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Topic: Q for JB: your inkers Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Eric Jansen
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 4:15am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

I just recently picked up the first collected volume of SPIDER-MAN: THE NEXT CHAPTER (another comic I missed during my ten-year buying hiatus of 1995-2005) and I find yet another new inker inking your pencils--this time Scott Hanna.  (I've seen better on you, I've seen worse.)  This is not a topic question to get you to rank or judge your various inkers--I'm just very curious how your inkers were chosen.  (I just looked through all the old Inker topics in the Forum, and none of them quite answer this.)

While some pencilers seem practically married to their inkers (Alan Davis & Mark Farmer, Jim Lee & Scott Williams, Ross Andru & Mike Esposito, etc.), others seem to have a fair variety.  But YOU seem to have a different inker for practically every job!  (Before you started almost exclusively inking yourself.)  I can see why some pencilers would want to stick with that "perfect" inker, while others (you?) might enjoy seeing variety.

I know you picked Dick Giordano to ink your SUPERMAN and Tom Palmer for HIDDEN YEARS, but these may be the exceptions to the rule.  So, my question is--

Did your normally just leave it up to the editor to pick your inker for a given job?  
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John Byrne
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 5:16am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

In the early days, yes. Later, I had more input.
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Eric Jansen
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 8:45am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Thanks!

This kind of stuff has interested me since I was a kid.  I always loved how the mixture of two good artists could create a unique look and feel.  When, for example, Sal Buscema was inked by Klaus Janson on DEFENDERS, it was amazing to me!  It looked totally different than Sal's stuff inked by others, but it still looked like Sal!

Likewise, I loved Terry Austin's sleek inking on X-MEN, but I also loved Joe Rubinstein's more weighty inking on CAPTAIN AMERICA.  Then, I really loved your own tight inking on FANTASTIC FOUR!  And the duotone effect you used on NAMOR gave it a nice "watery" feel, while your IDW era inking has a more open, solid look.  All great--but in different ways!  Even when you ink yourself, it's like you're using different inkers!

If I may, a follow-up question: In general, (even if disappointed in certain specific things people did here and there) were/are you the type of artist who liked seeing the different approaches to your pencils?  (When they worked, at least.)


Edited by Eric Jansen on 14 July 2019 at 8:47am
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Wallace Sellars
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 10:56am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Since the middle of JB's first JBNM run, my preference has been for him to ink his own work, and COLD WAR cemented that for me. However, I'd be happy to see JB's pencils inked by Mark Farmer or Tom Palmer again.
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John Byrne
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 11:01am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Yes, I enjoy seeing different inkers.
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Marc Baptiste
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 11:11am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

My three favorite inkers over JB's pencils:

JB 
Terry Austin
Jerry Ordway (admittedly, his usual stylistically heavy inks, but they bring their own richness and depth in terms of style to JB's fabulous pencils)
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Rebecca Jansen
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 12:17pm | IP Logged | 7 post reply

I liked Joe Rubinstein on the '80s Captain Americas a lot. Otherwise I would go with Al Milgrom as default inker of choice other than JB. I usually do prefer the full art job by one hand when possible. I liked Paul Smith mostly if he inked himself and not so much with others inking, he was more like Kaluta then.

I remember a Byrne and Klaus Janson Avengers and it didn't seem as good a combination to me, not like he was (perfect) with Frank Miller and Gene Colan. I guess I'm not a huge Terry Austin fan like so many are, not enough brush or something, sort of the opposite of Klaus.


Edited by Rebecca Jansen on 14 July 2019 at 12:18pm
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Brian Miller
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 1:03pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

JB, you once said that the issue of MT-U that Tony DeZuniga inked was the closest to how you saw your work in your head. Given that comic was around 40 years ago, have there been any since that one that had the same effect?
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Stephen Churay
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 4:41pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

Terry Austin and Keith Williams have been my favorites.
The most unusual pairing with JB, IMO, was for an Annual.
The esteemed Kyle Baker inked JB. It looked weird but I
kinda liked it.

Edited by Stephen Churay on 14 July 2019 at 4:41pm
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Marc Baptiste
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 5:00pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Stephen,

I completely blanked on the wonderful Keith Williams!!  He did a most excellent job inking JB on SUPERMAN!  He would definitely capture #4 on my list, or even tie with Jerry Ordway at #3.

Marc
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Richard Stevens
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 5:45pm | IP Logged | 11 post reply

Was West Coast Avengers Keith Williams? I liked those a lot.

And of course, the Tom Palmer inks on Hidden Years.
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Brian Miller
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Posted: 14 July 2019 at 6:03pm | IP Logged | 12 post reply

WCA/AWC was Mike Machlan

who just abruptly changed his style of inking over JB after the first 2-3 issues. 


Edited by Brian Miller on 14 July 2019 at 6:05pm
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