Black silohuettes - who used them first before Miller? 0

[Carlo M]

The recent HA auction featured a DKR page with Superman depicted through a black silouhette:

Frank Miller and Klaus Janson The Dark Knight Returns, Chapter | Lot #92031 | Heritage Auctions

The auction did quite well and got me thinking who used this technique first? It is not just using a black figure, but using a black figure with some elements in white to add a dramatic touch.  Obviously Miller perfected this technique with his mastery of negative space, but what are the earlier examples?

I have a  Giffen example (circa 1977) that comes close (blackened face + white eyes).

Keith Giffen - Defenders 45 - page 22 - Valkyrie - Hellcat - Red Guardian, in Carlo M's Keith Giffen Comic Art Gallery Room (comicartfans.com)

Any ideas as to who came first?

Carlo

[vodou]

Silhouettes with or without highlights are as old as india ink. If you're still interested in pursuing "first", I'll suggest going to the newspaper strip artists.

Maybe Chester Gould's Tracy?

Meanwhile, I've never looked that closely at DKR before. But the example you're mentioning...shoot, I can see why this stuff sat at $800/page in 1987.

Take away that bottom Superman panel and the general hype for the book...it's a $50 page back then.

[J.Sid]

Love it!

Miller was always such a great storyteller--that 2nd-to-last panel where Clark's heard the news and bolted into action so quickly his glasses were still hanging in the air...

[lobrac]

Frank Robbins was doing it in 1943.

 

[lb jefferies]

Noel Sickles, then Milt Caniff, then Alex Toth

[J.Sid]

Miller listing some of his influences, from "Artists on Comic Art":

 

[jjonahjameson11]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:46 PM, lb jefferies said:

Noel Sickles, then Milt Caniff, then Alex Toth

This, plus Eisner.

[tth2]

On 6/28/2022 at 4:46 PM, lb jefferies said:

Noel Sickles, then Milt Caniff, then Alex Toth

Caniff as early as 1934

 

[lb jefferies]

A pic I just snapped of some Toth

 

[Carlo M]

Thanks to everybody contributing.  I can see that the technique was defintely used pre-super hero. Anybody aware of examples in early Marvel super hero comics?  I don't recall the Kirbys, Adamses, Buscemas etc using this.  So I guess Miller's point was he took inspiration from noir comics in doing super hero stuff.

[Will_K]

The silhouette and its variations have been immortalized in Wally Wood's 22 Panels That Always Work !!

Edited June 30, 2022 by Will_K

[GreatEscape]

Prehistoric cave paintings…unpublished but waaay before Miller DKR  

[Carlo M]

There you go! I got my answer!

[The Voord]

On 6/29/2022 at 3:53 PM, Carlo M said:

Anybody aware of examples in early Marvel super hero comics? 

Maybe not quite a silhouette, but this example sprang to mind . . . 

 

[glendgold]

[Aahz]

I always liked how Ric Estrada used silohuettes.  They almost look like paper cut outs.