Atlas Comics presents "THE TOP 100 ARTISTS OF AMERICAN COMIC BOOKS"...

[Norrin_Radd]

http://www.acomics.com/best10.htm

 

[*paull*]

This is an old list... but still interesting.

 

As much as I like Adams, I can't put him at #3 over the likes of Frazetta, Steranko, Wrightson, Kurtzman, etc.

[matewan1990]

Arthur Adams, Dan Barry, Simon Bisley, John Bolton, Bill Elder, Jackson Guice, Irwin Hasen, Klaus Nordling, Steve Rude, Rich Buckler, Keith Giffen, Mark Schultz, ARTHUR SUYDAM, Charles Vess, but no Jim Aparo, Sal Buscema, Jim Starlin ... and many other artists who should be on this list... This list is merely someone's opinion and is not a true representation of a Top 100 Artists list. It actually reads like a HOT ARTISTS list, with a bunch of Golden Agers thrown in to make it legitimate.

[JohnBull]

Arthur Adams, Dan Barry, Simon Bisley, John Bolton, Bill Elder, Jackson Guice, Irwin Hasen, Klaus Nordling, Steve Rude, Rich Buckler, Keith Giffen, Mark Schultz, ARTHUR SUYDAM, Charles Vess, but no Jim Aparo, Sal Buscema, Jim Starlin ... and many other artists who should be on this list... This list is merely someone's opinion and is not a true representation of a Top 100 Artists list. It actually reads like a HOT ARTISTS list, with a bunch of Golden Agers thrown in to make it legitimate.

 

Nice to see Bolton get some respect. The only English comic artist to approach him was Barry Smith at his peak, IMO. I wish he'd done more.

[Solar]

Same comments I made the last time I saw this:

 

Love him or hate him, McFarlane should be on the list, as should Aparo. Wrightson is WAY too low at 61.

[Kevin76]

Yea Mcfarlane is too big to ignore,even though his storytelling kinda..well sucked.It had alot of energy in it,that's missing in todays comics.IMO

[matewan1990]

Yea Mcfarlane is too big to ignore,even though his storytelling kinda..well sucked.It had alot of energy in it,that's missing in todays comics.IMO

 

I agree! If Jim Lee is on there, then McFarlane needs to be on there, too.

I think Keith Pollard deserves a nod, too, since he drew so many of Marvel's best covers. Ron Wilson should be on there. What about Don Newton? Mike Zeck? Joe Staton? Some of the golder agers are way overrated just because they were founding fathers of comic art.

Guys I don't believe should be on this list are (and it's no slight to any of the artists, because I think they're all great, just not TOP 100): Arthur Adams (has he really done enough comic art to justify this listing; he's great and I love his art, but he's a cover artist primarily); Dan Barry, primarily a comic strip artist; Simon Bisley (c/mon, has Bisley done enough great comics to be on this list; this is an example of this being a HOT comic artist list and causes it to lose its legitimacy with me); Jack Burnley (he did Starman, but what makes him better than Jim Starlin or Jim Aparo?); all the EC artists are named, even if they weren't the best artists, which is another knock against this list's legitimacy because not all of them were great; Jackson Guice (huh? I love Jackson Guice's art, but I don't think for a minute that he's amongst the greatest artists); Irwin Hasen (his art was never that good; again, he's a founding father and should be in a hall of fame, but not in this list); Michael Kaluta (again, has his impact on comics, other than the Shadow, been anything great? Greater than Starlin or Buscema?), Bernard Krigstein (now this one falls into the "He Worked For EC" category; his art was good, but there wasn't enough of it nor was it great enough to put him on this list); Everett Raymond Kinstler was a great cover artist, but he didn't do much else; Al McWilliams, who is most fondly remembered as the inker of John Byrne's Iron Fist run and his Star Trek (I love his art, but he's not one of the greatest); Mike Mignola (okay, this completely kills any legitimacy this list might once have had; he's not that good of an artist and he's popular for what? Hellboy and that's it); Mort Meskin?; Ruben Moreira? Klaus Nordling? What did those three do that was so great? Meskin did Green Lama — whoo-hoo!; Kevin Nowlan (what makes him better than Aparo, Buscema or Starlin? And McFarlane?); Joe Orlando (definitely one of the worst EC artists, even though he was a great editor at DC); Bob Powell never had his own style; Alex Ross is on here and he's done two big series — Marvels and Kingdom Come; just because he's a great cover artist doesn't mean he belongs on here; Mark Schultz is one here and not DAVE SIM?; Syd Shores was an inker; I don't think Joe Shuster was ever considered one of comics' GREAT artists just because he co-created Superman; there are many other artists greater than Paul Smith and John Bolton; ARTHUR SUYDAM — WHAT'S HE EVER DONE IN COMICS?; and Angelo Torres? Another EC artist who wasn't that good.

