Who is your favorite Spider-Man artist?

[ronm3-migration]

I have to go with McFarlane.

The nostalgia behind Ditko and Romita is great but McFarlane was the man.

[blowout]

I have to go with McFarlane.

The nostalgia behind Ditko and Romita is great but McFarlane was the man.

 

[Jungle_Junkie]

Mcfarlane did draw a pretty good spidey but the stories kinda sucka (IMO) at around the same time I LOVED Spectacular Spiderman with art by Sal Bal Buscema and words by JM Dematteis.

These were cool - issues 178-200 had some great stories with one under lying one about Harry Osborn/Goblin with resulted in his death in 200.

I can't recommend these enough plus they're cheap

 

 

 

So I'll have to say that Sal's my fav due to nostalgia but Ross Andru & Romita are close behind with Gil Kane coming up 4th.

[Anfield Fox]

I guess variety really is the spice of life!

 

I HATED Sal Buscema's long, long run on Spectacular and at the time i almost dropped the book. Whomever mentioned Bryne needs only look at the awful Chapter 1. Still Romita JR is the one i dislike most. Leave Spidey alone!

 

On a related note, who has done the most Spider-Man books? Bagley has been doing him non-stop since 1991 with the exception of a small stint on Thunderbolts. I always loved his art on Amazing and im glad he's finally getting recognition now that he's on Ultimate.

[mar-vell]

gotta go with Ditko!!!

 

Mcfarlane has tight pencils and very pretty but ditko's very strange style sets the whole atmosphere better! You can't appreciate Ditko in a reprint it's just not the same! You have to read the first 40 spidey's to really appreciate Ditko! Plus on top of that The first 20 issues are probably Stan's finest work as well!

 

Ditko could really draw very well too - the covers of spidey 3 & 20 are masterpieces!

[ashrael]

Definately McFarlane

 

[awe4one]

I vote for Ditkomita! (I can do that, right?)

 

I have never warmed up to Ditko's style...call it blasphemy but his art has never excited me one bit.

 

If I had to say who was the best Spidey artist, I'd have to go with Romita.

 

And before the younger crowd chimes in with MacFarlane, his art was all over the place during his run. And his depiction of Mary Jane was just plain ugly. Look to his Hulk run for great art from him. His style suits a more monstrous creature than a lean superhero such as Spidey...

 

Jim

[otherworldcomics]

Its a toss up but the top three would be Mark Bagley, Todd McFarlane, and Erik Larsen for me. I liked Bagley's art the most, it really defined Spidey in the 90's for me. Just a really clean and crisp line to his art. I did like Sal Buscema on Spectacular though. Not the best artist in the world but I loved his pacing. I think those were some of the best Green Goblin stories ever done. I wish they had let the Goblin stay dead with #200. I think it really ended the whole legacy on a noble act.

[awe4one]

did like Sal Buscema on Spectacular though. Not the best artist in the world but I loved his pacing. I think those were some of the best Green Goblin stories ever done. I wish they had let the Goblin stay dead with #200. I think it really ended the whole legacy on a noble act.

 

Amen brother...Sal's Spectacular work up to #200 is one of the best storylines, with DeMatteis' writing, of the 90s in my opinion...

 

Sadly it's overshadowed by MacFarlane and Larsen...

 

Jim

[joe_collector]

Whomever mentioned Bryne needs only look at the awful Chapter 1.

 

It helps to be able to read:

 

2. John Byrne (killer MTU and would have rocked in a 70's ASM gig)

 

These choices are all about an era, and I'm sure most would put Neal Adams on the top of the Batman charts, for his work in the 60's and 70's, but certainly NOT today. This kind of thing is a "point in time" kind of deal, just as I think Kirby did some excellent FF work, but that his 70's efforts were absolutely horrible.

 

I think everyone on here knows how I feel about the terrible art that Byrne produced since the mid-80's or so, and his modern stuff is even worse. But his 70's stuff was exceptional and I think his MTU Spidey was one of the best ever.

[musicmeta]

John Romita without a doubt.

[Wally's Comics]

Make mine Ross Andru!

 

 

 

[mrrs-migration]

I'm going with McFarlane.

While I have a lot of respect for Ditko and "THE" spiderman artist Mr. Romita, he was and has been since the best artist in my book.

[Dick Pontoon]

I started reading ASM when Ross Andru was doing it; liked him okay then and still do. But even then, Ditko was the man for me.

I wasn't a huge Romita fan back then, but appreciate those 60s issues more now. Gil Kane grabbed me almost as much as Ditko, so I'd have to say those 2.

 

John Buscema put in some respectable issues, too. I always liked his rendition of the Lizard. I haven't read Sal's later Spidey stuff, but his earlier SSM and MTUs were my least favorite.

[Point Five]

One request: Can some of those who pick John Romita as their favorite artist describe what it is they feel is definitive about his work, and/or point to specific issues we should look at? IMO the SA Romita books I have pale when compared to Ditko's, so I'd very much like to understand your arguments better and I'm not quite there yet.

[143ksk]

Ditko--no question. Gil Kane is the only competition IMO.

[That Ron Dude]

Ditko doesn't get my nod simply from nostalgia. He originated the look of the key characters including the Spider-Man villians, his creativity in story telling is rarely matched and a strong a singular mood goes through all his Spider-Man stories.

 

I would put Romita up there for his polished draftsmanship and for being the artist who changed him from being a nerdy, scrawny high school geek (who probably read comics) to a well built, motorcycle riding stud (who would never read a comic).

 

The unsung hero of the first hundred issues is Jim Mooney who provided the most textured inks I HAVE EVER SEEN in a comic book. He also took a character who was bouncing back and forth between some very diverse artists and put his mark on it providing continuity from issue to issue.

 

I haven't picked up the recent issues (last thirty years). McFarlane, from what I hear, was pretty good but I don't know for sure. I hope he goes on to bigger better things. Good luck to him. I haven't seen his work at Marvel recently so I suspect the new editors have brushed him aside and he is lying in a gutter somewhere, broke.

[Marc Spector-migration]

Mcfarlane did draw a pretty good spidey but the stories kinda sucka (IMO) at around the same time I LOVED Spectacular Spiderman with art by Sal Bal Buscema and words by JM Dematteis.

These were cool - issues 178-200 had some great stories with one under lying one about Harry Osborn/Goblin with resulted in his death in 200.

I can't recommend these enough plus they're cheap

 

 

 

So I'll have to say that Sal's my fav due to nostalgia but Ross Andru & Romita are close behind with Gil Kane coming up 4th.

 

 

I'm going to say Sal too! I just picked up Essential Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man #1, and I'm lovin it!

[chrisco37]

 

I'm going to say Sal too! I just picked up Essential Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man #1, and I'm lovin it!

 

I think his early run on the title is infinitely better than his return, althought the "Sin Eater" story had nice art. After that, it was downhill.

[ronm3-migration]

This is not about the stories its about the art folks. if we are going to go with the overall picture than I would definitely go with the Ditko era. That was when marvel was at its creative best.