In praise & defense of George Perez: the man who transformed DC Comics

[Jim Thompson]

Okay, that's just crazy talk.

Indeed.

[squashmaster]

Okay, that's just crazy talk.

Actually, it's pretty spot on. Maybe I did use too divisive a name with Liefeld. Goeff Johns or Jim Lee or Dan Jurgens better examples?

[gwangung]

Actually, it's pretty spot on. Maybe I did use too divisive a name with Liefeld. Goeff Johns or Jim Lee or Dan Jurgens better examples?

Still crazy.

[babybro]

Hmm, well it's hard to wager to be honest.

George Perez in certain aspects is fantastic. He has an incredible ability for composition and panel placement for exciting ways of storytelling.
That aspect is true.

However, his facial construction and definitely anatomy has some issues.

However that's not his biggest problem or issue, and I think this is why people claim it looks dated. It's due to the lack of accurate light to shadow placement
on the body. Most of George Perez drawings is based on heavy outline of the figures. To go into small detail but not to overwhelm, when light hits a specific surface,
the area of the plane that changes direction has the darkest area, and past that area is somewhat lighter due to the reflection of light from it's perspective surface.
For Perez, a lot of his shadowing are big blotches of black, with no gradation or transition from a dark to lighter dark.

Let's use another art piece for example

This is Ben Oliver, previous batwing artist. And while he's not a fan on background, his realistic human drawing is a site to behold.



Now look at the last panel, you see how the light comes from the side, and than you have this really dark line before it transcends to lighter color.
That's accurate shadow placement.

Ultimately, my biggest critique of George Perez is that he needs some lesson under the works of chiaroscuro,

If he can do some studies like these



IMO, he would be able to pull off light and shadow more convince ably.

[Flashpoint]

Which seems true of pretty much every artist today who's working on more than one book a month, and that makes him more contemporary than ever!

I read Supergirl #8 the other day, and I was blown away by how good it was. Perez makes really efficient use of panel space and gives you more bang for your buck. And he also tends to add energy to scenes that could easily be 'meh' in lesser hands.

When people refer to Perez as dated, I think they're probably thinking of the 80s costume designs he's known for that don't gel with modern sensibilities. But of course, he isn't drawing those anymore...his stuff is perfectly in keeping with the tone of the books he's on.

Yet Cyborg, Starfire and Raven's designs have stood the test of time for over 30 years.

[dupersuper]

I confess: I'm only in this thread to look at all the pretty Perez art.

[FIFTY-TWO (52)]

I confess: I'm only in this thread to look at all the pretty Perez art.

Wish this guy was still on Avengers.

[Jim Thompson]

Wish this guy was still on Avengers.

No kidding. I'm right there with you.

[Jim Thompson]

Actually, it's pretty spot on.

Sure...on Bizarro World.

[wiski]

This is the correct answer.

Too many people want to supplant the greats with the newbies. Don't get me wrong, some of the newbies are greats, but you cannot bury the older dudes under the newbies.

Perez always was and always will be my fave artist.

Looking at some of his old art, I see that it does look good. Looking at his current art, I am very unimpressed, and sometimes actively dislike it. There are too many better artists around right now for me to think he's better than average at this point. I don't care how good he used to be, I'd rather have a newer artist who is putting out better work drawing a comic that I'm reading than Perez just because he's been around a long time.

[Outside_85]

Actually, it's pretty spot on. Maybe I did use too divisive a name with Liefeld. Goeff Johns or Jim Lee or Dan Jurgens better examples?

Hmm, no...See people who like Perez' art will be partially drawn to his immense attention to details in more or less every panel, Jim Lee on the other hand provides the same amount of details in the big splash pages where things look really good , but normal pages quickly becomes something that looks half-finished (which shouldn't surprise, Lee is nearly notorious for not making deadlines after a while).

[marshal99]

Looking at some of his old art, I see that it does look good. Looking at his current art, I am very unimpressed, and sometimes actively dislike it. There are too many better artists around right now for me to think he's better than average at this point. I don't care how good he used to be, I'd rather have a newer artist who is putting out better work drawing a comic that I'm reading than Perez just because he's been around a long time.

Okay. Check , you don't like Perez. Everyone likes what they like.

It's strange having to actually having to defend Perez work. He is an iconic artist , a living legend. He is my favorite artist but sadly he's close to 60 , his art is bound to suffer slightly.

[Jim Thompson]

Okay. Check , you don't like Perez. Everyone likes what they like.

It's strange having to actually having to defend Perez work. He is an iconic artist , a living legend.

There's no accounting for taste -- or the lack of it.

[FIFTY-TWO (52)]

Okay. Check , you don't like Perez. Everyone likes what they like.

It's strange having to actually having to defend Perez work. He is an iconic artist , a living legend. He is my favorite artist but sadly he's close to 60 , his art is bound to suffer slightly.

But he's doing it better than the Romitas, for sure.

[marshal99]

But he's doing it better than the Romitas, for sure.

To be fair , Romita has always been marmite even in his prime , either people hate his art or like his art.

Perez is considerably slower now but his art still kicked plenty of modern day artists imo. His fine detailing is amazing.