Illustrators #37 (magazine review).

The first artist of this edition of ‘Illustrators’ is Cuban artist, now living in Canada, Antonio Javier Caparo (1970- ), who is interviewed by Diego Cordoba. Seeing samples of his work here, he moved from painting into digital and has a delightful range in our genre. Also, rather unusually, there are a lot of personal pieces by Caparo here and some publisher really needs to sweep him up and get a book out there of his work.

Cordoba’s look at the life of American comicbook artist Russ Heath (1926-2018) clearly shows the artist’s love of a sense of realism. He also wasn’t keen on the super-hero genre because it lacked realism. Personally, I think that is the point of them. Saying that, his attention to detail in westerns, war and horror stories were second to none, even if I rarely explored those comicbook genres. He was as capable as inker as a penciller so had full control of his own art.

Something I’ve always liked about ‘Illustrators’ is how artists I’ve never come across before are brought to my attention. This time its American artist George Gross (1909-2003), although I suspect his book covers rarely strayed to this side of the pond. A lot of the work here is borderline good girl art but he was principally used for adventure books like The Avenger, The Executioner and Nick Carter-Killmaster, as well as various western covers. Its interesting to see how his art development over the years no doubt propelled by the refinements in printing.

Lastly, Chile-born comicbook artist Arturo Del Castillo (1925-1992) specialised in western material, although I doubt if he ever visited the USA, relying on the spaghetti version for his inspiration. Even so, you have to admire his inkwork for texture and detail, even if he simplified it as he got older. He certainly caught the elements of movement where needed.

As always, ‘Illustrators’ offers known and less known artistic talents to be shown. Not all of them have collective books of their work available or out of print so always makes for a useful sampler.

GF Willmetts

September 2022

(pub: The Book Palace, 2022. 98 page illustrated squarebound magazine. Price: £20.00 (UK), $21.99 (US) via Bud Plant. ISBN: 978-1-913548-03-2. ISSN: 2052-6520)

check out website: www.bookpalace.com and www.illustratorsquarterly.com