Neal Adams: Superstar Artist and Human Being
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 พ.ค. 2022
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Remembering Neal Adams, this video takes a look at three aspects of his life and career: how he became a superstar artist, how Neal helped the next generation of artists, and how Neal fought for the rights of the previous generation of artists. This looks at his work from Archie to DC Comics. His newspaper and ad agency work. The important things he did with Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman. But also what he did with Continuity Associates/Continuity Comics. We also discuss what Neal Adams did to help Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and Captain America creator Jack Kirby. - บันเทิง
Some of us Filipino Artists had the honor of meeting Neal when he was invited as the main guest for a local convention here in Manila. Almost a year after on Day 1 of Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle we got to share the elevator with him and still as starstruck as the first time, it took us a moment to say hi. It was Neal who quickly broke the ice and said he remembered us. He’d always had this strong professional aura that might be intimidating to some (if not many, and I’m not just talking about his always being in dress shirts, shoes, and ties while everyone else would be at shows wearing hoodies and sneakers), but he was actually very gracious and accommodating. Neal Adams was way ahead of his time as far as comic art and creators’ rights are concerned, legacies that will forever be both an inspiration and foundation for the next generations of creators and the comic industry itself. RIP and Thank You, Neal.
It's not an exaggeration to say that Neal & Denny saved Batman. DC was seriously considering cancelling the series in the late 60s and Neal & Danny convinced the editor at the time Julius Schwartz to take Batman back to his darker roots. Needless to say the rest is history. Neal & Denny were also a major influence for Frank Miller during his Dark Knight run.
Julie Schwartz as not someone who was that interested in Batman . . . but he arguably gave the character some of his best periods: Broome/Infantino post -1964; O'Neil/Adams post -1969; and Englehart/Rodgers in 1977-'78 . . . .
While there is no doubt the O'Neil-Adams interpretation of Batman set the table for every subsequent iteration of the character, it is incorrect to say they saved the titles from cancellation. Thanks to the TV show that aired from 1966-68, comic sales had shot through the roof; and remained quite robust as the '60s rolled into the '70s.
DC did, however, ponder cancellation of the Batman and Detective titles earlier in the decade, when stories were replete with dopey science fiction and creatures from space -- further burdened by an artistic look that hadn't changed since World War II. The "New Look," ushered in by Schwartz, Broome and Infantino in 1964, boosted sales by about 50% -- and, without exaggeration, deserves real credit for saving the titles.
Neal would’ve saved Superman if he was doing the interior art of those comics, as well as the awesome covers…If he worked with a writer like Roy Thomas or Gerry Conway.
I once almost met Neal. I go to the same high school he went to. The school has its own little convention they do every year. In freshman year, I decided not to go. At the time I wasn’t a comic fan, so I didn’t care that Neal Adams or Art Spiegelman we’re gonna be there. So I walked around for a bit and I saw Neal Adams he was talking with someone I don’t know who it was. I was tempted to go over there and get something signed but I thought that I didn’t have enough money for a signature, so I just walked away. After getting into comics and falling in love with the art that he did for Fantastic Four:Antithesis along with the stuff he did for the x-men. I knew I had to get a signature now. I wish I went over there that day.
Thank you for the story. That's life sometimes.
I decided to piggyback on your comment because I also went to the same school although it changed it’s name when I went there. (Tony Bennett and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs also went there.) Now my story is that I did meet Mr Adams there. I don’t know how often he did it but he would take promising students over to DC Comics office to do some intern stuff and possibly get picked up by them. He was doing Batman at the time and almost got me hooked on working there and learning. Mr Infante met us (there were five of us IIRC) and gave us the rundown. I believe Mr Adams had taken a vacation to Puerto Rico. I thought I was was into it until I heard about their restrictions their artists/writers had to adhere to. Too much for me so I passed. He suggested Marvel might be a good fit but unfortunately I was young, dumb and full of… I went in a totally different direction. (Actually was in Europe within two years traipsing around, living life).
