Your favourite artist; his/her finest hour

[benday-dot]

Did we do this yet?

I'm thinking here of a sort of best of the best. If you have a favourite artist what would you cite as that "moment" when he/she were at their most inspired? If you extol the virtues and the glories of Adams, Ditko, Aparo, Kirby, Colan, Swan, Caniff, Starlin, Elias, Wrightson, Simonson, Fradon, Severin, Kubert, Buscema, Newton, Kurtzman (I think I hit many of this boards faves)... whoever is your favourite when was the occasion at which he/she shone the brightest? If you cannot cite a specific comic, for I agree this may be hard or unfair, then how about a particular run when he or she was truly cooking with gas. Maybe its an effort which very much struck a personal chord with you, or maybe its that obviously inspired instance with which you would choose to introduce one unfamilair with your favourite artist.

Most people around here know my guy is Kirby. Right away I'm going to cheat a bit and give my pick for Kirby's best work ever (in my opinion of course) and follow that up by a couple of runner-ups.

1. My first choice is the obvious, but I must say honest one. It could very well be that Kirby's best ever comic as both artist and writer was New God#6. This of course was the famous "Glory Boat!" issue. It has it all. High myth, pitch perfect and powerful Kirby imagery. And just an astounding comic book story.

My other two choices might not be as commonly recognized as top Kirby efforts, but they have always both had great personal impact upon me.

2. Demon #1. Whenever I open this book I am always blown away by the display of Kirby firing on all cylinders. The panels are amazing and the book is a real showcase for Kirby's ability to draw a diversity of imagery... medievel, sorcercy, battle, urban and more. Not only all that, but its a hell of a great comic book concept.

3. Fantastic Four Annual#6... To me this was one of Kirby's last great works on the title he helped make famous. I again love the cosmic larger than life imagery of this book. Kirby renders all that space debris-- things metallic and rocky-- and all that krackle and cosmic energy like only he can. There is some great large panel work in this issue that I find quite awe inspiring. As the baby Franklin is born there is also a real sense of import and urgency to this story called "Let There Be Life." Oh, and I have an unexplained weakness for the Annihilus character...

Maybe this will help people here discover a new artist they know little about.

[Kirk G]

I'd have to go with FF #49 "If this Be Doomsday" or else FF# 51 "This Man, This Monster".

But John Byrne, triumphing with "Days of Future Past" in X-Men #141-142 would be another high point.

[Aaron King]

I'm going to go with my favorite artist ever, Mike Mignola. I first thought, "This guy is amazing," while reading a single page in Hellboy: The Corpse. It's a page with no dialogue as Hellboy waits at a crossroads to meet some Little People... and everything is perfect. The pacing, the atmosphere... it drives me crazy.

And lately Mignola's been been getting even better. Here's the full cover for Hellboy: The Island (http://www.geocities.com/mignolaart/2005_HBIsland1notitlefulla.jpg).

[Cei-U!]

Gene Colan is my favorite artist and the 70-issue run of Tomb of Dracula is his masterpiece. He's done hundreds of superb comics but none reflect his flair for depicting mood and atmosphere, his mastery of lighting effects and his singular gift for subtle characterization via facial expressions and body language to better advantage than ToD. It is the perfect wedding of content and style.

Cei-U!
I summon the garlic and crucifix!

[Babylon23]

Kirby's my favourite artist, and IMO his high point is the Fourth World titles. Kirby was clearly overflowing with ideas at this point. Each issue is a tour de force of ideas and concepts. Obviously, "The Pact" from New Gods #7 is the absolute pinnacle of epic storytelling in this series.

For me, however, issue #8 "The Death Wish of Terrible Turpin" really sums up the series beautifully. Turpin's struggle to deal with a battle far beyond his comprehension highlights the epic scale of the war between the Gods, and his refusal to quit despite the odds against him shows the determination and strength inherent in humanity.

I have to agree with benday-dot regarding "Glory Boat". It's an amazing story.

Artistically, I'd also point to the Kirby/Wood issues of Challengers of the Unknown as one of the most amazing colaborative efforts in comic history.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Kirby's my favourite artist, and IMO his high point is the Fourth World titles. Kirby was clearly overflowing with ideas at this point. Each issue is a tour de force of ideas and concepts. Obviously, "The Pact" from New Gods #7 is the absolute pinnacle of epic storytelling in this series.

For me, however, issue #8 "The Death Wish of Terrible Turpin" really sums up the series beautifully. Turpin's struggle to deal with a battle far beyond his comprehension highlights the epic scale of the war between the Gods, and his refusal to quit despite the odds against him shows the determination and strength inherent in humanity.

I have to agree with benday-dot regarding "Glory Boat". It's an amazing story.

Artistically, I'd also point to the Kirby/Wood issues of Challengers of the Unknown as one of the most amazing colaborative efforts in comic history.

I think my favorite Kirby story from New Gods is "Himon," but I'm hardly an expert.

Which issues of Challengers of the Unknown did Kirby and Wood work on?

[dan bailey]

Which issues of Challengers of the Unknown did Kirby and Wood work on?

#s 4-9, looks like. Easily worth the price of admission for the Showcase Presents collection.

[dan bailey]

Otherwise, with a career as long as John Severin's, I'm sure I've encountered only the tip of the iceberg ... but of course my favorite work by him is his inking job on Dick Ayers on Sgt Fury #s 47-79.

