The most important comicbook artist...

[Hibou]

I know we've had many similar threads but if you could only pick one artist...

 

Who do you feel made the biggest impact in comics on a broad basis?

 

I think we had a thread that broke this question down from a generational point of view but just for fun, try to pick one.

 

So who would you vote for as being the one, all-time important, comicbook artist?

 

I have two names right now but will single one out.

[Wally's Comics]

Kirby

[JazzMan]

Frank Robbins. He made everyone else look like Rembrandt.

[koollectablz]

He's not my favourite but have to agree the most important can't be anyone else but Kirby.

 

Better question would be, most important artist discounting Kirby.

[ashrael]

Kirby immediately jumped into my head. Then I thought about it some more, and decided Kirby

[KirbyJack]

It's Kirby, and whoever's in second is a long ways back.

[Davenport]

"The one, all-time important, comicbook artist?"

I think a strong argument could be made for Alex Raymond, early 1930s. For action/adventure/heroic comic art, he set a very high bar.

 

His influence can be seen in Shuster, Frazetta, Williamson, and on through modern greats like Neal Adams, Dave Stevens, Mark Schultz, and others.

 

[KingOfRulers]

Jack Kirby!

[Dale Roberts]

Joe Shuster.

 

He drew the single most important comic and the most important, iconic character of all time.

[Brian48]

Kirby. Hands down.

[mysterio]

Kirby. Hands down.

 

+1

[miraclemet]

"The one, all-time important, comicbook artist?"

I think a strong argument could be made for Alex Raymond. For action/adventure/heroic comic art, he set a very high bar.

 

And Kirby has called him one of his influences (along with Caniff and Foster), so without Raymond, what would Kirby have become?

 

some other names on the table: Will Eisner, Winsor McCay, and Osamu Tezuka. All three were foundational creators during their Golden age.

[143ksk]

Eisner

[InvstmntComcSuply]

I know we've had many similar threads but if you could only pick one artist...

 

Who do you feel made the biggest impact in comics on a broad basis?

 

 

Kirby was the first that popped to mind also.

 

However, if you are considering "broad basis" to mean crossover appeal to mainstream audiences, then there could be an argument for Frazetta.

[VintageComics]

Joe Shuster.

 

He drew the single most important comic and the most important, iconic character of all time.

 

While the creation of a very important character is no small feat, I think there is more to the discussion than just creating one character.

 

That character was almost put away by Captain Marvel in the 1940's. DC had to win with a law suit and not quality of product.

 

Guys like Kirby, Eisner, Alex Raymond, Kubert and a lot of the others mentioned created more than just characters, the inspired future artists.

 

 

[lb jefferies]

It's Kirby, and whoever's in second is a long ways back.

 

+1

[miraclemet]

I think 80-90% of western comic book readers would say Kirby...

but (virtually) 100% of Japan Comic (manga) readers would say Osamu Tezuka.

 

Thats something...

[Dr. Balls]

Jack Kirby. Not only for comic art, but for the graphic arts as well. I reference him often to my students with subjects ranging from page composition to color palettes.

[Davenport]

Guys like Kirby, Eisner, Alex Raymond, Kubert and a lot of the others mentioned created more than just characters, they inspired future artists.

 

(thumbs u

 

And why my second choice would be Matt Baker. The man was a machine, an adept, and will influence comic art and artist for evermore.

[VintageComics]

I think 80-90% of western comic book readers would say Kirby...

but (virtually) 100% of Japan Comic (manga) readers would say Osamu Tezuka.

 

Thats something...

 

I also think if you broke it up into demographics some of the older crowd may lean less towards Kirby and more towards guys like Eisner, Frazetta, Raymond and Kubert who have all had very long, influencial careers in non superhero related art.

 

There is no right or wrong here but I'm very interested to see who chooses what and why they chose those.

 

To me the discussion sweet spot is not in the choice itself but rather in the details of why someone chooses a particular choice.