These are all just statements of opinion and not statements of fact and I'm not knocking any artist whose art I didn't knock. I merely believe there are artists whose accomplishments rank and quality of art should rank them higher or at least put them on the list.

Jim Aparo was THE BATMAN artist of the 1970s and 1980s. Jim Starlin is THE cosmic artist. Period. Sal Buscema was one of the greatest artists of the 1970s and 1980s. Todd McFarlane is one of the best Spider-Man artists of all time.

[JohnBull]

I'd agree with most of them apart from Krigstein, Kaluta and Shuster.

 

In Shusters case, co-creating Superman and drawing/laying out for the first 10 years, has to be enough to get you on a list of the greatest ever. He could have been the worst artist of all time, but as a Superman co-creator? C'mon!

 

Krigstein and Kaluta may not have done so much work, but the poll isn't for the most prolific and they were both immaculate draughtsmen.

[Sal]

Yea Mcfarlane is too big to ignore,even though his storytelling kinda..well sucked.It had alot of energy in it,that's missing in todays comics.IMO

 

I agree! If Jim Lee is on there, then McFarlane needs to be on there, too.

I think Keith Pollard deserves a nod, too, since he drew so many of Marvel's best covers. Ron Wilson should be on there.

 

right there is where you lost me. to call ron wilson a "journeyman" would be...generous.

 

Klaus Nordling did a bunch of Quality books back in the early to mid forties. an excellent artist

[matewan1990]

Yea Mcfarlane is too big to ignore,even though his storytelling kinda..well sucked.It had alot of energy in it,that's missing in todays comics.IMO

 

I agree! If Jim Lee is on there, then McFarlane needs to be on there, too.

I think Keith Pollard deserves a nod, too, since he drew so many of Marvel's best covers. Ron Wilson should be on there.

 

right there is where you lost me. to call ron wilson a "journeyman" would be...generous.

 

Klaus Nordling did a bunch of Quality books back in the early to mid forties. an excellent artist

 

Try buying any of Ron Wilson's Thing covers or even finding any that collectors are willing to part with. Wilson may not have been an extremely great artist, but he was better and had a greater impact than many of the artists I questioned being on the list.

Klaus Nordling did some great work at Quality, but does that make him one of the greatest artists of all time. Better than, say, Rudy Palais, who was also working in comics at that time?

All of the Quality artists weren't great.

Shuster was a good artist and him creating Superman should get him into a COMICS HALL OF FAME, but he wasn't one of the 100 greatest artists in comics. If that be the case, why isn't Bob Kane on this list, but Jerry Robinson is?

And Bernard Bailey is another artist NOT deserving of this list.

I even question Dan Adkins, who is a native of Lincoln County, West Virginia, not far from where I live. Do I think he's one of the Top 100 artists? No. Do I think he's one of the Top 100 inkers? Yes.

John Bolton? Huh? Has he even done a continuing series other than backups in Classic X-Men? A few miniseries and some minor work puts him into the Top 100. I surely don't think so.

Reed Crandall and George Evans? Famous for their war comics and for working at EC. Jack Burnley, Bernard Baily, Dan Barry, Johnny Craig, Bill Elder, Fred Guardineer, Irwin Hasen, Angelo Torres, Everett Raymond Kinstler, Syd Shores, Ruben Moreira, Bob Powell and Klaus Nordling? All deserve to be in a Comic Artists Hall of Fame, but not on this list. If we're going to put all the Quality artists on there, why not put all the Charlton artists on there, too? There was some great Charlton artists. Like Tom Sutton, whose name SHOULD be on this list.

What about Bob Layton? How about Dave Cockrum? Or Tony DeZuniga (one of the greatest western comics artists ever)? Ernie Chan (he helped define the look of Conan and drew so many covers you probably couldn't count them all)? John Totleben (Miracleman and Swamp Thing)? Steve Bissette (Swamp Thing)? Dan DeCarlo (All Archie titles)? Stan Goldberg (Same as Dan Decarlo)? Al Hartley (the best Christian Comics artist)? Don Heck (Iron Man and the 1950s horror stuff)? George Tuska (Iron Man and every other hero Marvel and DC had)? Mike Sekowsky (JLA, Wonder Woman)? Dillin (JLA run that was unparalleled)? Wayne Boring (Superman, Captain Marvel), Ric Estrada (war comics and lots of other DCs)? Brent Anderson (Ka-Zar, Strikeforce: Morituri and Astro City)? Jerry Grandenetti? Joe Staton and Mike Zeck? Gene Day? Don Newton? Kurt Schaffenberger? Win Mortimer?