He was a good man and great artist. I should have stayed and hung around him, Mr Infante and Mr Romita to see what would have happened but I didn’t and to this day I can’t stand DC.
@@lechetphillips7502 D.C. aren't Marvel; D.C. SUCK a lot more.
I met Neal Adams once at the New York Comic Con, after he had just founded Continuity Comics. He took time out of what he was doing to talk to me, tell me some stories about 'the business', and sign my books. What I remember most distinctly, however, was that even after all of that, when I was about to leave the table, he took me by the elbow and into the booth to meet and talk to the other writers and pencilers who'd worked on the other books, pointing out who they were, what they did, and how I needed to get my books signed by them, too. He then left me alone to chat with them. The 'younger me' didn't quite know know it back then, but the 'older me' now sees how he was taking the opportunity to do something nice and fun for a fan, and at the same time helping the up and comers he worked with. It was nice to watch this video and see he the stories about Neal being so generous were true. He left a wonderful mark on the industry not just with his art, but perhaps with his attitude and kindness, too. The industry won't be quite so bright without him.
Wonderful stories like this is another reason why why I sub to this channel.
We truly lost a titan with Mr. Adams. That and George Perez sad passing so close to one another left me devastated. The world, not just comics, needs more guys like these two.
i went to George's memorial this past sunday and he actually talked about neal in one of the recordings which was tough hearing about them after their passing
I'm not so sure about that. Everyone he helped in this video was Jewish, like himself. Do White people ever go out and only help other White people?
Quite the one-two punch. This one's gonna hurt for a long time.
I got the opportunity to meet/ speak with Neal Adam since the very 1st Denver Comic Con in 2012. He gave me a strong portfolio review and said I had what it takes( though he warned me not to cry if he said I did crappy drawings like those kids in California!). Since then, I always stopped by his table, thanked him for supporting the Superman creators when DC snubbed them, supporting Bill Finger when DC gave him the finger, and creating 2 personal favorite characters; X-men's Sauron and Man-Bat! He's even encouraged me to check out his son's work in the King of the Hill comics, which was awesome! I will miss Neal! He Definitely used his stardom to make sure everyone got their shared due and gave those opportunities that many were never given. I will miss him.
I love how Chris does deep-dive research, but is able to deliver that information in a way that's sustainable and entertaining. There's a lot of comic youtubers who try this, but most of them sort of feel like they are reading off of a check sheet. The info can go one ear and out the other because they don't have that instinct to know what's important and what to edit out. Chris is just detailed enough to give you more than just a simple picture, but also not bogging you down with facts that you're lost. It's honestly a middle ground that more creators (regardless of comic-tube) should be striving for.
Another comic Channel that I feel does this very well is "Strange Brain Parts". And I've been meaning to suggest anyone who likes Chris also check out his Channel, because he has some very good content that deserves more views honestly
Everyone Neal Adams helped in this video was Jewish, like himself. Do White people ever go out and only help other White people? That's something to keep in mind.
i think his narration helps. his voice is so gentle and uplifting that it keeps my attention
Neal Adams’s brand of realism is still the universal house style of comics. His support for Siegel and Schuster made him my hero.
We also lost George Perez. Another amazing Artist/writer and amazing man. RIP to both.
Some big names gone so far this year.
Rest in peace, legend! Your legacy shall never be forgotten!
Everyone Neal Adams helped in this video was Jewish, like himself. Do White people ever go out and only help other White people?
There should be a major award named for him. Others may have been more influential, Kirby, Stan Lee, but he was ALL THINGS. Publisher, writer, creator, philanthropist plus one of the best comic book artists ever.
THANK YOU. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Adams twice. My experiences with Neal Adams are unforgettable. Rarely had I met a genuinely nicer man. He not only gave me the benefit of his time, he remembered me the second time we met. I introduced myself as "His most avid fan and collector", having amassed his entire body of work for his company, "Continuity Comics."
