New artist needed for Warlord now!!

[ww1971]

If they dont get a new artist soon, this book wont be here much longer. I can now honestly say that Ive never seen such poor artwork in my life.

Anyone else find that this deters them from reading this book?

[Sean Walsh]

If they dont get a new artist soon, this book wont be here much longer. I can now honestly say that Ive never seen such poor artwork in my life.

Anyone else find that this deters them from reading this book?

Bart Sears' work has really declined in recent years. Thankfully Andy Smith, who's inked a lot of Sears' work in the past, does Sears' style in a much clearer way...

I had heard, though, that Sears' art on WARLORD was really good at the beginning, but I guess it's gone back to the usual style already...

[kertap]

The art is driving me absolutely banana's but on the other hand I am really interested in the story. At first I wasn't too sure what I was getting into with this. According to Wikipediea the original was big on fighting sorcerers which is not something I'm interested in. Much more interested in massive battles with the warlord cutting a swath through the enemy and so far this series has delivered. Once that stops I think I'll drop it.

[dazzler_slave]

Well, I think we need a new writer for Warlord too, but I would start with a new artist. Bart Sears used to be one of my favourites, but now he is a joke. It's really too bad.

[Sean Walsh]

Well, I think we need a new writer for Warlord too, but I would start with a new artist. Bart Sears used to be one of my favourites, but now he is a joke. It's really too bad.

Who's writing WARLORD anyway?

Kinda sad that we all know who's doing the art, but the scripts (which are apparently good, it sounds like) aren't getting any actual name credit (yet)...

[Mon-el]

Who's writing WARLORD anyway?

Kinda sad that we all know who's doing the art, but the scripts (which are apparently good, it sounds like) aren't getting any actual name credit (yet)...


Bruce Jones

[Sean Walsh]

Bruce Jones

Ah.

So are the rumors true: that his superhero stuff really sucks compared to his monster/non-superheroics comics?

[Mon-el]

So are the rumors true: that his superhero stuff really sucks compared to his monster/non-superheroics comics?

Pretty much.

While this is the only one of his comics that I'm enjoying. Nightwing (their is enough rants about this on the Batman Forum), Vigilante (wasn't all that good), Man-Bat (dropped at Issue 2). I don't see me picking up his future Deadman arc as well since it's not Boston Brand.

Edit: And I don't want to read about his OMAC, I had enough fill of those in Infinite Crisis.

[Jake Lockley]

I've never really been that crazy about Sears anyway, so to me the artwork doesn't sway me one way or the other. I can accept not-so-great artwork on a title much easier than I can accept poor writing.

[Babylon23]

I don't mind Sears art style on Warlord. Its similar to his work on The Path from Crossgen. Having said that, I think its a style that was better suited to that book.

Overall, I'd prefer to see him using his cleaner art style, similar to his work on The First and X-O Manowar. I love Sears clean art style, especially when inked by Andy Smith.

As for Jones, his writing has been solid, but I'm still waiting to be really blown away. I'm giving it a few more issues, but if it doesn't pick up soon, I'll probably cancel it.

Of course, the ideal Warlord team for me would be Mike Grell on story and art.

[The Shadow]

I don't mind Sears art style on Warlord. Its similar to his work on The Path from Crossgen. Having said that, I think its a style that was better suited to that book.

Overall, I'd prefer to see him using his cleaner art style, similar to his work on The First and X-O Manowar. I love Sears clean art style, especially when inked by Andy Smith.
What he said.

Of course, the ideal Warlord team for me would be Mike Grell on story and art.
AMEN!

I'd LOVE to see Grell do Warlord one more time!!!

[Babylon23]

What he said.


AMEN!

I'd LOVE to see Grell do Warlord one more time!!!


We have concensus!

Grell on Warlord again is one of those dreams I have that I know will probably never come true. It's like Grell on Green Arrow, something I've been hoping for since Ollie came back to life.

