Dave Johnson slowly built a name for himself over the next couple of years, mostly doing covers. Then 100 Bullets kicked off in 1999, and it was as the sole cover artist of the entire 100-issue run that Dave refined his graphic approach to cover art.
Part of today's surprise find: I know nothing of the title
Any info?
I've never read any of them, but the title was created to replace Tarzan when they lost the license to DC. The artist/co-creator was Paul Norris, the creator of Aquaman. It was his last regular comic book work (he did two issues of Magnus after Jungle Twins was cancelled, and a few Dynomutt and Laff-a-Lympics stories for Marvel, then he retired).
I really like this cover. It has a Simonson meets Chaykin feel to it.
Not familiar with Ezquerra.
Two words: Judge Dredd.
That 'splains it. Not my cuppa.
I'm assuming you do know the Stainless Steel Rat. It's kind of fitting that 2000 AD adapted Harry Harrison’s novel, because Harrison got his start in comics as an artist partnered with his former Cartoonists and Illustrators School classmate Wally Wood. At first he inked Wood, but then Wood got much better at inking, and by the time they started working for EC, Harrison was doing layouts with Wood doing finishes. It was Harrison and Wood who convinced Gaines to publish science-fiction, resulting in Weird Science and Weird Fantasy. In 1949 they formed a studio along with Joe Orlando and Sid Check, but Harrison left in 1950 after many arguments with Wood. That's when he shifted over to doing more writing, but he kept up penciling, inking, and editing comics through the mid-’50s.
He didn’t draw many covers, but here’s one he penciled and inked: Beware #15 (May 1953).
I just found out that Fred Kida passed away last week. Kida was a Japanese-American artist best known for his work on “Airboy,” which he drew during the feature’s height in the mid-’40s. Here’s his Airboy (and Valkyrie!) covers for Air Fighters Comics vol. 2, #2.
I just found out that Fred Kida passed away last week. Kida was a Japanese-American artist best known for his work on “Airboy,” which he drew during the feature’s height in the mid-’40s. Here’s his Airboy (and Valkyrie!) covers for Air Fighters Comics vol. 2, #2.
As lovely as the Dave Stevens cover is, there's a really nice energy to the original.
Never seen it before, thanks for sharing!
I think that energy comes mostly from Valkyrie’s hair and the bold Caniff-esque brushstrokes Kida used. Kida actually assisted Caniff on Steve Canyon for a short time.
Here’s another Fred Kida cover with Airboy and the German vixen Valkyrie: Airboy Comics vol. 3, #6 (July 1946).
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Not familiar with Ezquerra.
He didn’t draw many covers, but here’s one he penciled and inked: Beware #15 (May 1953).
But yes, I certainly knew his SF work.
Besides The SS Rat, he gave us "Make Room! Make Room!"
"See the original covers at www.comics.org"
Never seen it before, thanks for sharing!
Here’s another Fred Kida cover with Airboy and the German vixen Valkyrie: Airboy Comics vol. 3, #6 (July 1946).