Pencil Ink comic book artists blog 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s

Warlock #14- Jim Starlin art & cover

2013-06-18T17:09:00.000-04:00

Warlock #14, 1976 - After fighting obstacles created by the Star Thief, Warlock traverses thousands of light years to save his home planet. Jim Starlin's depiction of the galaxy is colorful and intricately patterned. They fill the backgrounds of nearly every panel with texture and interest. The title character's battles with various creatures becomes more vivid as a result. Starlin's drawings

Detective Comics #473 - Marshall Rogers art & cover

2013-06-18T08:40:00.000-04:00

Detective Comics #473 featuring Batman, 1977 - Just arriving into Gotham, a jeweled artifact catches the covetous eye of the Penguin. Sharply drawn and composed, the art by Marshall Rogers continues to impress. Batman and Robin's streamlined look culminates in a superb portrait atop a building on page 10. Dawn breaks between skyscrapers as the duo's capes expand to fill the frame. On the cover,

Authentic Police Cases #6 - Matt Baker cover

2013-06-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

Authentic Police Cases #6, 1948 - On Matt Baker's first cover of the series, a thug tries to push a woman off a speeding train. Her torn blouse suggests a violent struggle while her shapely legs lead the eye to the text below. Despite the danger, her winsome figure is artfully posed to serve as the scene's focal point. Baker's one point perspective suggests speed as well as distance. This is

Avengers #100 - Barry Windsor Smith art & cover

2013-06-17T08:17:00.000-04:00

Avengers #100, 1972 - In this milestone issue, all past and present members of the Avengers converge to battle an imminent invasion. Barry Smith starts out strong with four carefully sequenced pages of arriving heroes (see interior page above). A breathtaking two-page spread follows, as the assembled gather in the English countryside. The scene is solemn but calm and beautifully pastoral. The

Ghosts #57 - Alex Nino art

2013-06-16T21:33:00.000-04:00

Ghosts #57, 1977 - Challenging a stranger to a duel, an arrogant French baron gets more than he bargained for. Only three pages, the tale is drawn in Alex Nino's dark foreboding style. Mostly laid out in tall vertical and wide horizontal panels, the technique effectively slows the pacing and extends the reader's experience. Other artists in this issue include E.R. Cruz and Luis Domingez (cover).

Weird Science v2 #17 - Wally Wood art & cover, Al Williamson / Frank Frazetta art

2013-06-16T16:40:00.000-04:00

Weird Science #17, 1953 - A gargantuan monster is captured on a remote island, rendered unconscious, transported and finally exhibited in New York City. Al Williamson's King Kong-like tale is capably drawn with some less recognizable assists by Frank Frazetta. Wally Wood's tale tells of two professors, theorizing the massive declines in human population every two centuries. His renditions of

Unearthly Spectaculars - comic series checklist

2013-06-15T23:59:00.000-04:00

- - - - - - - - - - Unearthly Spectaculars v1 1965-66 Harvey 1 - mis-attributed Angelo Torres art 2 - Al Williamson art & reprint, Wally Wood art & partial cover 3 - Jack Kirby art, Al Williamson reprint - - - - - - - - - - See today's posts, more series checklists or the master list of series. See also this blog's artist checklists, top 10 lists or readers polls.

The Unseen #15 - mis-attributed Alex Toth art

2013-06-15T20:05:00.000-04:00

The Unseen #15, 1954 - No Alex Toth art, despite what some comic book price guides say. Toth has drawn stories for other issues in this series as well as other 1950s Standard titles. See today's posts, more Toth or Unseen issues. See also this blog's Toth checklist. - - - - - - - - - - Find on ebay: >more Toth issues, >more Unseen issues document.write('\x3Cscript type="text/javascript"