My most cherished memory was that of a New York Comic Convention in the early 1990's, when as a guest speaker, he asked me if I would sit at his booth, and watch his children while he was away. I got to know his children when they were very young. I met them again, in the mid 2000's, when he was the "Guest of Honor" at Marc Nathan's
" Baltimore Comic Convention", and he AND they REMEMBERED me.
Neal Adams was not just a great artist...maybe the greatest...he was also a great humanitarian and not only do I cherish my experiences with him, I will miss him dearly. My most heartfelt condolences and prayers to his surviving family.
Sincerely and Respectfully, Mark Simon Friday, 24 June 2022.
I’m 64 years old and remember the first time I saw Neal’s artwork on Batman in the 1970s .I was amazed at how good his work was . He and John Buscema were 2 of my favorite artist . There are others but those 2 really stood out to me . I myself draw and their artwork was very motivational for me . Neal and John will be missed
I knew a lot of what he did for creator rights, but since his passing, I've read so many stories of how he was always good to fans and generous with his time.
Loved Neal ADAMS. I was sick when I heard he passed. Grew up with his work and I’m so grateful that I have some of his art.
I met Neal in 2017. It was at Denver Comic Con- I'm a teacher and I was presenting that weekend on using comic books in the classroom along with another friend who I went to college with. We were both huge comic nerds that became teachers. We used our "Presenter" badges to sneak onto the show floor early and walked around. Neal was just sitting at his booth, chilling. He smiled at us and called us over to talk. He was a super sweet dude and talked to us about school, comics, and politics- he was really insistent that Trump listen to teachers because he couldn't talk or write well lol. I think he was just bored and looking to occupy his time, but it was very kind of him!
Everyone he helped in this video was Jewish, like himself. Do White people ever go out and only help other White people? Not saying that he's totally evil, but that's something to think about.
@@Siegfried5846 I mean, everyone that Chris talked about Neal helping in this video was white. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t help nonwhite people. Also, like… he helped Holocaust survivors. That’s fucking great
@@danyergert8122 All of them were Jewish. He didn't help a single White person.
@@Siegfried5846 wtf kind of comment is this?
@@headwhop26 Just an observation. If Jewish people and Black people can go out and do this, why can't White people? If White people can't, then non-Whites can't either. We need to hold the same standards for both.
Adams was my favorite silver-bronze age artist. I was thrilled to meet him first, finally at a N.C. con about ten years ago. Afterwards, I saw him several times over the years at other cons and spent time chatting off and on in snatches. ONe time, though, I'll always remember, the con was slow, and he told me to have a seat and talk with him. I grew fond of him to the point that I'm doing a bit of personal mourning now for him as a person, not just the loss of a legend, even though we were never friends, just superstar artist and fan. Thanks for this!
George Peréz and Neal Adams, two great artists we lost a few weeks ago. *RIEP*
Personally, my favorite Neal Adams work is the kree-skrull war. I know it may not be his best work or his best known, but over the years I grew more and more fond of that comic, and Neal's art is a big reason for that, even if when I read it, I was not one to read or remember the name of the artists of a comic. Rest in peace, legend.
I got my Avengers Masterwork that had that story line it signed by Neal Adams. Then a few years later Roy Thomas who said when he saw what issues. Oh that's a good one.
That’s my personal favourite, too.
Avengers 93 is one my favorite comics by Neal.
My favourite Neal Adams artwork is of Tarzan and Friends.
My Favorite Comic Book Artist! And not just for his astounding art work, but for all he done for comic book artist and creators! A GIANT in the comic book field!
I met Neal at his NY Comic Con booth a while ago; I shook his hand and said “I’d like to personally thank you for saving Batman”, and he laughed and said “That was my job that year”
I knew more about his legend than his comic work itself, how almost every artist I like saw him as a mentor and inspiration and later I found out his campaign for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and creator rights. I've began researching for his comics and yeah most comic writing at the time feels simple in comparison of level of talent he displayed at the artwork, like the movie that barely has a script but has great cast,direction, photography and visual effects.
