Underappreciated Artist Spotlight: Mort Meskin

[Lone Ranger]

Mort Meskin

What can I say about Mort Meskin? I absolutely adore his artwork. It is stylish, it is clean and it has always struck me as very dignified.

As a younger reader, I had not idea who Mort Meskin was, as I would have only encountered his artwork from time to time through reprints, but I probably wansn’t paying much attention to the credits. The first time I truly recall Meskin’s artwork catching my eye was in the 60 Years of DC Comics book published in the mid-90s. This picture (the first attachment below) demonstrated Meskin’s technique to show Johnny Quick’s speed. I loved it! I have since come into possession of that issue (More Fun #96) and it is one of my most prized books.

Meskin’s story is an interesting one, and perhaps a little bit sad. Unlike many of his contemporaries such as Kirby, Eisner and Kane, Mort Meskin’s status in the comic book world seemed to diminish over time. In the 40s, Meskin was given some nice assignments at DC and really excelled on Vigilante and Johnny Quick, two back-up strips that were often better than the headliner. Meskin did some work on the Nedor superhero title with Jerry Robinson and did a lot of work through the 50s for Simon & Kirby’s Crestwood titles.

By the mid-50s, he (like many other artists) had a tougher time landing jobs. The latter part of his career was spent back at DC and was given less than stellar assignments on for anthology titles such as House of Secrets and My Greatest Adventure (Mark Merlin is no Johnny Quick!). I have read tidbits here and there about Meskin bad nerves and his rough relationship with Mort Weisinger at DC, but I have never read a definitive telling of that story. In some ways, it seems that this man who had so much talent and whose comic book career started with such a bang, left for the ad game in the mid-60s without much fanfare. Although respected by his peers, Meskin never achieved demigod status, and never really got to sink his teeth into a big name project.

If you compare Meskin’s artwork of the early 40s to his artwork in the early 60s, you might be shocked that it is the same artist. His 40s work (often signed Mort Morton Jr.) was full of panache, with plenty of action, interesting sound effect techniques and the splashiest of splash pages. At first glance, his 60s work seems stiff, dark and lacking in dynamism. Initially, I was turned off the 60s work, but I have come to appreciate it much more in recent years. The art is simply quieter, and Meskin seems to focus more on moving the story along. I have also read that he was now inking much of his own work (I believe Jerry Robinson and George Roussos did much of the earlier inking), and Meskin was experimenting with different techniques. Someone with more of an art background can comment on that issue. What I now feel is that Meskin’ artwork was not deteriorating, but rather it was maturing. He was trying to move in a different direction, while at the same time working within DC’s ‘house look’. I still don’t like it as much as his earlier stuff, but I find it to be quite interesting. Here's a good opinion piece by someone who prefers the later Meskin work - it includes a good samples of his artwork.http://www.meskin.net/ifoughttheclocksofdoom/clockstext.html

Mort Meskin is one of my favourite artists of all-time, and I get my hands on books with his artwork wherever I can. A while back, Cei-U! and I conversed via email about our mutual admiration of Meskin’s superhero work in the 40s. If I remember correctly, Kurt said that Meskin was his second favourite Golden Age superhero artist (was Kirby #1, Kurt?).

I have tried to include a fairly broad sample of Meskin’s work:

1. Detail from More Fun Comics #96 taken from 60 Years of DC Comics
2. Johnny Quick splash page reprinted in Flash #229
3. Vigilante page from Action Comics #77
4. Page from Crestwood’s Young Love #17
5. Early 60s page from House of Secrets #65

Where do you see Meskin’s place in the history of funnybook creators?
What do you think were his strengths/weaknesses?
What were your favourite stories/titles drawn by Meskin?
What title would have been a good fit for Meskin during his time in comics, and what would have been a good had he stuck around longer?

I’ll give my answers to those questions in a little while.

[Cei-U!]

A while back, Cei-U! and I conversed via email about our mutual admiration of Meskin’s superhero work in the 40s. If I remember correctly, Kurt said that Meskin was his second favourite Golden Age superhero artist (was Kirby #1, Kurt?).

You are correct, sir, with Jerry Robinson at #3. I love Mort's work. I wish he'd had a shot at some of the bigger DC GA series. His would've been an awesome Batman, doncha think?

Cei-U!
I summon the solidarity!

[Lone Ranger]

You are correct, sir, with Jerry Robinson at #3. I love Mort's work. I wish he'd had a shot at some of the bigger DC GA series. His would've been an awesome Batman, doncha think?

