Saturday, May 19, 2012

I like this drawing:

It is, of course, by Kevin Maguire, and it depicts a rather fondly remembered moment from early in his run on DC' Justice League comics, the moment when Green Lantern Guy Gardner gets in Batman's face and wants to go mano-a-bate with him, and Batman casually knocks him cold with, as Blue Beetle excitedly repeats over and over, "One punch!"

Remember?
I like everything about the drawing up top, which would work just fine within the context of that story, if it were somehow magically inserted into it as a splash page (of course, back then Justice League artists used to draw as many as nine panels per page, and splash pages were rare, generally reserved only for one page of each 22-page issue).

I like the look on Batman's face, I like the casual stance he's in, implying the above wallop was just a casual, tossed off punch-in-the-face, I like the way the scallops of his cape frame the lower part of his figure, I like the comic book-y explosion and stars, I like the arc of Guy's body as he flies backwards through the air, folded in half by punch and gravity.

I would just link to the source of the image, but I found it on Facebook, via a comment of a friend who is friends with Maguire, so I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it or not. If so, it's here, and you can see more fine Maguire art here.

Of that black and white Batman-belting-Guy piece, Maguire commented, "One of the few drawings that I am completely satisfied with."

I am completely satisfied with it as well.

2 comments:

SallyP said...

As much as I adore Guy, I have to admit that I also adore Kevin Maguire. NOBODY does expressions like Maguire. He is also able to draw more than one type of face and body type, which is much appreciated.

And now they are going to cancel JLI.

*sigh*

Aki Alaraatikka said...

I have thought for a while already, that that fight should`ve gotten bigger panels. Well, this is the next best thing.