If I could suggest you doing an episode based on Ross Andru's work , because I grew up reading reprints of his Spider-Man and he did even the historic Superman and Spider-Man crossover, and I always loved the expressive and naturalistic nature of his work but also he had such great command of anatomy and page layouts, the use of light and shadows both for dramatic purposes but also storytelling, you could always know what his characters were going through and what exactly is the action going on the page and it never looked dull, he always knew when to do slow moments and ramp it up with the action. Plus he used a lot of reference for New York landmarks and streets which I don't think it was very common at the time and it makes the whole setting much more alive, like what people usually do for something fictional like Gotham city.
I’m happy for you to get the opportunity for interviews lately, but man oh man is it great to have a traditional episode here, and a phenomenal one at that. Thanks Chris!
We hired his company to do storyboards for tv commercials. I was too nervous to ask for an autograph after our meeting. But he and I had a lengthy conversation about his office coffee machine. 😂
Awesome & Beautiful ! Rest In Heavenly Peace Great Warrior ! (Neal Adams) !!!!!!!
His Batman is what I grew up on, and what I always think of as “my” Batman! An incredible artist!
This is the best tribute to Neal Adams I have seen since his passing. I honestly knew his work best from the covers of the Power Records I enjoyed as a child in the 70s. But as I have seen his work I recognize many of the Batman covers he did. What really impresses me is that he stood up for the little guys against the companies run by guys like Stan Lee. Stan got so much attention in his later years since he would show up to anything where he could be interviewed and he was charming and grandfatherly, but Neal is the guy who really put his money and time where his mouth were and helped both an older generation get the renumeration they were entitled to and helped instruct and inspire a younger generation to become great artists. Thank you so much for this history and tribute to a great man and artist!
I actually met Neal Adams once, him and his son were doing signings at a comic shop I used to go to. Got autographs from both of them. Really nice people.
I met him at a con in Northern VA shortly before the lockdown. They had him at a table among the local vendors. Zero promotion for him for the event or at the event. I thought that was insulting & downright disrespectful to him. I felt a little embarrassed that I could just strike up a conversation with him, but he was so pleasant and perfectly fine with it so I just spent the time naming some of his works and thanking him for monumental contributions to the arts. What a classy gentleman & artist!
I met Claremont the same way. Pushed into an obscure hidden little spot, people just walking by. He talked my ear off and it was definitely a highlight of that convention to me. Very nice man.
It's been over 52 years, but I still remember how I almost had an epileptic attack when I fist saw his work on my beloved X-Men. What the HECK is this monstrosity?! What has this Adams guy done to my geeky buddy, Hank McCoy??!! Where the heck is my beloved Werner Roth???!!! Well, it took me a few more pages, but I soon fell in love... Adams was one of the giants, a game-changer - but, most of all, he was A MENSCH. Thank you Chris for this beautiful euolegy.
About 10 years ago me and my wife met him and his wife. Such a nice guy
Couldn't wait for a Neal Adams episode, can't believe I found he died in this intro, and then immediately found out we lost George Perez a few weeks ago as well!!!
Great episode as usual Chris!
for any of us who were avid readers in the 70s, this was a very bad year.
I met him in Milwaukee a few years ago, where I purchased three signed prints from him. What a nice guy.
Clearly a man that not only loved art but the people who created that art, what a great guy.
There used to be a video on TH-cam from a French show that showed Neal Adams, Joe Kubert and Moebius doing an artist jam. The year after Joe died I was at NYCC walking past Neal's table. There was no one there but Neal sketching something so I walked up and asked him what happened to the drawing. He gave me a little background on the show and told me that they were working on really flimsy paper and the work was destroyed after filming.
Sounds like a very interesting experience
Another star shines brightly in the comics' sky.
Without George and Neal, It truly is the end of an era.
Thank you Neal Adams.
I met NEAL a few years ago at Comicpalooza in Houston!! He was Talkative and Cool!! He shared some of his Insights on Comicbook Art!! He did some really good stuff on the BATMAN in the 60s and the 70s!! I practically grew up on his Work!! His Art was groundbreaking!! He was one of the BEST in the Business of All time!! He will Not be Forgotten!! R.I.P. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✍
It's criminal that Neal never had any kind of a run on Daredevil. It's the perfect character for his artwork.
