Artist who began a DC book with mediocre art but improved tremendously

[caj]

I thought Barry Kitson's art was pretty average in those early L.E.G.I.O.N issues. Then, he took a break for 7 or 8 months then came back spectacular.

This was around issue 25 or 26.

[The Darknight Detective]

Neil Adams artwork was a marked improvement from when he started in the mid-60s to the early 70s. It probably helps that a lot of his early stuff was licensed tie-in properties like Jerry Lewis that had to have an established look.

That and his more realistic artwork didn't really fit as well with the Silver Age stories as it did with the Bronze Age.

[K7P5V]

^^^Damn, that IS a visible improvement.

I know, right?! Reminds me of the evolution of Travis Charest

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

I know, right?! Reminds me of the evolution of Travis Charest

Man, I haven't seen Charest's work in ages. Is he still working in comics?

Long before he became the head guy at Marvel, I had a soft spot for Joe Quesada's artwork, but I do recall it seemed to start off rough. By the time he was doing the first mini for Azrael, and definitely the original RAY book, it had improved greatly (IMO, of course).

And as long as we're talking about former artists for the LSH, I do believe the first few issues on the Legion by Keith Giffen were...okay. But by the time the GDS started, his work was massively improving. Then again, maybe it was the change in inkers (from Romeo Tanghal to Larry Mahstedt) that did it. (His change in style beginning the Omen and the Prophet story, however....ouch.)

Also, Jason Pearson. Definitely rough at first, but got better.

[kcekada]

I thought Barry Kitson's art was pretty average in those early L.E.G.I.O.N issues. Then, he took a break for 7 or 8 months then came back spectacular.

This was around issue 25 or 26.

That may be another case of different inkers. Didn't he do his own inks at some point? That's probably when his artwork looked its best. Also loved when he was writing the book -- may be my favorite L.E.G.I.O.N. era.

[TheMaker1610]

Definitely agree. The artist-inker relationship is fascinating to me.

I said this before, and will never stop saying it: Marquez as Artist, with Ponsor on Colors, were the absolute GOAT
I miss Ponsor badly

[caj]

Inker Larry Mahlstadt definitely improved Keith Giffen's art in Legion of Super Heroes during the Great Darkness Saga.

[K7P5V]

I wouldn't say mediocre, but Steve "The Dude" Rude has only gotten better throughout the years (IMHO):

• 1984 (Tales of the Teen Titans '84 #48)

• 1987 (Mister Miracle Special '87)

• 1990 (World's Finest '90)

[Sutekh]

As much as I love Olivier Coipel's work at Marvel, don't think he improved much during his Legion run. He had an odd style and I would never have imagined him improving as much as he did.

I was just going to bring him up! Coipel's art during the mid-bit of the Legion Threeboot (I wasn't around for his Reboot stuff) was really dark and gritty and, kinda bad, IMO. And then his Thor work was sublime. Gorgeous stuff, not just Thor himself, but other characters like Hogun the Grim or (Lady) Loki were amazing (assuming I'm remembering the issues he drew correctly and not just conflating stuff, as my treacherous brain sometimes does...).

Coipel's transformation is really my #1 example of a comic book artist increasing by leaps and bounds.

[j9ac9k]

Tons of artists improve over the course of their career, but wasn't this thread about artists who showed that growth over the course of their run on one title? (or have we already run out of examples of that?)