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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 24, 2015 22:30:35 GMT -5
On the twelfth day of Classic Comics Christmas I give unto thee... Joe Kubert!!! Joe Kubert and I have a special relationship in several ways, as I mentioned earlier my father was a huge comic fan with war comics holding a special place in his heart so it was natural that his favorite creator was Joe and threw his collection I came to love him as well through his work on Hawkman, Tarzan and probably my favorite of all: Tor!  But perhaps even more important than that is the man himself. As I said, bar none he was my father's favorite creator and my father would gush when ever we'd share one of his Kubert comics which was cool to see, but what was even better was when I got to witness my father meet Joe for the first time. I was ten, and unlike a lot of kids my age my father was still superman in my eyes, invincible and able to do anything, strong as an ox and never afraid, but as we neared Joe in line I saw that melt away. Approaching Joe's table my father became noticeably nervous, he figited with his shirt and kept checking his comic in our back pack over and over again as if he was seeking reassurance that he still had his copy of Star Spangled War Stories #151 and as it was being signed he teared up while thanking Joe. It was all a side of my father that I had never seen before and have seen very seldom since and that we shared that experience made it all the more special.  A few years later our Basement flooded and both my father and I lost nearly all of our collections(admittedly this was much harder on my father as his was the work of his life time but it hit me hard as well) including his Joe Kubert signed comic which left him pretty devastated. It took a bit of doing and about three years but I was able to track down another copy and just in time to see Joe at a convention in New York(which a friend and I snuck off to) I was just 15 and it was my first real adventure which was exciting enough but what was even better was that while I explained it all to Joe he said he recalled the meeting which really touched me to the point where I too teared up. The cynic in me say's he was just humoring a kid, but on my best days it makes me smile to think that not only was that first meeting impactful for my father and I but also for Joe himself. But all sentimental reasons aside old Joe was just one of the best creative minds ever to work in comics, his storytelling and artistic style fit all genres from superheroes and fantasy to gritty war stories and slice of life graphic novels with out ever looking out of place. He had a loving, human feeling to all his work which really made them stand out amognst everything else on the racks and he's one of the few whose work never seems to feel dated which is impressive when you consider he was in the business since 1942. Any way you slice it he was just the best. |
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 24, 2015 23:08:00 GMT -5
I'll be staying at my sister's place through Sunday so i probably will not be logging on again over the weekend. I want to wish you all the happiest of holidays and thank you for making this the best Classic Comics Christmas yet. It occurs to me I've hit a personal milestone. This is my tenth consecutive year celebrating Classic Comics Christmas! Happy anniversary to me. I think I only missed one, so I guess this is #11 for some of you. But if it's your 11th year... does that make it your 10th anniversary? Numbers are weird. |
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Post by foxley on Dec 24, 2015 23:40:42 GMT -5
And on to my number one pick: #1. Herge
I have little to add to what my fellow posters have already said about Herge's brilliance. I was first exposed to Herge when I received a collection of hand-me-down toys and books from a cousin. In amongst these was a copy of The Castiafiore Emerald. I read it and was intrigued, if not overwhelmed. What I did not realise at the time was that this book was atypical of the Tintin tales, being cosy domestic adventure set entirely in Marlinspike Hall, and lacking the globetrotting adventure that makes up the other Tintin books. Even so, I was interested enough to search out other Tintin books at my local library. and my mind was opened and officially blown. I started devouring these books as fast as I could get my hands on them. One of the unexpected delights of starting high school was discovering that the library there had a copy of King Ottokar's Sceptre, which I had been unable to find anywhere else. Herge is not without his faults, of course. Even the most diehard Tintin fan would be hard-pressed to defend the anti-Communist polemic of Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, the cringeworthy colonialism of Tintin in the Congo, or the broad slapstick of Tintin in America. But everything from The Cigars of The Pharaoh onwards is worthy of a read, and the true classics like Destination Moon/Explorers on the Moon, Tintin in Tibet and The Red Sea Sharks can be read again and again with no loss of enjoyment. Herge opened my eyes to broader world of European comics, and I find that no matter how many times I go back and reread the Tintin books, they remain enjoyable. That's quite an accomplishment. For fans of Tintin, I thoroughly recommend Tintin: the Complete Companion. Possibly the most interesting part is the examination of images from Herge's photo-reference library, side-by-side panels that show how used these images in his work to engender a sense of realism.     |
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 25, 2015 7:51:58 GMT -5
I don't mind saying that I have ZERO problem with Jack King Kirby being picked for #1. He was my #3, but he really created a lot of enduring characters post Stan Lee proving he was , at least, half the creative force behind their collaboration.
