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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 5, 2020 19:42:44 GMT -5
I’m trying to remember if I ever liked a book that was drawn my Carmine Infantino. Ever. There I said it. Uncharacteristically, I actually loved the three issues of John Carter that he drew. Rudy Nebres pretty much drowned his pencils under his own overpowering inking style, but the pacing and designs were all Infantino's, and were quite good.
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Post by brianf on Dec 5, 2020 19:51:58 GMT -5
While I'm not a huge fan, I love the 1st Deadman story by Infantino Some of his Spiderwoman was fun too
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 5, 2020 19:58:04 GMT -5
I should add that I actually grew to like his Star Wars work. The ships looked all wrong, the characters didn't look like their movie counterparts, but he gave the book a distinct aesthetic that I came to associate with a franchise I loved (at the time).
His Star-Lord story in Marvel Preview #15 was also pretty darn impressive!
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 5, 2020 20:23:08 GMT -5
I should add that I actually grew to like his Star Wars work. The ships looked all wrong, the characters didn't look like their movie counterparts, but he gave the book a distinct aesthetic that I came to associated with a franchise I loved (at the time). His Star-Lord story in Marvel Preview #15 was also pretty darn impressive! Sorry RR, Infantino was the Liefeld of the 60's and 70's.
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Post by brutalis on Dec 5, 2020 20:42:40 GMT -5
I should add that I actually grew to like his Star Wars work. The ships looked all wrong, the characters didn't look like their movie counterparts, but he gave the book a distinct aesthetic that I came to associated with a franchise I loved (at the time). His Star-Lord story in Marvel Preview #15 was also pretty darn impressive! Sorry RR, Infantino was the Liefeld of the 60's and 70's. Now you are just trying start a fight bro. Carmine was league's above Rob. He knew how to draw feet and accurately (in comic ways) proportioned muscular heroes/villains. And without any pouches to be found! And his women were sexy without Zeppelin's on their chests and waists anexoric's puke for.
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Post by kirby101 on Dec 5, 2020 20:44:32 GMT -5
I should add that I actually grew to like his Star Wars work. The ships looked all wrong, the characters didn't look like their movie counterparts, but he gave the book a distinct aesthetic that I came to associated with a franchise I loved (at the time). His Star-Lord story in Marvel Preview #15 was also pretty darn impressive! Sorry RR, Infantino was the Liefeld of the 60's and 70's. Way to harsh. You might not care for his style, but he could draw and tell a story.
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 5, 2020 21:03:40 GMT -5
Hahah, just pulling your legs, guys. But he really was nothing special.
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Post by Cei-U! on Dec 5, 2020 21:37:40 GMT -5
I'm kinda with 'bone on this one. I like the Infantino of the late '40s when he was basically a Canniff clone and I don't mind his Silver Age work (his use of negative space was unlike anything his contemporaries were doing) but his work post-publisher makes my eyes bleed. I find his second run on The Flash unreadable (though Cary Bates must shoulder some of the blame for that).
Cei-U! I summon the Visine!
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Post by berkley on Dec 5, 2020 22:41:18 GMT -5
Taste is subjective and personal so sometimes there is no accounting for it.
And accounting is impersonal and objective, and I have no taste for it!
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Post by tartanphantom on Dec 5, 2020 22:45:26 GMT -5
I'm kinda with 'bone on this one. I like the Infantino of the late '40s when he was basically a Canniff clone and I don't mind his Silver Age work (his use of negative space was unlike anything his contemporaries were doing) but his work post-publisher makes my eyes bleed. I find his second run on The Flash unreadable (though Cary Bates must shoulder some of the blame for that). Cei-U! I summon the Visine! I agree. lnfantino's work in the late '70's through the mid-'80's seems to be composed of people with rugby ball-shaped heads, beady eyes under exaggerated arching eyebrows, Hot-Lips Houlihan mouths and shaggy hair. Granted, it's not ALL like this, but there's a good chunk of it that I find unappealing. Of course we know that this could be due to certain inkers more than Infantino himself, I find his work especially sub-standard if inked by Dennis Jensen or Bob Smith.
I guess I don't mind the rest of the artwork, but he drew quite a few faces in the '80's that looked like they were inspired by Cabbage Patch Dolls... NOTHING like his earlier work. Aw heck, he was older, so maybe that had something to do with it.
Not my cup of tea, but perhaps other folks like it. There, I said it.
