Books on comics creators and their careers are plentiful, and when they are well researched and presented with care they can prove to be fascinating reads for both the layman and the seasoned fan. Two such books are The Romita Legacy and Doonesbury and the Art of G. B. Trudeau, both of considerable interest to their specific audiences and rich in detail.
Tom Spurgeon’s The Romita Legacy (Dynamic Forces, $29.99, hardcover) examines the lives and careers of what can fairly be described as a two-man dynasty of superheroic craftsmanship that has helped characterize over four decades of Marvel Comics. Among the greats closely associated with what has come to be known as “the Marvel Age of Comics,” John Romita looms large, possessing a visual influence over the company’s line second only to that of Jack Kirby. Taking on The Amazing Spider-Man in the wake of co-creator Steve Ditko’s departure, Romita redefined the character’s look from that of a physically quirky dork into a sleek and appealing figure who would serve as Marvel’s figurehead, and from there his mark upon the brand only increased. Designing many of Marvel’s signature characters such as the Punisher and Wolverine, Romita served double-duty as master comics storyteller and go-to guy for surefire visually appealing creations.
Following in his father’s footsteps is John Romita, Jr., who literally grew up in the comics business and crafted an illustration style far removed from his father’s. Eschewing the senior’s polished linework, Romita Junior built his following on panels depicting shattering super-powered set-tos that display a jaw-dropping dynamism. A study in contrasts and utter professionalism, this volume chronicles the careers of both men in detail through comprehensive text and interviews and provides readers with a cornucopia of classic comics art.
Operating in a different aesthetic realm, Brian Walker’s Doonesbury and the Art of G.B. Trudeau (Yale University Press, $49.95, hardcover) is an intriguing look at the visual aspects of Trudeau’s landmark narrative that has tracked the topical goings-on of American politics and society over four tumultuous decades with a journalistic integrity not previously seen in a daily newspaper strip. While its primary concern has been delivering a grownup viewpoint on the real world, Doonesbury has not exactly been cited for its graphic stylings, an aspect that admittedly takes a backseat to its creator’s Pulitzer Prize-winning writing. That oversight is finally properly addressed with this fascinating look into Trudeau’s visual process and the evolution of his skills. His deceptively simple art has occasionally been dismissed as nothing more than panel after panel of talking heads, but that assessment is both lazy and unfair.
Upon close examination, Trudeau stands revealed as a thinking visualist with a keen and innovative style that pushes the limits of what can be achieved within the often limiting format of the four-panel daily strip. Using visual storytelling techniques akin to cinematic storyboards while also playing with intriguing design, Trudeau’s work is here proven to be the polar opposite of the popular perception of it as static images featuring minimal variation that could have been achieved with a decent photocopying machine. Loaded to the rafters with a career-ranging assortment of finished strips, pencil versions, advertising work and merchandizing art, no visual facet of the Doonesbury phenomenon is left unexplored and what is found here cannot help but impress.