The GCD tells me that John inked his own pencils on #s 44-46, so there's every good chance that viewed somewhat dispassionately, I'd like those pages even more ... but my first ever issue of the title was #48, so I'm admittedly & unashamedly biased toward the Ayers-Severin run.

John also did great work on his sister Marie's pencils on the first 10 (if memory serves) ishes of Kull the Conqueror. (Marie's one of my all-time favorite artists as well, of course.)

[jesse_custer]

My favorite artist is probably Dave Gibbons. I'm sure most of you know his finest hour.

[Lone Ranger]

#s 4-9, looks like. Easily worth the price of admission for the Showcase Presents collection.

Yup - it's unbelievably gorgeous.

[Cei-U!]

#s 4-9, looks like. Easily worth the price of admission for the Showcase Presents collection.

#4-8, actually. #9 is the first Bob Brown issue. and I agree wholeheartedly: the Kirby/Wood Challengers feature some of the Silver Age's most beautiful art.

Cei-U!
I summon the intrepid quartet!

[Cei-U!]

John also did great work on his sister Marie's pencils on the first 10 (if memory serves) ishes of Kull the Conqueror. (Marie's one of my all-time favorite artists as well, of course.)

Sorry to keep correcting you but the Severins worked on Kull #2-9, plus Monsters on the Prowl #16 and a short story in Conan the Barbarian #10 (I think). #1 was by Ross Andru and Wally Wood, #10 by Marie and Frank Chiaramonte.

Cei-U!
I summon my favorite sword-and-sorcery series!

[dan bailey]

Aha -- GCD has a ? after its ID of Wally Wood as inker in the 2nd story of Challengers #9, on which Brown, not Kirby, is penciller. I sit corrected.

And yeah, now that you mention it I do remember being surprised to see, after obtaining the first dozen or so ishes of Kull, that Andru & Wood drew #1 (which I never owned back in the day, though I believe I had all the others, Monsters on the Prowl #16 included).

[Slam_Bradley]

Don Newton is, was and always will be my favorite artist.

The Phantom #74 is his magnum opus. From the painted cover through the script, pencils and inks, the whole bloody book is Don Newton.

[Lone Ranger]

Alex Toth is my #1

As far as I am concerned, his work on Dell's Zorro is funnybook heaven.

[Lone Ranger]

Don Newton is, was and always will be my favorite artist.

The Phantom #74 is his magnum opus. From the painted cover through the script, pencils and inks, the whole bloody book is Don Newton.

You couldn't be righter - one of the decade's best books.

[Slam_Bradley]

Alex Toth is my #1

As far as I am concerned, his work on Dell's Zorro is funnybook heaven.


I can't argue with this one at all. You're the one who convinced me to pick up the Toth Zorro book and it was a great buy.

[zilch]

Two right off the bat...

Dick Dillin JLA #107, 108 inked by Giordano... the one panel with Batman getting ready to kick some Nazi arse climbing up the Eifel Tower... totally awesome!

Sal Buscema on the 1950s Cap story. He really steps it up for this story line and it pays off.

[icctrombone]

Neal adams issue #85 of Green lantern/G. Arrow . Beautiful book with a shocking story subject. The art more than delivered.


Jim Starlin Strange tales # 178. this was the start of his Warlock revamp. his art never looked better.

[Red Oak Kid]

IMO, Barry Smith's finest hour was the Conan story "Red Nails".

[benday-dot]

Artistically, I'd also point to the Kirby/Wood issues of Challengers of the Unknown as one of the most amazing colaborative efforts in comic history.

As with the other posters here I couldn't agree more. In pure technique of execution Sky Masters rivals this collaboration... the quality being of similar high standards, but Challengers certainly has the edge in storytelling and excitement given

[Babylon23]

As with the other posters here I couldn't agree more. In pure technique of execution Sky Masters rivals this collaboration... the quality being of similar high standards, but Challengers certainly has the edge in storytelling and excitement given

Agreed. Skymaster is amazing, but for me, Challengers is the best of the Wood/Kirby collaborations.

[benday-dot]

Alex Toth is my #1

As far as I am concerned, his work on Dell's Zorro is funnybook heaven.

When I put threw up that list of artists in my opener, hardly limiting the choice to such, but hoping to "reach out" to some of the regulars here frm whom I would be interested in hearing I knew immediately after I (shockingly) forgot Toth. I knew he was your guy.

I just narrowly missed winning a Twilight Zone#4 last night with plenty of Toth goodness in I suspect. Next time...


Originally Posted by Slam_Bradley
Don Newton is, was and always will be my favorite artist.

The Phantom #74 is his magnum opus. From the painted cover through the script, pencils and inks, the whole bloody book is Don Newton

Exactly why I wanted to hear from everyone. I must try and track this down.



Originally posted by Red Oak Kid

IMO, Barry Smith's finest hour was the Conan story "Red Nails".

I remember when I picked this up about 25 years ago as a teenager and it was at the time my oldest and richest comic book purchase I had ever made. I forked out 8.00 for this in about VG to Fine condition, and after looking through it never felt prouder to own such a classic comic book. I still have that copy, along with most of BWS other numbers from good old Conan the Barbarian.