Cei-U!
I summon the solidarity!

Great minds think alike! I certainly do think he would have done a wonderful job on Batman. I just took a look at those wonderful Golden Lad covers http://www.comics.org/covers.lasso?SeriesID=439, and I am definitely convinced that Meskin would have excelled on just about any superhero title. That cover to #3 seems really ahead of its time - more like a late 50s Ditko horror cover than a mid-40s superhero cover.

Let me try to answer my own questions:

Where do you see Meskin’s place in the history of funnybook creators?

I put Meskin right up there with the best of them. Perhaps in Top 10, but not top 5 - mainly because his career was a bit short and his overall infludence can't compare with the likes of Kirby or Eisner.

What do you think were his strengths/weaknesses?

Like Toth, Meskin excelled as using shadows and his layouts were unique. There's a certain fluidity to his characters - check out the panel on the Vigilante page where Vig is being pulled behind the car - that's such a great pose. In terms of weakness, I see to much Simon and Kirby in his Crestwood work.

What were your favourite stories/titles drawn by Meskin?

The aforementioned Johnny Quick story from More Fun #96 is wonderful. I love his Vigilante work too. It's a real shame that DC hasn't seen fit to put together an Archive for each of those two characters. I always enjoyed a story from My Greatest Adventure #76 called 'We Battled the Micro-Monster, which showed up again in a Doom Patrol reprint in the 70s.

What title would have been a good fit for Meskin during his time in comics, and what would have been a good had he stuck around longer?

As Kurt said, I think Batman would have been a very good fit. I would have also like to see him tackle Black Canary at DC. Along those lines, I think he would have been great on Harvey's Black Cat.

During the 50s, I wish Meskin was given the chance to more westerns. I know that he did some Prize Comics westerns, but nothing for DC (not counting Vig) or Atlas. He would have been great on Johnny Thunder or Nighthawk, or on Two-Gun Kid or Black Rider at Atlas. The same can be said for War comics. DC and Atlas missed a golden opportunity there.

Meskin left comics just as Stan Lee was poaching some of DC's finest talent. The likes of John Romita, Gene Colan and Gil Kane all got the opportunity to participate in the Marvel Age, but Meskin missed out. Personally, I think that he would have been a perfect fit for Daredevil from Day One. At DC, I think he'd have done a nice job on some of the revamped heroes, but above all others, I think he'd have been a wonderful Phantom Stranger artist. He also missed the chance to work on Jim Warren's magazines. I think he'd have been a fine contributor to Creepy and Eerie.

Apparently I can babble about Meskin for a long, long time.

[InfoBroker]

I would have loved to see Mort Meskin slide on over to the Marvel Bullpen in the mid-sixties at the same time that Gil Kane, Gene Colan, John Romita and John Buscema channeled in that direction. Given that he worked at the Kirby/Simon studios in the 50s and his ability to synch to that "house" style, I think he would have made a wonderful transition to the type of material that Kirby and Lee were pioneering in that timeframe.

I was also under the impression that his slide out of comics was as much his own desires to do alternate forms of illustration.

As for my love of Mort... well, for starters, I can point here (http://www.comicworldnews.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=7;t=210;st=460).

And here's hoping that link works. Traveling to Astro City can get a little bumpy at times.

-jb the Mort-i-fied ib-

[Rob Allen]

Wasn't Meskin the one who had a phobia about blank paper? When Mort was working for Simon & Kirby, Joe Simon would just grab a pencil and scribble on the page before giving it to Meskin - that way he could start drawing.

[Jesse Hamm]

It's great to see a Meskin thread! Here's a recent thread at TCJ where we were discussing influences, including Meskin:

http://www.tcj.com/messboard/ubb/Forum2/HTML/005198-2.html

Some of my comments from that thread:

"I would argue that Meskin was a huge influence on Kirby as well. Kirby has never said as much (that I'm aware), but after Meskin's appearance on the scene in the '40s, Kirby's work took on a heavy use of expressionistic, inorganic bars of black line, a la Meskin's approach. This starker, less traditional rendering style stood in contrast to Kirby's earlier, more fluid renderings, and continued through the rest of his career."

[Slam_Bradley]

I really don't have much I can add here. I've only read a handful of Meskin's stories (largely in reprints from the 70s) and it's been a long time since I've read them.

