2008-12-10 – THINKING ICONICALLY

Sometimes an e-mail comes in that I just can't help but dive into at length. To wit: this recent missive to my COMIC BOOKS 101 cohort Chris Ryall and me from longtime reader Rich Swank (who, if I'm not mistaken, has the highest e-mail-to-column batting average of any COMICS 101 correspondent):

Guys,

I have an interesting question for you guys. You could address it in a mailbag or I guess make a column out of it (or ignore it completely if you like).

Which artist does your favorite version of the various iconic characters? Some times you might say the creator, and for me that's true with Kirby and the Hulk. Other times you might say it's the guy who was drawing the character when you first became a fan, in my case Ross Andru and Spider-Man. Or you can go completely outside the box, since my favorite Superman was done by the Fleischer Studios. A few other examples of my faves:

Thor- Walt Simonson
Iron Man- Romita and Layton
Wonder Woman- George Perez
Batman- Marshall Rogers
Green Lantern and Green Arrow- Neal Adams
Fantastic Four- John Byrne
Wolverine- Frank Miller
Captain America- John Buscema

And so on. With your encyclopedic knowledge, you could make quite the game of it.

An excellent question, Rich, and one Ryall and I immediately plunged into. Let's get to it.

HULK: No surprises here from Ryall, he's always been a Sal Buscema fan.

As for me, well, I always imagine the classic '70s Herb Trimpe Hulk.

SPIDER-MAN: I think I have to vote with Rich on Ross Andru. That was always my Spider-Man growing up.

Ryall: "I'd say Ross Andru is most familiar to me just because that's who I first read as a kid, but no one surpasses Ditko and Romita. Sal Buscema, when he inked himself, also makes the cut."

SUPERMAN: Sez Ryall, "I was honestly never a big Curt Swan fan, so probably Byrne here."

While the Byrne Superman is iconic, I have to go with Jose-Luis Garcia Lopez. Although he never did a lengthy SUPERMAN run, the use of his art in the DC style guide made his Superman omnipresent for decades.

THOR: Ryall and I both agree with you on Walt Simonson. Ryall: "I'm with you here. No one comes close."

IRON MAN: Another consensus on the Romita, Jr./Layton team. Ryall: "Yeah, definitely same for me, too. Earlier Romita, though, not the more scratchy style he used when he returned to the book. I do have a soft spot for the old Tuska 'nose' armor, though." As much as I like the early Don Heck stuff, I'd say Romita, Jr. and Layton really defined the character.

WONDER WOMAN: We all agree on George Perez here. As much as I love the twisted work of H.G. Peter, it's too distinctive to really be relatable. Perez's Diana was the first to really represent both her beauty and her power, and make her look authentically Greek as well. Ryall: "His was the only WW book I ever read regularly. And then he was replaced with... Chris Marrinan? Yow, that one hurt."

BATMAN: As a kid raised on a steady diet of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, it's Jim Aparo all the way for me.

Ryall offers up a bit more of a combination platter: "I never really read that run back when, so my answer is a bit of a pastiche. Just the cowl itself? Jim Aparo. The cape? Norm Breyfogle. But still, probably the Dave Mazzucchelli version is the one I respond to the most, even though it was only four issues."

"Never liked the book when he was on it before, and now it feels like he's just doing swipes of either Miller or his earlier stuff, but Jim Lee draws a great Batman, too."

GREEN LANTERN and GREEN ARROW : Says Ryall, "I see the appeal there, but the first GL I ever read was the Wein/Dave Gibbons run, so Gibbons' version sticks for me, and Grell for GA."

I agree on Mike Grell for Green Arrow, especially his earlier stuff. But for the Lantern, it's gotta be Gil Kane. Kane's Hal Jordan had an elegant crispness that just flew off the page for me.

FANTASTIC FOUR: Ryall tends to agree with Rich on the work of John Byrne: "Absolutely, although hard to dismiss Kirby/Sinnott as the gold standard. And Perez/Sinnott (and then Buscema/Sinnott) are both right up there for me, too."

Kirby and Sinnott get my vote, though, especially about midway through their run, when Kirby's Thing was at his most expressive:

WOLVERINE: Ryall votes for Miller, with some additions: "Miller and Paul Smith, who didn't necessarily draw the greatest Wolverine but man, I loved his run. I also think John Byrne's Wolverine, squatty and powerful and crazy, was just perfect, too."

I agree with Ryall on Byrne's Wolverine. He looked so dangerous, especially in contrast to his size.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Ryall votes for a dark horse: "I suppose the answer should be Steranko or Kirby, but for me it's Mike Zeck/John Beatty."

On my part, it's Byrne again, from his landmark run with Roger Stern. Byrne manages to capture Cap's confidence and ability in every frame.

Now let's move on to a few other picks from Ryall and me:

The AVENGERS: Ryall has a classic pick for Earth's Mightiest Heroes: John Buscema and Tom Palmer.

For me, it's George Perez or nothing. He's the king of the team book, and he managed to have two defining runs on the series. Who else can do that?

The FLASH: Carmine Infantino, of course. The man pretty much invented how to draw super-speed.

Ryall has a quibble: "I never quite got him on the book, so probably Butch Guice. I don't know -- I don't really have a definitive Flash now that I think about it."

DAREDEVIL: Says Ryall: "Loved Miller, but Romita, Jr.'s version was actually better."

I beg to differ. It's got to be Frank Miller, especially at the very end of his run.

TEEN TITANS: Ryall: "Eduardo Barretto. Kidding, Perez is probably my favorite artist ever." Agreed. It can't be anyone other than Perez here. George Perez on TITANS around the time of Donna Troy's wedding was at the absolute top of his game.

I also think Perez draws the definitive Dick Grayson.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: Ryall: "Keith Giffen, but the older version with Larry Mahlstedt, when it was more straightforward storytelling."

For my two cents, I really liked Mike Grell's run on the book -- all of a sudden everyone seemed a lot more grown-up, and the women a lot sexier.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: Says Ryall, "Perez. Maguire was awesome but Perez made the team feel more iconic." I think it's George Perez as well, no question. While the Mike Sekowsky and Dick Dillin runs defined the book for years at a time, Perez's combination of draftsmanship, detail and personality seals the deal. Under Perez's pen, they looked like legends.

Don't agree with our choices? Think you've got better ones? Let us know by e-mailing us here.

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