[MWGallaher]

One of my favorites died while he was doing some of the best work of his long and groundbreaking career.
Sub-Mariner #57 (http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=83320131326%2057).
Bill Everett, doing two of his best-remembered characters, Namor and Venus. I know Sam Kweskin was providing some assistance, but the overall result is the pinnacle of the Everett look. Absolutely gorgeous work, as are several issues he did around that time. Bill's issues of Subby in the 70's were sublime, removed from the mainstream Marvel continuity and the sameness of superheroic soap opera that never, in my opinion, suited Namor. Everett knew his character, and achieved the necessary balance to make Namor as appealing as he was annoying. If there were anyone who could draw like this today, they'd be giving manga some serious competition, especially with the female audience, or so I've always thought.

[Kirk G]

I think my favorite Kirby story from New Gods is "Himon," but I'm hardly an expert.

Which issues of Challengers of the Unknown did Kirby and Wood work on?

Oh Lord, where is my Jack Kirby Treasury volume One, when I need it?

I think most (but not all) were reprinted in about issues #73-83 or so...but don't trust my numbers at all... I gotta go check. There were only one or two that never saw reprinting.

[benday-dot]

One of my favorites died while he was doing some of the best work of his long and groundbreaking career.
Sub-Mariner #57 (http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=fullsize&issue=83320131326%2057).
Bill Everett, doing two of his best-remembered characters, Namor and Venus. I know Sam Kweskin was providing some assistance, but the overall result is the pinnacle of the Everett look. Absolutely gorgeous work, as are several issues he did around that time. Bill's issues of Subby in the 70's were sublime, removed from the mainstream Marvel continuity and the sameness of superheroic soap opera that never, in my opinion, suited Namor. Everett knew his character, and achieved the necessary balance to make Namor as appealing as he was annoying. If there were anyone who could draw like this today, they'd be giving manga some serious competition, especially with the female audience, or so I've always thought.

Every word you wrote MW I completely agree with. Next to Kirby's Fourth World the Everett run on 70's Subby is the crown jewel of my collection, and yes #57 sits proudly front centre in that "diadem".

[adam_warlock_2099]

Neal adams issue #85 of Green lantern/G. Arrow . Beautiful book with a shocking story subject. The art more than delivered.


Jim Starlin Strange tales # 178. this was the start of his Warlock revamp. his art never looked better.

It's quite obvious I would say Jim Starlin . . . but man if I had to choose one, that would be difficult. But I would go with Strange Tales #180 (maybe 181) the issue where he is in Magus' "church" and he is confronted with using the Soul Gem against his multiple enemies.

Also, Mignola's finest hour has to be Aliens: Sacrafice. I have seen no other person draw an alien better than Mignola, save maybe Killian Plunkett.

[Lone Ranger]

I've really enjoyed this thread, and I thought it would be great to expand beyond my #1 choice. After some time of contemplation, here's the finest hour of my next 10 favourites:

Steve Ditko
Although there are so many great Spider-Man issues, I'll have to go with "Driven to Destruction" from Haunted #4 (reprinted in #52). Ditko’s ability to use body language to tell a story has never been better than in this great tale of marital discord.

Jack Kirby
My favourite Kirby work is from Captain America #102 – I’ve always thought that this one is Kirby super-hero action at its finest. Although I dig me some Challs, Mister Miracle and Fantastic Four, this issue will always be one of the gems of my collection.

Will Eisner
I’ll have to go with "The Showdown", as I really dig the Octopus as a villain and Eisner’s work here is wonderful. I’ve only read it in the Warren mag Spirit #6 – still the best Spirit reprint system, IMHO.

Gil Kane
So much to choose from, but I have to go with the "Gold Diggers of '49", a Time Pool story from Atom #12 featuring an appearance by Edgar Allen Poe. This is such a great little back-up story and Kane keeps it light and fun. This is what makes the Atom stories so appealing to me. Bring back the Time Pool!

Jim Aparo
This is a really tough choice, as I always want to default to the Charlie Droople because it’s so inventive and fun, but that’s early Aparo and I really think he improved as an artist after his move to DC. I’ll have to go with Brave and the Bold #154 (Batman & Metamorpho), as I really think he kicked all kinds of ass here. Man, it’s too bad espionage books went of out fashion because I think Aparo would excelled at exotic locales, disguises and thugs.

Berni Krigstein
No, not Master Race – I’m actually going to go with “Just Her Speed” from CrimeSuspenstories #27. Krigstein builds the suspense wonderfully in this one, and it has a lot of the same cool layout experimentation as Master Race.

Dick Dillin
World’s Finest #235, without a doubt. The Atom goes on a fantastic voyage. I have 5 pages from this book and I am searching desperately for the rest.

Gray Morrow
The Vigilante story from World’s Finest #248, featuring the Dummy. I have always loved what Morrow did with Vig, and this is the best of them. I’ve got 6 pages from this story – missing 2 of them.

Gene Colan
Although I really dig his Daredevil, Dracula and Howard the Duck, I’ve got to say that my favourite work by him is "Fitting Punishment" from Creepy #8. It seems that Colan’s work for Warren is often overlooked, and I’ve always thought that his work looks best in black and white, a

Doug Wildey
Rio – it’s hard to think of a more beautiful comic book. This is classic that should be on everyone’s bookshelf.

[MDG]

Gray Morrow
The Vigilante story from World’s Finest #248, featuring the Dummy. I have always loved what Morrow did with Vig, and this is the best of them. I’ve got 6 pages from this story – missing 2 of them.

I think I have a page from this--I know that it's got Vig and the dummy. And my friend may have the other. I'll check tonite.

