| Suspended
Animation:
John Romita, Jr. 30th Anniversary Special
How did
I miss this one? Published in 2006, Marvel’s John
Romita, Jr. 30th Anniversary Special is one of those
publications that gets fans of comics and comics history completely
goofy and giddy.
There
are few more deserving of recognition, based on volume of
work and important projects under their belt than Jr. This
“salute” to his accomplishments is the next
best thing to a hardcover book, such as The Art of John
Romita, which covers his father’s career.
Featuring
a timeline of his career from ‘77 to ‘06, a
sketch gallery, a 16-page interview with Romita, Jr., testimonials
from many other comics professionals to his talent, accomplishments
and importance in the industry, a reprint of his first story
done for Marvel’s American publishing branch, and
more, this ought to hold the gentleman’s fans for
some time.
Of special
interest to many will be the way John Jr. handled accusations
of his father opening doors for him in the business. Personally,
it doesn’t matter to me whether Sr. gave him a helping
hand or not, though I happen to believe his son made it
on his own merit. What matters is that he IS in comics,
and the medium is better because of it.
No other
artist in the world of comics can put more raw power into
a single character. Jr.’s figures fairly crackle with
energy, even when they are standing still. And though I’ve
contended in the past that his art has lost a certain “flow”
over the years, I believe it’s because his characters
have gotten “bigger,” filling the page even
more, making it seem that they may leap from a flimsy pamphlet
no longer able to contain their power. That’s progression
of art style, folks, and sometimes you lose one thing for
something else. It’s up to the fans to decide whether
they think it’s worth it or not.
Check
out the John Romita, Jr. 30th Anniversary Special
yourself and see what you think.
|
