Curt Swan draws a Superman PSA about being friendly to kids who have had to flee their native land. How self-serving! :-D
Swanderful : comics pages by Curt Swan
In brief: These are comics pages by Curt Swan that show why he's my favorite comic book artist.
My bio: I am Dale Lazarov, writer/editor of chic hardcovers of gay comics filth. I have a theory that everyone I collaborate with has a little Curt Swan in them...
At some further length: These are comics pages by Curt Swan that show why he's my favorite comic book artist. Swan’s homoerotics (for me, at least) are tied into how he’s able to represent or allude to both distinctive and relatable emotional states, vulnerability and power, often simultaneously, in facial expression, body language, framing/mise-en-scene and choice of moment. And this goes deeply into the core of how and why STICKY, MANLY, NIGHTLIFE, FANCY, etc, work so well for me and for readers as gay romantic porn comics. Rather than keeping my Curt Swan page samples, close readings of his narrative technique and gay-gazing of his handsome, bulgy dudes between me and my collaborators and comixfriends, I've decided to share my scholarship of and love for Curt Swan with the internets.
Contact e-mail: dalelazarov-at-gmail.com (replace the "-at-" with a @)
Curt Swan draws The Flash in action. Is there any superhero this man couldn’t draw? Action lines, dramatic angles, graceful bodies in movement, clothes acting, active clouds of dust…cute butts and manly shoulders.
From Action 441.
Curt Swan draws Superman vs. mobsters: a combination that’s as iconically attractive as Superman vs. robots.
John Beatty was a really good inker for Curt Swan’s Action Comics Weekly Sunday-style strips. This one’s from ACW 601.
I have no scholarly reason for posting this Curt Swan page other than to say his Superman is beautiful… :: swoon ::
From Superman 198.
Curt Swan draws Batman grappling with a spotty Martian dude!
Panel 1 — The depth of field here sells the idea that Batman has been following the trail of the downed spaceship in one panel. Batman crouches but still comes off as confident. Note that we’re seeing the action from the perspective of the Martian that appears in the next panel; the perspective of this panel sets up the appearance of the Martian in the next one.
Panel 2 — Batman’s positioning in the frame sells his vulnerability to attack…
Panel 3 — …which is very vividly evoked in this panel; I have no doubt, as a reader, that this is what this attack would look like. Batman’s reaction to pain is expressed by Batman’s hands; he is surprised by the pain but he tolerates it. Added Swanderful extra: Martian manbutt sighting!
Panel 4 — OMG. The composition of the Martian’s body here is exquisite. Not sure where the Martian got that rock from as it’s not set up by the previous panels but the way their legs interlock and the Martian’s arm is posed, it’s clear that the Martian wants to break it against Bats’ head.
Panel 5 — Really great rendering of Bats’ cowl and cape to sell the simultaneous action of the karate chop and arm grappling. The Martian feels the pain!
Panel 6 — Batman’s body transitions from fight alertness to empathy and care. Fantastic. Martian in repose is still a babe.
Panel 7 — This facial expression sells both the pain and the anger of the character. Awesome.
From World’s Finest 245.
Curt Swan draws the Justice League fighting with their own costumes: Silver Age-style whimsy with late 80s DC Comics verve.
I count at least fourteen planes of action on this page! And the detailing on “clothes acting”, anatomy and body language and facial expression is just astonishing; I want to keep looking at this page forever.
Curt Swan was still killing it four years after he’d been fired from Superman comics. Wow.
Script by Grant Morrison and inks by George Freeman. Whatta team!!
Epic splash page from Secret Origins 46. Silver Age JLA. Curt Swan. Grant Morrison. There is no way that wasn’t going to kick a ton of ass. Story is as good as you would imagine a story would be that opens with the JLA fighting their own clothes. Aquaman, unfortunately, didn’t have a second costume.
Curt Swan uses his mad skillz with perspective and depth drawing to draw Wonder Woman trying to rescue Doctor Cyber!
Panels 1 and 2: Imagine having to draw the simultaneous action of falling AND throwing a ski pole. Cyber’s anatomy and movement sell that action perfectly.
Panel 3: I just love the casualness with which Wondy knocks away the ski pole which has bent slightly against her bracelet.
Panel 4: The previous panel sets up Wondy’s landing on the edge of the crevice in this panel but the floaty action lines are insufficiently rendered to sell that movement. This is especially underwhelming after the last three panels. But, then, Wondy can control her flying speed so she doesn’t really need to soften the landing. Still, I would have drawn her in a pose that sells the landing a little more actively.
Panels 5, 6 and 7: I imagine that after rendering all that feathering on Hawkman in panel 5 that Curt and/or inker Vince Colletta chose to render all but Atom and Batman as shadows. Still, the outlines on Panel 7 are clearly identifiable as Superman (forelock), Martian Manhunter (bald, high collar) and Flash (ear cup wings). And Batman looks very commanding and muscly.
From Wonder Woman 221.
Curt Swan ghosts Wayne Boring’s Superman newspaper strip! I do not know if Swan did all the pencil art here or if he worked from Boring’s layouts; the inks look like many hands did them due to the inconsistency in detailing in some of the panels. Perry White’s close-up on panel 2 looks almost cartoony due to the simplification of the details.
Curt Swan’s model sheet for the Legion circa 1968. From the Amazing World of DC Comics 9
Curt Swan’s model sheet for the Legion circa 1968. From the Amazing World of DC Comics#9
Matter Eater Lad! And what does Ultra Boy know that no one else does?
Another Curt Swan Legion of Super-Heroes pin-up! This one’s inked by Josef Rubinstein.
Curt Swan draws Wonder Woman luring children away from certain death with snacks.
A Curt Swan Batman pin-up — first, in pencils, then inked by Jerry Ordway.
Curt Swan draws Superman advising children to not crash a party.
Swan was able to draw contemporary fashions in clothes and hair authentically for over four decades. And the setting is so 70s inner city block that I can hear the traffic.