I'm going to piggyback on the rest of your post, though I'm not big on knowing issue numbers off the top of my head.


Steve Ditko
A lot to choose from, but I'd have to go with his Warren work--beautiful stuff.

Jack Kirby
My heart's with Kamandi, but best has to be toward the middle of his FF run, when Sinnott comes on board.

Will Eisner
I’ll have to go with "The Showdown", as I really dig the Octopus as a villain and Eisner’s work here is wonderful. I’ve only read it in the Warren mag Spirit #6 – still the best Spirit reprint system, IMHO.
Definite agreement, but Eisner's postwar stretch on The Spirit until around '49 is great. After that, it's only less great. To The Heart of the Storm is my favorite long work by him.

Gil Kane
Captain Action 3-5, if I had to choose

Berni Krigstein
I think it is Master Race, but Key Chain from one of the SuspenStory books shows how he could make a mediocre story something special.

Berni Wrightson
His Warren work, but especially Cool Air.

Jack Davis
In comics, maybe Betsy from Two-Fisted Tales, but my absolute favorite stuff is the monster art he did for Topps, Warren, and various record covers in the late 50s-early 60s.

Alex Toth
A lot to choose from, but I love the two short Fox back-ups he did in The Red Hood in the 80s

Johnny Craig
Extra! One story is very similar to Eisner's The Showdown.

Dan Clowes
David Boring

Carmine Infantino
I know a lot of people with disagree, but either his return to the Flash (when Denis Jensen was inking) or again, his stuff for Warren,

Rich Corben
Grim Wit #1: The Beast of Wolfton or Skull #6

More when I can think of it.

MDG

[Lone Ranger]

I think I have a page from this--I know that it's got Vig and the dummy. And my friend may have the other. I'll check tonite.

I'm going to piggyback on the rest of your post, though I'm not big on knowing issue numbers off the top of my head.

I am missing pages 6 & 7. This is the story introducing Stuff's son. Most of the shots of Dummy have his face whited out and redrawn over the whiteout (pretty tricky to pull off) - also, there's a decent amount of Zip a Tone.

I actually bought it from Heritage Comic sas a complete story, but later realized the 2 pages were missing. I was angry and reached a resolution with them, but didn't want to return the artwork because I loved it so much.

Steve Ditko
A lot to choose from, but I'd have to go with his Warren work--beautiful stuff.
I was considering that stuff too - the grey tone look to his stuff is beautiful.

Jack Kirby
My heart's with Kamandi, but best has to be toward the middle of his FF run, when Sinnott comes on board.
I admit to not having read more than 2 issues of Kamandi. I'm torn between buying the Archives or tracking down back issues on the cheap. I've seen a bunch for $2-$4 lately, but I'm trying to do the math on what makes the most sense.

[MWGallaher]

Jim Aparo
This is a really tough choice, as I always want to default to the Charlie Droople because it’s so inventive and fun, but that’s early Aparo and I really think he improved as an artist after his move to DC. I’ll have to go with Brave and the Bold #154 (Batman & Metamorpho), as I really think he kicked all kinds of ass here. Man, it’s too bad espionage books went of out fashion because I think Aparo would excelled at exotic locales, disguises and thugs.

I'm sure he would have loved doing a series like that. Aparo was a huge Caniff fan and he always wanted to do a classic newspaper adventure stirp like that.
He did have a few chances at that sort of material: Stern Wheeler, the newspaper strip which he did in Connecticut, Tiffany Synn, a secret agent backup in Charlton's Sarge Steel, and an issue of Charlton's Strange Suspense Stories featuring a "challenge" story (where one writer wrote the first half and left the other writer the challenge of finishing it, including resolving the cliffhanger) called "Race Against Death". You should see the strips (if you haven't!) he did pitching a proposed newspaper strip called Condor, featuring an African-American jet-travelling adventurer. It was beautiful work.
Aparo did excel at exotic locales which is one reason I think his pinnacle was Phantom Stranger in the early 70's. The best word I can find to describe that run is "rich": each issue jammed with atmosphere, novel settings (like Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, Paris, the Arctic, Israel, Egypt, Central Africa...), and all the "real world" stuff he was so good at.

[Kan-Man]

Is anyone else thinking the Classic Comics Christmas '07 thread should be our favorite artists?

[Kirk G]

I admit to not having read more than 2 issues of Kamandi. I'm torn between buying the Archives or tracking down back issues on the cheap. I've seen a bunch for $2-$4 lately, but I'm trying to do the math on what makes the most sense.

Let me know what makes most sense.
I've been struggling over this issue as well for almost ten years, and though I've got a good run of Kamandi's early year now, I still feel a collection like Archives would be best.

How long ago was a collection assembled?

