Neal Adams / The Sketch Book

Recently I purchased   "Neal Adams/The Sketchbook" on line.  I received my copy just a few days ago by mail. I was very much impressed as a whole and greatly enjoyed it! The book's editor and designer Arlan Shumer asked me to write a review of his book to post at his " Neal Adams Almanac" page on Facebook after finding out I had written one for Amazon.  Here’s that brief review:

"Neal Adams/The Sketchbook"

Previously unpublished originals by the great Neal Adams are seen here publicly, many for the first time. Adam’s powerful, emotional and heroic works are vivid reminders of his phenomenal talents. The untouched works by the artist's hand, heart and mind are enhanced by the distinctive editing of historian Arlen Schumer. Schumer uses Neal’s words from private interviews they shared while leaving out his questions. This makes for a most unique, insightful and flowing literary experience. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, while always informative. The text often has the feel of an informal, relaxed seminar of sorts on Neal’s favorite subjects; comic books and creativity.

Neal Adams for most considered himself a story teller rather than an artist. That being the case; story telling is a grand tradition and he is among the most “artful” of the form. While at the same time; this volume exists and can also be enjoyed as a look at the portfolio of the master draftsman he was, one of the best of the creative geniuses of our times.

You might be interested in viewing and possibly joining "Neal Adams Almanac." 

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NEAL ADAMS...The Best There Ever Was...The Best There Will Ever Be.

From Archie to the Avengers, from Ben Casey to “The Brave & The Bold. ”He was to say; The Natural. The Best there ever was…The Best there will ever be.”

Neal Adams  1941 - 2022

He was a creative force of tireless energy. That along with his mastery of drawing and artistic innovation would cement his place in the history of the American Comic Book as a true genius. The dialogue of what the form described and known by various names including comic book / graphic novelization / sequential story-telling is (while in fact dating back to the dawn of humankind and civilization) has been altered from Adam's time forward into the future by his countless contributions and collaborations (chiefly with writer Denny O’Neil.) 

Neal Adams was actually much more than a prominent  voice of the social and racial injustices, changes  and turmoil of the Nineteen 60’s and 70’s within his chosen field; in his eminent way he was too a real life advocated for contemporary creator’s rights, a lobbyist and a bare knuckles fighter of sorts for the community of human kind. This was evident in along with a number of his creations and his reaching out along with Harland Ellison, Gary Trudeau and others over his lifetime to congress and world organizations and institutions. He fought for the teenagers that birthed “Superman,” Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, for the compensation and recognition they had been denied yet so richly deserved for decades.

 He won. 

Holocaust survivor, Dina Babbitt would become the beneficiary of Adam’s fight for the return of her artwork that she used in bartering for the life and survival of her mother and herself during the Nazi reign of terror. The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland has recently returned said works to Ms. Babbitt. These are only a small portion of the Adam’s body of resolutions and the righting of selected cultural and historic failings.

                                           More on Neal Adams @ Why Not: A Blog                                          

 

            

                                 

             Neal  Adams HE'S BACK!!!

The Art of Comic Book Art

Sadly; Neal Adams passed on April 28^th from complications of Sepsis, a type of blood poisoning. Adams was a man as legendary as the characters he created, developed and voiced within his visual stories. He was one with no legitimate rivals while possessing legions of admirers, supporters and friends.  

Vintage News Footage

Neal, Denny O'Neil & Julie Schwartz 

  

"How to be Great as an Artist"

Neal Adams

     

Adams Sketches 

Deadman

from

"STRANGE ADVENTURES"

        

Adams 1987 Interview

Harlan Ellison Intro.

Who's Watching???

A young child sits in a darkened movie theater enthralled; viewing a black and white silent film. This; as a young woman plays the music score on piano, apparently agonized and anguished for some as yet unknown reason. The film is of a masked heroic figure pursuing an apparent villain, both on horseback, in some epic of the American Old West. The scene is reminiscent of the sepia toned opening of the classic “Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid.” Both woman and child are African-American. The scenario is about to drastically change as gunfire, aerial bombs and shouts of horror, pain and insults engulf innocents on the streets outside of a once peaceful, almost idyllic town.  This jarring opening is based on the real life “Black Wall St. Massacre” in Tulsa Oklahoma’s Greenwood District in 1921. 

We fast forward to modern times and almost everybody is masked. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? Who and what was the cause of the aforementioned carnage? Why is shrimp/sushi raining from the sky? These are the overriding questions of the premier episode of “Watchmen?” Questions that essentially remain unanswered well into viewing subsequent episodes of the new HBO television series and sequel to the brilliant graphic novel “Watchmen.” 

Originally published in standard monthly comic book installments “Watchmen” was later collected in its entirety and released for readers in the nineteen eighties. It was created by artist Dave Gibbons and writer Alan Moore. It has been much lauded and revered over the years; even chosen by Time Magazine for the top 100 novels released within the years of the magazines conception. “Watchmen” exists in an alternative universe and like every good comic book world there are visions of the fantastic, the futuristic and humor along with ample doses of hysteria and dystopia. 

This satisfying T.V. series by design is complete as a story unit and by decision of creator Damon Lindelof feels like there is no necessity for any further episodes; although someone in the future might have ideas for additional stories. Damon Lindelof has done a brilliant job of production, narrative, and received phenomenal performances from a cast of extremely gifted actors of passionate professional skills and inspiration. Regina King, Don Johnson, Lou Gossett Jr., Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Jeremy Irons, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Hong Chau all starring and feature in illuminating ways.   

“Watchmen” is provocative, disturbing, eye-popping and triumphant television. Watch the compelling first of nine episodes and you will quite likely be committed to seeing it through to a conclusion both jarring and elusive.       

...speaking of Neil Gaiman

 

Writer’s writer Neil Gaiman is among the most versatile and prolific in today’s world of social media, constant and “fake news” along with and among other such antics. Some would argue that books and the print medium are dying (if not already dead) but; Mr. Gaiman continues in the best tradition of  author, scribe, story-teller and historian in the most ancient,  beautiful and personal of forms; books. He is most recognized as creator of fantasy but his readership crosses over into main stream literature in almost every possible format. Gaiman creates original titles for novels, picture books and adolescent books along with screen plays, graphic novels and essays. If I’ve left anything out Neil; I apologize. His seminal piece; Sandman, initially written for DC Comics’ Vertigo line of adult fiction cemented his work as epic in form. Sandman consists in multiple books spanning possibly three generations of readers. 

Gaiman’s most recent publication is his retelling of the ancient tales of the Vikings. His “Norse Mythology” featuring Thor-the Mighty, Oden-The All Wise All Father, Loki-The  Shrewd, Heimdall-The Watcher,  Sif-The Lovely and a host of frost giants, dark elves and monsters. Gaiman is at his best and most comfortable with his telling’s of these most ancient of religious legends. Herein he is funny, engaging and full of remarkably unexpected twists. 

There is no one that could possibly speak more eloquently for Neil Gaiman than himself. Following are many of his quotes, insights and comments on his chosen art form. The remaining graphics (largely produced by his foremost collaborator artist Dave McKean) consist of images from his book covers, illustrations, film stills and most importantly the master story man’s own words.