Thursday, February 21, 2013

Newtonian Phakes!


Here is a beautiful example of the simply mind-boggling artwork Don Newton fashioned for his brief but inspired run on Charlton's The Phantom. Newton took Lee Falk's character to new heights by adding a shadowy flavor to the images, giving the whole book a noir feel at times.


This cover painting for and issue of the comic that Newton did not do the interiors for is a prime example. As beautiful as Newton's work was, the Charlton folks found it printed dark and Newton had a difficult time hitting deadlines and giving the work his all. His tenure was brief but is still seared in my memory.
 

The story "The Shining City" written by Joe Gill and featuring art by the Recreo Studio was evidently reprinted in this issue of Indrajal Comics. Someone thought it a good idea to try and recreate the lush Newton painting. The mood is absent but the fundamental structure of the image keeps hits power.

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2 comments:

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    1. No kidding. I rather like the swiped cover art, it's got some virtues, but it's nowhere near the masterpiece that Newton's cover is.

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