[DDM]

Walter Simonson's The Mighty Thor #337-382 as writer & artist:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/87387731330.354.GIF

Walter Simonson's X-Factor #10-39 as penciler:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/97452433904.26.GIF

John Byrne's co-plots with writer Chris Claremont in Uncanny X-Men #108-109, #111-143 w/inker Terry Austin:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/97792366288.114.GIF

John Byrne's Fantastic Four #232-292 as writer & artist:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/30929984076.260.GIF

[DDM]

Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel #25-34 & Marvel Graphic Novel #1: The Death of Captain Marvel:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/14781264402.30.GIF

Jim Starlin's Adam Warlock from Strange Tales #178-181, Warlock #9-15, Avengers Annual #7, & Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/82854655732.178.GIF

[MWGallaher]

I admit to not having read more than 2 issues of Kamandi. I'm torn between buying the Archives or tracking down back issues on the cheap. I've seen a bunch for $2-$4 lately, but I'm trying to do the math on what makes the most sense.
Economically speaking, one should be able to aquire both Archives for $40 each, or less, at $4.00 an "issue" (or less) if one tries.
I can only speak for myself, but as one who has bought and read the first 20 issues in their original forms and has read them as Archives (years later), I got the greater pleasure out of the Archives. Unlike many Archive editions, the Kamandi issues read well in bigger doses. And there are some instances where you really don't want to miss an issue. I really didn't expect to enjoy volume 1 as much as I did, but I really ate it up! And the originals of that era have some really flimsy, unsatisfactory paper: I've been rereading my issues of Hercules Unbound and I'm not liking the feel of the aged paper at all.

[Heraclevs]

I think George Perez being given the golden opportunity to draw practically every DC and Marvel character that matters (including a cameo at my request :) ) in JLA/Avengers was something like the pinnacle for him.


- Romans 9

[prince hal]

I remember Paul Gualcy's final series within Master of Kung Fu (46-50 or so?). Haven't reread that in ages, but I'm betting the art holds up nicely.

Nick Cardy and Sergio Aragones on Bat Lash.

Any number of issues of GI Combat by Heath and Sgt. Rock by Kubert.

A cliche, perhaps, but the Rogers and Austin Detectives from the late 70s.

[benday-dot]

Steve Ditko
Although there are so many great Spider-Man issues, I'll have to go with "Driven to Destruction" from Haunted #4 (reprinted in #52). Ditko’s ability to use body language to tell a story has never been better than in this great tale of marital discord.

Alas, I have Haunted 3 and 5, but not 4... I'll need to look it up or find a copy of #52. I'll pick Creepy #10, with Collector's Edition. It is that indeed.



Gil Kane
So much to choose from, but I have to go with the "Gold Diggers of '49", a Time Pool story from Atom #12 featuring an appearance by Edgar Allen Poe. This is such a great little back-up story and Kane keeps it light and fun. This is what makes the Atom stories so appealing to me. Bring back the Time Pool!

I'm tempted to pick Captain Action #2. I only hesitate because Wally Wood's inks, while a thing of beauty, overwhelm the pure "Kaneness" a bit of this great comic. But yes, Kane's Atom work was glorious.

Jim Aparo
This is a really tough choice, as I always want to default to the Charlie Droople because it’s so inventive and fun, but that’s early Aparo and I really think he improved as an artist after his move to DC. I’ll have to go with Brave and the Bold #154 (Batman & Metamorpho), as I really think he kicked all kinds of ass here. Man, it’s too bad espionage books went of out fashion because I think Aparo would excelled at exotic locales, disguises and thugs.

I am shockingly a late convert to the great (I say that word now with utter surety) Jim Aparo. Maybe reading what MWG said he would go along with this. I fell in love with Phantom Stranger #8 "Journey to the Tomb of the Ice Giants" and #10 "Death.. Call Not my Name." Although some of those later issues with the Kaluta Frankenstein backups had truly nice Aparo work as well.


Gene Colan
Although I really dig his Daredevil, Dracula and Howard the Duck, I’ve got to say that my favourite work by him is "Fitting Punishment" from Creepy #8. It seems that Colan’s work for Warren is often overlooked, and I’ve always thought that his work looks best in black and white, a

Any issue of Tomb is good, especially nos. 32-33 mostly concering Harker. But I'm really feeling the pleasures offered by the Nathaniel Dusk series' lately.

Doug Wildey
Rio – it’s hard to think of a more beautiful comic book. This is classic that should be on everyone’s bookshelf.

Don't know it but must find out about it. Thank you!

PS... While I have all the lovely Kirby Kamandi originals I also have Archives vol.1, and it looks wonderful in that format of reproduction. If it comes down to economics I bet you can get the Archives for half the cover price on ebay or elsewhere.


It's quite obvious I would say Jim Starlin . . . but man if I had to choose one, that would be difficult. But I would go with Strange Tales #180 (maybe 181) the issue where he is in Magus' "church" and he is confronted with using the Soul Gem against his multiple enemies.

Agree. It has to be those Strange Tales. Starlin was at his most original and cinematic then.

[MWGallaher]

Now here's a difficult one: Sal Buscema.
If there was ever an artist who was "always the same", it's Sal. How do you pick a high point when an artist's work is as consistent as his? But my answer comes to me quickly: the early issues of The Defenders. The "sameness" of Sal's work can get tiresome, but here he was doing such a disparate group of characters that his flexibility, his adaptability was shining. He wasn't the best Dr. Strange artist, no. But his Doc had character and life and warmth. Not the best at Namor, but his Namor worked. Not the best Hulk artist, but his Hulk was perfect for the scripts he was given: misunderstood, loveable giant. On top of that, he did a good job with the Silver Surfer, he defined Valkyrie and Nighthawk, did a great Black Knight...there's a reason Erik Larsen imitated Sal when Larsen was drawing a Defenders revival. Sal's the guy there, where he never was "the guy" before.

[Lurch]

I have to go with Barry Smith. His adaptation of Red Nails was when he peaked in terms of sequential story-telling. After that his work on things like Weapon X were still beautiful but more on the illustrative side, and a little less dynamic than his earlier work. I always found Smith's progression from a Jack Kirby clone to his current style to be one of the more interesting in comics history, because it was almost as if you could see him getting better with each issue of Conan.

