I love the,” BOOF!,” effect with the black bubbles.
I was thinking of your style and, I think, it is rather similar to the art that was done in the old Street and Smith magazines of the 1920s through the early 1950s and, especially those in The Shadow stories. The art was fantastic.
Thanks for the art props, Ying-Ko. 🙂 I’ve never seen the Shadow Stories from Street and Smith so I had to Google them. Great stuff. I can see the style similarities but I only wish I could draw that good.
I think my style comes mostly from studying Jack Hamm and Andrew Loomis as a kid and as an adult (even today I look at their books almost daily as a warm up, btw).
Again, thanks for the props. Sometimes it feels like the art is not working and it’s good to know someone out there digs it. 🙂
Tony, I think you do yourself (and your art) a disservice. You manage to create wonderful images and combine them with an equally wonderful story. Not everyone can manage to do such a thing.
Thanks Raoullefere and it’s good to see you back. 🙂
I love those John Buscema black and white “Savage Sword Conan” books. I have several of the anthologies. In fact when I started Endstone back in the day I would look through Buscema’s stuff to solve problems in my own art. For example, Jon and Ben are “greyed out” in the foreground of panels 2 and 3 and this is a technique used in “Savage Sword” that I borrowed for my own black and white work. It helps differentiate foreground and background.
So yeah, I dig those Conan books from the 1970s for sure. But sometimes I feel it makes my art look dated. Maybe if I put some Manga in? 😉
Tony, great art never looked dated; except, maybe, for a romance cover. (Rim shot.) Effective art keeps its hold. The Conan black and white art was derived from the earlier Street and Smith art. The only thing that makes art look dated is when someone does something that is a “trend.” It is rather the same as in architecture, some features become popular for about 6-months and appear everywhere, but look out-of-place a couple of years later. I’ve seen a lot of styles come, and go, in my life and good art continues to be enjoyed long-after the trendy art is forgotten.
NOTE: I am not calling Manga a trend. It follows a different visual path. I can enjoy both, but I like your current style more for your story.
Great points, Ying-Ko. I didn’t know the Conan stuff in the 70s-80s derived from the Street and Smith art but that totally makes sense. 🙂
And I get you on Manga too. Because I came of age in the 1980s (I’m old yes but it wasn’t always that way ;)) I wasn’t influenced by Manga at all and I have zero of it in my style. I like Manga but I could never draw that way. Endstone would probably be more popular if it was Manga but it is what it is and I am what I am. 😉
Being born in the 80s has nothing to do with not being influenced by mangas. I’m about same age as you apparently, and i am influenced by mangas a bit, and while i’m not to the point of geeking off on them i know people that are, some even older than us. 😉
On the other hand, some “youngsters” could not care less about mangas.
You simply followed your path, and good for you, that’s where you come from and what helped you build yourself. I’m simply underlining that the link between demography and manga culture (for a westerner, or course that japanese don’t coun’t here) is an illusion. 😉
I remember the first Anime and Manga that I saw, Gigantor and Astro Boy back in 1965(I am older that either of you) and it was interesting. I got to watch as the Japanese style became known here. I should note that I saw all of that in the US; I’ve never been to the Orient. Artists have their own combination of styles that makes them unique. I really doubt that Endstone in Magna would be more popular. It is the story that holds the audience. The art has to serve that story; otherwise, it is only doodling.
Sorry didn’t mean to mislead you, but I was born in the late 60s and came of age in the 80s as far as collecting comics and drawing. Manga really wasn’t popular at that time and that’s why I believe it’s not in my art skill set.
And oh yes I remember in the 70s seeing Gigantor and Kimba the White Lion as the first time I saw Anime —- on some barely visible UHF channel.
And as for the art serving the story – yes agree. At least I hope that’s the case.;)
Hi Tony, I am still older than the two of you. 🙂 Let us just say that I can remember when Radio shows were still live, there were 4 TV networks (Dumont being the 4th), some TV sets still had channel 1, AND UHF tuners. NOTE: The first generation TVs had UHF tuners, but stopped because no one wanted those channels; UHF did not carry as far as the normal channels did. When UFH stations started to develop, those of us fortunate to have an old TV could pick up the new stations without paying big bucks for a new TV. Ah, the joys of an old 1950 B&W Zenith TV with UHF channels.
