It's practically the sole reason for AC Comics' (the Femforce) existence and longevity (apart from their reprints of public domain Golden Age material) and the reason many artists got hired at DC and Marvel.

There is a definite difference between an artist who draws beautiful women, like many of the great romance artists (Romita, Heck, JLGL), and those who specialized in pretty much pin-up art (or worse).  The former did great stories with beautiful women, the later sold a lot of comics because of a sexualized cover.  Matt Baker was a bit more than a T&A artist; but, he knew what publishers and the target audience wanted. Same with Dave Stevens.  both are fantastic illustrators and storytellers; but, they were more than a little gratuitous in some of their panels and covers.  Then, there are those who bring the attractive qualities out of drawings of real women, like Terry Moore and Jaime Hernandez.  They have real bodytypes, but bring out the personality in their illustration.  Others, like Adam Hughes and Bruce Timm do that in their work; but, will do cheesecake, as well, depending on the intent of the work.  Hughes did great storytelling in The Maze Agency, Star Trek:  debt of Honor, and Justice League International, that consisted of far more than character perched on furniture, posing.  Same with Timm, in his animation work and his comics material.  Steve Rude is another who brings personality to his women; but, he does it to all of his characters.  Nexus is filled with alien races and all have a spark of life to them, whether it is Dave and Judah, Mezz, the heads, or Jill.  For me, it is that quality that elevates a Rude or JLGL above a Jim Balent or, dare I say it, Bill Ward.  Torchy had personality; but, it wasn't a particularly deep feature.

Joe Lisner
John Buscema
Steve Rude

Voted these three.




I really like Steve Rude's art of Black Canary ... one of my favorites.

This is a fine volume:

I originally had over 30 artists that I was considering for the poll but I felt it was better to use the ones that :


A. Were used to sell covers with their awesome drawings of the female form  

B. Stayed away from  drawing women in porn or porn like positions in their work

From the opitions? Terry/Rachel Dodson.

I've liked many Nick Cardy romance covers I've seen despite not having reac anything he's done art on.

Favorites ...

Jim Silke
Olivia
Salvador Larocca
Alfredo Alcala
Nestor Redondo
WM Kaluta
Alex N Nino
Tom Sutton
Jose Gonzalez
Jose Ortiz

I make no bones about the fact that I love "good girl" art, but in its place, so not around kids or my daughter, which makes me feel like a perv, but I do like it ...and so the quandary goes.

Any who, found it quite ironic that after your little blurb about non-porny artists you start the thread with Ed Benes who seemed to really make a name for himself with his versions of Brokeback Mountain.

I chose Dave Stevens as ...well we all know just how beautiful he drawed them.
Love John Buscema but he drew one woman and put 3 hair colors on her. Alan Davis too.
Adam Hughes was close, as were Matt Baker, and Frank Cho.
Always thought there was something wrong with lusting(which is what good-girl-art is all about after all) for a DeCarlo girl(or Timm for that matter) with the whole cartoons are for kids angle putting it into El-Creepo territory.
The other thing is, like Bob Oskner dude???
I feel like drawing a beautiful lady, and drawing "good girl" are 2 completely different skill sets. Johnny Romita...Mary Jane is cute A.F. , but that aint good girl stuff. 
Then you have your garden-variety-vastly-over-rated entry in J. Scott Campbell, who has been submitting the same picture for approval for 20 years...meh!!!