Thanks for the wonderful life summary and tribute. Neal Adams' art was a major part of my childhood and I bet of several others. He was as much a champion in real life as the fictional superheroes he drew. Hurts to have lost both him and George Perez so close to each other. RIP.
He was such a great guy. I met him in 2016 at a convention and he gave me advice on improving my artwork. I will never forget his advice. Rest in Peace Mr. Adams
That ending was touching. RIP to the legend Neal Adams.
I met Neal once. I was at a comic book store with my dad and he saw a flier for a comic art show, and we decided to go. The event itself wasn't too interesting in my opinion, but as we were walking around, we came across Neal. Admittedly, I didn't know much about him at the time, but I thought it was cool to see him. We had a short conversation about art, and he was a pleasant guy to talk to. Looking back, I kinda wish I had also gotten an autograph or a sketch from him, but it was still a nice moment that I remember fondly.
Adams really was a beautiful soul. Someone who parlayed his talent into creating real change in an industry and had an effect on so many lives both of professionals and readers. I do wish that some of his collected DC work was not recolored and they just kept the original colors because his art is impeccable as it was (and the pencil layouts even more fantastic)
I discovered Neal Adams with X-Men #59--"Do or Die, Baby!"--and I was just blown away by his draughtsmanship, expressiveness, and inventive design ... and I had grown up with Perez and Byrne. Thank you, Comic Tropes, for doing this thoughtful tribute to a great artist.
Neal Adams....my favorite of all time. His panels just exploded off the page, and really stood out from the pack. his Batman is MY Batman, a detective that uses tech to solve crimes. his artwork is some of the best out there. im sad i never got to thank him for his influence, so thanks Neal. i hope your final journey leads you to harmony
This man was my artist-hero since I was a kid. I would read anything he would illustrate. His art influenced mine, definitely. I terrible loss.
His contribution to the craft is just incalculable. His work is a continuous source of inspiration and instruction. Thank you Mr Adams.
What a treat! Usually when the subject comes up, no one talks about Adams early work. The quality was definitely there, from first day to the last.
I can’t count how often I’d see a Neal Adams cover on the newsstand , only to be disappointed that the interior (though not always), was some run of the mill standard stuff from someone else. Fortunately, that soon changed.
Everyone likes to compare Bill Sienkiewicz’s early work to Adams. And, true, he did start out emulating his delineated style, evolving to the more expressive, another talent to consider is the often overlooked Mike Grell. Subject for another time, but judge the influence for yourself.
Calling him a Titan is an apt metaphor, one I’d like to extend.
People like Eisner, Kirby, Wood, Kane, etc., were the Titans. People like Byrne, Miller, and Perez,etc., were Olympians.
Smack dab in the middle, was Adams, as a sort of Prometheus. What I feel he changed was how kids RELATED to comic artwork, and it’s storytelling possibilities at that time.
And much like this video, not having enough time to describe all the things he gave us, I don’t think there are enough characters here to describe all that we ~creators and readers alike~ owe to one Mr. Neal Adams.
Accounting for his work not just as an artist, but for artists, I think it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Adams one of the all-time finest comic illustrators ever.
Rest in peace Neal Adams. I'm so sad. Beyond words.
I love Neil Adams. I've followed hon on Facebook for a few years now. It always sucks when a legend dies. Good luck on your next Odyssey, Neil. You are missed.
I always admired
his clean crisp artistic style
To me every hero/villain he drew was the benchmark/iconic look of how they
should be represented
Rest In Peace Neal Adam’s
we lost another great name
in comics
A man who drew superheroes was himself one of the biggest superheroes. Rest In Peace.
