Daredevil Message Board

train · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:11 am Post subject:

James,
Like Greg said above, I'd encourage you to look at Colan's art from the 70's. One of the best issues that come to mind is issue 80. The art is very cinematic and DD isn't the stay-puft marshmallow man.

I'd be willing to bet most of the negative vibe is coming from his most recent stint on DD....that run just doesn't do the man justice. Keep in mind, he was putting out a monthly comic at nearly 75 years old.

james castle · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:23 am Post subject:

Justin K · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:27 am Post subject:

Greg said:

I disagree (big surprise). I'd put Colan's 'peak' work up against anybody's in the industry - present or past - and it would still rate as 'at least as good'. Colan - IMO - really hit his stride in the mid to late 70s, and what really made his work shine was a good inker (i.e. Palmer, et. al.); his more recent work is not as good for several reasons... degenerative eye disease, old age, poor inking, etc.

~I am curious Greg, I may have asked you this before, but have you seen Colan's issue in the Escapist books. I found it to be very good, his mastery over shadows and human emotion comes to play very well. It is a pricey book to find, I picked up a digesty version of the first set of issues for 17.95 or so but I dare say it was worth it for Colan's work.

Greg · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:23 am Post subject:

Justin K · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:32 am Post subject:

I haven't seen it, Justin... but thanks for the heads-up on it; I'll give a call to my local comic shop and ask them to do a search for it and stick it in my box (I really do love all things "Gene Colan"!). That is actually one of the things that made Gene's work on Tomb of Dracula so vital... his use of shadows and his facial expressions... sooooo well done on that book. His work, as train points out above, on the 70s DD book was equally as great; images from DD#80 and 81 are permanently etched in my mind, especially the helicopter fight and the battle with the Owl... just simply brilliant. Smile

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Let me help you a bit with your search, I have located my copy of the book. Which is a combination of two issues (each 80 pages) Colan's work would be in the second book and the specific story is titled "The Lady or The Tiger". If I remember correctly the individual issues were $8.95. And the official title of the comic is, Michael Chabon Presents the Amazing Adventures of the Escapist. (www.darkhorse.com might also have something) I have not picked up any since. My next one will be with work done by Eisner, "The Spirit meets the Escapist" which is slated to be in #6

train · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:49 am Post subject:

Steve Roberts · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:31 pm Post subject:

Gene Colan is brilliant and one of the main reasons i read comics. Years back(and i AM talking YEARS BACK,boys and girls!)I was always attracted to great art and when i spotted Gene's, i was overwhelmed by his fantastic use of light and shade,(especially SHADE)and i think that an artist does tend to change over the years,and Gene is no exception.
So it all depends on which year or decade your looking at.
My personal favourite period,was his art on TOMB OF DRACULA(or DRACULA LIVES weekly if like me you live in the U.K ),but overall and over all the years,i think that Gene's art has for the greater part been excellent.
So the answer to the big question is NO,NO,and one for luck,NO!!!!Gene Colan DOES NOT SUCK!!!
But i'll tell ya who does or did, BARRY SMITH and FRANK ROBBINS. UGH!

Forrest · Lowlife Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 1439

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