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Post by spoon on Dec 5, 2020 23:26:17 GMT -5
I'm kinda with 'bone on this one. I like the Infantino of the late '40s when he was basically a Canniff clone and I don't mind his Silver Age work (his use of negative space was unlike anything his contemporaries were doing) but his work post-publisher makes my eyes bleed. I find his second run on The Flash unreadable (though Cary Bates must shoulder some of the blame for that). Cei-U! I summon the Visine! I started reading comics as the Trial of the Flash storyline was ongoing. As a 5-year-old, I was fascinate with the 3 or 4 issues I read. I later bought the Showcase Presents black-and-white TPB that reprinted the storyline. I was disappointed in what a stinker it was in both art and writing.
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Post by brianf on Dec 6, 2020 4:39:27 GMT -5
When I was buying comics as a kid in the 70s & 80s I really disliked Infantinos art. While I can't say I love him or look for his work, now days I appreciate his unique style - you ain't gonna confuse him for anyone else. To my eyes a lot of modern comic art - while nice looking - has no real personality. Except for a few exceptions, most modern comic book art is kinda indistinguishable to me.
I miss the days when most artists had an identifiable style.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 9,545
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Post by Confessor on Dec 6, 2020 5:01:59 GMT -5
My dislike of Carmine Infantino's artwork on Marvel's Star Wars comic in the late 70s is well known in the forum. However, the guy was definitely no hack, a la Liefeld. His sequential art always carried the story beats impeccably, his panel composition was always excellent and often rather inventive, and it was always crystal clear exactly what was happening in an Infantino panel, even in the most chaotic action sequences.
I may not be a fan of his idiosyncratic and painfully angular Bronze Age artwork on an aesthetic level -- and I maintain that he was a terrible fit for Star Wars -- but you'll never hear me criticise his abilities as a comic artist. He was simply a master of his field.
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Post by tarkintino on Dec 6, 2020 8:02:40 GMT -5
Sorry RR, Infantino was the Liefeld of the 60's and 70's. Way to harsh. You might not care for his style, but he could draw and tell a story. Infantino was so many levels above most of his contemporaries, as artist, art director and (largely) uncredited writer. The industry would not be here today if not for his undeniably crucial, foundational role in work that launched the Silver Age. No Silver Age...and you can imagine what would not exist across the industry, which were inspired by arguably the most important creative event for the industry after the debut of Superman and Batman.
Aside from his gifts as an artist, he knew how to tell a story, taking full advantage of the page, never limiting himself to the borders of a panel, and was such an immense talent, that he provided well-followed layouts (covers and interiors) for other masters such as Adams, Kane, Cardy, et al. If you can shape their work, you are a legend. There was no genre beyond his talent, which it why it was so easy for the man to go from DC to Warren to Marvel and back without missing a creative beat. I could (but will not) name a number of artists who tried to do the same but failed, with each passing year showing a rapid, artistic downslide.
What's also interesting is that a year ago, I was looking at Marvel's available statements regarding publishing figures for Star Wars, and it revealed the most copies ever printed during its regular run (post-movie adaptation) was 497,018 in 1979--the height of the Infantino period. If that information is correct, then it says much about the appeal of the title at that time, and it cannot be said it was all focused on the plots alone.
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 6, 2020 9:59:25 GMT -5
Way to harsh. You might not care for his style, but he could draw and tell a story. Infantino was so many levels above most of his contemporaries, as artist, art director and (largely) uncredited writer. The industry would not be here today if not for his undeniably crucial, foundational role in work that launched the Silver Age. No Silver Age...and you can imagine what would not exist across the industry, which were inspired by arguably the most important creative event for the industry after the debut of Superman and Batman.
Aside from his gifts as an artist, he knew how to tell a story, taking full advantage of the page, never limiting himself to the borders of a panel, and was such an immense talent, that he provided well-followed layouts (covers and interiors) for other masters such as Adams, Kane, Cardy, et al. If you can shape their work, you are a legend. There was no genre beyond his talent, which it why it was so easy for the man to go from DC to Warren to Marvel and back without missing a creative beat. I could (but will not) name a number of artists who tried to do the same but failed, with each passing year showing a rapid, artistic downslide.
What's also interesting is that a year ago, I was looking at Marvel's available statements regarding publishing figures for Star Wars, and it revealed the most copies ever printed during its regular run (post-movie adaptation) was 497,018 in 1979--the height of the Infantino period. If that information is correct, then it says much about the appeal of the title at that time, and it cannot be said it was all focused on the plots alone.
Wow, couldn't disagree more. The Star Wars comic was a phenomenon that succeeded despite Infantino's artwork. I don't think he shaped the artwork for the Adams, Cardy and Kane covers , he just provided the layouts to reflect idea's connected to the stories contained inside. He is not in the same league as the three mentioned. And he DID show an artistic downslide when he went to Marvel and back to DC. I respect his achievements in the comic field but I would never buy a book he did just for his art.
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