Clarification: I remember when Old Time Radio Shows (Such as The Shadow, X-Minus-One, and Inner Sanctum) were still live. I also remember when Top 40 started taking over the air waves.
Hi Tony, I agree, it was a golden age. I have trouble watching a lot of network TV because I have seen the routines done by much more talented people. I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc.
The ability to listen to something other than talk radio and music on the radio was wonderful. Local shows were produced for both radio and television. I remember some of the local shows with great fondness. Today many of the radio and TV stations are almost completely automated. One radio station out here had a misprogrammed timer that was supposed to play the hourly news, but which produced only silence. It took them several months to realize there was a problem reported (e-mail to the management), that the problem was on their end (response to me to tune the radio in my home to the proper channel), and figure out how to reprogram the device. My favorite part were the exchanges trying to explain that the radio was tuned just fine for 55 minutes each hour and that it was only the news that was not coming on. Dilbert’s Pointy Haired Boss lives!
Heck, I remember when B-52s protected our country… Oh wait, those are still flying. I remember when the 5-52 had propellers and not jets.
I guess I will end with the old geezer line, “I remember way back before the turn of the century, we had actual people running things AND we were grateful for it.” [spits]
So, daddy approuves the relationship ? Cool 🙂
I guess mommy too. It’s more the other family that will be tougher to convince, specially the older sister…
Good observation. 🙂 Actually, Jon and Kyri were trapped in time for ten years when the Eternity Spire exploded the first time. My bad if that’s not clear (it happened way back in the archive) but it is what it is. 🙂
I love the,” BOOF!,” effect with the black bubbles.
I was thinking of your style and, I think, it is rather similar to the art that was done in the old Street and Smith magazines of the 1920s through the early 1950s and, especially those in The Shadow stories. The art was fantastic.
Thanks for the art props, Ying-Ko. 🙂 I’ve never seen the Shadow Stories from Street and Smith so I had to Google them. Great stuff. I can see the style similarities but I only wish I could draw that good.
I think my style comes mostly from studying Jack Hamm and Andrew Loomis as a kid and as an adult (even today I look at their books almost daily as a warm up, btw).
Again, thanks for the props. Sometimes it feels like the art is not working and it’s good to know someone out there digs it. 🙂
Tony, I think you do yourself (and your art) a disservice. You manage to create wonderful images and combine them with an equally wonderful story. Not everyone can manage to do such a thing.
I was thinking like the Conan pulp comics I saw in the 70’s, but yes, it’s great.
Thanks Raoullefere and it’s good to see you back. 🙂
I love those John Buscema black and white “Savage Sword Conan” books. I have several of the anthologies. In fact when I started Endstone back in the day I would look through Buscema’s stuff to solve problems in my own art. For example, Jon and Ben are “greyed out” in the foreground of panels 2 and 3 and this is a technique used in “Savage Sword” that I borrowed for my own black and white work. It helps differentiate foreground and background.
So yeah, I dig those Conan books from the 1970s for sure. But sometimes I feel it makes my art look dated. Maybe if I put some Manga in? 😉
Tony, great art never looked dated; except, maybe, for a romance cover. (Rim shot.) Effective art keeps its hold. The Conan black and white art was derived from the earlier Street and Smith art. The only thing that makes art look dated is when someone does something that is a “trend.” It is rather the same as in architecture, some features become popular for about 6-months and appear everywhere, but look out-of-place a couple of years later. I’ve seen a lot of styles come, and go, in my life and good art continues to be enjoyed long-after the trendy art is forgotten.
NOTE: I am not calling Manga a trend. It follows a different visual path. I can enjoy both, but I like your current style more for your story.
Great points, Ying-Ko. I didn’t know the Conan stuff in the 70s-80s derived from the Street and Smith art but that totally makes sense. 🙂
And I get you on Manga too. Because I came of age in the 1980s (I’m old yes but it wasn’t always that way ;)) I wasn’t influenced by Manga at all and I have zero of it in my style. I like Manga but I could never draw that way. Endstone would probably be more popular if it was Manga but it is what it is and I am what I am. 😉
Being born in the 80s has nothing to do with not being influenced by mangas. I’m about same age as you apparently, and i am influenced by mangas a bit, and while i’m not to the point of geeking off on them i know people that are, some even older than us. 😉
On the other hand, some “youngsters” could not care less about mangas.
