The Comics Journal has posted Gary Groth’s interview with Barry Windsor-Smith. I always forget what an articulate and vocal champion of comics BWS is, but I enjoy the revisit every chance I get.
Listen to Joe McCulloch as he convinces you that Weapon X is the greatest thing there is (even though you may already like that comic a whole lot, the way I do). Joe leaves little room for argument.
And what BWS nod would be complete without some Solar?
Todd McFarlane Week - #6
“Fuck, I got more power than… Fuck if people want to… They don’t know how much power I got, that’s the scary part.” - from The Comics Journal #152, interview by Gary Groth
I wish I could say that this quote about sums it up, how it’s funny in or out of context, but it doesn’t sum anything up. It doesn’t matter, it’s just good copy. The speculator boom is an odd, sad thing, especially in hindsight. Sure, Todd was popular and sold books and he could afford to go independent (in contrast, that’s not quite the same as Ditko walking away from a hit into the hands of the only other game in town), but does power mean having your brother buy a million copies of Spawn to inflate numbers? Like I said: what does it matter? That was a lifetime ago. Right now, as back then, I’m too busy trying to find the hidden spider on the cover to care too much.
Todd McFarlane Week - #5
“I want the guy who rams full speed into a brick wall, because I think those guys accomplish more things. If nothing else, they’re cooler to watch, anyway.” - from The Comics Journal #152, interview by Gary Groth
Although still reprints, these comics were no longer exclusively Gil Kane reprints. These stories in particular are pretty difficult to get through. But how about them covers, hah?
Todd McFarlane Week - #4
“I’m not doing this for me; I feel there’s other guys who cracked some of the pavement for me, it’s time for me to help crack it.” - from The Comics Journal #152, interview by Gary Groth
These were new covers for reprints for classic Gil Kane issues of Amazing Spider-Man, which merged both ends of the spectrum (in terms of everything).
I like those little corner boxes in the bottom left when the cover artist would do something in it. Only a few people did that… Todd, Erik Larsen… maybe Jim Valentino? The first may have been Paul Smith many years before.
Todd McFarlane Week - #3
“I mean, fuck, I didn’t let some little thing like not being able to write stop me…” - from The Comics Journal #152, interview by Gary Groth
Todd’s Spider-Man was a huge deal back then and I loved them. I liked the stories fine, even though it read a little raw, but it seemed less traditional in a weird way. I especially liked how he would respond to criticisms in the letters column, refereed by editor Jim Salicrup.
Todd McFarlane Week - #2
“I fear utopia, because I’m going ‘Fuck, we’re going to all eat spaghetti and macaroni and like it?’ ” - from The Comics Journal #152, interview by Gary Groth
These Wolverine bookends remind me that comics used to have pin-ups. Who can afford the luxury anymore? We’re missing out on potential soggy cigarettes, classic McFarlane Pudgy Noses, and random mouth blood.
Todd McFarlane Week - #1
“Who cares that 20 years ago [comics] used to have dialogue on their pictures? The kids don’t like that anymore, obviously.” - from The Comics Journal #152, interview by Gary Groth
Spawn was one of the wordiest Image comics, oddly enough. Also, that Batman spoof? Written by Peter David, who would go on to debate Todd about the value of words. Forget all that, look at that awesome Batman cover on top.
Dennis Fujitake Week - #14
Creator bios that appeared in Dalgoda #1. The only other picture I’ve seen of Fujitake is in a group shot on a cover of some local Hawaiian fanzine. Maybe it was the Hawaii State Comic Collectors Club newsletter (a club founded by Fujitake and other Ditko disciples Stan Sakai and Gary Kato). I at least know that the paper was pink.
I should mention that the Dalgoda series featured a back up serial, Grimwood’s Daughter, written by Jan Strnad & drawn by Kevin Nowlan. The subsequent series, Flesh & Bones, featured The Bojeffries Saga written by Alan Moore & drawn by Steve Parkhouse. Great stuff all around; it was destined to fail.
Dennis Fujitake Week - #8
This is one of the few times Dennis Fujitake drew Marvel villains (ahem), an honor reserved for the first TCJ interview with then Marvel Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter. There’s something lovely and natural about Molten Man’s casual arm crossing.
Dennis Fujitake Week - #5
Montage covers can be tricky, but this one works really well. I have such a soft spot for this era of fan art, or just fandom in general. I’m sure it was the fucking pits to actually deal with if you were, say, a critic constantly trying to prove that comics were capable of being more than escapist junk, but there’s something potent about the bubbling adolescent mania attached to things like the X-men, or the Teen Titans, or even the Legion of Superheroes. This Fujitake cover represents that enthusiasm to me.
Michel Fiffe. I make comic books. COPRA.
ZEGAS.
DEATHZONE!
Disco Volante
Vector Monster - Ahmet Ozcan
Sven Brasch
1910
Black Panther sketch by Michel Fiffe, at MoCCA Fest.