37187

[Lurch]

Now here's a difficult one: Sal Buscema.
If there was ever an artist who was "always the same", it's Sal. How do you pick a high point when an artist's work is as consistent as his? But my answer comes to me quickly: the early issues of The Defenders. The "sameness" of Sal's work can get tiresome, but here he was doing such a disparate group of characters that his flexibility, his adaptability was shining. He wasn't the best Dr. Strange artist, no. But his Doc had character and life and warmth. Not the best at Namor, but his Namor worked. Not the best Hulk artist, but his Hulk was perfect for the scripts he was given: misunderstood, loveable giant. On top of that, he did a good job with the Silver Surfer, he defined Valkyrie and Nighthawk, did a great Black Knight...there's a reason Erik Larsen imitated Sal when Larsen was drawing a Defenders revival. Sal's the guy there, where he never was "the guy" before.


That's a really good observation. I remember as a kid always being a little disappointed whenever Sal would do a fill-in in on Spider-man or FF or something, but I still bought it, because the guy got the job done. In retrospect I can see that I was unfairly comparing his pencil's to John's (Buscema's) pencils, and during that same period you had such great work being done by John and Joe Sinnott on the Fantastic Four title that it sort of overshadowed the stuff Sal was doing.

Does Herb Trimpe fall into that category too? I can't recall ever thinking that his pencils had changed for better or worse, but they always seemed just right for the job at hand.

[Cei-U!]

Is anyone else thinking the Classic Comics Christmas '07 thread should be our favorite artists?

Get outta my brain, you!

Cei-U!
I drop a hint!

[benday-dot]

Now here's a difficult one: Sal Buscema.
If there was ever an artist who was "always the same", it's Sal. How do you pick a high point when an artist's work is as consistent as his? But my answer comes to me quickly: the early issues of The Defenders. The "sameness" of Sal's work can get tiresome, but here he was doing such a disparate group of characters that his flexibility, his adaptability was shining. He wasn't the best Dr. Strange artist, no. But his Doc had character and life and warmth. Not the best at Namor, but his Namor worked. Not the best Hulk artist, but his Hulk was perfect for the scripts he was given: misunderstood, loveable giant. On top of that, he did a good job with the Silver Surfer, he defined Valkyrie and Nighthawk, did a great Black Knight...there's a reason Erik Larsen imitated Sal when Larsen was drawing a Defenders revival. Sal's the guy there, where he never was "the guy" before.

I agree with your assessment of Sal. For me any preferences I have for his artwork goes up or down depending on his inker. For Defenders I preferred
Klaus Janson to either McLaughlin or Abel. And on Hulk I like Buscema's collaboration with Chan and Staton, but not so much with Esposito (though he seemed to do a better Spider-man with Sal) or when he inked himself.

Those Len Wein Hulk comics between about 190 and 210 were terrific.

[Kan-Man]

Get outta my brain, you!

Cei-U!
I drop a hint!

C'mon, it's not even Halloween yet - time to start planning for the holidays.

Ho Ho Ho

[DDM]

George Perez's pencils from Crisis On Infinite Earths #1-12 & History of the DC Universe #1-2:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.1.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.5.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.7.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.12.GIF

He literally drew all the then current DC characters in existence throughout the series. And Perez's detail work is in full force given these covers...

This series also changed the DC Universe forever, altering all the major & minor characters.

[Sir Tim Drake]

I think my favorite work by Perez was New Teen Titans #39. It featured George inking himself, which is always an event, and it was also one of the best stories he's ever illustrated (though not as good as the previous issue).

[spoon_jenkins]

Now here's a difficult one: Sal Buscema.
If there was ever an artist who was "always the same", it's Sal. How do you pick a high point when an artist's work is as consistent as his?
There's definitely some Sal Buscema work I like more than others, but I don't know how much inkers play into that. My favorite Sal art is the early issues of his Spectacular Spider-Man run starting in #135. He inked a lot of those issues himself.

My Don Newton collection is mostly Batman comics. My favorite is the giant villain-fest in Detective Comics #526.

My favorite Joe Staton art is the early part (#188-198) of the Englehart/Staton run on Green Lantern.

[ultramandingo]

............poison river by gilbert hernandez or charles burns' black hole

[adam_warlock_2099]

Agree. It has to be those Strange Tales. Starlin was at his most original and cinematic then.

I also thought that the few sparatic drawn issues he did of Doctor Strange where fantastic too. But yeah the Strange Tales were the Chimay of his drawings.

[benday-dot]

Today I "accidently" got reacquainted with my little run of Korak, Son of Tarzan and I don't know if it was Murphy Anderson's finest hour, but I have to say MA's clean but lush rendering of the African jungle and its denizens sure is a pretty sight to behold.

[Babylon23]

This is a great thread. I'd thought I'd throw up a few more.

Jim Aparo: As much as I love his Phantom Stranger and B&B work, the highlight for me is his run of Spectre stories in Adventure Comics. "The Nightmare Dummies" from Adventure 434 is my personal favourite.

John Buscema: It's difficult to go past Buscema's incredible Conan work, but as a huge Avengers fan, my favourite work of his is his classic run with Roy Thomas, especially Avengers 50-60. The 2-part Vision story from 57-58 is incredible, and the final page of Vision crying in 58 is one of my absolute favourite comic pages.

