Who was "The Greatest Golden Age Artist" in comics?

[Forbush-Man]

This is tough. If you break it up by decades, Flessel owned the 30's with those early DC covers. Once you get into the 40's . . . I can't decide.

 

Well, you get like 22 years to pick from......1933-1955.

 

 

[*paull*]

Mac Raboy is the greatest, in my opinion. He had an amazing ability to capture grace and power in his heroic figures. As much as I love L.B. Cole and Schomburg, Mac Raboy could have given almost every GA artist a schooling in the area of anatomy and composition.

 

 

 

 

I'm amazed at some of the names mentioned in this thread, some of which I consider barely capable to illustrate a comic book. I think that they are getting too much credit based on the characters they created/illustrated instead of solely on merit.

[Forbush-Man]

I'm amazed at some of the names mentioned in this thread, some of which I consider barely capable to illustrate a comic book. I think that they are getting too much credit based on the characters they created/illustrated instead of solely on merit.

 

I told you all this thread could get ugly.........see, I am legit.

 

 

[*paull*]

You wanted ugly?

 

I'm serious.. Not everyone was great just because they illustrated cool characters or drew comics in the Golden Age.

[Forbush-Man]

You wanted ugly?

 

I'm actually being serious. Not everyone was great just because they illustrated cool characters or drew comics in the Golden Age.

 

Naw, I'm just joshing. Believe me, I've seen GA art that's not worth mentioning......except that it was a preceeder to under-ground 70's art. Who is the Centaur artist who draws those characters with the extremely enourmous necks??? Can't think of his name now...... Did that Lumberjack strip.....

[shiverbones]

I have to go with Raboy too, he stuns me, time and again. I don't have a single book of his, but When I See them , I go nuts. I consider Frazetta Atom age, so that makes this easier. Fine & Flessel are close, but Raboy, he has a mastery of composition, line quality & flawless execution just a notch above the rest for me.

[*paull*]

The thing that sealed it for me about Raboy was seeing his interiors. The quality is phenomenal.

 

Let's put it this way... if Raboy did Captain America, I think there would be little debate about his greatness

[Forbush-Man]

The thing that sealed it for me about Raboy was seeing his interiors. The quality is phenomenal.

 

Let's put it this way... if Raboy did Captain America, I think there would be little debate about his greatness

 

Now THAT is something worth thinking about!

 

 

.....and dreaming about.....

[adamstrange]

You wanted ugly?

 

I'm actually being serious. Not everyone was great just because they illustrated cool characters or drew comics in the Golden Age.

 

Naw, I'm just joshing. Believe me, I've seen GA art that's not worth mentioning......except that it was a preceeder to under-ground 70's art. Who is the Centaur artist who draws those characters with the extremely enourmous necks??? Can't think of his name now...... Did that Lumberjack strip.....

 

Fletcher Hanks?

[Scrooge]

I have to go with Raboy too, he stuns me, time and again. I don't have a single book of his, but When I See them , I go nuts. I consider Frazetta Atom age, so that makes this easier. Fine & Flessel are close, but Raboy, he has a mastery of composition, line quality & flawless execution just a notch above the rest for me.

 

Matthew, while this is all very true, I have to chime to state that Raboy can't tell a story for . His Master and CM Jr covers are gorgeous but, inside, man'o'man I don't think he stands as well as a story-teller. You call it flawless execution, I call it lifeless expression. Granted, it's beautiful to look / gawk at but it does not draw one into it though.

 

 

[nearmint]

Schomburg would be my #1, Raboy my #2, and CentaurMan, thanks for bringing up Burnley and his Starman covers...GREAT stuff.

[shiverbones]

Scrooge, thats a good point based on those examples, I have never seen his interiors before. They are way too staged. I'd have to see more to really make up my mind, but Maybe in that case Raboy wins cover artist....

 

I really want to pick Wolverton to be honest... I love Wolverton....

[*paull*]

The Flash Gordons that you cite are early in Raboy's run, which is obviously meant to keep the continuity of Alex Raymond's previous work.

 

Here are some later strips... very different right?

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=171401&GSub=27377

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=171393&GSub=27377

[*paull*]

I love Wolverton's humor material and I like his horror stuff even more. The "Swamp Monster" story from Weird Mysteries #5 is just awesome, although from the Atom Age.

[Scrooge]

The Flash Gordons that you cite are early in Raboy's run, which is obviously meant to keep the continuity of Alex Raymond's previous work.

 

Here are some later strips... very different right?

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=171401&GSub=27377

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=171393&GSub=27377

 

I don't disagree and I wasn't trying to stack the deck against Raboy. Here's another example of a more dynamic page and I'm sure it helps that the strip added dialog instead of just description text (à la Prince Valiant) -

 

Still, IMO, I wouldn't put Raboy on top of that "Best" list.

[shiverbones]

Ok Paull, you have a point too, those are different. They remind me more of Frazetta's Johhny Comet strip, but of course without the race cars..

 

I have to say I can not judge raboy's interior work without seeing more. And I Would LOVE to see more. Maybe I'll have to pick up some Masters.

[*paull*]

I'm not a fan of the Alex Raymond Flash Gordon or Hal Foster Prince Valiant style of storytelling, so I definitely agree with you guys there.

 

What I've seen of Raboy's Master work, I really like. He wasn't the most dynamic storyteller, but his draftsmanship was peerless, in my opinion. What an amazing inker...

[Scrooge]

Maybe, we need to put up examples of those guys' work. Here are a couple of Lou Fine since several folks already put his name in the ring -

[FFB]

I love Flessel's cover work for the early Adventure, More Fun & Detective comics.

 

Ditto. O'Mealia had some great ones too. Action #2 is definitely a favorite. So much amazing detail on that cover. You can look at it a hundred times and each time notice something you didn't see before.

[mr.schomburg]

Its funny before I joined the boards, I was pretty one sided in my tastes. I am and was a Schomburg guy, with much love to Kirby, Shores, Baker, Everett, and LB Cole. While I have not really changed my opinion, but my eyes have been opened to some covers and artist I never considered in the top tier. Like Mac Raboy, Fessel, Lou Fine, and others whoose art I just had not seen. I love and hate this at the same time as I am drawn to collect those comics with thier art as well.

I have given this topic some great thought, and came up with this opinion, but understand that I now believe myself to be uneducated as I really am only begining my foray into the GA.

1st Choice Schomburg(he sings to my eyes)

2nd Choice Kirby, but really not the GA Kirby, but the 50's

3rd Anything Baker(what a sense of realism and 40's style)

4th LB Cole for the Darker days

5th Everett(for his exagerated style)

6th Raboy(newley found interest)

7th Avision(love the dark tones in his covers, and the drama of his characters)

8th Shores, but really only the later Timely stuff which had a Bakerish quality

9th Feildstein

10th Who ever drew the early Spector and Dr. Fate covers in More Fun

Well thats my list at least today.

Paul