (2000):

OEN8UU2.jpg

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