Comic Book Creator #22 Winter 2020 (magazine review).
There are lots of interest in this latest issues of ‘Comic Book Creator’. For starters, an interview with inker Joe Sinnott about his early career and doing the pencils as well and his ability to do likeness. Now 93 and retired, it makes for a fascinating read.
Jeff Gelb does a remembrance of the late Bill Schelly, who died last September and a regular contributor to TwoMorrows publications. I hadn’t realised Howard Cruse had also died as he’d been interviewed in ‘Comic Book Creator’ a couple years back and editor Jon B. Cooke has a look at his 25th anniversary re-release of his book ‘Suck Rubber Baby’.
Cooke also interviews Derf Backderf graphic novel ‘Kent State: Four Dead In Ohio’ about the fatal student killing by state troops at the university in 1970. One of the nasty stains in American history which should never be forgotten in any format.
Darrell Patrick interviews inker Jay Leister about his career and interests.
If you thought comicbook artists only drew for comics, Scots artist Frank Quietly got a rather different commission to paint the interior of a hotel. Well, illustrate it really. The Radisson Hotel Group commissioned to put illustrations on the walls of one of their RED hotels. Seeing samples of the pictures here, they aren’t really super-heroes but a lot of in-joke types as well in black and white or sepia. He’s one of several artists doing this.
The biggest section of this issue is devoted to an interview with comicbook artist, P. Craig Russell. Jon B. Cooke looks at Russell’s upbringing in Ohio and how he got started working for Dan Atkins before branching out on his own. Looking at Russell’s body of work, with so much fantasy-orientated, probably explains why I haven’t seen much of it. Hearing about his love for classical music, though, I can appreciate how he sees his work under that light and how he goes through various stages to improve his own work..
‘Comic Book Creator’ hasn’t had any letters of comment for their column. If you buy this magazine regularly, drop them an email about its content.
As always, each issue of ‘Comic Book Creator’ yields some surprises and if you want to get inside comicbook artists to see how they tick, then these magazines become essential.
GF Willmetts
April 2020
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 84 page illustrated magazine. Price: $ 9.95 (US). ISSN: 2330-2437. Direct from them, you can get it for $ 9.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=133&products_id=1529
