CHOOSE ONE 2 2

[LDarkseid1]

Let’s play a game. Assume we lived in an alternate universe where only one of the great artists from the golden age existed, all the way back to Action 1.

So all the comics we’ve come to know and love in all genres (superhero, horror, sci-fi, etc…) would still be created, but only by this one artist, and in their style. With the options below, who do you choose?

- Alex Schomburg

- Lou Fine

- Frank Frazetta

- L.B. Cole

- Jack Kirby

- Dan Zolnerowich

- Other (choose someone else)

Edited February 16, 2023 by LDarkseid1

[Frisco Larson]

On 2/15/2023 at 9:34 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

Let’s play a game. Assume we lived in an alternate universe where only one of the great artists from the golden age existed, all the way back to Action 1.

So all the comics we’ve come to know and love in all genres (superhero, horror, sci-fi, etc…) would still be created, but only by this one artist, and in their style. With the options below, who do you choose?

- Alex Schomburg

- Lou Fine

- Frank Frazetta

- L.B. Cole

- Jack Kirby

- Dan Zolnerowich

- Other (choose someone else)

Due to his enormous body of work on SO many characters that I already love, both Golden AND Silver Age, my answer would have to be: Jack Kirby.

Edited February 16, 2023 by Frisco Larson
added picture

[Cat-Man_America]

On 2/15/2023 at 9:34 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

Let’s play a game. Assume we lived in an alternate universe where only one of the great artists from the golden age existed, all the way back to Action 1.

So all the comics we’ve come to know and love in all genres (superhero, horror, sci-fi, etc…) would still be created, but only by this one artist, and in their style. With the options below, who do you choose?

- Alex Schomburg

- Lou Fine

- Frank Frazetta

- L.B. Cole

- Jack Kirby

- Dan Zolnerowich

- Other (choose someone else)

As a fan of most artists mentioned it's hard to imagine the GA without these greats (...and would add Reed Crandall, Jack Cole, Jack Binder, et al.),

...but given the qualifiers the only guy on the list who'd earn my vote is (drum roll please)... 

In a painterly Gouache recreation of another of his classic GA covers...

Alas, my only example of Xela airbrushed comic covers is limited to the reprint below, ...

Spoiler

but he was among the best classic SF painters going as far back as his first Startling Stories cover in '39 (prior to his comic book work).

Here's one of his 50's era hard cover dust jacket paintings...

Spoiler

 

Note: This doesn't take anything away from other superb artists on your list and all the rest of the greats that could be added to the pantheon of greatest of the era.

 

[LDarkseid1]

On 2/15/2023 at 11:34 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

As a fan of most artists mentioned it's hard to imagine the GA without these greats (...and would add Reed Crandall, Jack Cole, Jack Binder, et al.),

...but given the qualifiers the only guy on the list who'd earn my vote is (drum roll please)... 

In a painterly Gouache recreation of another of his classic GA covers...

Alas, my only example of Xela airbrushed comic covers is limited to the reprint below, ...

  Reveal hidden contents

but he was among the best classic SF painters going as far back as his first Startling Stories cover in '39 (prior to his comic book work).

Here's one of his 50's era hard cover dust jacket paintings...

  Hide contents

 

Note: This doesn't take anything away from other superb artists on your list and all the rest of the greats that could be added to the pantheon of greatest of the era.

 

Stan definitely spoke highly of him.

[bronze johnny]

Don’t forget Mac Raboy.

[Funnybooks]

Schomburg...no question

[KirbyJack]

Hard for me to imagine anyone other than Jack Kirby being able to excel in all of those genres. 

But since we’re assuming that somehow everything still gets created, let’s go further. Let’s give ourselves a world where Wally Wood has only good days, and unlimited artistic ambition. I’d love to see that alternate universe.

[LDarkseid1]

On 2/16/2023 at 1:14 AM, bronze johnny said:

Don’t forget Mac Raboy.

That’s what the other section was for, in case I left anyone out of the main list, as I knew I would lol.

[MrBedrock]

I choose both!

[OtherEric]

On 2/16/2023 at 8:22 AM, KirbyJack said:

But since we’re assuming that somehow everything still gets created, let’s go further. Let’s give ourselves a world where Wally Wood has only good days, and unlimited artistic ambition. I’d love to see that alternate universe.

This was almost exactly what I was coming here to post after thinking about the question a while.  I've said for a long time that the best comic book artist ever was Wally Wood on a good day... the problem being he had lots of bad days as well.

[fishbone]

Alex Schomburg

[Bookery]

However, it's interesting to ponder what a super-hero universe drawn by an LB Cole or Matt Baker would look like.  

[Yorick]

Just Golden Age or all the way to moderns?

[Mmehdy]

Frazetta....hands down...200 years from now people will know his name, Kirby close second

[LDarkseid1]

On 2/16/2023 at 9:43 AM, Bookery said:

However, it's interesting to ponder what a super-hero universe drawn by an LB Cole or Matt Baker would look like.  

Exactly why I made this post and what I was thinking! Was literally thinking to myself. What would Tec 27 or Action 1 be had L.B. drawn them.

[LDarkseid1]

On 2/16/2023 at 10:26 AM, Yorick said:

Just Golden Age or all the way to moderns?

Was thinking just gold, but throw a different generational artist out since I'm curious.

[Funnybooks]

On 2/16/2023 at 1:43 PM, Mmehdy said:

Frazetta....hands down...200 years from now people will know his name, Kirby close second

There would be a total of about 12 comics in the entire medium if Frazetta was the only artist  based on his history of speed and desire. 

[MrBedrock]

On 2/16/2023 at 12:43 PM, Mmehdy said:

Frazetta....hands down...

Why restrict him by making him draw with his hands down?

[LDarkseid1]

On 2/16/2023 at 11:17 AM, Funnybooks said:

There would be a total of about 12 comics in the entire medium if Frazetta was the only artist  based on his history of speed and desire. 

We’re suspending reality for this exercise. So in this alternate universe Frazetta can do it all

[Funnybooks]

Still Schomburg...with Bill Everett not too far behind

On 2/16/2023 at 3:33 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

We’re suspending reality for this exercise. So in this alternate universe Frazetta can do it all