I don’t really know anything about comics. Looking for drawing advice, I just finished watching a video of a guy named ‘Neil Adams’ showing how to ‘hold a pen correctly for inking’ and thought, “Wow, this guy seems to have a really good heart, I need to look him up.” Needless to say after watching this I feel like I’ve been hit by a tsunami of goodness. What an incredible, incredible man Neil Adams was. Thank you for making this.
Neal Adams was a true visionary that tore apart the stoic and rigid templates of comicbook design and layout. Even that Ben Casey Sunday strip at 4:54 or thereabouts stood testament to that.
What makes the Neal Adams story all the more amazing was that he championed the various causes for those that were exploited by the comics industry, the Shuster and Seigel case in particular. It could be argued that he, and not Superman, was the one fighting for truth, justice and the American way.
It is all the more heart-breaking that he and George Perez passed away within a few short weeks, but their respective pieces will be highly appreciated for years to come.
I met Neal Adams at a Comic-Con when I was in middle school. I bought a few Avengers prints and had him sign them. I still have them and they're in great shape to this day. I wish I was old/educated enough at the time to fully grasp how cool that experience truly was
I got to show him my portfolio and sketch book.
He insisted that I constantly push myself to do bigger and better because you don't second chance to make a first impression.
I didn't even know he passed away. Rest in peace Neal Adams. One of the greats.😞🙏❤️
I had the pleasure of touring his studio in New York and meeting him with my dad for my birthday a few years back. Such an incredibly sweet and talented guy. He even charmed my dad into buying Batman Odyssey!
I first learned about him when I started reading old comics for the first time about ten years ago… I could not believe how good his art was, it was twenty years ahead of its time and I could recognize it at age 14
He was the only artist of that era that made art that looked real. He was a complete artist.
I'm not into comics, but I love to hear about this artists, their lives, works and legacy.
Look for BBC's documentary "In search of Steve Ditko" (it's still here on YT).
I think you will enjoy it a lot. Greetings from Argentina!
Neal's art blew me away when I was a kid. He was the first artist that really set my heart aflame, I memorized his name, instantly knew his style, and tried to buy all of his books. Especially his awesome Continuity Comics books with his own characters. It wasn't until Jim Lee showed up where I felt a worthy succesor had arrived, yet Neal with is hyper realism was still miles beyond Jim Lee as Jim created a style and then mostly hard stuck to that style forever after. Neal made me want to dry more and more realistically until I went to art school at age 24 and was good at realism that my Drawing teachers who were in their 40's seemed like children artists playing at modern art styles and I could draw circles around everyone in my university. All because I worked so hard trying to figure out Neal Adams. Especially his musculature, his muscles were so realistic compared to the Jack Kirby giant blocks. Neal was my all time favorite, his faces and expressions were so powerful, he could do anything with a facial expression no matter how grotesque and it all worked. Neal was able to draw things without being a slave to style, memory. So many artists they learn a shape from another art peice and they reproduce that shape, that pose, that hand gesture, that facial type over and over their whole career. Neal could reproduce real things, real bodies, real faces, real backgrounds, real spaceships, and it all was real, like a still shot in a movie. Neal was magical.
Thanks for the tribute....Neal was an Icon. I was shocked and saddened toheart of his passing. Seeing Neals babyface always gave me the impression he was just an eternally young artist. When he blasted on the scene for me, was the X-men..by comparison with Kirby's rendition..Wow! I was hooked and Godsmack. I mean, as aimpressionable kid. seeing mutants and realistic art in a comic book!! This was a hand held visual movie for me,back in the day. I must have dog eared all of my X-men just by re reading those pages...just because of Neals's art. If he only knew how much joy he gave to a nerdy, isolated teen sitting in a cloisted urban bedroom.....then again, perhaps he did? Sad to hear that this Champion is no longer with his many fans and admirers. Your spotlight onto Mr. Adams's career was beautifully done..again Thanks.
Neal Adams was an inspiration on both sides of the pen. Thank you for doing such a generous and respectful look at a comics legend. Good job, Chris.
