Favorite cover artists: the poll

[dan bailey]

Or Mac Raboy, Matt Baker, Lou Fine, L.C. Cole, Basil Wolverton, Alex Schomburg, Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Graham Ingels, Wally Wood, Frank Frazetta, Bob Powell, Don Heck ... dozens of others just from the Golden & (I guess the kids are calling it these days) Atomic ages alone.

Like I said -- it just can't be done. The list of highly deserving possibilities would be as long as this page.

[Dave2739]

No mention of Alex Ross (my vote would've gone to him) unless I missed it.

[passer-by]

Since we're asked about cover artist - Jo Chen with James Jean as runner-up.
I'd rather have the names from the poll on interiors.

[Polar Bear]

Ooh... Lou Fine...

If anyone does ever publish a nice art retrospective of his, please put it on the Upcoming Books of Interest thread...

[Polar Bear]

Ooh... Lou Fine...

If anyone does ever publish a nice art retrospective of his, please put it on the Upcoming Books of Interest thread...

[icctrombone]

No SCOTT SHAW!?

I enjoyed Scotts Zoo crew work.

[Phil Maurice]

What most everyone else said. Obligatory mention of Maneely, etc, etc.

[The Darknight Detective]

For me, it was battle between Adams, Cardy and Garcia Lopez. Ultimately, though, Adams had to win it because he's my favorite artist of all-time.

BTW, too bad Eduardo Barreto didn't make the list.

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

I sympathize with the OP. There's no way a single poll could satisfy everyone with all its choices--not without a list as long as my arm. Maybe it would have made it easier to divide the poll in two--one for favourite classic cover artist and one for favourite modern cover artist--with an "other" option on each poll. Then from both polls taking the top six and combining them for a poll of the twelve all-time best cover artists. But that sounds like a lot of work and I'm no master of message board polling, so it's not a job I would want to take on.

Of course, my choice will always be Carmine Infantino, not just for the work he did on his own, but for the work he did with others and for the influence he had on cover design. Gil Kane credited Carmine Infantino as having a major influence on his work, early on in his career--and Gil Kane emerged as one of Marvel's top cover artists in the 70s, so even Marvel covers owe a lot to Carmine.

The other major Marvel cover artist was Alex Schomburg (who rarely ever did any interior comics art--he was a cover specialist). The more that later Marvel cover artists emulated Schomburg the more Marvel those covers looked.

From modern artists, I would have to pick Brian Bolland--but really that's because his style reminds me so much of classic Silver Age DC cover art.

[hondobrode]

I agree that without narrowing down the pool it's such a massive list of candidates.

Forced to pick, I voted Bolland. His work is unique and the covers are always engaging.

[CaptCleghorn]

I agree that without narrowing down the pool it's such a massive list of candidates.

Forced to pick, I voted Bolland. His work is unique and the covers are always engaging.

Or people could give a ranked list of their top ten cover artists, with a 10 - 9 - 8 etc scoring system. and the artists scores added up?