Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Category: Original Art and The Artists

Will Eisner — Second Act

Original Art and The Artists

Will Eisner’s Quarterly #2, Spring 1984 and A Life Force, 1988

We continue with our month long celebration of the “Independents” — Independent creators and projects that continue to impact the comic book medium.

A Life Force is the second graphic novel in the Contract With God Trilogy.

Contract with God? All that did was change the face of comic book storytelling and popularize the concept, and phrase, “graphic novel.”

Autobiographical and journalistic. Sometimes harsh, sometimes uplifting. Mature, and in places, unflinching. Eisner described his narrative, an “exercise in personal agony,” a way of dealing with the death of his daughter Alice (from Leukemia) years earlier.

Eisner’s career is fascinating. He had all but given up on comic book work after he discontinued the Spirit in 1952, but the growth of comics’ fandom convinced him to return in the 70s. He did indeed revisit The Spirit, but more importantly, he realized his personal literary aspiration of creating something completely unique and personal with COG, its sequels, and other graphic novels he produced until his death in 2005.

A Life Force was first serialized in Will Eisner’s Quarterly starting in 1984. The innovative storytelling and artistic detail on this page (i.e the classic line cross-hatching) makes it a keeper.

Eisner owned outright nearly all the comic book material he created in his lifetime. He had great foresight to retain his intellectual property, and remain a true independent until his passing.

Sam Kieth — Hero To Zero

Original Art and The Artists

Zero Girl #3, April 2001

Welcome back to a month long celebration of the “Independents” — Independent creators and projects that continue to impact the comic book medium.

I have some great Sam Kieth anecdotes from projects where we’ve crossed professional paths.

Topps Maxx trading cards. Check.

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs Animated comics adaptions. Check.

Maxx Deluxe collections. Check.

Batman / Maxx. Double check.

Zero Girl? Even though we collected both series at IDW, I have no memory of how this one came to pass. Probably a short phone call between Editor Scott Dunbier and Sam, and that was that.

I do have however, this cool page, the issue’s cover scene, in my collection. Zero Girl is admittedly not one of Sam’s better known efforts, but its surrealism definitely appeals to me, and the art, especially in the first series is classic Kieth.

As for those stories I do have? I’ll have to get back to you.

Sam did three great (and little-seen) covers for the 1994 Topps adaptation of the Cadillacs and Dinosaurs animated series. He sold the original art for them in the last year or two; I guess he forgot he promised one of them to me. Ha!

Ralph Heimdahl — Happy Birthday, Bugs!

Original Art and The Artists

Bugs Bunny (daily strip), January 30, 1969

My pal Larry Shell points out that today is Bugs Bunny’s 80th birthday — his first official appearance is in the animated (and oscar-nominated) short “A Wild Hare”, released on July 27, 1940.

Cartoonist Ralph Heimdahl drew the Bugs daily comic strip from its inception in 1948 well into the 70s, when he retired.

It’s nice when the screentone on older strips ages well (without peeling) and adds some warmth to the art. (Many rabbits are grayish brown — or is that brownish gray? — anyway.)

I watched Looney Tunes cartoons incessantly as a youngster, which probably explains quite a bit…

Wallace Wood — Indie Hero

Original Art and The Artists

Heroes, Inc. #1, 1969

Welcome back to a month long celebration of the “Independents” — Independent creators and projects that continue to impact the comic book medium.

I recently noticed a fellow professional declare Wallace Wood the greatest comic book illustrator of all time.

Unlike most commentary on social media these days, as far as I can tell, no one jumped up and bashed him. Sure you can disagree, or have another personal favorite (Kirby, Williamson, et al) but you end up in the weeds of arguing whether Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb was the greatest baseball player ever.

If Wood isn’t the “best,” he’s still in the top few.

Wood was also a pioneer in the independent comics world, trying new things at a time when he was frustrated with the mainstream commercial publishers.

In fact, shortly after the cancellation of T.H.U.N.D.E.R Agents, Wood created an interesting series of “adult” oriented characters, primarily for the armed forces. 

Heroes Inc. features the only color version of any of these characters, and introduces the Misfits, self-explanatory name and all.

This comic was “rare” for a while in the 70s, but then someone discovered a warehouse find.

And then another.

Pretty soon, there were likely more than 100,000 copies floating around. It appears that 250K were printed and most were never actually distributed.