Joe Kubert: Definitely Enemy Ace. No specific issue, it's all good.

[Roquefort Raider]

I'll go with Barry Windsor-Smith as well, but I think my favorite work of his is Conan #24, "the song of Red Sonja". It had everything: a bar fight, a haunted tower, an exotic setting, great sexual tension between Conan and Sonja and for once in a S&S book, a woman being treated as a strong and clever human being. All that with Smith's lovely lush backgrounds.

"Red nails", which saw print in Savage Tales #2 and 3 a short while later, was also magnificent... But Conan #24 always retained its primacy to me.


---


Michael Golden is a comic-book God to me. His golden years (forgive the pun) went on for a long period, from his magnificent Micronauts run through his awe-inspiring one-shots in Marvel Fanfare #1-2, Doctor Strange 55 and Star Wars #38 all the way to his highly detailed art in "the 'Nam". In fact, rather than try to find out what was his best work, I think it would be easier to point out his only bad piece: an old inventory story presented in Bizarre adventures #28 long after Golden had become famous. One gets the impresion that the story had been drawn by him as a very young artist, shelved for a decade by Marvel, and brought out after his name had become a crowd-attractor.

[hangmanjury]

George Perez's pencils from Crisis On Infinite Earths #1-12 & History of the DC Universe #1-2:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.1.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.5.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.7.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/19768226990.12.GIF

He literally drew all the then current DC characters in existence throughout the series. And Perez's detail work is in full force given these covers...

This series also changed the DC Universe forever, altering all the major & minor characters.
I agree, and will mention JLA/Avengers as well.

[Jamie]

It's entirely too recent to count as a classic comic, but Mike Allred's work in the recent Madman Atomic Comics #3 is one of the most virtuoso performances I've seen. His command of an array of styles is simply astounding.

[benday-dot]

Let me put in a word for the late great Gene Day. I have no problem choosing as his finest hour that last great handful of Master of Kung Fu comics from around 114 to 118. His whole run was good, but those final few comics featuring Chi's last face off with Fu Manchu were absolutely splendid. Too bad we didn't get to see more of Day's beautiful pencil work.

[Babylon23]

Michael Golden is a comic-book God to me.

Love Golden. My favourites would be Dr. Strange 55, Avengers Annual 10 and Micronauts #7 (the issue guest starring Man-Thing).

[stelok]

favourite artist's finest hour:
George Perez- JLA/Avengers or Crisis on Infinite Earths
John Byrne- Fantastic Four vol. 1 issue 258
Frank Miller- Dark Knight Returns
Jim Lee- Batman: Hush arc with the writer Jeph Loeb
Joe Kubert- his run on Enemy Ace
Steve Epting- Winter Soldier arc in Captain America
Ron Lim- Streets of Poison arc in Captain America
Andy Kubert- Batman and Son arc with writer Grant Morrison
John Cassaday- his post 9-11 work on Captain America

[ultramandingo]

Love Golden. My favourites would be Dr. Strange 55, Avengers Annual 10 and Micronauts #7 (the issue guest starring Man-Thing).

...........plus those Howard the Duck magazines and Star Wars #38 !! im pretty sure he was my first favorite artist !

[gking727]

My favorite artist is Gil Kane, but I don't know that I can choose a finest hour just because of the sheer volume of work. The late 60's GL and Atom stuff for sure; any one of dozens of 70's Marvel covers; the 80's Sword of the Atom stuff; there was an early (2nd appearance?) Animalman story he did that was incredible, the list goes on and on.

I fell in love with Phantom Stranger #8 "Journey to the Tomb of the Ice Giants" and #10 "Death.. Call Not my Name."

Aparo would be a close 2nd for me and those 2 Phantom Stranger issues would be right up there. The B&W Showcase reprints of the Ice Giants story are just awe-inspiring.

Giffen on Ambush Bug. :D

Those Perez Crisis covers are still pretty darn spectacular too.

[DDM]

Bill Sienkiewicz's finest hour has to be The New Mutants #18-31 as his style drastically changed from initially a Neal Adams inspiration into something far more experimental:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/56757119524.19.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/56757119524.23.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/56757119524.26.GIF
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/56757119524.31.GIF

Chris Claremont's stories also took a darker turn as Magik started using her sorcery more often & became the teleporter for the team. Magik's armor also first manifested at this time. All of the other kids dealt with greater depth of characterization thanks to Bill Sienkiewicz's collaboration on the book as a whole. He really made Selene appear to be absolutely evil, although she appears to be a normal woman.

[MichikoS]

I surprised myself. Since I've been reading and collecting comics since the 1960's, I thought for sure I would have a favorite from among the Silver/Bronze pantheon, as many of my colleagues have, but what comes to mind for me right now is the absolutely bangup job FRANK QUITELY and ART ADAMS did for the latter part of THE AUTHORITY's first series in 2000. I go back to those issues #14-28 often, just to marvel at the beautiful art and top-notch storytelling. Mark Millar's worldview is bleak and pessimistic, but for me, it all comes together in these comics to make a compelling read. Art Adams did absolutely top-notch work in #27 & 28, which I can look at for hours. Quitely is such an acquired taste that I hesitate to recommend his work to the uninitiated. But for me, his work is stylistically unique and technically accomplished, the hallmarks of a Great Artist.

Michi

[Polar Bear]

This is the most expensive thread in my entire message board life. I've added almost $80 to my want list by now (Challengers, Zorro, Phantom . . .).