You simply followed your path, and good for you, that’s where you come from and what helped you build yourself. I’m simply underlining that the link between demography and manga culture (for a westerner, or course that japanese don’t coun’t here) is an illusion. 😉
I remember the first Anime and Manga that I saw, Gigantor and Astro Boy back in 1965(I am older that either of you) and it was interesting. I got to watch as the Japanese style became known here. I should note that I saw all of that in the US; I’ve never been to the Orient. Artists have their own combination of styles that makes them unique. I really doubt that Endstone in Magna would be more popular. It is the story that holds the audience. The art has to serve that story; otherwise, it is only doodling.
Sorry didn’t mean to mislead you, but I was born in the late 60s and came of age in the 80s as far as collecting comics and drawing. Manga really wasn’t popular at that time and that’s why I believe it’s not in my art skill set.
And oh yes I remember in the 70s seeing Gigantor and Kimba the White Lion as the first time I saw Anime —- on some barely visible UHF channel.
And as for the art serving the story – yes agree. At least I hope that’s the case.;)
Hi Tony, I am still older than the two of you. 🙂 Let us just say that I can remember when Radio shows were still live, there were 4 TV networks (Dumont being the 4th), some TV sets still had channel 1, AND UHF tuners. NOTE: The first generation TVs had UHF tuners, but stopped because no one wanted those channels; UHF did not carry as far as the normal channels did. When UFH stations started to develop, those of us fortunate to have an old TV could pick up the new stations without paying big bucks for a new TV. Ah, the joys of an old 1950 B&W Zenith TV with UHF channels.
Clarification: I remember when Old Time Radio Shows (Such as The Shadow, X-Minus-One, and Inner Sanctum) were still live. I also remember when Top 40 started taking over the air waves.
So there, you young whipper snappers! :)’
Ok, so in the end you’re about 15 years older than I am, but that does not change my previous comment :p
I meant Tony is 15 years older than I am 🙂
@Ying-Ko – You lived during a golden age, my friend. I really believe that. 🙂
@Darth Killer – 15 years sounds about right. You youngsters should listen to your elders. 😉 😉 😉
Hi Tony, I agree, it was a golden age. I have trouble watching a lot of network TV because I have seen the routines done by much more talented people. I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc.
The ability to listen to something other than talk radio and music on the radio was wonderful. Local shows were produced for both radio and television. I remember some of the local shows with great fondness. Today many of the radio and TV stations are almost completely automated. One radio station out here had a misprogrammed timer that was supposed to play the hourly news, but which produced only silence. It took them several months to realize there was a problem reported (e-mail to the management), that the problem was on their end (response to me to tune the radio in my home to the proper channel), and figure out how to reprogram the device. My favorite part were the exchanges trying to explain that the radio was tuned just fine for 55 minutes each hour and that it was only the news that was not coming on. Dilbert’s Pointy Haired Boss lives!
Heck, I remember when B-52s protected our country… Oh wait, those are still flying. I remember when the 5-52 had propellers and not jets.
I guess I will end with the old geezer line, “I remember way back before the turn of the century, we had actual people running things AND we were grateful for it.” [spits]
So, daddy approuves the relationship ? Cool 🙂
I guess mommy too. It’s more the other family that will be tougher to convince, specially the older sister…
Good observation. Jon obviously likes Ben but there really is no relationship other than friendship between Cole and Ben. More on that later… 😉
Come on, even if the relationship proper has not started (yet), Jon can’t be oblivious to Ben circling around his daughter. 😉
Yeah, poor Ben… friendzoned by a dragon.
Just a little thing: i just read the character sheet and i read that Kyri is 31 and Cole 19. Means she has had Cole at 12 !? And Jon was 15 ?
Good observation. 🙂 Actually, Jon and Kyri were trapped in time for ten years when the Eternity Spire exploded the first time. My bad if that’s not clear (it happened way back in the archive) but it is what it is. 🙂