Your Superman Dream-Team?

[JulianPerez]

Glad to hear the great Cary Bates is still alive and well.

That's something I noticed about these writer-types, is that after comics they go for animation. For instance, while watching an episode of the old eighties TRANSFORMERS, I noticed under "Story Consultants" a few familiar names in the credits: Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Marv Wolfman. Thanks for giving those big robots some of the old Marvel spit and polish, gang!

Steve Rude

Oh man, I can't believe Rude the Dude didn't come to mind right away, at least as some kind of cover artist.

He'd be a great interior artist, too - I almost hate to say, "hey, he really draws like Kirby," but I mean that as a compliment.

Mike Allred

He's "retro," I suppose - but I cannot get used to his "cartoony" style, which may not be right for Superman, who has always had a degree of realism in art going all the way back to Curt Swan. Then again, I've only seen his work in MADMAN, so he may probably have something that qualifies him that I haven't seen.

Here's another person that might be an interesting Superman artist - Jeff Moy! What's he doing these days?

All said, my real dream team is only going to be printing books up at Pearly Gates Publishing these days...Ed Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein.

Hear-hear! I would add Kurt Schaffenberger to this list too, to do the Jimmy Olsen backups - that guy had class.

Funny thing: while thinking about my Superman dream team, I thought to myself: "Hey, has Jim Aparo ever done Superman? More a Batman sort of guy, but his might be interesting..." And then I remembered.

[nightwing]

Oh man, I can't believe Rude the Dude didn't come to mind right away, at least as some kind of cover artist.

He'd be a great interior artist, too - I almost hate to say, "hey, he really draws like Kirby," but I mean that as a compliment.

Rude has mastered Kirby's feel for weight and mass and dynamic compositions (and those groovy machines and vehicles).  But his figures and faces, to me, have the glamor and wholesomeness of Russ (Magnus) Manning's.  Toss in an Alex Toth-like mastery of blacks and you've got a kick-butt art style.  The guy's a maestro.

As for Allred, he did a great Superman in the "Superman/Madman Hullaballoo." I really dig his half-retro, half-underground art style, though his scripts can be on the odd side.

And the late and very great Mr Aparo did draw Superman on several occasions.  Actually I thought Supes was one of the very few characters he was unsuited for.  Too skinny or something, I don't know.

http://batman.superman.nu/bat-comics/outsiders1/?page=6

[JulianPerez]

As for Allred, he did a great Superman in the "Superman/Madman Hullaballoo." I really dig his half-retro, half-underground art style, though his scripts can be on the odd side.

Few artists write as well as they draw. Paired up with a writer, though, the results might be interesting.

And the late and very great Mr Aparo did draw Superman on several occasions.  Actually I thought Supes was one of the very few characters he was unsuited for.  Too skinny or something, I don't know.

http://batman.superman.nu/bat-comics/outsiders1/?page=6

Ah, I have this issue.

Looking it over again, actually, now that I see it...

I like Aparo's Superman. He draws Superman's hair a specific way, a thick, lush mane of black locks that is the wildest dream of anyone that has ever considered going to the Hair Club for Men. Remember the Latin Barbie doll that was being sold some time ago? Aparo's Superman looks like the Latin Ken Doll.  

[Super Monkey]

When it comes to comics the importance of the artist and writer is 50/50.
Comic books are not novels, and they are also not art books., they are comics. A great writer paired with a bad artist makes for a bad comic with good writing A great artist paired with bad writer, is a bad comic with great artwork.

[Super Monkey]

Mike Allred is a pretty great artist, IMHO.

See for yourselves:

[llozymandias]

Writers:  Jerry Siegel;  Edmund Hamilton; E Nelson bridwell; Cary Bates; Kurt Busiek; Alan Moore; Isaac Asimov; Otto Binder; & others.

    Artists:   Joe Shuster;  Jack Kirby; & others.  




    Well, we are talking fantasy here right?  The writers & artists we would love to see doing Superman stories?  Why limit ourselves to people who have worked with the character &/or are still alive?

[Uncle Mxy]

Asimov (well, Asa Ezaak / Momentus) is already a pre-Crisis Superman villain:

http://progressiveruin.com/archives/2004_03_14_archive.html

No need for him to write Superman stories, unless Supeman stories happen to have a special spot in the Dewey Decimal System he hasn't covered.    

I wish he would've had a chance to write a story about a Superman robot, though...  that'd be interesting.

[JulianPerez]

Asimov (well, Asa Ezaak / Momentus) is already a pre-Crisis Superman villain:

http://progressiveruin.com/archives/2004_03_14_archive.html

No need for him to write Superman stories, unless Supeman stories happen to have a special spot in the Dewey Decimal System he hasn't covered.    

I wish he would've had a chance to write a story about a Superman robot, though...  that'd be interesting.

Wow...that is the single greatest thing I've ever read.

The most telling detail, though, is the idea that Jimmy Olsen is a really, really big fan of "Asa Ezaak." Who thinks Jimmy Olsen is also a really really big fan of STAR TREK too?

Can you imagine Jimmy showing up to the Daily Planet with a condescending, self-congratulatory "I GROK SPOCK" shirt?

Clark Kent, that friendless nebbish, would push his glasses on his forehead even higher and say, "Jimmy, I don't get to say this very often, but I'm cooler than you."

I'd love to see villains based on real people.

Scott Baio, for example. Most people say HAPPY DAYS jumped the shark when Fonzie...well, Jumped the Shark. But I knew it was when Chachi bobbed in with his . At that moment, deep down, I realized what a true sociopath Scott Baio is. Can you imagine the cover of such an issue, with Chachi planting his foot on Superman's neck, his eyes aglee with manical fire, and his hand smashing a globe, with an electric bubble near his mout that reads:

"Soon, I'll be Charles in Charge...of THE WORLD! BWA-hahahaha!"