This list is deficient in so many ways.

Anyone could put out their own Top 100 artists list and it would probably be more legitimate than this one.

How about Dave Sim? Or Peter Laird? What about Tim Truman? Or Mike Grell? Ross Andru? Ed Hannigan? Giordano? Rich Buckler? Irv Novick?

These all deserve to be on this list before any of those I question.

This list is terrible. It's someone's favorite artists list and NOT a true Top 100.

[matewan1990]

And let's be honest... (and with all due respect) Lou Fine's contribution to the comic book world wasn't that great. A few classic covers and a few interior stories don't make him, in my opinion, a Top 100 comics artist. I think the exclusion of Todd McFarlane, whose art I'm not particularly fond of, could be made up for if he were to replace Fine (whose art I love, by the way). I just don't think he was a great enough artist to be on this list. There are others who are more deserving of being on here.

[JohnBull]

If that be the case, why isn't Bob Kane on this list, but Jerry Robinson is?

And Bernard Bailey is another artist NOT deserving of this list.

 

Probably because it's now realised that Kane's input into the character after the first few issues is somewhat minimal (to say the least) and that Bill Finger should get at least 50% recognition in the creation. FWIW, I think if you'd offerred Kane a choice between a top 10 place in the poll or a dollar bill, he'd have bitten you arm off for the dollar.

[Sal]

And let's be honest... (and with all due respect) Lou Fine's contribution to the comic book world wasn't that great. A few classic covers and a few interior stories don't make him, in my opinion, a Top 100 comics artist. I think the exclusion of Todd McFarlane, whose art I'm not particularly fond of, could be made up for if he were to replace Fine (whose art I love, by the way). I just don't think he was a great enough artist to be on this list. There are others who are more deserving of being on here.

 

you are out of your mind. aaugh. yes, the single most influential cover artist of the Golden Age brings nothing to the table.

 

but you're ready to put Dillin or George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta.

 

what. ever.

[matewan1990]

And let's be honest... (and with all due respect) Lou Fine's contribution to the comic book world wasn't that great. A few classic covers and a few interior stories don't make him, in my opinion, a Top 100 comics artist. I think the exclusion of Todd McFarlane, whose art I'm not particularly fond of, could be made up for if he were to replace Fine (whose art I love, by the way). I just don't think he was a great enough artist to be on this list. There are others who are more deserving of being on here.

 

you are out of your mind. aaugh. yes, the single most influential cover artist of the Golden Age brings nothing to the table.

 

but you're ready to put Dillin or George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta.

 

what. ever.

 

You have no idea what you're talking about. Lou Fine was a great cover artist. He did a few interiors, but not a career's worth. He left comics for ad art. He wasn't even a part of comics after the 1940s. Because he's one of the greatest cover artists doesn't necessarily place him in the Top 100. And yes, I'd definitely place Dillin and George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta. What has Mike Kalulta done besides a few Shadow issues and some covers? Has he done 60 issues of any title like Dillin did on JLA? Or, did Kaluta work from the Golden Age to the Bronze Age working consistently? He also had a great run on Iron Man and some other titles. Don't give me that bull that Kaluta is one of the Top 100. Starlin's better than him. Dan Spiegle has had a more illustrious career and HE deserves to be on the list before Kaluta. Name one thing that Kaluta has done besides Shadow? Steranko did a few comics before leaving, but his were so influential that he definitely deserves to be on the list. Kaluta, nah, he's a cover artist at best.

You people mistake your favorites for what should legitimately be on a Top 100 list. Throw out your prejudices and look at the facts and you'll see how utterly ignorant you truly are.

[JohnBull]

And let's be honest... (and with all due respect) Lou Fine's contribution to the comic book world wasn't that great. A few classic covers and a few interior stories don't make him, in my opinion, a Top 100 comics artist. I think the exclusion of Todd McFarlane, whose art I'm not particularly fond of, could be made up for if he were to replace Fine (whose art I love, by the way). I just don't think he was a great enough artist to be on this list. There are others who are more deserving of being on here.

