Alter Ego # 63 December 2006 (magazine review)
This 2006 issue of ‘Alter Ego’ is devoted to comicbook artist Alex Toth (1928-2006). Reading his history by writer Greg Theakson, Toth preferred non-super-hero stories and had a taste for SF but could draw whatever was asked of him, although frequently got disgruntled and quit over receiving bad scripts. Seeing his checklist, Toth worked extensively for a lot of companies.
Reading the eleven interviews about Toth, you can’t help drawing the conclusion that he was argumentative, short-tempered, didn’t suffer fools gladly, quick to anger, a loner and complex man. He got work solely because of this art talent. As Joe Kulbert points out, even when Toth was given a full script, he wouldn’t follow it. He also frequently got fired and rehired, even in the animation companies where he prepared character sheets. In the UK, he would have been called a curmudgeon. When I read further in, inker Terry Austin used the same word.
I should point out that the cover picture is two-thirds of a sketch he did in 1981 of characters he hadn’t drawn since 1945 and from memory. The full picture is inside. Toth never had a stock reference selection to refer to and could draw most aeroplanes from memory.
Jim Amash’s piece about Toth’s better side is quite a revelation of his generosity once you got to know him, although that was difficult and may not always last for long but was loyal during that time.
In the Fawcett Collector, another 9 creators passed word on Toth. There’s lots of his work here and if you didn’t know anything about his career before, you certainly would have afterwards.
Toth’s art evolved over time, primarily to reduce his linework. On the advice of other artists and one of the books I have of his work is strongly chiaroscuro, strong in dark and light shades, which might be later in his career. Whenever ‘Alter Ego’ does an issue devoted to a particular artist, it is also an indication of the regard that they are given by the comicbook industry which should speak for itself.
GF Willmetts
November 2023
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: varies. ISSN: 1932-6890. Direct from them, you can get it digitally for $ 4.99 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_55&products_id=403&zenid=rb92b7jkugg5hjo3vaets9lp70
