Best inker for Kirby ?

[Peter_Parker59]

I'm a big Kirby fan, but I also think the eye-appeal of his work depends very much on who did the inking job.

 

Just take a look at some early JiM's : there's a huge difference between an issue that was inked by Chic stone (say, #105) and one that was inked by George Bell (#101), for instance.

 

So, I'd just like to know who, in your opinion, has been the best inker for Kirby's work ?

 

Sure I've got my idea...

[awe4one]

Well if you ask Mark Evanier, Kirby would say Mike Royer.

 

I say Joe Sinnott.

 

Jim

[mcd-migration]

I liked Sinnott also. Another inker I really liked over Kirby was Syd Shores, although I've heard a lot of people complain about him.

[PUNYHUMAN]

Joe Sinnott.without a doubt. I also like Ayers on his pre-hero stuff.I also love his Thor art inked by Vince Colletta,even though I'll catch hell for it! I loved it way back in the 60's when I was buying it off the newstands,it's nostalgic now.

[Aman619]

funny you should ask this. A few months ago, I looked through every FF from 12 through 70. And looked closer than I ever did before at the artwork. And boy was I shocked! What I remember as "classic Kirby' page after page of power was, for the most part, watered down, horribly inked scratches and misshapen bodies and faces. Ayers was great in the beginning, with a real earthy touch that they had used in the monster ooks.

 

But astarting in issue 20 (I think) George Bell took over. and man, take a look for yourselves. Its hard to see the Kirby under his messy lines. Bad inkers continued (I dont remember exactly who anymore at this point) thoughout the 20s and 30s until, finally, Sinnott arrived with a blast with the splash page of Gorgon in #43 (or was it #44?)

 

So to me the answer to your question is undeniably Joe Sinnott. Until he came along, 75% of Kirby's lines were erased not traced and never to be seen. Sinnott embellished Kirby's structure and power lines, making them solid and real.

 

Royer may have been Evanier (and even Kirby's) favorite in his later life.....but IMO, he only brought out the looser wilder Kirby linework, not bothering to render the shapes and textures Kirby was sketching. The effect was fluid all right, but looked thin and too loosely constructed.

[supapimp]

odin88 hates him, but i love him....vince colletta!

[HooDeeDoo]

Joe Sinnott

 

end of discussion

[Peter_Parker59]

Well, seems like there's big score for Joe Sinnott on this board.

 

I must say I expected it, but I like Chic Stone a lot, too. Especially on JiM (a little less on FF).

 

Regarding Ayers, I dislike the 'blurry' look he gives to Kirby lines. It makes half the power disappear.

It's such a pity those early FF issues were inked by Ayers. It makes them less worth the big $$ one has to pay to get them

[rob_react]

Sinnott is my pick.

 

Colletta was awful.

[supapimp]

Sinnott is my pick.

 

Colletta was awful.

 

[PUNYHUMAN]

[HooDeeDoo]

Ayes gave the early FFs their look and it's wonderful. But as the FF "matured", Sinnott gave it strength. Colletta was a living nightmare.

 

I agree that Chic Stone was really good for the JIMs, but Sinnot should have done the Thors too.

[supapimp]

Colletta was a living nightmare.

 

 

his inks on "tales of asgard" i thought were good, but to each his own.

[ghoulaid]

I like the way Wally Wood inked Kirby.

[Red Hook]

oooh boy, you're asking one of those "to the heart" questions.

 

As a guy that bought FF 54 off the newstands at the age of 12, I am pulling rank here.....

 

 

Sinnott #1

 

Ayers #2

 

Also, I think that once Sinnott started inking, Kirby began to tighten up his pencils. IMHO he was as important a contributor to the great FF run of the mid 60's as Kirby and Lee. Kirby's layouts became better. Chic Stone was good, but second rank. Vince Coletta will alway remain the THOR inker in my mind.

 

Joe Sinnott lives not too far away from me in Saugerties, NY. Less than 20 miles away. I have been too shy to approach him and let him know he was one of the guys that changed my life (I am now an illustrator with a very comic-influenced style). Should let him know. I saw Ayers at a Big Apple Con last September and let him know how much his work meant to me.