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What do STAR TREK and FIREBALL XL5 have in common, apart from being set in space and in the future? TV21 and MIKE NOBLE is the answer, as the comic strips based on both television programmes appeared (at different times) in the popular weekly periodical and were often drawn by the same supremely-talented artist.
These two pages appeared in issue #39 of the 'new series' of TV21, and the fact that they're ever-so-slightly 'off-register' shouldn't mar your enjoyment too much (I hope). Neatly-rendered art that tells a story in a clear, uncluttered way seems to be out of fashion these days, so it's nice to be able to savour examples of when such qualities were the order of the day.
Surely I'm not alone in thinking that if Mike Noble's awesome artwork graced con-temporary comics, they'd probably sell a whole lot more than they do? Who's with me? (Hello... is there anyone out there?)
Beam up for Part Two - by clicking here.
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5 comments:
Another great post. Fully agree with your comments! I keep an eye on contemporary comic art even though much of it does not engage me in the same way that the classics did (and still do). You could cite the nostalgia factor but I think it is as you say - clean uncluttered art telling good stories. Much of what I see has an over rendered generic look to my eye, and a shedload of Photoshop rendering and effects will not help bad layout and poor drawing. Thanks for sharing.
Another thing that strikes me, Phil, having looked at some contemporary (superhero) comics recently, is just how many pages consist of 'talking heads'. Nothing seems to be happening, apart from people standing around talking. Comics don't seem to 'move' like they once did. Thanks for commenting.
I think part of the trouble is that many modern editors don't have a clue. In America, artists like Jerry Ordway and Steve Rude are being criminally underused, while more flashy but less talented artists (when it comes to storytelling technique) are being used in their stead.
Interesting views on contemporary comic art here, I think I concure with the sentiments. I'm not really a fan of the uniformly dense style that predominates today and it's a bit stiff and lifeless too. There's plenty of talent around but the comic marketplace has contracted to such an extent that i must be hard to get on the good side of a editor or art director, especially when they be such princesses too.
A lot of modern comics, although nicely rendered, look as if they've been copied or traced from photos that people have posed for, which probably gives them that stiff and lifeless look you mention, DSE. They don't seem to have that spontaneity that Kirby or Buscema (and a whole host of other greats) were able to capture.
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