R.I.P. Neal Adams

 

Jack Kirby and Neal Adams at a San Diego Comic Con.

Adams was not only a great cartoonist, but an important defender of cartoonist's rights. 

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Magazines I've Read Recently, December 28, 2020

 

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Magazines I've Read Recently, July 1, 2020

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Magazines I've Read Recently, June 9, 2018

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Comics I've Read Recently, September 23, 2017

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Recently Read: Hawkeye: My Life As a Weapon

Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon is a mostly fun read. Matt Fraction gives the arrow expert his own espionage adventures, frequently teamed with a female Hawkeye from the Young Avengers series.

The first several issues reprinted here are drawn by David Aja, who uses a nice, retro Alex Toth-by-way-of David Mazzuchelli style. The next few chapters are also nicely drawn by Javier Pulido, using more of a Jaime Hernandez style, mixed with the recent, less Kirbyesque Tom Scioli. The old school styles Aja and Pulido use fit the fun spirit of the book, as does colorist Matt Hollingsworth, who uses digital coloring to compliment and not define the art. (The last story reprinted is drawn by Alan Davis, who appears to have not ever seen a Neal Adams comic he didn't like.)

Fraction's stories are filled with action, quips and cracks and are quite entertaining when they're not annoying; hearing villains say "bro" a couple times is mildly entertaining, but very annoying when they've said it a hundred times. The same goes with Hawkeye's "This looks bad" narrations. These aren't like '70s sitcoms that need a catchphrase by corporate decree. Or are they?

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Pics from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum Exhibit, "Substance and Shadow: the Art of the Cartoon"

                                                    Jeff Smith art from Bone.

                                    Milton Caniff art from Terry and the Pirates.

                                         Chester Gould art from early Dick Tracy.

Winsor McCay explosion.

Hal Foster art from Prince Valiant. Notice Foster's influence on Barry Windsor Smith in the second panel.

Sergio Aragones art.

Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia art from Captain America.

Neal Adams art from the famous "Answer me that, Mr. Green Lantern!" story.

Winsor McCay editorial art.

New Yorker art by Roz Chast. 

 Hulk art by Marie Severin.

Mutt and Jeff art by Bud Fisher.

Blondie, by Chic Young.

Mort Walker's Beetle Bailey.

Guess who?

More McCay.

George Herriman's Krazy Kat.

Cliff Sterrett art from Polly and Her Pals.

Robert Crumb.

John Buscema Conan art (inked by Rudy Nebres?)

Chris Ware.

Fred Lasswell (or Bllly DeBeck?) art for Barney Google and Snuffy Smith.

Gorgeous Roy Crane art for Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy.

E.C. Segar?

Basil Wolverton's take on FDR. 

Close up of Carl Barks pencils.

Animation cel art.

Felix the Cat, by Otto Messmer.

Floyd Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse.

Billy, from The Family Circus, by Bill Keane 

McCay again, drawn for his animated film, Gertie the Dinosaur.

Cartoonist Max Ink, enjoying the exhibit. 

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