A recent podcast featured a brief discussion about collectors of original art, during which I opined that I didn’t personally feel a need to collect original pencils or uncolored art. I can certainly understand wanting to own a physical piece handled and created by the likes of Neal Adams or Dave Cockrum, but I’d much rather spend that money on the finished product. My boss at the store (Gatekeeper Hobbies, Huntoon & Gage, Topeka! Ask us about our CGC graded Strange Sports Stories #1!) on the other hand, has an extensive collection of pages from the early days of the original Valiant Comics, a universe that he enjoys and feels a personal connection to. In the grand scheme of things, I think I prefer the idea of a commissioned sketch, wherein I could ask Barry Windsor-Smith to draw Machine Man or perhaps Neal Adams to draw Angel in his cool blue jumpsuit. Given unlimited funding and a time machine, I wouldn’t mind a Curt Swan Legion sketch, either…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) reminds you that inking adds depth and shading to the penciler’s work, and is an art unto itself, but will be happy to trace a chalk line around your $&@#in’ body, asking:
If you could commission any artist to create a work featuring any character, who, which and why?
9 Comments
Since you already used the Swan LSH portrait…
Dick Dillin, classic JLA. Also requiring $$$ and time machine. There’s something very comforting about his work and the nostalgia factor is huge.
My all-time favorite characters are Element Lad, Blok, Vision, and Zatanna. My favorite artist (or most intriguing of a half-dozen favorites for this purpose) is Neal Adams. A Blok sketch from Adams would be very interesting indeed…
Initially I was paralysed by choices, but in the end I’d have to go with a modern Chris Bachelo doing Chamber of Marvel’s Generation X. It seems like a poor choice because Chris drew that book in its early days, but I love that guys art so a modern rendering would make me happy. I’ve been known to buy books just because he drew the cover. Also I love the character for his 90’s angst “outsider among outsiders” riff. Plus he beat Omega Red in a fight once and that was a bad ass story.
Adam West Batman by Scott Wegener. It would be like my highschool sweetheart making out with my wife.
Jack Kirby doing Captain America, or maybe Cap and the original Avengers line up!
J Scott Campbell to draw the geeky cute college age Gwen Tennyson because… Well to be honest, I’m a bit of a perv. Hasn’t that been established?
Alternately, I’d love a time machine to go back and get Mike Wieringo to draw Juhani from Knights of the Old Republic. I loved his art style and I would love to have seen his take on the character.
Jack Kirby drawing the Thing clobberin’ Dr. Doom! Two of my fav characters done by the original master.
You put it in my head because I misread Valiant comics as Prince Valiant, but man… A full page Hal Foster strip… That would be amazing.
Dream list would be Dave Sim, Al Williamson, Mark Schultz drawing whatever they pleased.
I’ve actually priced out some Mike Allred art, but for commission I’d love to see Madman, Red Rocket 7 and Mott from Hoople in an impromptu jam session.
I would commission George Perez, he has an iconic style and flow to his drawings. I hope to be as good as him for sure.