Somebody Cares About Conan!! 0

[Bronty]

On 12/15/2023 at 2:53 PM, comix4fun said:

On today's episode of "CRIMES AGAINST ARTWORK"

PUT DOWN THE SHARPIE ARNOLD!!!!

I would have liked it better in black, but I love having Arnie's sig on that.

[comix4fun]

On 12/15/2023 at 9:52 PM, Bronty said:

I would have liked it better in black, but I love having Arnie's sig on that.

Directly across the image ares of the original art?

There isn’t a better place for it? 
like NOT in the image area?

or on a mass produced copy of the comic that isn’t the one and only original piece?

or, literally, ANYWHERE ELSE but on the art itself?

[comix4fun]

On 12/15/2023 at 1:53 PM, comix4fun said:

On today's episode of "CRIMES AGAINST ARTWORK"

PUT DOWN THE SHARPIE ARNOLD!!!!

Imagine the possibilities this opens up for Artwork Collectors!!!

[Will_K]

Imagining...

[tth2]

On 12/16/2023 at 1:58 AM, delekkerste said:

This book looks amazing: Conan the Barbarian Colossal Edition   

Apparently it was supposed to be an IDW Artist Edition but this new company (Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide) nabbed the Conan license and is bringing this Artist Edition-style Conan book to market.  

Huh, it turns out that Barry Smith guy can actually draw pretty well! 

[tth2]

On 12/16/2023 at 3:56 AM, comix4fun said:

It's wild that "Tied to a Tree - No Sword - No Babe - Pooped His Loin Cloth Facial Expression" Conan cover sold out before Frost Giants. 

I think it's because some people on these Boards keep pooping on Barry Smith Conan art.

[tth2]

On 12/16/2023 at 5:13 AM, delekkerste said:

I think I saw somewhere that the Frost Giants cover wasn't available at the start of the sale and was added later. 

Fortunately I've been able to hold the real thing in my hands and see it up close and personal. 

Yes, it's real and it's magnificent!  

[Xatari]

On 12/16/2023 at 7:29 PM, tth2 said:

I think it's because some people on these Boards keep pooping on Barry Smith Conan art.

I think it’s more of an ongoing joke. BWS is amazing. While Conan is a little before my time, I can get down with some Weapon X and Valiant era. 

[The Voord]

That BWS Frost Giants cover is stunning!

[delekkerste]

On 12/17/2023 at 11:29 AM, The Voord said:

That BWS Frost Giants cover is stunning!

What's crazy to me is that The Frost Giant's Daughter story was first published in Savage Tales #1 (May 1971), with only the cover and new title page (along with some minor censoring edits) being added for its re-publication in Conan the Barbarian #16 (July 1972).

So, that means that BWS drew this story at about the same time or even slightly earlier than Conan the Barbarian #5 (also published in May 1971). And yet the art is just sublime, better than anything Smith did in the first 15 issues of the Conan run. Of course, much of that is due to BWS inking himself, and also being drawn for a B&W publication which caused him to experiment a lot more with light, shadow and shades of grey.

In any case, it does suggest that he had more of a developed style even from fairly early on in the Conan run and that he was capable of more than just aping Kirby - it was either his inkers and/or BWS himself hewing closer to the house style in the main Conan run (for the first 15 issues) that largely disguised this until he broke out in his new style with Conan #19. 

In any case, the FGD pages are just gorgeous - wish I had pursued them more aggressively back in the day.  

[Bronty]

On 12/16/2023 at 11:08 AM, comix4fun said:

Imagine the possibilities this opens up for Artwork Collectors!!!


 

I get your reaction.   On many pieces I'd agree, but I don't find this signature placement obtrusive, and I dig the signature in this case.    Not everyone will have the same POV.   I'll say this, if I paid to purchase it for my collection, I wouldn't seek out arnie to get it signed because it wouldn't help resale.    As something to own for myself as a forever piece so to speak, I'd dig the signature.

