Greatest Spider-Man Artist of All Time

Who is the best Spider-Man artist of all time?

Let's get this out of the way really quick... it's not Todd McFarlane. I love and appreciate Todd's work but as far as Spider-Man goes, he really did not capture the essence of "Your Friendly Neighbordhood Spider-Man."

Todd's Spider-Man had webs and spiders everywhere with a mean menacing look. Looks cool for a pin-up but if this was your introduction to Spider-Man then you probably didn't get a true sense of just who the character really is.

So what exactly should Spider-Man look like? Well, Spider-Man usually has an upbeat personality. He isn't always the happiest to do his job but he realizes just how important his role is due to his tragic origin story. "With great power comes great responsibility." There's also a great deal of keeping up with day to day tasks that Peter struggles to come to terms with. Most importantly, Spidey is one of the greatest trash talkers in comics.

Does this sound like a character who should be creeping out of the shadows or hunkering down on you like a savage monster? Alright, enough harping on how Todd got Spidey wrong. Let's shift our focus towards those who got him right.

First up is legendary artist Steve Ditko. He's the guy who created Peter Parker alongside Stan "The Man" Lee. Of course he gets a nod. How can anybody have a better sense of a character over the creator? Just look at that cover. After all this time it stands up as one of the most iconic covers ever created. What words spring to mind when you see it? Responsible, free, wild, daring... all in one package. THIS is Spider-Man.

Somebody actually did come along to draw good ol' web-head better shortly after Ditko left Marvel and that would be none other than famed artist John Romita Sr. When you picture Spider-Man, you'll most likely conjure up an image drawn by this fantastic artist.

As much as I love Romita, he always drew Spider-Man a bit too bulky for my taste so I can't really give him the crown. Many may disagree but I feel Spidey should be lean as he zips through the city not looking like he's been hitting the gym with Batman.

Through the years several spectacular artists came along to draw Spidey rivaling the two celebrated artists mentioned above.

 Joe Quesada

 Humberto Ramos

 Rick Leonardi

 Olivier Coipel

Mark Bagley

Joe Madureira

All of these gentlemen are deserving of their own praise but as far as the BEST Spider-Man artist of all time... there can only be one in my mind and his name is Mr. Erik Larsen...

Let's take a look at Erik's art and note just what he does to give Spider-Man the energy, sizzle, and pop that he deserves. The image above is one of the best ever at capturing exactly who Spider-Man is. You can feel the power from Spidey's fist that knocks the Vulture back as he glides through the splash page to deliver a swift kick to Electro. Erik also wrote the issue so you can observe just how methodical Spidey is while giving the classic one liners all at once. All of this in one single panel! I challenge you to find anything close to the genius exploding from this page.

Oh, but one single page doesn't make you the greatest Spider-Man artist of all time. A picture is worth a thousand words and my words can never do Erik's art justice so I'll leave you with thousands upon thousands of words below...

  

  

  

  

Think I'm wrong? Let me know who you think the greatest Spider-Man artist of all time is in the comments below...

Why Comic Books Are Important

Meet Victor, a typical nerdy 10 year old kid who loves drawing, video games and sports. Sounds like everything is all good in the hood... except for one huge problem... Victor HATES to read.

Here is an exclusive photo of scrawny Victor (left) flexing his bones with Magneto and his good buddy Kenny at his second Comic-Con... oh yeah, and there's a not quite so agile Spider-Man falling over in the corner:

Did I mention that Victor hates to read? That's going to be key later on. Alright alright... just making sure.

In Victor's fragile young mind the X-Men look like this:

A highly 70s/80s influenced group of characters thrown together to kick major tail. *YAWN* This may have been the pinnacle of the X-Men for many but not for the new Gen-Xer kids of the 90s like Victor. Oh no...

So, imagine Victor's surprise when he walks into a comic book store perusing for art references and he stumbles across this gem:

Victor thinks to himself "X-Men #1? Aren't they approaching issue 300? I'm familiar with Colossus but who's this guy with a stick? Most importantly, who is that ninja babe on the bottom right? Hubba hubba!"

Remember, Victor is a 10 year old kid who grew up in the 80s so terms like "hubba hubba" and "babe" were spreading around the schoolyard like wildfire.

Victor flips through a few of the pages and sees this epic shot:

"Wait wait wait... Did she just ninja kick the helmet off of Magneto? *GASP* TOTALLY AWESOME!!"