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Roquefort Raider
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 25, 2015 9:42:02 GMT -5
And on to my number one pick: #1. Herge
I have little to add to what my fellow posters have already said about Herge's brilliance. You still do a good job of it, foxley! I grew up on Tintin; those were the first books my parents bought us kids (one by one, very slowly, as they cost the astronomical sum of $2,25) and so the series will always be the classics' classic to me. I would!!!  But that's a matter for another day. Merry Christmas! |
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Dec 25, 2015 10:32:54 GMT -5
I was about to post my pick right after Kurt, then I got caught up with all the christmas madness, food, booze, laughs, etc. And then I erased my post by accident before posting. Well, I got to see you guys first picks before posting mine, and I must say many of your choices could have been mine, even if they didn't even make my list, but, hay, as soon as the event was announced, it made zero doubt in my mind my number one pick would be : Jim Woodring  (Yes Jez, that's a mighty big pen!...) I think I probably first encountered Woodring around the mid 90ies, at my favorite shop ever, the coolest "Actualités"
Pierre hailed from southern France and opened the shop in 1968. He was a dedicated fan of Fernadel (popular old school french actor, Kirby and Schopenhauer! He specialized in anarchist and situationist literature, SciFi, asian poetry and american comic books! The shop was filed in every dusty corners with the most unexpected books, the walls hailing original pages from Kirby on The Losers and portraits of old comedians. In 1970, he held the first ever US artist signing in France, and he bought on the same table Carl Barks and Robert Crumb! I guess that qualifies for coolest cat ever. If it wasn't only for that, he also introduced me to Shelton, Corben, Ballard and William Burroughs, mostly through old original first prints he had no clue about their value (neither did I back then). I spent countless days at the often empty shop, discussing politics and the merits of Berni Wrightson, probably getting fired from my then job because of my forgeting about time and space when there. One great miracle that occured there was my discovery of some old Jim magazines. Woodring wasn't as refined as he now is, but the surealistic aspects of his autobiographic stories and weird pin ups already took his diegesis into the realms of Marcel Duchamps and Salvador Dali. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it, but it sure fascinated me. And when a few months later I discovered the first Frank strips, my mind was blown forever. With his off-beat silent funny animals stories, the ex drug addict homeless garbageman that Woodring was discovered a hidden world that he woud spend the consecutive years reporting from. An absolute master of storytelling, coloring and inking, he approached comics in a pretty unique way, his narrative often having a lucid dreaming Rick Veitch barely reached, he'd depict from the turn of the page shifting realities that felt like the strongest acid trip, yet witholding a firm sense of narrative, filled with action and suspense. While he was reaching for the sun, Woodring also took on some mainstream work Aliens, Star Wars), but thankfully, he has now become the William Burroughs of comics and doesn't need to focus on anything else than his original creations. Someimes he still collaborates, but as it turns out, that mostly happens with artists from my other big passions, in case, my beloved avant blues/ free jazz guitarist Bill Frissell (of Naked City fame, wit John Zorn and Fred Frith) with whom Woodring created audio books and records. This year, Wodring didn't grace us with one of his annual Frank volumes, so I went on the hunt of my ultimate quest, an original page from him, which might turn up today during christmas presents distro, you never know. Whatever happens, I'm just glad Woodring has made home in my mind as I feel great everyday I'm reminded of the worlds he made me discover and the dexterity in his reportings. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 25, 2015 10:42:24 GMT -5
And on to my number one pick: #1. Herge
