Do you like comics? Well, I do! Some will say that comics are not exactly literary treasures. I agree. Because comics, actually, are works of art, and most of them are masterpieces in their own right. Today is awards day for five comic book artists whose works I think ought to be displayed in an art museum. Dim the lights and drum roll on cue, please.
The fifth-place award for best comic book artist goes to Will Eisner. Will Eisner died in 2005 but left a legacy that cannot easily be duplicated by newer artists. His career as a comic book artist spanned 70 years. His most memorable works are Blackhawk and The Spirit (which he wrote before WWII). His work is considered “serious” or “somber” by critics, but I’d say that with other comic book artists taking so much liberty in passing off cartoons and sketches as art, serious artists are what the world needs every once in a while.
Fourth place goes to Neal Adams for his work on Batman (most notable is # 252). Adams channeled his ideas from commercial art and produced fine results in his drawings. His techniques have spawned a great number of imitators. And I think that the comic book industry has greatly beneffited from it.
Third place goes to Francis Manapul for his work on Flash. Any issue with Francis Manapul working on it comes to life under his ministrations. The characters’ expressions are clearly defined. Also commendable are the presentation of action scenes and the awesome tones in every page.
Second place honors go to a very young artist (at least among the other – uh – seasoned comic book artists commended here). Harvey Tolibao is an artist from the Philippines who is rapidly climbing the ranks as one of the greats. He previously worked for Dark Horse comics (Star Wars Series) and now works for Marvel. His clean lines, richness of expressions, subdued hues (nothing to repel you from the artwork), and detailing tell me that this is one artist to pay close attention to in the days to come.
Miguel Sipulveda makes it to my awards list as the person who sits at the first placer’s throne. Trumpet blasts, please. His work range is so versatile that the results are always astounding. Imagine the effort he must have invested on Thanos Imperative. There are dozens – I mean dozens – of characters in every issue, and he has to distinguish each one through their costumes, expressions, et cetera. He succeeds at that – with flying colors and fireworks to boot! The battle scenes are truly spectacular, especially when you closely observe that each character is drawn perfectly and in awesome detail.