Marc Silvestri to return to the X-Men

[Kevin Boyd]

I met Sal last November in NYC. A really nice and generous man... he mentioned that he can't get any work from Marvel these days as his style isn't really what they want anymore.

 

Although I do like the early Spectaculars, I found his run on Hulk to be the best of his career. Rom wasn't too bad either. I agree that the later Spectaculars were nothing... um.... spectacular.

 

Kev

[chrisco37]

Okay, okay.....maybe I'm being hard on him. Let me say this, I liked his early run on Spectacular very much. I also enjoyed when he was "guest artist" on ASM. Even his first issues on his 2nd stint were nice.

 

I've met him too, and thought he was a nice, pleasant fellow. I don't dislike Sal, just some of his later artwork. It looked very angular and rough. I think his "style" was affected by the McFarlane ASM run. At that time, McFarlane's Spidey was THE Spidey. All the arachnid-like poses and what-not. Sal, I think, may have changed his style to be more "dynamic" like McFarlane's.

 

Sal's 2nd stint on Spect. started w/ #134. I think the first couple issues he penciled were very nice. But, shortly after Sal began, McFarlane came over to ASM from Hulk. Sal's art started to change after issue #144 which, coincidently, was the same month that ASM #300 came out. A couple issues later, McFarlane is at the height of his popularity, while poor Sal is trying to imitate (I hate using that word, but for lack of a better one... I'll edit later) him and failing miserably.

 

Believe me, I was a Sal defender when McFarlane first started. I remember having arguements in the cafeteria in middle school about this. But, once Sal's style changed, it was downhill for him.

 

Chris

 

 

[Kevin Boyd]

I agree... editorial may have asked him to "adjust" to the popular Toddster style.

 

Wasn't he inked by some some really heavy handed inkers during that second run? I seem to remember Bill Sienkiewicz inking some of his pencils during that error. In fact a SB/BS Spectacular cover recently sold on e-bay. The inkers were probably told to "jazz" Sal's art up a bit.

 

Kev

[chrisco37]

Close Kev -

 

BS didn't ink Sal's work, but he (BS) and another artist (can't recall) did the cover to Spectac. #133, the issue right before Sal's second run began. I think the interior art of the book was done by a girl (can't recall her name just now either).

 

I'll look into this later and post results tomorrow.

 

Chris

[cd4ever]

McFarlane drew and continues to draw great looking pictures. As far as his story-telling skills thru his art, I felt he was lacking.

 

One thing I hope we can all agree on: As a comics writer, Todd blows! Big-time!

[chrisco37]

I drink to that!

 

Chris