[delekkerste]

On 12/18/2023 at 8:45 AM, Bronty said:

I get your reaction.   On many pieces I'd agree, but I don't find this signature placement obtrusive, and I dig the signature in this case.    Not everyone will have the same POV.   I'll say this, if I paid to purchase it for my collection, I wouldn't seek out arnie to get it signed because it wouldn't help resale.    As something to own for myself as a forever piece so to speak, I'd dig the signature.

From my collection  

[Bronty]

woot!

[tth2]

On 12/18/2023 at 9:21 PM, delekkerste said:

So, that means that BWS drew this story at about the same time or even slightly earlier than Conan the Barbarian #5 (also published in May 1971). And yet the art is just sublime, better than anything Smith did in the first 15 issues of the Conan run. Of course, much of that is due to BWS inking himself, and also being drawn for a B&W publication which caused him to experiment a lot more with light, shadow and shades of grey.

In any case, it does suggest that he had more of a developed style even from fairly early on in the Conan run and that he was capable of more than just aping Kirby - it was either his inkers and/or BWS himself hewing closer to the house style in the main Conan run (for the first 15 issues) that largely disguised this until he broke out in his new style with Conan #19. 

I'm sure it was primarily because his editors were telling him to use a more Kirby-esque style because they felt comic readers would feel more comfortable with a style that they were used to, whereas there was much more room for variation in magazines. 

[cstojano]

On 12/18/2023 at 6:21 AM, delekkerste said:

What's crazy to me is that The Frost Giant's Daughter story was first published in Savage Tales #1 (May 1971), with only the cover and new title page (along with some minor censoring edits) being added for its re-publication in Conan the Barbarian #16 (July 1972).

So, that means that BWS drew this story at about the same time or even slightly earlier than Conan the Barbarian #5 (also published in May 1971). And yet the art is just sublime, better than anything Smith did in the first 15 issues of the Conan run. Of course, much of that is due to BWS inking himself, and also being drawn for a B&W publication which caused him to experiment a lot more with light, shadow and shades of grey.

In any case, it does suggest that he had more of a developed style even from fairly early on in the Conan run and that he was capable of more than just aping Kirby - it was either his inkers and/or BWS himself hewing closer to the house style in the main Conan run (for the first 15 issues) that largely disguised this until he broke out in his new style with Conan #19. 

In any case, the FGD pages are just gorgeous - wish I had pursued them more aggressively back in the day.  

I had my shot at one on CL I believe within the last 4 years or so but have not see another since. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by cstojano

[comix4fun]

On 12/18/2023 at 7:58 AM, delekkerste said:

From my collection  

Love it. One of my favorite movies. I went a different direction for my autograph.
Same pose and no artwork was harmed in the creation.....  

[The Voord]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:21 PM, delekkerste said:

.  . much of that is due to BWS inking himself, and also being drawn for a B&W publication which caused him to experiment a lot more with light, shadow and shades of grey.

 

Agreed.  With the comic-book, BWS was probably limited by color considerations for the finished product (and perhaps held back by unsympathetic inkers?).  B&w (published) art would have allowed an artist to closely judge how the work would look in print, encouraging the experimentation you talk about.

Someone like Steve Ditko could be consistently amazing (no pun intended) with his b&w work for the early Warren mags.

Edited December 18, 2023 by The Voord

[vodou]

On 12/18/2023 at 8:58 AM, delekkerste said:

From my collection  

All your wife's "questions"...answered.

[Silver Surfer]

On 12/16/2023 at 7:29 PM, tth2 said:

I think it's because some people on these Boards keep pooping on Barry Smith Conan art.

BWS is great but personally I’M not a big fan of his version of Conan. The 175 pound swimmers body just doesn’t do the character justice. 

[The Voord]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:58 PM, delekkerste said:

From my collection  

 

Arnie's clearly beating Chuck . . . well, not beating him in 'that' way   

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by The Voord