[Lone Ranger]

I really don't have much I can add here. I've only read a handful of Meskin's stories (largely in reprints from the 70s) and it's been a long time since I've read them.

So what you are saying is that you agree that it is a crime that neither the Johnny Quick Archives nor the Vigilante Archives has been published?

I couldn't agree more.

Slam - I'm not sure if there are any Meskin stories in the DC Showcase House of Mystery in the earlier issues where they reprint 50s and 60s stuff. I know that Meskin work on the Court of Creatures story, but I believe that may have just been inks on Infantino - can't recall.

I believe that Meskin worked on some of the earlier Seven Soldiers stories in Leading Comics, but I only have issues 8 & 9, and I don't see any Meskin in there - mostly Kubert and perhaps Caseneuve.

I assume those Seven Soldiers books have been given the Archives treatment.

I also believe that Meskin did some Starman work - would those have been 'Archived'?

[Slam_Bradley]

So what you are saying is that you agree that it is a crime that neither the Johnny Quick Archives nor the Vigilante Archives has been published?

I couldn't agree more.

Slam - I'm not sure if there are any Meskin stories in the DC Showcase House of Mystery in the earlier issues where they reprint 50s and 60s stuff. I know that Meskin work on the Court of Creatures story, but I believe that may have just been inks on Infantino - can't recall.

I believe that Meskin worked on some of the earlier Seven Soldiers stories in Leading Comics, but I only have issues 8 & 9, and I don't see any Meskin in there - mostly Kubert and perhaps Caseneuve.

I assume those Seven Soldiers books have been given the Archives treatment.

I also believe that Meskin did some Starman work - would those have been 'Archived'?


Well, even Archived you come up with the problem of me being the ultimate cheap bastard when it comes to buying books.

It does look like "The Son of the Montross Monster" from House of Mystery #177 is by Meskin. And you're right, "Court of Creatures is Meskin inks on Infantino pencils. I'll take a look at both when I get home tonight.

I remember a few Vigilante and J.Q. reprints from the 70s, I may try to find them in my morass of old comics. I do remember the Vigilante story "The Little Men Who Were There" from Wanted #3 (a great series). I seem to recall Meskin's inks being very thick and heavy.

Guess I'll have to do some research.

[Lone Ranger]

Well, even Archived you come up with the problem of me being the ultimate cheap bastard when it comes to buying books.

It does look like "The Son of the Montross Monster" from House of Mystery #177 is by Meskin. And you're right, "Court of Creatures is Meskin inks on Infantino pencils. I'll take a look at both when I get home tonight.

I remember a few Vigilante and J.Q. reprints from the 70s, I may try to find them in my morass of old comics. I do remember the Vigilante story "The Little Men Who Were There" from Wanted #3 (a great series). I seem to recall Meskin's inks being very thick and heavy.

Guess I'll have to do some research.

I'm also part of the 'I only buy Archives if I can find them for $15 on eBay crowd'.

I think one of his Starman stories was reprinted in one of the JLA 100 page Super Spectacular, but I may be confusing it with something else.

His inks could be thick and heavy - especially the Crestwood work. I also blame part of that on the printing process, as inks and colours seem to bleed together much of the time. His earlier superhero work appeared a bit more light and lively - those Golden Lad covers are about as crisp and clean as they come.

[MWGallaher]

I've gotta confess, I don't get the appreciation for Meskin. He was competent enough, and lots of people--including prominent professionals--seem to be in awe of his work, but I just don't get it, and I think, at this stage, I never will. His figures are rubbery, but so are early Kubert's and I like that better. His faces are often grotesque, but so are Roussos's, and I like that better. His panels are smudgy, but so are Robbins's, and I like that better. I preferred his followers on Vigilante, I found none of the charm in his mundane 60's work that LR sees, and "clean" is one of the last words I'd use to describe his art. I honestly wish that I could get what I'm missing, because for something like 20 years, I've heard people whose opinion I respect praise his work, but I can't get past what strikes me as an overall ugliness to it all.
As far as his place in comics history? Well, he seems to be admired, but I don't see him as a major influence on the greats, and I could come up with 10 more worthy (in my eyes) figures from the Golden Age quite easily. He just doesn't strike me as innovative enough to be listed among the greats: what was it Meskin did that noone else had matched? I see nothing to compare to what Simon, Kirby, Eisner, Ditko, Beck, Cole, Kurtzman, Fine, Wolverton, and Everett accomplished, other than that a lot of people enjoyed his work as much as theirs. Maybe that's enough--I'm certainly not going to be so foolish as to argue against anyone's personal appreciation of his style. I just can't honestly say that I like his work, myself, and I'm glad that there weren't hoardes of Golden Age artists imitating his style.

