Friday, April 15, 2011

KIRBY IN THE 21st CENTURY


I recently obtained a used copy of the "Tales of Asgard" trade paperback.  I am very impressed with the modern coloring techniques used within.

Here are some sample images:



Very nicely done.  I suppose one could quibble with the color choices and some minor light source discrepancies, but over all, I think it's a vast improvement over the original printings.  The inferior printing methods of the 1960s often caused Vince Colletta's fine inking lines to drop out, in these modern printings it's like seeing the work for the first time because of the more stable printing methods and better paper.

Here's a comparison shot between the new method and the old crummy method:

I'm sure there are some who will prefer the original method, and that's okay because they can still obtain the original books if they want to.  I prefer this new coloring method and would like to see more of Kirby's books reprinted in this way,  it brings his work into the 21st Century.

4 comments:

  1. Wow! That coloring really makes the artwork pop! Tales of Asgard wasn't ever a big favorite of mine--I preferred the "Norse god walks among us" stories more--but this has me thinking about a trip to Half-Price Books tomorrow.

    Now shouldn't there be some buttons someplace so we can vote?

    Something along the lines of:

    Like

    Dislike

    Heresy

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  2. Agreed, Kris. The coloring makes the art look new and brings out different aspects of the art.
    Would be nice to see more of Kirby's art (and that of other Golden and Silver Age greats) done in this manner. Of course, some will complain that it's not like the good 'ol days.

    Allen Smith

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  3. You know, I often pine for older styles of colouring, but this is really exceptional.

    Whoever did this obviously revered the original art and really just tried to let it speak for itself rather than alter or "improve" it. I'd love to see more like this.

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  4. Looks very antiquated to me, like the old Weird World comic book Marvel published ages ago.
    Dan Webster

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