Football and beyond.
Ok. These aren’t exactly comic panels.
But the more I go through old books during this time spent at home, the more I discover “four panels” in other parts of literature.
Tolkien’s perspective and line variation are impressive. He incorporates straight lines, diagonal and curved lines, stipples, blacked out inks.
The man was non-stop.
I remember this All Star Squadron issue being a Justice League comic. Turns out it’s the Justice Society.
Justice who? What kind of bench warming Justice League is this?
Hold up. Learn your comics history J.
The Justice Society was the first superhero team to ever appear in D.C. Comics.
They’re the godfather and godmothers of the superhero team-up game. Respect due.
From: All Star Squadron #28
By: Roy Thomas, Richard Howell, and Gerald Forton
Inspired by a Van Gogh Museum tweet, I picked up this Cours de dessin book and took off.
I mean, if it worked for Van Gogh…
I’m amazed how a few curved and diagonal lines can render such an intricate part of the human face.
I remember picking four comics that I was going to read for the rest of my life. And one of those was Family Circus.
Lynda Barry
Let Lynda Barry’s encouraging words on drawing and Canada and Family Circus, help you through today.
Then go make some marks. Doodle. Sketch. Write a few bad sentences. Edit. Draw some more. Read.
Keep going.
Hours stealing years.
Pulled over for light speeding.
Mom…are we there yet?
MCA. Mike D.
AD ROCK. Madonna kissed punk
rap domination.
Two stories in 4 panels.
Betty approaching, and then turning away from Archie is a story on its own.
From: Archie #1
By: Mark Waid and Fiona Staples
Small details can set the tone of a page.
Here, Kean Soo melds the speech balloons into the gutters. A subtle but distinct use of the convention, one I’ve never seen before.
From: Flight, Volume Two
By: Kean Soo
“Roughs” from Jeff Smith’s Bone. Probably the most polished roughs in history.
As a kid, catching a glimpse of a cartoonist’s rough pages provided endless inspiration and encouragement.
My mind melted when I discovered perfect panels didn’t immediately flow from the brushes of master cartoonists.
From: The Art of Bone
By: Jeff Smith
Jack Kirby takes over one issue for John Buscema, and he immediately has Silver Surfer fighting a giant dog.
Timeless Marvel Universe maelstroms that.
From: Essential Silver Surfer, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials) (v. 1)
By: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
