'Cool' Pre-90s Comic Artists?

[Timothy Hunter]

In comics there is a preconceived notion that "cool" art is synonymous with the 1990s, as that was a time when anatomical accuracy was sacrificed in exchange for style and what was considered "cool" at the time. While some artists such as Jim Lee, Mike Mignola, and Liam Sharp have been able to evolve with the times, most artists from the 90s are considered garish and passé.

What are some artists who rose to prominence before the 90s who favor style over realism.

There are countless classic artists whom I love who don't fit this description because they favor realism and storytelling over style:

Brian Bolland
Joe Kubert
Dave Gibbons
Will Eisner
Steve Rude
Steve Ditko
George Perez
Hal Foster
Dave Sim
Alex Raymond
Bernie Wrightson
Nick Cardy
Jim Starlin
Wally Wood
Mike Grell
John Romita sr.
Tim Truman
Dave Cockrum
Joe Staton
John Severin
Gene Colan
Curt Swan
John Byrne
Don Heck
Mark Schultz

Here are some artists who fit my description:

Jack Kirby
Mick McMahon
Keith Giffen
Kevin O'Neill
Alex Toth
Simon Bisley
Jim Steranko
Howard Chaykin
Mike Mignola
Moebius
Richard Corben
Enki Bilal
Bill Sienkiewicz
Frank Miller

[Joker]

The list of people who fit your description is a murderers row of master storytellers, so your post is kind of bullshit.

I mean, any list that features Alex Toth as a “style over technical competency” artist is going to get laughed out of any conversation on the subject.

Also post some examples of the names on your list at the bottom lack technical competency. Half those names flat out defined comics as legitimate storytelling. Like, am I reading your post wrong?

[Riv86672]

Alex Toth. I can see putting him on the second list.
He is/can be technically sound af, but def. has a style over anatomical correctness thing going on most times. It’s beautiful work on his part.

[Scott Taylor]

Gene Colan is a style over substance guy. And thats what makes him great, he really stood out in his time because the rest of comic artists were pretty much telling straightforward stories with pretty safe artistic choices, whereas Colan was creating Dali-esque vignettes and making even the Ani-Men look surreal and menacing.

[DrNewGod]

I'm kind of like Joker in thinking some on your list are actually great story tellers, but I can see what you mean about being style driven. As I read your initial criteria, before looking at the lists, Sternanko was the first name that popped to mind.

[PaulBullion]

Trevor von Eeden



Later Carmine Infantino

[The no face guy]

George Perez is the one that sticks out for me.

His attention to detail, especially in Crisis on Infinite Earths was spectacular.

[Timothy Hunter]

The list of people who fit your description is a murderers row of master storytellers, so your post is kind of bullshit.

I mean, any list that features Alex Toth as a “style over technical competency” artist is going to get laughed out of any conversation on the subject.

Also post some examples of the names on your list at the bottom lack technical competency. Half those names flat out defined comics as legitimate storytelling. Like, am I reading your post wrong?

You are reading my post wrong. I didn't mean to knock the people on the list as 'bad storytellers', more that they favor a more stylized aesthetic in expense of realism not storytelling.

[K7P5V]

A few personal favorites would be...

P. Craig Russell





John Totleben





Ron Frenz

[4saken1]

Neil Adams is a must for this list. He helped modernized comic book art in a big way.

Arthur Adams came along a little later, but I like his stuff, too!

Matt Wagner and Bill Willingham are known more for their writing, but their artwork has personality as well.

[Riv86672]

I'm kind of like Joker in thinking some on your list are actually great story tellers, but I can see what you mean about being style driven. As I read your initial criteria, before looking at the lists, Sternanko was the first name that popped to mind.

TBC i think the artists on both lists are great. It’s just they do things in different ways.
I mean that’s what’s great about art.

Here’s an example of an artist from the first OP list doing a character made famous by an artist on the second OP list...:




It’s pretty great that these artists often admire each others’ work, despite their styles being different.
We fans are the winners in these cases.

[K7P5V]

Some more personal favorites...

Gil Kane







Mike Zeck






Todd McFarlane

[ed2962]

Hmm...I'm not sure I'm understanding the OP's perspective. Alex Raymond to me is a realistic artist, but the majority of the people on the first list are not.

[Joker]

It's a fucking confusing post!

[K7P5V]

Even more personal favorites...

John Buscema


Mark Bagley





Ron Lim