Amazing Spider-Man #190 - John Byrne art

2013-06-15T14:53:00.000-04:00

Amazing Spider-Man #190, 1979 - Newly transformed into the Man-wolf, John Jameson captures his publisher father and holds him atop the Brooklyn Bridge. Spider-man intervenes, unaware the creature is under the mind control of another. John Byrne's second issue is as non-eventful as the first. As before, Jim Mooney's inking takes over rather than enchances the pencils. Sadly, only a small handful

Showcase #84 / Nightmaster - Bernie Wrightson / Jeff Jones art, Joe Kubert cover

2013-06-15T10:57:00.000-04:00

Showcase #84 featuring Nightmaster, 1969 - In this third appearance of Nightmaster, Bernie Wrightson employs larger panels and more creative layouts (including the wild typography on the opening splash). As a result, scenes such as the underground cavern city on page 9 have greater visual impact. Jeff Jones' partial inks are more obvious than the previous issue, while Joe Kubert's cover is

Heroic Comics #65 - Al Williamson / Frank Frazetta art

2013-06-15T07:42:00.000-04:00

Heroic Comics #65, 1951 - Pretending to be pirates, two boys set off on their makeshift raft, only to find real danger ahead. Al Williamson and Frank Frazetta collaborate early on in their careers, illustrating this tale with a light touch. The pages are not immediately recognizable as the work of either artist, though Frazetta's inks come to the fore in the characters' faces and wooded

Incredible Hulk v2 #264 - Frank Miller cover

2013-06-13T16:50:00.000-04:00

Incredible Hulk v2 #264, 1981 - An enraged Hulk holds an unconscious woman while the kids behind him seem to tremble in fear. Frank Miller's art is somewhat cartoonish in nature, diminishing the tension of the scene. The children are thinly outlined to recede into the background, but the technique evokes a largely unfinished feel. Other artists in this issue include Sal Buscema. This is number 3

Strange Adventures #211 - Neal Adams art & cover

2013-06-13T08:45:00.000-04:00

Strange Adventures #211 featuring Deadman, 1968 - Following a lead to Mexico, Deadman stumbles upon his own twin brother. When he discovers Cleve's job human trafficking, Boston intervenes on his behalf. The cover's white silhouette suggests a "missing piece" to the killer's identity. Clever in concept but lacking aesthetically. Neal Adams fares better on the interior story with its well-crafted

Tarzan - comic series checklist

2013-06-12T23:55:00.000-04:00

- - - - - - - - - - Tarzan v1 Dell / Gold Key / DC 1948-77 207 - Joe Kubert art & cover 208 - Joe Kubert art & cover 209 - Joe Kubert art & cover 210 - Joe Kubert art & cover 211 - Joe Kubert art & cover 212 - Joe Kubert art & cover 213 - Joe Kubert art & cover 214 - Joe Kubert art & cover (more to come) - - - - - - - - - - See today's posts, more series checklists or the master list of

World of Mystery #3 - Steve Ditko, Angelo Torres art

2013-06-12T16:18:00.000-04:00

World of Mystery #3, 1956 - A boy and his dad find something resembling a small spaceship in their barn. Angelo Torres does a decent job on this opening tale, although without much fanfare. Steve Ditko does similarly good work on a tale about a professor and his theory of cosmic harmony. The opening panel shows two rapt faces, quite jarring but interesting. Remaining pages show a high level of

Strange Tales #153 - Jack Kirby layouts / Jim Steranko art & cover

2013-06-12T08:18:00.000-04:00

Strange Tales #153 featuring Nick Fury & Doctor Strange, 1967 - Jim Steranko draws his first solo cover, a layout that's more chaotic than exciting. Nick Fury charges through a barrage of guns, carrying a woman whose limbs flail about in ragdoll-like fashion. Too many visual elements fill the composition, looking like an attempt to fill every available space. Inside, Jack Kirby provides layouts