[The Shadow]

It's like Grell on Green Arrow, something I've been hoping for since Ollie came back to life.
*sigh*

Just the thought is enough to make me enter fanboy heaven. Get rid of Smith's crap, Winick's worse crap and go back to the Grell years.

I think I'm gonna read Long Bow Hunters tonight!

[dazzler_slave]

I'd give anything to have Grell back on Warlord. He knows the character so well and his writing and art are both fantastic! Part of my problem is that this current title has yet to feel like Warlord. it feels more like a generic d-grade fantasy comic.

[Pól Rua]

I love the character of the Warlord, and I'm a big fan of the whole Edgar Rice Burroughs two-fisted adventure in mysterious lands thing, but I can't even stomach reading this stuff off the shelf.
I mean, if you can't get Mike Grell (not even for covers?), then at least get someone who can draw human anatomy instead of that 'condom full of watermelons' look Bart Sears has - Butch Guice, Tim Truman, hell, who'd like to see Cary Nord's Travis Morgan... or (unless he's Marvel exclusive) a Frank Cho issue... even one. C'mon... who wouldn't wanna see that?

[astronato]

I'm going to disagree about the art. I like it. I like the murky inks and thick black lines. I would say that it works well in the larger panels and not as well in some of the smaller panels but I think it's gotten better each issue in that regard. I think it sets an appropriate tone for a sword and sorcerery type story. It's also different from the norm and that's good.

To each their own.

[Babylon23]

*sigh*

Just the thought is enough to make me enter fanboy heaven. Get rid of Smith's crap, Winick's worse crap and go back to the Grell years.

I think I'm gonna read Long Bow Hunters tonight!

I've just started reading the whole thing again, from Longbow through the regular series. Just got up to Shado's first appearance after Longbow Hunters. Great stuff, even without Grell on the regular series. Ed Hannigan is an excellent substitute.

I've been on a bit of a Grell kick recently. I've read the recent Jon Sable trades plus the new miniseries, and I managed to pick up the first 10 issues of Warlord + the First Issue Special appearance for about $12.

[Eliseu Gouveia]

Sure, I´ll draw Warlord.

Have your people talk to my people and set up a meeting. :rolleyes:

[The Shadow]

I managed to pick up the first 10 issues of Warlord + the First Issue Special appearance for about $12.
Nice scoop!

Ebay?

And are you grade specific? What condition are they in?

[Patrick Zircher]

----------

[The Shadow]

Any suggestion to replace it with any of the current glut of stiff, over rendered, over shaded, photo-realistic style art should be stifled.
Babylon and I were talking Mike "nothing like today" Grell... not Greg Land.

[Babylon23]

Nice scoop!

Ebay?

And are you grade specific? What condition are they in?

Nah, I found them the old fashioned way. A new no-frills, back issues only store opened about 10 minutes from where I live. This guy stocks just about everything, plus he's willing to discount if you buy big. I blew about $200 there on my first trip, including the Warlord issues (also got L.E.G.I.O.N. 1-40, assorted Batman and the Outsiders issues by Jim Aparo and Alan Davis, plus Sandman Mystery Theatre 41-60, a few 70's Kirby bits and pieces, and Ostrander/Mandrake Spectre 1-12).

Generally, I don't worry about grading. I buy to read, so as long as they're not falling to pieces, I'm happy. The Warlord issues are in excellent shape, though. No tears, no missing staples, no water damage, no cracks or creases. A little bit of fading on some pages, but not so bad that I can't appreciate Grell's stunning artwork. I hadn't read those stories in over 20 years. It was like reading them for the first time.

[Ontir]

I'm not, and never have been a Warlord reader, but I'm amazed by the thread. I've always loved Bart Sears' work, and if I were into fantasy, I'd absolutely be buying this book.

Wait... you don't like Greg Land, either?!? Is this a joke thread?

[Babylon23]

Comic fans never cease to amaze me.

