Best Iron Man Artist

[Paiute 1]

Now that we have beat up who the best Iron Man writer is, who is the best Iron Man artist?

List as many as you want and an explanation if you feel it's neccasary.

My Choices in order.

1. Sean Chen
2. Jackson Guice
3. John Romita Jr.
4. Mark Bright
5. Bob Layton
6. George Tuska; just for the Iron Man part.

[Cei-U!]

Keeping in mind I haven't read any Iron Man comic newer than '86 or so, my top five choices would be

5. Don Heck
4. Gene Colan
3. George Tuska
2. John Romita Jr. and Bob Layton
1. Johnny Craig

Cei-U!
I summon the old school Shellhead!

[Paiute 1]

Oh man I forgot Colan. Put him at 6 and move Tuska to 7.

[Dave G.]

Bob Layton by a mile. He defined what Iron Man should look like for every artist on the title for years. His style may look a bit dated today, but he is the standard everyone else has to meet.

[Reptisaurus!]

1. Johnny Craig


Seriously? I didn't know that.

Edit: Gene Colan. It was only a handful of issues, but I always liked the subtly gothic/horror type vibe, and I thought it mixed really well with the "man trapped in a living prison" theme of the book. I always liked IM with a bit of a suspense/horror type vibe.

[Alex Dragon]

Don Heck holds a special place in my Ironman memories because I think I saw his version of Ironman first in MARVEL DOUBLE FEATURE (I think that was the name of the Ironman reprint book). I loved his version of Tony Stark and think his Pepper Potts and all the women he drew were glamorous and a bit sexy.

George Tuska has a special place because I thought his version of the armor looked like it had some weight to it and didn't look like cloth.

Bob Layton gets my praise because he's the first artist I remember seeing that made the armor look not only like metal but shiny metal. It seems so obvious how to do it now but before Bob it seems like no one could pull that off. Bob also gets my tip of the hat for making the world of Ironman look modern (for it's time) and hi-tek.

Ironman has has a lot of strong artists on his book but for me those made the bigest impression on me. I think Salvador Larroca is doing some great stuff on the book these days too.

[Babylon23]

Bob Layton, followed closely by any artist inked by Bob Layton. JRJR, Guice and Bright all looked good with Layton's inks.

[benday-dot]

Don Heck holds a special place in my Ironman memories because I think I saw his version of Ironman first in MARVEL DOUBLE FEATURE (I think that was the name of the Ironman reprint book). I loved his version of Tony Stark and think his Pepper Potts and all the women he drew were glamorous and a bit sexy.

George Tuska has a special place because I thought his version of the armor looked like it had some weight to it and didn't look like cloth.

Bob Layton gets my praise because he's the first artist I remember seeing that made the armor look not only like metal but shiny metal. It seems so obvious how to do it now but before Bob it seems like no one could pull that off. Bob also gets my tip of the hat for making the world of Ironman look modern (for it's time) and hi-tek.

Ironman has has a lot of strong artists on his book but for me those made the bigest impression on me. I think Salvador Larroca is doing some great stuff on the book these days too.

All very good observations (though I'll take your word for it on the last one, since I'm not reading the current incarnation). But, yes, that Tuska look really put the iron in Iron Man. Well said. And Layton/Romita just added such a beautiful sheen to the character and the book as a whole. They hauled the book out of the doldrums, and made it a really compelling read, and gorgeous to look at.

[Roquefort Raider]

George Tuska, especially inked by Vince Colletta. I agree with Alex on the weight and volume George gave the armor. The ladies looked pretty good too, which was fitting for a book where the hero is supposed to be a playboy.

John Romita Jr. inked by Bob Layton, yes, of course. The armor looked a little too painted on, but it was indeed pretty shiny.

Here's one from the left field : Michael Golden. He drew very few books with Iron Man, but he always managed to combine the massive aspect from Tuska's work with the metallic quality from Romita's. That was particularly true in Avengers annual #7.

[Paiute 1]

Bob Layton, followed closely by any artist inked by Bob Layton. JRJR, Guice and Bright all looked good with Layton's inks.

Your absolutly right, Layton could and did make anybody look good. From the couple of issues over Tuska to any fill in artist he always made you look good.

[Paiute 1]

George Tuska, especially inked by Vince Colletta. I agree with Alex on the weight and volume George gave the armor. The ladies looked pretty good too, which was fitting for a book where the hero is supposed to be a playboy.