I sure hope Woody didn’t get stuck with any of that printing bill.

The Misfits made only two appearances, seven years apart. The second issue of Heroes Inc. made its debut as a “prozine” in 1976.

Geof Darrow — Powerful Line-up

Original Art and The Artists

Commission, 2015

Welcome back to a month long celebration of the “Independents” — Independent creators and projects that continue to impact the comic book medium.

My love / hate relationship with conventions has often been a topic of professional discussion, whether I like it or not.

Focusing on the “love” part for now, conventions are opportunities to chat with friends far and wide that I don’t otherwise get a chance to see. This includes many creators that I’ve had the pleasure to meet or work with.

At the top of the list (A lot of folks are tied for number one) is Geof Darrow, the talented artist, super nice guy, and a very funny fellow.

Geof is one of many creator highlights for me at San Diego Comic Con. 25 years ago, back when the convention was smaller — and artist alley was bigger, it was a safe haven from the overwhelming din elsewhere in the building. Now of course the din has followed us everywhere.

But I digress.

I love this commission because it highlights Geoff’s key characters and amazing line work in a beautifully-detailed, impactful pin-up.

Hard Boiled (with Frank Miller), Shaolin Cowboy, and of course Big Guy and Rusty the Robot (Also with Miller).

I love Giant Robots. Doesn’t Everyone?

The Big Guy and Rusty The Robot animated series was a fun adaptation of the comic.

Jim Starlin — Magical Mystery Tour

Original Art and The Artists

Dreadstar #2, January 1983

Jim Starlin’s Marvel work had a big impact on me back in the day: Space Opera. Philosophy. Offbeat humor every so often, just enough to keep us from focusing too much on the end of… well, everything.

So it was no surprise that I was more than curious about Dreadstar, his creator owned project that launched form Epic (Marvel’s creator line) in 1982. Sure enough, it did not diverge from Starlin’s established interests — or my taste. I enjoyed his entire run on the series.

(It’s always so odd when a creator leaves a creator-owned book. But it happens frequently. And I digress.)

This page is actually one of two I acquired about 10 years ago.  The other page had Vanth Dreadstar on it  (although minimally) but I ended up keeping this one (and trading the other) because it sums up the classic Starlin style.  To me, only Steve Ditko did space and time magic with the same trippy flair.

(Crazy neon coloring by Glynis Oliver Wein on the published piece as well.)

Dreadstar had to slowly make his way through magazines and graphic novels before he ultimately appeared in his own (color) ongoing series.
Jim Starlin sends his love, NYCC, 2019.

Sergio Aragonés — Details, Details

Original Art and The Artists

Sergio Aragonés Groo: Hell On Earth #3, January 2008

Sergio Aragonés sold his first professional work in 1954. Er… uh… 66 years ago.

That was in Mexico, and he was still in high school. In 1962, he immigrated to the United States, did a few odd jobs, and eventually showed up at the door of Bill Gaines and Mad Magazine. 

The rest, as they say, is history.

Since then, his work would fill an Encyclopedia. No, scratch that. A library. A very cool and humorous library.

The Comics Journal declared him “one of the most prolific and brilliant cartoonists of his generation” and yet somehow, that remains an understatement.

Groo the Wanderer is essentially a parody of Conan and its ilk. A parody that’s lasted 40 years, thanks to Aragonés’ imaginative storytelling and witty cartooning (with the help of collaborator Mark Evanier) and all those amazing artistic details and flourishes.

Those details are obvious in the printed comic of course, but so much more so in the original art. And not a lot of Groo original art is floating around. Sergio has kept many of his complete issues.

We were fortunate to publish an IDW Artist Edition of Sergio’s Groo work, so I was able to see a few hundred pages of all those glorious details.

And I’m very fortunate to own this splash, purchased from Sergio directly.

Outstanding cartoonist. Outstanding guy. 

Another creator that I dearly miss from the 2020 convention circuit.

Damn you, 2020. 

Groo has indeed wandered in 40 years: From Eclipse to Pacific to Epic (Marvel) to Image to Dark Horse. (Plus special edition reprints from Graphitti and IDW.)
The very first Groo story, as it appeared in Eclipse’s Destroyer Duck in 1982.
One of my favorite Sergio Aragonés pieces of all time. A gazillion characters, even for him.

Eric Powell — Shmak!