I have little to add to what my fellow posters have already said about Herge's brilliance. You still do a good job of it, foxley! I grew up on Tintin; those were the first books my parents bought us kids (one by one, very slowly, as they cost the astronomical sum of $2,25) and so the series will always be the classics' classic to me. I would!!! But that's a matter for another day. Merry Christmas! I have no problem saying that while many of the elements in those stories are let's say problematic by today's standards that the storytelling is none the less very good and the art is still brilliant. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 25, 2015 12:06:52 GMT -5
I think I probably first encountered Woodring around the mid 90ies, at my favorite shop ever, the coolest "Actualités"
That shop looks like it came straight out of an Umberto Eco novel! And the Fernandel photo is just the cherry on the sundae. |
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Post by benday-dot on Dec 25, 2015 14:48:58 GMT -5
Pierre hailed from southern France and opened the shop in 1968. He was a dedicated fan of Fernadel (popular old school french actor, Kirby and Schopenhauer! He specialized in anarchist and situationist literature, SciFi, asian poetry and american comic books! The shop was filed in every dusty corners with the most unexpected books, the walls hailing original pages from Kirby on The Losers and portraits of old comedians. In 1970, he held the first ever US artist signing in France, and he bought on the same table Carl Barks and Robert Crumb! I guess that qualifies for coolest cat ever. If it wasn't only for that, he also introduced me to Shelton, Corben, Ballard and William Burroughs, mostly through old original first prints he had no clue about their value (neither did I back then). I spent countless days at the often empty shop, discussing politics and the merits of Berni Wrightson, probably getting fired from my then job because of my forgeting about time and space when there. One great miracle that occured there was my discovery of some old Jim magazines. Woodring wasn't as refined as he now is, but the surealistic aspects of his autobiographic stories and weird pin ups already took his diegesis into the realms of Marcel Duchamps and Salvador Dali. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it, but it sure fascinated me. And when a few months later I discovered the first Frank strips, my mind was blown forever. Merry Christmas to you all! Obviously, I have to read some Woodring. I am not completely ignorant of him, but I've never made a concerted a dive into his oeuvre. Your celebration of both Jim and Pierre were great though Arthur. Ant advice on where to start with Jim Woodring? |
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Post by benday-dot on Dec 25, 2015 14:52:31 GMT -5
Thanks to all my pals here on Classic Comics Boards. And that's I suppose all of you since enemies are scarce in this kind corner of the Internet.
All you choices were deserved and fantastic. An education and an entertainment!
Merry Christmas to everyone!
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Post by foxley on Dec 25, 2015 19:01:18 GMT -5
And on to my number one pick: #1. Herge
I have little to add to what my fellow posters have already said about Herge's brilliance. You still do a good job of it, foxley! I grew up on Tintin; those were the first books my parents bought us kids (one by one, very slowly, as they cost the astronomical sum of $2,25) and so the series will always be the classics' classic to me. I would!!! But that's a matter for another day. Merry Christmas! Thanks Roquefort. I consider your compliments as high praise coming from someone who read Tintin 'in the original', so to speak. And I'd be happy to discuss the merits of the early Tintin books in some other forum. Maybe it's because I came to Soviets and Congo as an adult and read them with an adult's sensibilities (they weren't available in English when I was growing up, and even now Congo is the heavily redrawn Swedish version where Tintin does not go around casually blowing up rhinoceroses or gleefully wiping out entire species). I enjoyed America when I first read it, but on rereading it, I found Herge's caricature depiction of an America where everyone is a gangster or a cowboy, jarred with his thoughtful and realistic depictions of foreign cultures in works like The Blue Lotus or Tintin in Tibet. |
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Dec 25, 2015 20:55:07 GMT -5
