Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login
The John Byrne Forum
Byrne Robotics > The John Byrne Forum << Prev Page of 6 Next >>
Topic: Jack Kirby and Batman (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133711
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 7:37am | IP Logged | 1  



(Incidentally -- that cover contains one of my least favorite copy motifs --
the statement/question. IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD - OR IS IT? Reads as
clumsy to me, every time.)
Back to Top profile | search
 
Flavio Sapha
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: Brazil
Posts: 12912
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 7:53am | IP Logged | 2  

There is a small amount of irony, I suppose, in Timm doing his
version of a Kirby Batman, and being more successful in capturing the
character than Kirby himself!
+++
Thought so. Always cautious about using the i-word around you, though!
;-)
Back to Top profile | search
 
Flavio Sapha
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: Brazil
Posts: 12912
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 7:55am | IP Logged | 3  

Couldn't find the aforementioned cover.

Kirby's CM looks pretty good:

Back to Top profile | search
 
Michael Penn
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 12 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 12792
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 7:55am | IP Logged | 4  

JB, extending from your explanation (for the which, thanks!), can an artist by dint of sheer industry and just constant practice eventually become able draw against his strengths in order to get a character that eludes him?
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133711
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 8:01am | IP Logged | 5  

…can an artist by dint of sheer industry and just constant practice eventually
become able draw against his strengths in order to get a character that
eludes him?

••

Speaking only for myself, I think my own drawings of the Thing are an
example of this. It took me a while to (a) find a hook into the character and
(b) develop that hook into my own, personal "take".
Back to Top profile | search
 
Pascal LISE
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 29 July 2006
Location: France
Posts: 1111
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 8:12am | IP Logged | 6  

Kirby's style was so idiosyncratic, it was a shame to ask him to draw
characters he didn't create.

I couldn't care less to have him drawing Batman or Superman or Wonder
Woman and since I had no such expectations, his renditions of those
characters were fine for me.
I must confess that I've never been a fan of Superman or Batman, except
for the occasional take from a favorite artist of mine.
Not a DC fan in fact, although I had a fondness for Green Lantern or Atom
but I guess it's all due to the art of Gil Kane.

I just didn't see why publishers were so eager to waste Kirby's strenght on
useless assignments.

Edited by Pascal LISE on 07 December 2008 at 8:25am
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133711
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 8:16am | IP Logged | 7  

As the story goes, Kirby was asked to retool Superman, much as I was some
20 years later. He declined, saying that instead he would take on JIMMY
OLSEN, and thru his work there show people what to do with Superman.

Didn't really work, of course.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Pascal LISE
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 29 July 2006
Location: France
Posts: 1111
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 8:24am | IP Logged | 8  

Yes, I read Kirby chose Jimmy Olsen because the title sales wasn't impressive
AND most of all because the title was about to change artist so he didn't
feel like taking someone's else job.

Edited by Pascal LISE on 07 December 2008 at 8:32am
Back to Top profile | search
 
Michael Penn
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 12 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 12792
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 8:36am | IP Logged | 9  

It took me a while to (a) find a hook into the character [of the Thing] and
(b) develop that hook into my own, personal "take".

****

How much of that trial and error used comparisons to renderings of the Thing you thought were excellent?

"Hmm... still not Sinnot-y enough!"

Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133711
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 10:03am | IP Logged | 10  

When I was trying to find my version of the Thing, I looked at lots of
different interpretations. Those who got it the most wrong oddly
enough served as the best signposts along the way.

I will say, tho, that while I did not enjoy his take on the team for the most
part, Rich Buckler's version of the Thing has much informed my own
rendering of the character.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Joel Biske
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 18 January 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 761
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 10:09am | IP Logged | 11  

It's interesting to me how reminiscent of Kirby Miller's Dark Knight is, yet Kirby's Batman never worked while Frank's proved very successful.
Back to Top profile | search | www e-mail
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133711
Posted: 07 December 2008 at 10:13am | IP Logged | 12  

Frank's Batman goes thru the same physical arc as Marv, from SIN CITY. He
starts out as merely a powerfully built man, but over the span of a few
issues basically turns into the Hulk. It was something I didn't really notice
until the issues were collected.
Back to Top profile | search
 

<< Prev Page of 6 Next >>
  Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login