Original Art and The Artists

Goon, Vol. 2, #4 (Albatross), April 2003

Here’s a great Goon splash page from Eric Powell, cool sound effect included.

We’ve previously discussed a tremendous appreciation for Powell’s art, but I also have tremendous respect for him as entrepreneur.

He’s come pretty much full circle recently as he returned to independent publishing after spending many years under the Dark Horse umbrella.

When Eric launched Goon, he published a handful of issues with Avatar, but, dissatisfied with that arrangement, he ultimately independently published the series after a brief try out at Dark Horse that didn’t result in a Goon publishing offer. 

After a few issues, however, Dark Horse realized they had made an error in editorial Judgment, and brought the Goon on board. 

That relationship ended in 2018, and Eric once again, turned to the independent route under his own publishing banner, Albatross.

It takes willpower, discipline and much more to hit your creative deadlines while simultaneously working through the labyrinth of publishing details — production, printing, distribution, etc. But as far as I can tell, Mr. Powell is doing just fine, thank you.

If you ever have a chance to hear him give a marketing presentation for Albatross, don’t pass it up. 

I’ve seen a few, and they range from “just” very funny — to downright hilarious.

For economic reasons, the first printing of this Goon story is in grayscale. Later trade collections feature the Goon Albatross stories in color.
The Goon — From Avatar to Dark Horse to Albatross to Dark Horse and ultimately, back to Albatross, Powell’s own imprint.

Matt Wagner — Defined

Original Art and The Artists

Mage (Hero Defined) #5, January 1998

As discussed previously in this blog and elsewhere, Matt Wagner is a terrific talent.

Although it’s always great fun to see him play with other kid’s toys (The Demon, Batman, The Shadow, etc.) its obvious he has a special appreciation for his two long-time creations, Grendel and Mage. And Mage has been one those series has always demanded my attention, and my admiration.

MAGE is the contemporary tale of reluctant hero Kevin Matchstick who, after encountering a modern-day wizard, learns he is the reincarnation of the legendary King Arthur Pendragon, able to wield the power of the mystical weapon, Excalibur. (Now a magical baseball bat instead of a sword.)

Here’s Matt discussing it in a 2017 interview, just ahead of launching the final story arc

“For anyone who doesn’t realize it, MAGE is what I like to describe as an allegorical autobiography, with the character of Kevin Matchstick very obviously standing in as my literary alter-ego.  All the other characters he encounters and situations he endures are metaphors from my own life…told through the lens of a fantasy adventure.”

It’s a wonderful trilogy — told over the span of 35 years — and Matt is probably bored with me telling him how much I enjoy and admire the work. (I first met him in the 80s and have sung the same tune since then.)

The autobiographical part of the fantasy is key to me, because Matt and I —and his hero Kevin Matchstick — are all about the same age. 

Kevin’s character ages and incorporates Matt’s life experiences, which is still a fairly uncommon feature in graphic storytelling.

This cool page is from the middle of the trilogy, and features the cover scene of the issue in the wonderfully-executed final panel. POW indeed.

Matt says the Mage story is complete and the story of Kevin Matchstick is finished, but maybe he will incorporate a senior citizen story 20 years from now — we can discuss it over a game of checkers in the park.

Three story arcs, 35 years in the making.

Frank Miller — Wood’s World

Original Art and The Artists

Dark Horse Presents #100-1, August 1995 and Tales To Offend #1, July 1997

This is a great Frank Miller splash page from a 1995 Lance Blastoff story.

Wait — Who?

If you blinked, you likely missed Blastoff, Miller’s affectionate homage to Wallace (Wally) Wood’s classic EC SF stories. (With a bit of Al Williamson thrown in for good measure.)

The character originally appeared in only two short stories, both in Dark Horse Presents, both in black and white, in the mid 90s.

Ultimately, those stories, along with a few others, were repackaged in a fun one-shot comic book, Tales To Offend. For this reprint, the stories were newly colored.

And in a moment of inspired genius, Miller (or Dark Horse itself) hired Marie Severin — who colored most of the original EC stories — to color the Blastoff stories.

Nothing deep about these Blastoff stories — just some diversionary fun from the noir Sin City stories of the era. (Although the humor here is a definitely the dark kind.) 

Dinosaurs. Rockets. Spacegirls. 40 years after EC’s heyday, it was nice to have them back again, even if just for a brief moment.

A sampling of Wood’s greatest EC SF covers.