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Apr 27 14 10:59 AM
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Apr 27 14 12:24 PM
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Apr 28 14 1:43 AM
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Apr 28 14 2:10 AM
Personally, I'm a huge Kirby fan and I have no hesitation in acknowledging his enormous contributions to Marvel in particular and the comics medium in general.However, in terms of his enormous reputation as the best comics artist of all time by far, I think he his over-rated.Most influential comics artist of the 60s and early 70s, a resounding YES!Best of all time, noooo. As much as I admire him, he doesn't even make my top ten.I'm not saying my all my favourites are better, but I prefer their styles.
Let me put that in some kind of perspective. Let's take Wally Wood as an example.I don't think Kirby did anything that came close to the quality of Wood's best work at EC and I think Wood was a much more accomplished artist than Kirby in every respect.However, I much prefer most of Kirby's work from 65-approx. 74 to most stuff Wood did in the same period.
Another example: Jim Starlin has always been a quirky and flawed artist, who obviously couldn't hold a candle to Kirby in his command of the rudiments of their craft.And yet, I prefer his Captain Marvel and Warlock runs in the 70s to anything Kirby did at the time, with the exception of the first half dozen issues of New Gods, Mr. Miracle and Forever People. I'm talking about the art specifically here; despite all his flaws, Starlin's art at the time crackles with innovation and experimentation, which still keeps it fresh and exciting. Kirby's art was fine to great, but even though he was clearly inspired by his move to DC, it was predictable.
Irony and subtly are the first casualties in the eternal battle of wits between people divided by a common language. So read between the lines or you'll fall through the cracks...
....Quoting other people is no substitute for thinking for yourself...
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Apr 28 14 3:38 AM
Golden Age
deejayway wrote: Personally, I'm a huge Kirby fan and I have no hesitation in acknowledging his enormous contributions to Marvel in particular and the comics medium in general.However, in terms of his enormous reputation as the best comics artist of all time by far, I think he his over-rated.Most influential comics artist of the 60s and early 70s, a resounding YES!Best of all time, noooo.
Personally, I'm a huge Kirby fan and I have no hesitation in acknowledging his enormous contributions to Marvel in particular and the comics medium in general.However, in terms of his enormous reputation as the best comics artist of all time by far, I think he his over-rated.Most influential comics artist of the 60s and early 70s, a resounding YES!Best of all time, noooo.
I think it is quite possible for ANY artist to be overrated.
Just because someone claims XXXX (i.e. their favourite!) can't be overrated doesn't make it true!
I doubt that Kirby had much, if any real influence over my favourite artists (most of whom got their start in the late 1940s/early 1950s, long before Kirby came to prominence or cult status), apart from possibly Gil Kane after about 1965.
Apr 28 14 3:55 AM
Lee Semmens wrote:I think it is quite possible for ANY artist to be overrated.
I don't necessarily agree Lee. Some people - John Buscema, Joe Kubert & Gene Colan come immediately to mind - seem to get the recognition they deserve, whereas others are disproportionately revered in relation to their talent and achievements e.g. IMHO Jack Kirby.
Another example is Neal Adams, arguably my favourite comics artist of all time. I think he is amazing, but I well understand why others may think he is over-rated, simply because of his HUGE reputation. He cast an enormous shadow in the business, possibly as influential in his own way as Kirby was before him. Given the discrepancy between Adams' relatively small body of work and his huge influence and following, I understand why people think he is over-rated. Who can live up to a rep like that?
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Apr 28 14 4:24 AM
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Apr 28 14 10:40 AM
Five Years Later wrote:ElectricPeterTork wrote:Five Years Later wrote:ElectricPeterTork wrote:Most overrated? Jack Kirby. His Marvel Age art is average at best, and after the Marvel Age, it's just bad. Make all the excuses for dynamism or backgrounds or imagination or energy or whatever you want, but his actual characters suck, IMO. Half the time, Mr. Fantastic is drawn to look more grotesque than The Thing. I do not get the Kult of Kirby, I don't understand it, and I am not a fan of his art. His work was far, far, far below other silver age artists like Bruno Premiani, Kurt Schaffenberger, Mike Sekowsky even. But, Kirby is the so-called King, while hardly anyone remembers the other three superior artists And let's not even start on Kirby's writing, because this isn't a most overrated DC Silver Age writer thread. But he tops the list there, too.. This isn't a DC Silver Age thread in the first place. That aside what do you think of Joe Kubert? Kubert? I like his stuff. Even his later evolution. Did he ever do any Marvel work? I don't know. I just wondered if you liked Kubert because he isn't like the people you mentioned. Plus he's probably a good candidate for best (whatever that means) DC silver age artist so I wondered if there you disliked him.
ElectricPeterTork wrote:Five Years Later wrote:ElectricPeterTork wrote:Most overrated? Jack Kirby. His Marvel Age art is average at best, and after the Marvel Age, it's just bad. Make all the excuses for dynamism or backgrounds or imagination or energy or whatever you want, but his actual characters suck, IMO. Half the time, Mr. Fantastic is drawn to look more grotesque than The Thing. I do not get the Kult of Kirby, I don't understand it, and I am not a fan of his art. His work was far, far, far below other silver age artists like Bruno Premiani, Kurt Schaffenberger, Mike Sekowsky even. But, Kirby is the so-called King, while hardly anyone remembers the other three superior artists And let's not even start on Kirby's writing, because this isn't a most overrated DC Silver Age writer thread. But he tops the list there, too.. This isn't a DC Silver Age thread in the first place. That aside what do you think of Joe Kubert?
Five Years Later wrote:ElectricPeterTork wrote:Most overrated? Jack Kirby. His Marvel Age art is average at best, and after the Marvel Age, it's just bad. Make all the excuses for dynamism or backgrounds or imagination or energy or whatever you want, but his actual characters suck, IMO. Half the time, Mr. Fantastic is drawn to look more grotesque than The Thing. I do not get the Kult of Kirby, I don't understand it, and I am not a fan of his art. His work was far, far, far below other silver age artists like Bruno Premiani, Kurt Schaffenberger, Mike Sekowsky even. But, Kirby is the so-called King, while hardly anyone remembers the other three superior artists And let's not even start on Kirby's writing, because this isn't a most overrated DC Silver Age writer thread. But he tops the list there, too..
Apr 28 14 10:53 AM
Five Years Later wrote:Just for fun -- Did Kirby influence: Ploog? Jamie Hernandez? Dave Sim? P Craig Russel? Risso? David Gibbons? David Lloyd? Thoughts?
Apr 28 14 11:05 AM
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