CGC FORUM TOP BRONZE AGE COVERS - #12

[jbud73]

The #12 book to place in the Top 20 sees Barry Windsor-Smith get his work on Conan acknowledged. I always think of BWS as Marvel's answer to Wrightson and Adams in the early BA period, even if they were too blind to realize it.

 

Thanks to delekkerste for both the nomination and the following summation on Smith's work.

 

By the end of Barry Smith’s run on Conan the Barbarian, he had stepped out of Jack Kirby’s shadow and, along with scribe Roy Thomas, taken the sword & sorcery genre and the entire comics medium to a new level. The cover of issue #24, with its luxurious, pain-staking detail, beautiful composition (look at Conan & Sonja and the positioning of their weaponry on the left-to-right downward angled slant and the living Turanian soldiers anchoring the piece at the bottom), striking colors (the skillful use of various gold and brown tones contrasted with the brighter palate used for the main characters), is not only the best cover of the entire Bronze Age, but the best Marvel cover ever published. Look at the movement all over the piece, with the Turanian captain and his helmet ornamentation whirling around at the bottom, and Conan’s striking blow sending his opponent reeling. Look at Sonja’s steely gaze, Conan’s fury, the anguish of Conan’s victim, the panicked look of the guard – artistically, no other cover on this list even begins to compare to BWS’s masterpiece - delekkerste

 

[johnenock]

He was a master. Great attention to details I never thought of delekkerste. I don't know if the write up has swayed me, but this should probably be in the top 10.

[Zonker]

It is a great cover.

 

Add me to those who are happy to put Barry Smith on an equal footing with the other Bronze Age masters Adams, Wrightson & Kaluta.

[jbud73]

Gene certainly makes a compelling arguement doesn't he When you get to this point though you have Adams - Wrightson - Smith - Byrne - Kane - Kaluta all turning in stellar work in terms of perspective, composition and new techniques in the medium. So it really is tough to choose and it only gets tougher as they get some competition from a few notables still not on the list

[joe_collector]

I hope this is not the only BWS Conan cover on the list, as while very nice, there are some truly killer images in his run.

[jbud73]

I hope this is not the only BWS Conan cover on the list, as while very nice, there are some truly killer images in his run.

 

JC you're psychic.

 

check out #11

[drbanner]

I always think of BWS as Marvel's answer to Wrightson and Adams in the early BA period, even if they were too blind to realize it.

 

He definitely is, and the late silver/early bronze artist-centric collectors certainly pursue the Smith Conan run as a steadfast in any art-focused collection.

 

In addition to the great cover, the interior art on this issue is some of the best ever published...

[blutobc]

I take my bow as a person who placed this book as his #1 pick.

 

I figured it wouldn't make it to the top, but I was hoping for top 10.

[tth2]

Great choice (although I may have voted for a different Conan cover)!

 

Smith was the only Marvel artist during the early 1970s who was producing work that could match up to the DC guys.

[adamstrange]

Great cover. That's the only Conan book I own, though there are a couple other interior stories that may be even better than this cover.

[october]

Nice. Can't go wrong with BWS.

[divad]

By the end of Barry Smith’s run on Conan the Barbarian, he had stepped out of Jack Kirby’s shadow and, along with scribe Roy Thomas, taken the sword & sorcery genre and the entire comics medium to a new level. The cover of issue #24, with its luxurious, pain-staking detail, beautiful composition (look at Conan & Sonja and the positioning of their weaponry on the left-to-right downward angled slant and the living Turanian soldiers anchoring the piece at the bottom), striking colors (the skillful use of various gold and brown tones contrasted with the brighter palate used for the main characters), is not only the best cover of the entire Bronze Age, but the best Marvel cover ever published. Look at the movement all over the piece, with the Turanian captain and his helmet ornamentation whirling around at the bottom, and Conan’s striking blow sending his opponent reeling. Look at Sonja’s steely gaze, Conan’s fury, the anguish of Conan’s victim, the panicked look of the guard – artistically, no other cover on this list even begins to compare to BWS’s masterpiece - delekkerste

 

<CENTER></CENTER>

 

 

And not even his best

[RDK]

That's too pretty to be a comic book cover. Man, what a breath of fresh air Barry Smith was back then. Maybe not my favorite of his Conan covers, but it's up there - and made memorable by featuring Red Sonja.

[october]

Great coloring on this cover too. Giving all the attackers the same pallete really helps separate the cover. It could have been extremely confusing otherwise.

[divad]

The use of the red is pivotal as well . . .