[hondobrode]

It wasn't until the last few years that I really started to take notice of Mort Meskin. I had heard the name a few times over the years reading about the history of comics, but had not really taken a real strong notice of his work until one of the golden age greats (Kubert, Infantino ?) was raving about his work and how he was largely overlooked. I remember associating the name with both Vigilante and Johnny Quick and only having a few reprints of each, but the fanzine (probably one of those wonderful TwoMorrows, and more probably it was Alter Ego) reproduced a few panels, and they were moist and supple. It's very hard to describe Mort's style, but I too have fallen in love with it and very much want to get more.

[Cei-U!]

I've gotta confess, I don't get the appreciation for Meskin.

That's okay, M. I don't get the fuss over Lou Fine.

As for articulating what it is I like about Meskin's Golden Age art, the first words that come to mind are "energy" and "spontaneity." I find my eye moving easily and quickly across his pages. It's not meant to be a realistic style--the rubbery figures and grotesque faces are kinda the point--and ought not to be judged as one. Think of Mort as the Bruce Timm of the Golden Age and maybe he'll make more sense.

Cei-U!
The defense rests!

[Lone Ranger]

"clean" is one of the last words I'd use to describe his art. I honestly wish that I could get what I'm missing, because for something like 20 years, I've heard people whose opinion I respect praise his work, but I can't get past what strikes me as an overall ugliness to it all.


I understand where you are coming from - Graham Ingels is my absolute least favourite EC artist, but some people go nuts over him.

I might have meant to use clean to describe his 40s work, in comparison to his later work, which I see as heavier and darker.

Like Kurt, I really like the 'energy' of the earlier work. The later work has a moodiness to it that I like, but not always. From what I've read, many pros have liked his work because he continued to experiment - that may be more of an appreciation for someone following their artistic impulse than for the actual lines on the page - I dunno.

[MWGallaher]

That's okay, M. I don't get the fuss over Lou Fine.

As for articulating what it is I like about Meskin's Golden Age art, the first words that come to mind are "energy" and "spontaneity." I find my eye moving easily and quickly across his pages. It's not meant to be a realistic style--the rubbery figures and grotesque faces are kinda the point--and ought not to be judged as one. Think of Mort as the Bruce Timm of the Golden Age and maybe he'll make more sense.

Cei-U!
The defense rests!
That I do get...his Johnny Quick work definitely blew the Flash out of the water...there was a sense of speed, of motion. I give him credit for being able to draw out that kineticism. It's really kind of amazing that Flash won the race for comics' lead superspeedster when Meskin's JQ was so much more dynamic.

[MWGallaher]

I understand where you are coming from - Graham Ingels is my absolute least favourite EC artist, but some people go nuts over him.

I might have meant to use clean to describe his 40s work, in comparison to his later work, which I see as heavier and darker.

Like Kurt, I really like the 'energy' of the earlier work. The later work has a moodiness to it that I like, but not always. From what I've read, many pros have liked his work because he continued to experiment - that may be more of an appreciation for someone following their artistic impulse than for the actual lines on the page - I dunno.
I like Ingels well enough, but my favorite EC artist is the stereotypical "least favorite", Jack Kamen.
What continues to puzzle me is why I like the work of George Roussos, who seems to be the most Meskin-like of Golden Age artists, without liking Meskin himself. Maybe Roussos drew characters with lower lips that weren't quite as fat as Meskin's? ~shrug~

[Lone Ranger]

I like Ingels well enough, but my favorite EC artist is the stereotypical "least favorite", Jack Kamen.
What continues to puzzle me is why I like the work of George Roussos, who seems to be the most Meskin-like of Golden Age artists, without liking Meskin himself. Maybe Roussos drew characters with lower lips that weren't quite as fat as Meskin's? ~shrug~

I really like Kamen as well - didn't realize that he was considered to be the least favourite.

I also like George Roussos - I have a later Action Comics (#112, I think) and he did a very nice Vigilante story.

[hondobrode]

Kamen seems to get no recognition, but I love his stuff !

[Lone Ranger]

Here's real treat.

This image is from an ebay auction for Action Comics #41 - the first two pages of Vigilante's first appearance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/scottandkat/CBR/Action41.jpg

[Patrick Zircher]

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