Pierre hailed from southern France and opened the shop in 1968. He was a dedicated fan of Fernadel (popular old school french actor, Kirby and Schopenhauer! He specialized in anarchist and situationist literature, SciFi, asian poetry and american comic books! The shop was filed in every dusty corners with the most unexpected books, the walls hailing original pages from Kirby on The Losers and portraits of old comedians. In 1970, he held the first ever US artist signing in France, and he bought on the same table Carl Barks and Robert Crumb! I guess that qualifies for coolest cat ever. If it wasn't only for that, he also introduced me to Shelton, Corben, Ballard and William Burroughs, mostly through old original first prints he had no clue about their value (neither did I back then). I spent countless days at the often empty shop, discussing politics and the merits of Berni Wrightson, probably getting fired from my then job because of my forgeting about time and space when there. One great miracle that occured there was my discovery of some old Jim magazines. Woodring wasn't as refined as he now is, but the surealistic aspects of his autobiographic stories and weird pin ups already took his diegesis into the realms of Marcel Duchamps and Salvador Dali. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it, but it sure fascinated me. And when a few months later I discovered the first Frank strips, my mind was blown forever. Merry Christmas to you all! Obviously, I have to read some Woodring. I am not completely ignorant of him, but I've never made a concerted a dive into his oeuvre. Your celebration of both Jim and Pierre were great though Arthur. Ant advice on where to start with Jim Woodring? Glad you appreciated it. I forgot to mention I used the past tense about Pierre since he sadly and suddenly passed away a few years ago, at 66. He is now buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery, next to jim Morrison. He was my mentor and then my friend, a real eye opener about comics : you can have the most articulate and exclusive tastes, and still not be a snob and enjoy Keith Giffen or Tarzan. Where to Start with Woodring? I guess his Frank book at Fantagraphics is a very nice way to start, and it features an amazing intro by Francis Ford Coppola : |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2015 12:11:44 GMT -5
Day 12....#1...
Frank Miller
For producing the most definitive DD storyline I've ever read, among others... 
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Post by MDG on Dec 27, 2015 10:32:31 GMT -5
1. Kim Deitch Oddly enough, my number one choice is probably the only person on the list where I don't have a real visceral love of his artwork. But over the last couple of decades he's created a set of well-done, intriguing graphic novels. I'd known Deitch's work since I picked up the Apex Treasury in the early 70s, and he was a mainstay of undergrounds while they lasted, but it wasn't until I picked up a collection of his newspaper serial Hollywoodland that I became a hardcore fan. Even though many (and possibly all) of his stories had characters and connections, he really shines in long-form stories. Even though stories will often start out in "the real world," before long they can involve demons, aliens, or a race of underground men (something I wouldn't stand for from a lot of creators). You never know where the stories are going to go.  Click here to see an annotated diagram of the Deitchiverse.
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Post by MWGallaher on Dec 27, 2015 15:09:02 GMT -5
1. Jack KirbyIn one of the first comics I every bought, I was hit in the face with the published version of this:  King Kirby had already written and drawn the first comic on my collector's path, Jimmy Olsen #142, but it was his work on Mr. Miracle that made me a believer. I'm not qualified to justify his position in the comics pantheon, and fortunately, I don't have to. If you're in this hobby and you've seen his praises sung. And you've seen his writing dismissed. But I won't dismiss it, I'll defend it, and I'll continue to prefer it over his work with Stan Lee. I can only imagine how anyone other than Kirby would have dialogued Orion's defeat over Slig of the Deep Six. Would they have dared to have the "hero" gloat: "She's gone, Slig! When she couldn't serve you--your Mother Box chose to die! HAHAHAHA!!" Grim stuff, with an impact that could only have come from Kirby's own raw emotions, and just a tiny sample of the many thrills and moments of awe to be found in Kamandi, New Gods, Mr. Miracle, Forever People, Jimmy Olsen, Demon, Eternals, Captain America, Black Panther, Devil Dinosaur, 2001...All of it back in print, hopefully forever. Thanks, Jack. You're my number one.
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But that's a matter for another day.