Sidenote: Victor was a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the time. Give him a little bit of credit. At least he didn't exclaim "COWABUNGA, DUDE!" Also, observe the lack of vocabulary in Victor's statement due to his disdain of reading.

"I must learn more about this ninja chick," Victor thinks to himself.

Annoying several comic book connoisseurs throughout the shop, Victor begins to haggle his mother "Mom mom mom mom mom... can I buy this comic?... please... mom mom... I'll do anything... dishes... clean my room... laundry... you name it... mom... pleeeeease..."

Victor's mom smirks and begrudgingly agrees to buy the greatest comic book of all time for him.

Sadly, Victor never did those chores he promised his mother. Shame on him. He did however go on to read his comic book and several others on a journey to find out as much as he could about his new favorite team the X-Men and that one ninja babe. On that journey Victor discovered the joy and wonder that can only be unlocked through the power of reading...

All thanks to a single comic book...

Overwatch Superhero Mashup Art Challenge

It's been a long time but the Art Challenge is back!!

This month's challenge is dedicated to my current favorite game Overwatch. The game has over 20 characters and a variety of outfits to choose from. How cool would it be if those characters could suit up as our beloved superheroes? Your mission if you choose to accept it will be to give any of the Overwatch characters a Super Hero makeover.

Each entry will be featured in a video on our YouTube channel along with a link to your website or social media handle. One winner will be selected based on the level of creativity and craftsmanship you bring to your artwork. This month's winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

To enter tag me through your preferred social media outlet along with your entry and use the hashtag #OverwatchMashup by April 1st. Here's where to find me Instagram - Twitter - Facebook

This contest is over. Here's a video containing all of the entries along with the winner.

Rebirth Art Challenge

DC recently announced REBIRTH, the next phase in the DCU which hopes to please fans by taking a step back and reintroducing elements from DC's past and implementing them into current titles.

In the spirt of REBIRTH I challenge each of you to take a character from any franchise and give them a costume redesign that brings back some elements of their past while still making them feel modern.

Each entry will be featured in a video on our YouTube channel along with a link to your website or social media handle. A winner will be selected based on the level of creativity and craftsmanship you bring to your artwork.

To enter tag me through your preferred social media outlet along with your entry and use the hashtag #VZARebirth by May 1st. Here's where to find me Instagram - Twitter - Facebook

The winner will receive a signed copy of Chris Copeland's sketchbook Comic Relief who is currently the storyboard artist for many DC animated features.

** Anybody can enter but I can only deliver within the lower 48 states of the USA. **

This contest is over. Here's a video containing all of the entries along with the winner.

Top 5 Hidden Messages in Comic Books

Whether it is to give recognition to loved ones or to express something that they probably shouldn't, artists are notorious for sneaking secret messages into their work. My personal favorite has to be Michelangelo's portrayal of God and his chariot drawn in the shape of a human brain. Was Michelangelo upset with his bosses? Was this a sneaky way for Michelangelo to say that God only exists in the human mind? During a time when speaking against the Church could have you executed, it's very possible or it could be something else entirely.

The tradition of hiding messages within artwork continues on today. Below is a quick look at some of my favorite hidden messages contained within the pages of comic books.

5) Felix the Spider-Cat

The story goes that Todd McFarlane knew a guy at a local comic book shop who suffered from some form of  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and he'd carry a Felix the Cat doll with him at all times. The man expressed to Todd that he did not buy any of his books because he was not a fan of superhero books. Todd asked the gentleman if he'd buy his book if Felix the Cat were included in them. The Felix fan agreed and the rest is history. Todd began hiding images of Felix the Cat in issues of Spider-Man which he was working on at the time and continued for several issues.


4) Mad About Swiping

Nobody likes a thief and that goes triple in the art community. The first piece of advice you should follow if you're an aspiring artist is to be original. So when it came to the attention of Joe Madureira that fellow X-Artist Roger Cruz was swiping his work he let him have it and right in the pages of Uncanny X-Men. Lesson of the day... if you try to take the easy way and cruise through life, somebody is bound to get mad! See what I did there... cruise... mad... no? Ok let's move right along.

3) Issue with Sex in Comics

If I told you there is an issue of the X-Men with sex on every page, would you believe me? It's absolutely true and it has even been labeled the "Sex-Men" issue by some. It's nowhere near as bad as it sounds as it's just the word "sex" and not the act hidden in various places. Rumors say that in New X-Men #118 artist Ethan Van Sciver snuck the word into every page because it was Sublime's first issue (get it... sublime... subliminal??) and that he was foreshadowing the relationship between Scott and Emma. Sciver went on to say that he did it because he was pissed off with Marvel at the time for some reason he can't even remember.

2) Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish

Some people tend not to like their bosses. Heck, out of those people some tend to passive aggressively vent about the man (or woman) in charge. The worst way to express your feelings against your boss, especially as an artist, is through your work. That's exactly what artist Al Milgrom proceeded to do when he got the news that his old boss Bob Harras was replaced by Joe Quesada. Milgrom hid the words "Bob Harras Ha Ha He's gone. Good riddance to bad rubbish. He was a nasty S.O.B." along the spines of books on a bookshelf in the background of the Spider-Man Universe X Special. Milgrom was fired up about Bob Harras and fired for his actions when the insult was discovered.


1) Jim Lee Gives VZA a Shout Out

In late 2013, Jim Lee worked on a one shot Superman story titled Superman Unchained and wasted no time dropping a shout out to yours truly. There it is right smack dab on the Man of Steel's face. This was Jim's way of saying that I am like Superman as I go out and face impossible odds in an effort to give hope to aspiring artists...

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Oh man... I totally had you going for a second there... yeah, this is just a series of random rendering lines that I happened to stumble upon when I was searching for Jim's real hidden messages. How cool would that have been though? The real #1 is below...

1) Jim Loves Carla

A lot of these examples have been about anger, bitterness, and revenge so let's finish things off on a good note. Do you remember that crush you had back in grade school? How you used to write "[Your Name] loves [His/Her Name]" in big bold letters all over your notes? Apparently Jim Lee never grew out of that stage as he continually doodles his love and admiration for his wife all over his work. Check it out in the pages of Superman Unchained...

and again in the pages of Justice League...

There are a few more examples that just missed the list like Barry Windsor Smith's Conan coins or Alan Davis' BATHROOM attack that are just as fun. Share some of your favorites in the comments below...

Top 5 Art Supplies Used By Comic Book Artists

(5)  Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser - Latex-free plastic eraser delivers practically residue-free erasing. The eraser waste twists itself up into long strands that can be easily removed. Plastic material is phthalate-free and latex-free. Eraser comes in a handy slide sleeve for convenient handling.

(4) Strathmore Bristol Board - Created specially for the comic, cartoon and graphic novel industry. Smooth is ideal for both traditional and specialty pen & ink tools and markers. Acid free, 100lb paper.

(3)  Pentel Graphgear 1000 (or 500) - Finely chiseled metallic grip inlaid with soft latex-free pads. Dual-function pocket clip releases heavy spring mechanism to retract tip. Sophisticated brushed metal barrel. Writes crisp fine lines of consistent density.

(Notable artists known to use Pentel Graphgear include Bernard Chang, Jim Lee, and Humberto Ramos)

(2.5)  Staedtler Lead Holder - This lead holder from Staedtler takes all 2 mm leads. It features a long finger grip, pocket clip and lead pointer in the top. A super-lock clutch formly grips the lead to eliminate unwanted movement.

(Notable artists known to use the Staedtler Lead Holder include Jim Lee and Adam Hughes)

(2)  Copic Sketch Markers - Scores of anime, manga and comics artists prefer Copic markers because of their ultra-blendable, low odor, alcohol based inks. Unlike water-based inks, which tend to peel and oversoak the paper while blending, Copics mix on the surface to deliver the wonderfully rich blends they're known for. This outstanding performance has distinguished Copic markers as the celebrated coloring tool within professional, semi-professional and hobby circles alike.

(Notable artists known to use Copic Sketch Markers include Adam Hughes, Joe Benitez, and Humberto Ramos)

(1)  Sakura Pigma Micron Pen - When accuracy, minute details and preservation count, the unparalleled archival quality of pigma micron pens makes them everyone's first choice. It has achieved universal appeal and is carried by technical professionals, comic book artists, cartoonists,  and illustrators alike. Features archival quality ink for use in acidfree environments, chemically stable, waterproof, fade resistant, no smears, feathers or bleedthrough on most papers.

(Notable artists known to use Micron Pens include Jim Lee, Bernard Chang, and Marcio Takara)

If you found this article helpful and are planning to purchase any art supplies then please use the links above as the purchases contribute towards the content on our YouTube channel. Thank you!

Demonstrations with these art supplies:

**Excerpts from Amazon were used in the descriptions for the items**

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