I recently reviewed Monster Massacre, a compilation of monster-themed comics, edited by comic book creator Dave Elliott. Included in the book were a couple of Elliott’s own comics, which were some of the weakest of the bunch. And now that I’ve read Elliott’s original creation Sharky!, I think it’s safe to say that I’m just not a fan of the man’s work.
Instagram has become one of the Internet’s most popular social networks. The photo-sharing service is also a tremendous platform for visual artists to show off their creations.
As a huge fan of comic art, I follow many notable illustrators on Instagram. (You find my inane photos under tmbr.) I love seeing updates from my favorites like Jake Parker, Skottie Young, Alex Deligiannis, and Joe Vriens. There is so much talent to be experienced I felt it necessary to highlight some of the lesser known artists.
To make this list, artists had to meet three important criteria:
These folks may not have the 10,000+ followers of Becky Cloonan or Bryan Lee O’Malley, but they have as much skill. Everyone of them is worth your Instagram attention.
Enjoy…
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I enjoy Kickstarter. I take pride in helping subsidize others’ creative goals. It’s even more satisfying when the project closely aligns with my interests and I get a little something in return for my contribution. I’m not rich, mind you—far from it. We’re talking less than $75 with an average of around $10 per project.
I joined the crowd-sourcing website back in early 2010. The first project I backed was Dear Mr. Watterson, a promised “cinematic exploration of Calvin & Hobbes.” I’ve been a huge fan of Bill Watterson’s comic, and newspaper comics in general, for as long as I can remember. The film seemed a worthy first choice to support.
Kickstarter was relatively new when I joined so I didn’t know the negatives inherent to the site. When I contributed to Dear Mr. Watterson, I had no idea I would have to wait nearly three and a half years to see the end product. I pledged my money on Jan. 11, 2010 and finally received a Blu-ray copy of the film in the mail on June 15, 2013. Kickstarter certainly isn’t for people expecting instant gratification.
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Lately I’ve become preoccupied with being a comics creator. You know, writing and drawing cartoons and other funny stuff. Much of my time has been spent sketching and writing notes. Lately I’m concentrating on the digital side of art. I’ll scan my inked sketches and attempt to color them. They’re pretty crude but I’m learning.
The rest of my free time has been spent observing artists I admire. One of my biggest inspirations these days is writer and illustrator Roger Langridge. He’s best known as the man behind The Muppet Show and current Popeye series. Langridge has such a fun vibe to his work while also being technically precise. Some people say he reminds them of legend Carl Barks. I cannot disagree.
Recently Langridge posted this inked sketch on his blog. The individual who commissioned the work was not me but it easily could have been. The piece combines a favorite subject of mine, The Muppets, with the vintage Marvel Comics series I avidly collect, Marvel Team-Up.
Since I started collecting comic books in the early ’80s, I’ve been in love with Marvel Team-Up. I preferred the tidy, self-encapsulated storylines. There was no need to religiously follow each issue like you do with episodic series. The issues paired Spider-Man (usually) with another random hero in tights. It was a great way to sample the Marvel legion.
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For a big portion of my life I’ve called myself an “aspiring cartoonist.” Since I was very young I’ve had a fascination with comic strips and comic books. I’ve drawn cartoons for my family and friends over the years. I was even a cartoonist for my tiny college newspaper. Motivation and a plan of action are the only things that have kept the word “aspiring” in my self-appointed title.
The Kickstarter-funded documentary Stripped looks to have the game plan I’ve been searching for. Cartoonist and filmmaker Dave Kellett is directing this self-proclaimed “love letter to comic strips.” It steps inside the business of drawing pictures for an audience. The 8-bit infused trailer grabbed me hook, line, and sinker. Needless to say I contributed to this project as it enters its final push toward completion.
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