 

you are out of your mind. aaugh. yes, the single most influential cover artist of the Golden Age brings nothing to the table.

 

but you're ready to put Dillin or George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta.

 

what. ever.

 

You have no idea what you're talking about. Lou Fine was a great cover artist. He did a few interiors, but not a career's worth. He left comics for ad art. He wasn't even a part of comics after the 1940s. Because he's one of the greatest cover artists doesn't necessarily place him in the Top 100. And yes, I'd definitely place Dillin and George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta. What has Mike Kalulta done besides a few Shadow issues and some covers? Has he done 60 issues of any title like Dillin did on JLA? Or, did Kaluta work from the Golden Age to the Bronze Age working consistently? He also had a great run on Iron Man and some other titles. Don't give me that bull that Kaluta is one of the Top 100. Starlin's better than him. Dan Spiegle has had a more illustrious career and HE deserves to be on the list before Kaluta. Name one thing that Kaluta has done besides Shadow? Steranko did a few comics before leaving, but his were so influential that he definitely deserves to be on the list. Kaluta, nah, he's a cover artist at best.

You people mistake your favorites for what should legitimately be on a Top 100 list. Throw out your prejudices and look at the facts and you'll see how utterly ignorant you truly are.

 

Repeat after me, always check at GCD first.

[Sal]

And let's be honest... (and with all due respect) Lou Fine's contribution to the comic book world wasn't that great. A few classic covers and a few interior stories don't make him, in my opinion, a Top 100 comics artist. I think the exclusion of Todd McFarlane, whose art I'm not particularly fond of, could be made up for if he were to replace Fine (whose art I love, by the way). I just don't think he was a great enough artist to be on this list. There are others who are more deserving of being on here.

 

you are out of your mind. aaugh. yes, the single most influential cover artist of the Golden Age brings nothing to the table.

 

but you're ready to put Dillin or George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta.

 

what. ever.

 

You have no idea what you're talking about. Lou Fine was a great cover artist. He did a few interiors, but not a career's worth. He left comics for ad art. He wasn't even a part of comics after the 1940s. Because he's one of the greatest cover artists doesn't necessarily place him in the Top 100. And yes, I'd definitely place Dillin and George Tuska in ahead of Mike Kaluta. What has Mike Kalulta done besides a few Shadow issues and some covers? Has he done 60 issues of any title like Dillin did on JLA? Or, did Kaluta work from the Golden Age to the Bronze Age working consistently? He also had a great run on Iron Man and some other titles. Don't give me that bull that Kaluta is one of the Top 100. Starlin's better than him. Dan Spiegle has had a more illustrious career and HE deserves to be on the list before Kaluta. Name one thing that Kaluta has done besides Shadow? Steranko did a few comics before leaving, but his were so influential that he definitely deserves to be on the list. Kaluta, nah, he's a cover artist at best.

You people mistake your favorites for what should legitimately be on a Top 100 list. Throw out your prejudices and look at the facts and you'll see how utterly ignorant you truly are.

 

your last sentence is perhaps the single greatest uninteded piece of irony ever posted here.

 

you have no idea what Lou Fine or Mike Kaluta have done in the past, you admit so yourself. and yet "we're" the ignorant ones.

 

okey-dokey.

 

some quotes about Mr. Fine from some people you may or may not have heard of;

 

Will Eisner- “I had respect for his towering kind of draftsmanship. He was the epitome of the honest draftsman. No fakery, no razzle dazzle- very direct very honest in his approach.”

 

Joe Simon- “My favorite artist was Lou Fine. He was also Jack Kirby’s favorite artist. I know that Jack was a fan of and greatly influenced by Fine’s work.”

 

Gil Kane- “A great event in my life was the purchase of a Fox published book called Wonderworld Comics 3. It was the first time I ever saw the artwork of Louie Fine, who did the cover for that issue. It absolutely changed my life....I went crazy over Lou’s stuff. Lou Fine was one of the few I feel comfortable saying was a major influence for me. What most don’t realize is that all the rest of the comic publishing community were literally slaves waiting for each new issue of anything Fine would do...as an instructional course in “how to do” comics.”

 

Murphy Anderson- In homage to Fine, Anderson has created a number of stunning cover recreations of classic Fine covers. “Lou Fine was a big inspiration to me. He brought a touch of class to the field. Lou was a tremendous artist who was very dedicated. Lou was one of the first artists to really take the time to do a good job.”