Judging by the interviews and videos of Mr. Adams, he seemed personable, charming, and nice. He’s truly inspirational. RIP Neal Adams 🕊
OH NO‼ HE WAS MY FAVORITE ARTIST FOR BATMAN😢😢😢😢😢 MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. MAY HE R.I.P.🙏
DAMN!!! may you Rest In Peace Neil Adams! You blow my mind with your skills!
Thanks for this history of Mr. Adams. He was an amazing talent
I dont even know what to say. I still cant believe hes gone. He was a huge staple for me in my formative (comic-collecting) years - I adored his work and tried to get it at every chance using my hard-earned paper boy money. He was the gold standard. I think that Continuity Bionic Man mag was the first magazine comic I ever bought - I didnt even know (at that time) that it was Adams work. I loved it anyways; the cover is forever seared into my memory. Thank-you for doing justice to the memory of this amazing man. To mly mind; it should be all over MSM, but , whatever.
I knew Neal Adams for his art and woefully underestimated his contributions as a businessman and human being. Thank you for correcting that. This was an incredible amount of information in such a brief video.
I worked with Neal at Continuity studios for seven years and I have to say this is the best recap of his career so far, nicely done, I’m sure everybody in the family appreciates it, I do.
Neal Adams has been a huge influence on my love of Comics and my career as an artist. I have been reacquainting myself with alot of back catalogs of my favorite artists from the 70's such as Neal and Frank Brunner, Perez, etc and just realized how much I loved the work of Ross Andru. No matter whos work I am looking at I am always judging through the expectations that Neals work created.
Thanks for this. Neal did the logo for my childhood comic shop, Atlantis Fantasy World. They're still in business and were the comic shop in the vampire film The Lost Boys.
He not only created legendary work, he made sure others had the chance and environment to create as well. Such an amazing combination. And another great episode Chris. Thank You.
That was fab! BTW: Neal Adams came to Vancouver around 10 years ago or so for the first time. He had his tables setup in an east to access location at the Fan Expo event. I would photograph Fan Expo and share the images on Instagram/Facebook freely. I asked Adams if I could take a photo of him to put on Instagram.
"What's in it for me?" he replied.
I attempted to explain that Instagram is a non-commercial platform but realized he had no clue what it was or how it worked. I aimed my camera down... put the lens cap back on..... and my friend and I walked away. Though it was a disappointing encounter it did nothing to diminish my respect for him as an artist and an artists' advocate.
R.I.P., Mr Adams.
Me my uncle and my bros met Neal Adams at a comic con about 15 year ago. It was brief but he came across as a genuinely good down to earth person. He made us feel welcomed in his space even just for a brief moment and it left that impression on me and especially on my uncle since he grew up collecting his comics in the 70's and 80's.
I never got the chance to meet him , I've only got seriously involved in comics the last couple of years. But Neil is one of the pioneers of comic books, and truly helped take comics to the next level. His covers are masterpieces, his Batman covers being my favorite. It's pains me that I will never get a chance meet him 😔
Thank you so much for this fantastic tribute to the legendary Neal Adams. An artist way ahead of his time and one hell of a Mensch.
I love realistic drawing in comics, no wonder my favorite all-time artists are Neal Adams and John Romita Sr. Neal Adams was a great artist and even a better person.
I was hoping (expecting) you to do a video on Neal Adams, and I'm glad you took your time. This was a lovely tribute and I honestly teared up at the end. Neal Adams was the first comic book artist I really learned the name of, he was just heads and shoulders above so many other artists you couldn't help noticing it. Batman, Green Lantern/Arrow, Deadman. Damn he was good. And a good man as well.
I once read an article about Adams in Wizard. I remember thinking he sounded arrogant. Now that I’m older and more familiar with his work I see that he wasn’t arrogant or prideful, the guy just knew his worth and his place in the comics world. Wizard told him that he was considered the third most influential artist in the business, behind Eisner and Kirby, and all he said to that was, “yeah I agree with that…” Legend.
As Walter Brennan said in The Guns of Will Sonnett, "No brag, just facts."