Secret Origins of Super-Heroes / DC Special Series #10 - Don Newton art

2013-06-11T16:47:00.000-04:00

Secret Origins of Super-Heroes / DC Special Series #10, 1978 - This one shot issue features new stories retelling the origins of Dr. Fate, Black Canary and Lightray of the New Gods. Don Newton makes a logical choice for the last tale, given that he was the New Gods series artist at the time. There is an obvious benefit for continuity of style, though the artwork just meets expectations. Other

Mystic #52 - Wally Wood art

2013-06-11T07:50:00.000-04:00

Mystic #52, 1956 - A fugitive from the law is inexplicably linked to a doll with his likeness. This short but exceptional Wally Wood tale takes great care and effort in the drawing of each panel. His opening scene presents the central character seeking help from a cult, his arrival lighting up the members sitting in a darkened room. The artist's masterful use of shadow permeates the entire story

Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch - comic series checklist

2013-06-11T00:06:00.000-04:00

- - - - - - - - - - Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch v1 Charlton 1975-76 2 - John Byrne art (more to come) - - - - - - - - - - See today's posts, more series checklists or the master list of series. See also this blog's artist checklists, top 10 lists or readers polls.

Doctor Strange Special Edition #1 - Bernie Wrightson cover, Frank Brunner, Neal Adams reprints, Brunner art

2013-06-10T17:38:00.000-04:00

Doctor Strange Special Edition #1, 1983 - The 1970s Silver Dagger storyline is collected here for the first time. Originally published in Doctor Strange v2 #1, #2, #4 and #5, the stories feature some of Frank Brunner's finest work (with Neal Adams in #4). Bernie Wrightson supplies the new wrap-around cover, but the complete scene (including the back) seems awkwardly divided. Sadly, the artist

Tarzan #207 - Joe Kubert art & cover

2013-06-10T08:20:00.000-04:00

Tarzan of the Apes #207, 1972 - This first DC issue continues from the previous long-running Dell/Gold Key series. Joe Kubert starts anew with an adaptation of Tarzan’s origin. Unlike the streamlined version of Russ Manning, Kubert brings the story and character back to its savage roots with his loose, impressionistic style. His African jungle is a brutal, unforgiving place teeming with danger.

Classics Illustrated v2 #63 / Man Without a Country - Angelo Torres art

2013-06-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

Classics Illustrated v2 #63 / Man Without a Country, 1966? - Adapting the Edward Everett Hale novel for the second time, this later edition features new writing and art. Angelo Torres, who did a spectacular job with Classics Illustrated v2 #56, sadly disappoints here. Many pages appear hurried or unfinished. His draftsmanship throughout is sloppy, making his style indistinguishable on many

Marvel Team-Up #100 - Frank Miller art & cover, John Byrne art

2013-06-09T08:26:00.000-04:00

Marvel Team-Up #100, 1980 - Featuring Spider-man and the Fantastic Four, this double-sized anniversary issue pits the heroes against a mutant mind-controller. Frank Miller's cover portrays the FF's zombie-like state within a graphic, yet compelling design. Inside, his formidable pencils are somewhat softened by Bob Wiacek's inks. Page layouts and pacing are meticulously planned, bringing

Marvel Triple Action - comic series checklist

2013-06-08T23:49:00.000-04:00

- - - - - - - - - - Marvel Triple Action v1 Marvel 1972-79 1 - Jack Kirby reprints begin 2-4 5,6 7 - Jim Starlin cover 8-10 11-20 21-46 47 - non-attributed Steve Ditko cover - - - - - - - - - - See today's posts, more series checklists or the master list of series. See also this blog's artist checklists, top 10 lists or readers polls.

Two Gun Western v2 #6 - non-attributed Matt Baker art

2013-06-08T20:04:00.000-04:00

Two Gun Western v2 #6, 1957 - Opposed to gunfighting, an aspiring doctor must prove his worth to his rancher owner father. Matt Baker delivers a rugged portrayal of the old west. Borderless panels add breathing space and regulate the pace of the story. Perhaps most memorable is the first scene, showing the rancher asserting authority over one of his workers. The openness of the panel effectively