John Romita Jr. inked by Bob Layton, yes, of course. The armor looked a little too painted on, but it was indeed pretty shiny.

Here's one from the left field : Michael Golden. He drew very few books with Iron Man, but he always managed to combine the massive aspect from Tuska's work with the metallic quality from Romita's. That was particularly true in Avengers annual #7.

Another one from left field: Jim Starlin. The few times he drew Iron Man he realy made him stand out.

[i*love*comics*247]

Bob Layton

[Paiute 1]

If this was a poll; I would say Layton won hands down!!

[Iron-boy]

Adi Granov and Patrick Zircher i think is his name.

[Roquefort Raider]

Another one from left field: Jim Starlin. The few times he drew Iron Man he realy made him stand out.

Hey, that's true! Starlin rocked when he drew Iron Man in issue #55 (which introduced Drax) or Avengers annual #7.

[Holdyourfireal]

Don Heck holds a special place in my Ironman memories because I think I saw his version of Ironman first in MARVEL DOUBLE FEATURE (I think that was the name of the Ironman reprint book). I loved his version of Tony Stark and think his Pepper Potts and all the women he drew were glamorous and a bit sexy.



Marvel Double Feature was the book that introduced me to comics back in 73 or 74! :)

[Holdyourfireal]

1. The John Romita Jr./Bob Layton collaborations!
2. George Tuska
3. Gene Colan
4. The Jerry Bingham/Bob Layton collaborations.
5. Jorge Lucas.

[Stephane Garrelie]

1-John Romita Jr with Bob Layton
2-Bob Layton
3-Jerry Bingham with Bob Layton
4-Mark Bright with Bob Layton
5-George Tuska, Paul Ryan, JRjr during the run writen by Byrne or Gene Colan.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Layton is first on my list, followed by Romita Jr.

[B. Kuwanger]

Bob Layton, followed closely by any artist inked by Bob Layton. JRJR, Guice and Bright all looked good with Layton's inks.

Yep. Throw in Colan, and new school guys like Canete, De La Torre, and Granov (not my favorite style, but I think he really suits IM) and you have my choices.

[stelok]

Sean Chen
Don Heck

[devildinosaur]

JRJR and Bob Layton. I also really liked Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell.

[DonEMC]

Hands down the best Iron Man artist (for me) is Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell. I loved their art on the series. I also liked Luke's art when Bob Layton inked him on 151.

[destro]

I love Gene Colan, but I've always felt that Iron Man was completely wrong for his style.

When I look at Colan's Iron Man, I never feel that I'm looking at someone wearing armor. It always comes off as just another superhero costume to me. Gene's sketchy style isn't well suited for something involving technology.

I'd much rather see him working on Daredevil or Tomb of Dracula, which really play to his amazing talents.

But to answer the original question, I have to agree with most of you. Layton and Romita Jr. by a mile. When I think of Iron Man I always picture their versions. I even enjoyed JRJR's later run on Iron Man after he switched to his new style (though the stories left something to be desired...I believe they were written by John Byrne!)

[icctrombone]

I won't place them in any order because they are all the "best " in different ways-

Gene Colan
Bob layton
Romita Jr.
Luke mcdonnell

[goof]

Jim Lee's Heroes Return run.

[Roquefort Raider]

Jim Lee's Heroes Return run.

Wasn't that Whilce Portacio?

I liked the heat vents he put at the back of the armor. They gave a very functional look to the suit.

[goof]

Wasn't that Whilce Portacio?

I liked the heat vents he put at the back of the armor. They gave a very functional look to the suit.

You're right! Jim Lee wrote those. Oops then it's Whilce Portacio for me. :biggrin:

[DonEMC]

I thought McDonnell was a very good storyteller and I loved the way he used shadows on the series, which, by that time, had taken a much darker turn. O'Neil's stories were brilliant and I thought McDonnell's art really told the story well. I also liked the way his Iron Man moved.

[verslibre]

Bob Layton by a mile. He defined what Iron Man should look like for every artist on the title for years. His style may look a bit dated today, but he is the standard everyone else has to meet.

Bob Layton, followed closely by any artist inked by Bob Layton.

Ditto and ditto.

[Ray R.]

1. Bob Layton
2. George Tuska
3. Jim Starlin
4. John Buscema
5. George Perez
6. Don Heck