Geez….I had no idea that Adam’s had past away until this came up on my feed. While not someone I followed much back in the day ( I was a Marvel fan), he was a truly awesome artist…..often imitated but never equalled. R.I.P. Neal Adams.
I have not read any neal adams book, but after looking at his art I may just give it a read.
I'm reading through X-Men for the first time ever, and I struggled a little bit with the first 40ish issues or so. And then Neal Adams came onto the book and it was such a MASSIVE jump in quality. He was doing art in the late 60s that looked 40 years ahead of its time. I haven't seen panel layout like his until the 2000s.
Neal Adams’ impact on comics-and me-can not be adequately described in a TH-cam post. If you say you love comic books and you don’t know who Neal Adams was… you need to go back to school. Thanks so much for this video, Chris. As always, you are the man.
Superstars are sometimes the only people with enough leverage to change an unjust situation. They're usually too frightened to stick their necks out. Some that do get their heads removed in a boardroom. Not Neal Adams. With great talent came greater cojones. Thanks Neal, for what you produced and who you changed.
My first encounter with Neil Adams (at 1999 San Diego Comic-Con) was one of the roughest portfolio reviews of my life, but I took it as a challenge. I showed my portfolio again five years later and it was a very different experience, it paid off all the effort that I had put into my artwork, since our first talk. The last time I saw him (2016, also at SDCC) I gave him one of my books, a silent story that I self-published through crowdfunding in Brazil. I was hoping to see him again soon and give him a copy of my new book that is going to be released in the US by the end of the year. I could have given up on comics after that first portfolio review back in 1999, but instead, it was one of the reasons that I decided to make comics.
Good guy Neal Adams. A true icon.
Best artist that's ever worked in the comic book medium in my eyes. Just absurdly talented to the point that it didn't seem fair.
I met Neil at San Diego comicon several years ago. He was selling prints of his art, including his Tarzan paperback covers. I had to stop and thank him. His covers got me reading Edgar Rice Burroughs and the discovery of how different the story was from what appeared on TV and film was enlightening. And his Batman.?.
I knew this channel would do the best tribute to the great Neal Adams on TH-cam. It did. Thank you so much.
Neal was one of a kind - it was seeing his artwork and dynamic covers on newsstands when I was 5 that made me a life-long fan of comics. RIP.
I don't know what it is but i feel that this guy, Chris, is living a happy life having a great hobby that takes you away from the bullshit of reality.
I met Neal Adams before. He was one of my favorite artists and drew the best version of Batman. He will be missed.
The 1st Neal Adams art I read was his X-MEN run Marvel reprinted in the early 80s. I was blown away. I still have those issues and since then I went on a mission to collect as much of his work I could. I have all his Batman issues. The Green Lantern/Green Arrow run is pricey and I only have a few. The Avengers I have as well. He's my favorite artist of all time
All love and the highest respect to Neal Adams for trying to help our passion be a little more fair to it's creators.
Excellent video on who Adams was . 👍
To me he was an artist where when you first saw his art
You said “Who the heck did that ??” Because it was that different than what one was used to as “comic book art” -
And that good.
As you noted he was a direct inspiration to many artists - Some of who could even dare to illustrate as fabulously as he -
Including another absolute stand-out in Bill Sienkiewicz , who initially aped Adams’ style to such an extent that it
Would have been funny if it wasn’t such a difficult achievement in the first place -
before letting loose his own more personal fabulousness.
It’s subjective of course, But I think 🤔 Mr. Adams certainly deserves to rank in the very highest tier of the greatest
handful of comic book artists ever. And that’s just on the merits of his artwork.
If you include what he did for the occupation itself he can only rank higher.
May he Rest In Peace.
You did his memory proud, Chris.✌️
One of my fav artists of all time and, yeah, a huge influence to all of us.
I didn't know he had passed. RIP.
Thank you so much for taking the time to tribute Neil Adam's. He will be missed. 👍🏾💝💝👍🏾
🗨️Thank you Mr. Adams. Enjoy Paradise!!!🗨️