I read last week's comics and was surprised to see this ad page.
I'm not the biggest JRJR fan so for me it isn't such a dramatic announcement. In fact, I would think that Geoff Johns returning to Superman would be the bigger announcement.
But there is something familiar about that simple proclamation that 'Romita is Coming!'
Way back in the 70's, DC lured Jack Kirby away from Marvel and DC included a similar advertisement.
In fact, they didn't even name check Kirby at first, simply calling him The Great One! I love that it starts with "the word from high is ..." Almost religious!
Of course, Kirby came on board and was cratively prolific. He unveiled the Fourth World, the Demon, the Guardian and the Newsboy Legion, OMAC, and a variety of 1st Issue Special properties.
But I think Jack Kirby coming to DC warranted a "____ is Coming!" ad more than JRJR.
If you didn't know The Great One was Kirby, DC took care of you.
They also had a true 'Kirby is Coming!' advertisement, half pagers touting his coming on board the Jimmy Olsen book.
So ... does Romita coming to DC merit a Kirby-esque push?
No, I wish JR Jr and co the best, but it's hardly Kirby-level exciting.
ReplyDeleteThough I can see a case for getting someone else in to redraw that head ...
Is John Romita, Jr. worthy of the same level of praise and adulation as Jack Kirby? Hellz no!
ReplyDeleteBut is he worthy of a one-pager advertising his arrival at DC? Actually, I think that is pretty newsworthy.
The man has been drawing comics for like 45 years! He's drawn damn-near every significant Marvel comic and character. He's a legacy there and he's done some phenomenal work (and some less so).
What makes his coming to DC noteworthy is that this is his first official DC work! That is unfathomable in this day and age that an artist or creator wouldn't have worked at both of the big two companies during a career that spans four-and-a-half decades!!!
So, yeah, I think his coming to DC is a big deal. Not King-Size big, but big.
Since the industry seems to be more about the creators rather the characters these days, I certainly home he's a big draw for the sake of Superman.
ReplyDeleteHonestly? It makes me sad. Certainly more so than Mark Bagley, but that was a sour note, as well. There's an Is Nothing Sacred/The Grass Is Always Greener vibe to this that ends with the artist having sown a few oats before returning to the familiar with an air of being slightly used. It's a patriarchal mentality, I'll admit, but after decades with one publisher, must these guys throw up their skirts for a brief tawdry affair with their longtime skeezy neighbor? At least have a proper midlife crisis full of potential with a creator owned project, instead of just wallowing in a similar house as your old one just a few yards away.
ReplyDeleteAlso, John Romita Junior sucks at drawing Superman. Batman or GTFO.
Thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I don't particularly like JRJR's art so that might be part of why I was taken aback by this.
I have to assume that someone in DC knows this was similar verbiage to the Kirby announcement.
Anyways, I suppose it is newsworthy since he left Marvel for DC.
I'm not sure how I feel about the art to be honest. I mean, when I saw the pencils of the first promo image I wasn't that impressed. Mainly I thought the lines on the suit were way over-emphasized. Then I saw it colored and thought it was pretty damn cool, as the suit looked more balanced. As for this second promo image, I like everything about it but the face, really. The brow is a little too cro magnon man for me. And he has a tendency to draw those odd lines around the jaw that to me look like cat whiskers. But at the same time there's a charming retro vibe to it at work too. In the end I think it'll grow on me. If anything my main concern/hope is not with the art but with Johns and that he'll adopt a Superman more akin to the one Pak and Soule are writing.
ReplyDeleteI was never really impressed with the Father so the Son leaves me cold as well.
ReplyDeleteJF
I don't see that their styles are similar enough that one should follow the other. To my eyes, Romita St is a master.
ReplyDeleteWhile I prefer Ditko's gangly Spidey, I agree that Romita Sr was a definitive Spidey artist and sort of defined an era in that character's career.
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer any of those guys over the regular Spider-Man artists these days. Don't understand why Marvel's biggest property has such bad artwork. Seems the only place to go for some decent Spidey art is Ultimate.
ReplyDeleteWell, there's a better Romita promo photo in the May books, I suppose the real test is how the stripwork is.
ReplyDelete