I love what Bart's doing here.
It's energetic, sytlistic, and mature. The layouts are damn smart.

Any suggestion to replace it with any of the current glut of stiff, over rendered, over shaded, photo-realistic style art should be stifled.

Unless you want me to post a pic of my spew.

I agree. I love Sears work, and his layouts on this book are excellent. I like his art style on Warlord. It's just that I love his First/X-O style as well, and would love to see some of that as well.

Maybe he could alternate, and give Sears fans a bit of both styles.

[Agentum]

Well i want Grell both as writer and artist, but that can't happen of course.

[Agentum]

I'd give anything to have Grell back on Warlord. He knows the character so well and his writing and art are both fantastic! Part of my problem is that this current title has yet to feel like Warlord. it feels more like a generic d-grade fantasy comic.
I agree, he made that title intresting, they are just trying to water the title of some more money before cancel it.
And i agree i'm not impressed of this team at all.

[Agentum]

We have concensus!

Grell on Warlord again is one of those dreams I have that I know will probably never come true. It's like Grell on Green Arrow, something I've been hoping for since Ollie came back to life.
Grell himself has stated tha GA is his favorite character of characters he has not created himself and he seems to be in bowshooting himself and feels deeply for the character something that is missing in the current GA book.
It will never happen as you say, many people want this watered down standard hero version over the more kontroversal Grell variant that makes them angry.

I'm hapy for the long run he got on GA and is reading them over again enjoying them much more than the current garbage.

[Young Avenger]

Wait... you don't like Greg Land, either?!? Is this a joke thread?

It's hard to like an artist who's a tracer.

[Agentum]

What about this tracing, does he really just draw on top of another picture or drawing?
Because i guess most artist have pictures of models in poses and pictures of citys to draw from, but they don't trace them exactly of course.

Tell me.

[matewan1990]

It's hard to like an artist who's a tracer.

I'll second that notion. Greg Land's art is so boring. Take a look at his Marvel Romance cover. Kyle Baker did a funny cover, so did Amanda Conner. But, Greg Land comes along and it looks like a 50's restaurant menu illustration. His covers are all so bland and lifeless.
I hate this crappy photo-realistic style that every new artist feels they have to draw in. I liked it when every artist had a different style and their art told a story. Romita and Kirby were never photo-realistic, neither were Giffen, Starlin, Wrightson, Eisner, Cole or any of the other great artists. All of those artists were great storytellers. Land's covers are like bad photo collages. There's no storytelling there and he doesn't have the layout and design sense that an artist like Ed Hannigan or Carmine Infantino (two really great cover artists) had/has. I'm turned off when I see a Land cover. His women aren't nearly as beautiful as Mike Mayhew's and Greg Horn's and he doesn't have the layout and design skills of someone like Kaare Andrews. Of course, I was never a fan of his work on Nightwing and Birds of Prey...
Back to Warlord, though — Bart Sears' art is alright. I've got a problem with how the story has veered away from the original Warlord story. It's just not the same characters that I grew up reading, and I'm a big fan of Bruce Jones' horror and superhero writing.
Anytime Mr. Zircher wants to draw Warlord, I'll buy it!
But, please, no Greg Land! Leave him at Marvel!

[Sean Walsh]

I'm not, and never have been a Warlord reader, but I'm amazed by the thread. I've always loved Bart Sears' work, and if I were into fantasy, I'd absolutely be buying this book.

As I mentioned earlier, his artwork has REALLY declined over the last several years. Many critics and readers have echoed that sentiment.

There was a time when his artwork really was great. That time is not now, though.

[matt levin]

I'd be happier with someone else doing the art, too. Grell? sure--likely? not too, I guess. As "dazzler slave" wrote, "Part of my problem is that this current title has yet to feel like Warlord. it feels more like a generic d-grade fantasy comic." Yup. Feels like that to me, too.

Matt