Why is Erik Larsen considered so great?

[Phil Maurice]

(Really liked the Giffen-DeMatteis/Maguire mini from '05. . .)

Is that the one that ended with the original Defenders becoming "The Order" with Doc Strange back in the mask? If so, I loved The Defenders portion, but am sad to say I just didn't care for The Order. Not at all.

[Venomous Mask]

Erik Larsen is good, though he had a tendency to make people a bit too blocky and women too skinny. I'll admit that when I was about eight, I read two Spiderman graphic novels where one was drawn by McFarlane and the other by Larsen and I had no idea that the art was by two separate people.

[md62]

It's unfair to compare him to Rob Liefeld. Erik knows how to lay out a page, tell a story and is consistent with his stylized way of drawing anatomy. He is a very talented artist

Of all the Image artists I thought he was the best storyteller. He wasn't "flashy" like the others. Plus his work ethic & love of comics should be applauded. His Savage Dragon & Next Issue Project are FUN books.

[md62]

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2001 Defenders 12-issue series Larsen produced along with Kurt Busiek. A really great run, hilariously written and beautifully drawn. I thought it was the best take on the Non-Team since the Gerber days.

One of my favorite Defenders runs. IMO it is much much better than Fraction's current run.

[Kurt Busiek]

Why is Erik Larsen so popular and esteemed? Is he a really good writer?

Yes, he's a really good writer.

He also produces comics that have a lot of energy, great storytelling, bold, inventive design and a strong sense of fun. And he built himself a home -- Image, to some degree, but SAVAGE DRAGON specifically -- where he's got a series built around his strengths and he can just do it the way he wants it to be done and the people who like it will be glad to have it, year after year after year.

kdb

[CrazyOldHermit]

The dude has been writing and drawing the same book (which he owns) continuously for what, 20 years? That is a massive feat. Massive.

[GRANT!]

His art is an acquired taste but he knows how to lay out a dynamic page. His not as detailed as he is in that spider-man picture. It's a little more fast and loose now.

I love Savage Dragon because it's a superhero book with no restrictions and no filter. It's just pure creativity from one guy. It can get messy, take wrong turns and confusing at times for new readers but it never fails to be boring. Even after a bad issue I want to know what happens next. But when it gets great there's nothing else like it.

[MonteMike72]

His work never appealed to me.
I have a few issues of Savage Dragon.
A fun book kind of but not enough for me to keep up with it.

[Rob Allen]

Larsen has had the good sense to hire my buddy Tom Orzechowski to letter Savage Dragon for the last few years.

[dan bailey]

Is that the one that ended with the original Defenders becoming "The Order" with Doc Strange back in the mask? If so, I loved The Defenders portion, but am sad to say I just didn't care for The Order. Not at all.

Since that doesn't ring even the vaguest of bells, I'm going to say you're thinking of another (mini-)series. That I haven't read.

[FanboyStranger]

Since that doesn't ring even the vaguest of bells, I'm going to say you're thinking of another (mini-)series. That I haven't read.

No, he's right-- The Busiek/Larson Defenders run led into a mini called The Order, where the Defenders essentially take over the world as an end-around against the curse that bound them together. It was before that Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire mini. Here's one of the covers:



There was also a good Marvel series a few years back entitled The Order by Matt Fraction and Barry Kitson. It was orginally supposed to be called The Champions, but there was some kind of trademark snafu. It was an ongoing, but it only lasted 10 issues before Fraction moved some of the plot elements into Iron Man.

[dupont2005]

I think people follow him for Savage Dragon. Not just the art, but the whole package. I can't comment on it because I don't read it, but it is a very long running creator owned title he's been dedicated to all the way through. Not a lot of titles out there like that. Especially mainstream super hero type titles. This may be the only one? You can't really judge something like that by a cover image. He writes and illustrates a story by himself over an extended period of time. A character and world he created. Not something he was contracted to do for ten issues for an established title. Not something he created that fizzled out in four issues. Not something he created, got too busy to work on anymore, and contracted out to other talent. It's one of few examples out there.

[icctrombone]

It's a great book and the only book that is totally unpredictable. People die and shock you by not coming back. He is great just because he does his own book and no one can mess it up with silly retcons.

[dan bailey]

No, he's right-- The Busiek/Larson Defenders run led into a mini called The Order, where the Defenders essentially take over the world as an end-around against the curse that bound them together. It was before that Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire mini.

The Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire was the one I was talking about, though.

There was also a good Marvel series a few years back entitled The Order by Matt Fraction and Barry Kitson. It was orginally supposed to be called The Champions, but there was some kind of trademark snafu. It was an ongoing, but it only lasted 10 issues before Fraction moved some of the plot elements into Iron Man.

Yeah, I liked that one, though it sort of lost its way toward the end ... understandable, I suppose, with cancellation looming.

[stelok]

I hear him talked about alot as an alltime great creator but then I look at his art like on savage dragon, and then some spiderman covers and it doesnt look that special to me, just typical Rob Liefeld-esque 90s super hero comics style



Why is Erik Larsen so popular and esteemed? Is he a really good writer?

Because Mr. Larsen is hardworking and diligent unlike Rob Liefeld and Todd McFarlane.