John Romita Jr on Superman

[stanley1883]

Apologies if there is a thread and I missed it.

 

I'm a bit surprised that I haven't seen this get much attention. John Romita Jr who has pretty much been a lifer at Marvel will be switching to DC to take on Superman with Geoff Johns. I'm excited to see what the series will bring now as it's obvious DC wants to give that title a bump and furthermore I'm just really anxious to see Romita work on this title.

 

Thoughts? Comments?

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I've been trying to get a thread going in the Modern Section, but it hasn't garnered a ton of interest.

 

I'm excited to pick it up today and I think JRJR looks a lot better with quality colors or finishes. Klaus Janson can usually manage that.

[stanley1883]

Yeah just saw that! Oops. My bad. I will echo what I said there though, personally I like almost everything that Geoff Johns writes so even without Romita I probably would have checked it out, now even more so.

[VintageComics]

I saw the poster at my LCS and how DC announced it the same way they announced Kirby coming over back in the SA/BA transition.

 

Thought it was quite a surprise to see him move over to DC.

[capt_comics]

He may be a good writer but his art SUCKS

[VintageComics]

He may be a good writer but his art SUCKS

 

I really enjoyed his earlier 80's stuff, especially on Amazing Spider-man. When he moved to Daredevil, after the Miller / Janson period I believe he tried to emulate their style and he moved into this new style that he's in now. Even on DD it wasn't too bad.

 

It doesn't work for me personally anymore.

 

I can still see his old lines and I love them, but the newish style finishing work that reminds me of Art Adams on acid (and I love Art Adams' work) is a little too rough for me personally.

[RockyMullins]

Do not like JRJR's work at all, although Klaus Jansen can help most any artist look better in my opinion. I might check it out, but what I've seen advertised art-wise, I just don't care for. If the story can get me past his drawing, I'll follow the title, but that's a tall order.

[Davenport]

I saw the poster at my LCS and how DC announced it the same way they announced Kirby coming over back in the SA/BA transition.

 

Thought it was quite a surprise to see him move over to DC.

I hate looking at Nu52 Superman. I can't decide if his costume's missing Sauron's helmet or a Lightcycle. Or both.

 

Either way, he looks like the last person on the planet you'd want to turn to for help. If parents saw him coming, they'd tell kids to run for their lives, stay hidden until he's gone.

 

[Gsims718]

I saw the poster at my LCS and how DC announced it the same way they announced Kirby coming over back in the SA/BA transition.

 

Thought it was quite a surprise to see him move over to DC.

I hate looking at Nu52 Superman. I can't decide if his costume's missing Sauron's helmet or a Lightcycle.

 

Either way, he looks like the last person on the planet you'd want to turn to for help. If parents saw him coming, they'd tell kids to run for their lives, stay hidden until he's gone.

 

 

I saw this full page ad in the FCBD that DC had and wondered "are people suppose to e excited about this art?" I was ok with his early spider-man work, but his new stuff is terrible. I like reading kickspoon, but his flat faces and noses look horrible.

[zosocane]

I think most of us that truly enjoyed JRJR's early- to mid-80s work on ASM and DD are turned off by his new work. It's just too rough and sloppy-looking for my taste.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I saw the poster at my LCS and how DC announced it the same way they announced Kirby coming over back in the SA/BA transition.

 

Thought it was quite a surprise to see him move over to DC.

I hate looking at Nu52 Superman. I can't decide if his costume's missing Sauron's helmet or a Lightcycle. Or both.

 

Either way, he looks like the last person on the planet you'd want to turn to for help. If parents saw him coming, they'd tell kids to run for their lives, stay hidden until he's gone.

 

Wow! He looks like Frankenstein`s monster. What are the new 52 DC editors thinking?

 

I prefer Superman to look like this.

 

 

 

[jjonahjameson1]

He may be a good writer but his art SUCKS

 

I really enjoyed his earlier 80's stuff, especially on Amazing Spider-man. When he moved to Daredevil, after the Miller / Janson period I believe he tried to emulate their style and he moved into this new style that he's in now. Even on DD it wasn't too bad.

 

It doesn't work for me personally anymore.

 

I can still see his old lines and I love them, but the newish style finishing work that reminds me of Art Adams on acid (and I love Art Adams' work) is a little too rough for me personally.