Batman is mentioned disproportionately in my list below, considering I'm not a huge Bat-fan. Maybe he just brings out the best in artists?? Anyway, here are some that haven't been mentioned much (or at all) on this thread yet:

1) Russ Manning

Tarzan of the Apes/Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar/Tarzan in the Land the Time Forgot. These jewels, reprinted by Dark Horse but long out of print, just sing whenever I read them. Beauty and fun, all in one.

2) Jim Steranko

The master. "At the Stroke of Midnight" is my favorite sequential story, while Superman 400's "The Exile at the End of Eternity" is astonishingly creative.

3) Carl Barks

The good artist was at his best with travel stories, especially Donald Duck's "Lost in the Andes" and Uncle Scrooge's "The Lemming with the Locket."

4) Curt Swan.

There's a certain beauty to a Curt Swan page. You're never confused. The story flows. The characters always look just right. Their faces match the dialogue. The perspective and anatomy are perfect. Superman doesn't look like a musclebound buffoon, but he's someone you'd want on YOUR side. And the artwork doesn't draw you out of the story, but is at its service. Curt Swan, IMO, is way under-appreciated.

As a quirky submission (in that it avoids Superman), I'll say that his Aquaman mini-series from the 80's was near-perfect.

5) Michael Kaluta

I enjoy his Shadow series from the 70's, yes, but for my personal favorite, I'd have to say his Dragonlance covers from the late 80's were mindblowingly gorgeous. (I love art deco and Mucha, so I'm naturally drawn to them.)

6) Don Newton

And here, the Batman references start. Detective Comics, c. 480's and 490's is my mental "icon" of Batman. And thanks for that Phantom recommendation--I'm on it.

7) Michael Golden

Batman Special #1, "Player on the Other Side," one of my favorite stories *ever*.

8) P. Craig Russell

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, "Hothouse." I loved the panel layout when it first came out, and it still impresses me today.

9) Tim Sale

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, "Blades." Wow, that title used to actually be good once upon a time.

10) Steve Ditko

Yes, almost every poster has mentioned him, but I have to add him in anyway. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2, which teamed up Spider-Man and Dr. Strange. WOW WOW WOW WOW This was the first comic that actually blew my mind. I think I was all of 6 when I first ran into it.

Great, great thread! Thanks!


P.S. No love for Moebius? Herge? Uderzo?

[benday-dot]

What was Nick Cardy's finest hour? I may or may not have read somewhere that the man himself nominates Brave and the Bold #92 as own best cover ever.

I picked up a cheap copy of this issue and finished reading the fine Bob Haney script. But looking back repeatedly at that atmospherically drenched cover it is hard to disagree with Cardy if he did indeed pick this one as as his favourite among so many excellent others.

If not a selection from Brave and the Bold I would pick anyone of Aquaman 37-45... all more than wondeful.

Or another great selection would be the masterful Girls' Love Stories#139.

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/1098/400/1098_4_092.jpg

[MDG]

What was Nick Cardy's finest hour? I may or may not have read somewhere that the man himself nominates Brave and the Bold #92 as own best cover ever.

I picked up a cheap copy of this issue and finished reading the fine Bob Haney script. But looking back repeatedly at that atmospherically drenched cover it is hard to disagree with Cardy if he did indeed pick this one as as his favourite among so many excellent others.

If not a selection from Brave and the Bold I would pick anyone of Aquaman 37-45... all more than wondeful.

Or another great selection would be the masterful Girls' Love Stories#139.

Or Bat Lash. Or some of his looser Teen Titans stories. A lot of great Cardy to choose from during the late Silver Age.

During the same period just about anything Bob Oksner drew was gorgeous. Too bad during the 70s both did mainly middling "house-style" work.

MDG

[dan bailey]

As it happens, I was impressed anew at Cardy's absolutely sumptuous pencils (&, for that matter, inks, as was especially evident when he was embellishing George Tuska, whose work I've generally found only serviceable) a couple of weeks ago while reading Showcase Presents The Teen Titans vol 2. He's one artist who's very nicely served by the B&W format, I think.

[joe the baker]

For me there are so many great artists that spring to mind that it is a very difficult task to place one above all others. Push coming to shove I would say the man I regard as the definitive Bat artist - Jim Aparo.

[TVComicsFan]

So many to choose from. But for me, a few standouts would be:

Jose Delbo's artwork on the Gold Key adaptation of the movie "Yellow Submarine," Neal Adams' work on the DC treasury Superman vs. Muhammad
Ali, all of Alex Ross' work on the various DC treasury-sized comics starring
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Shazam [Captain Marvel], any Disney
movie adaptation drawn by Alex Toth or Dan Spiegle, Harvey Eisenberg's work
on the adaptation of "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear" (also one of the last things he
ever did), Al Kilgore's work on the first issue of Rocky & His Fiendish Friends (and the Bullwinkle newspaper strip), Joe Sinnott's excellent work on
Dell's The Beatles (uncanny likenesses of the Fab Four on every page,
even when they were quite young), Carl Barks' "Back to the Klondike" with
Uncle Scrooge, and Jack Davis' work on the only two issues of Yak Yak
(Dell's answer to Mad magazine. Those are some that immediately come
to mind.

[devildinosaur]

John Byrne's issues on "Superman" that were inked by Karl Kesel. I've never had as much fun reading a comic before or since.