 

The 80s stuff was awesome, especially when he was inked by a seasoned finisher who could smooth out those rough and angular lines JR laid down. On ASM, Mooney and Dan Green did a wonderful job over JR's pencils.

 

Likewise, Al Williamson's inks were pure gold and added a depth and richness to JR's pencils like no one before or since.

 

Janson had a good run over Romita Jr's pencils in the early 90's over Punisher War Zone, but I think JR needs to get back to basics with an inker that can smooth out his lines. Scott Hanna did some very nice work over JR's pencils a decade ago and I would like to see them together again.

[Buzzetta]

Since Con season is coming I picked up a blank of the issue this morning. I thumbed through it and to me it looked like Peter Parker with dark hair. I need to get past the Spider-man stuff I am used to.

[Antpark]

I saw the poster at my LCS and how DC announced it the same way they announced Kirby coming over back in the SA/BA transition.

 

Thought it was quite a surprise to see him move over to DC.

I hate looking at Nu52 Superman. I can't decide if his costume's missing Sauron's helmet or a Lightcycle.

 

Either way, he looks like the last person on the planet you'd want to turn to for help. If parents saw him coming, they'd tell kids to run for their lives, stay hidden until he's gone.

 

 

I saw this full page ad in the FCBD that DC had and wondered "are people suppose to e excited about this art?" I was ok with his early spider-man work, but his new stuff is terrible. I like reading kickspoon, but his flat faces and noses look horrible.

It's like he took the top of one face and the bottom of another and spliced them together at the cheekbone.

[AnthonyTheAbyss]

I don't understand some of the hate for artist's work. There's a reason why not many people can break into the comic book industry...sequential art is not easy. Drawing a picture that can be easily replicated in various position thousands of time is brutal.

 

JRJR has found something that is distinct, easily reproduced, and does well with telling a story through the art.

 

There's a reason Jim Lee is always late with his work. If you want that level of artwork expect a downside trade-off.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I don't understand some of the hate for artist's work. There's a reason why not many people can break into the comic book industry...sequential art is not easy. Drawing a picture that can be easily replicated in various position thousands of time is brutal.

 

JRJR has found something that is distinct, easily reproduced, and does well with telling a story through the art.

 

There's a reason Jim Lee is always late with his work. If you want that level of artwork expect a downside trade-off.

JRJR is awesome. No one is saying he is a bad artist. If this is his new Superman work,then it does not look appealing. btw I loved his StarBrand!

 

[nearmint]

 

I prefer Superman to look like this.

 

 

 

I agree. That's Superman.

[Davenport]

I don't understand some of the hate for artist's work. There's a reason why not many people can break into the comic book industry...sequential art is not easy. Drawing a picture that can be easily replicated in various position thousands of time is brutal.

 

JRJR has found something that is distinct, easily reproduced, and does well with telling a story through the art.

 

There's a reason Jim Lee is always late with his work. If you want that level of artwork expect a downside trade-off.

Jim Lee gets the lion's share of the blame imho. It's his design.

In wanting to retire 'outdated' circus strongman influences he opted for some mash-up of coolness. Superman now looks like Dr. No/S.W.A.T/Sgt. Pepper/Tron/Crazed Warlord all rolled in one.

 

If you're going to design Superman to have some goofy tyrannical overlord vibe, artists are going to draw him that way. With some artists pushing those elements more than others.

 

[AnthonyTheAbyss]

Jim Lee gets the lion's share of the blame imho. It's his design.

In wanting to retire 'outdated' circus strongman influences he opted for some mash-up of coolness. Superman now looks like Dr. No/S.W.A.T/Sgt. Pepper/Tron/Crazed Warlord all rolled in one.

 

If you're going to design Superman to have some goofy tyrannical overlord vibe, artists are going to draw him that way. With some artists pushing those elements more than others.

 

C'mon, the new design is pretty cool. I understand nostalgia but remember the reason behind all the changes. Comics were outdated and needed to attract a newer audience to survive.

 

[Maccai3]

I don't understand some of the hate for artist's work. There's a reason why not many people can break into the comic book industry...sequential art is not easy. Drawing a picture that can be easily replicated in various position thousands of time is brutal.

 

how do you think John Romita JUNIOR got his "lucky" break?