STAN LEE WEEK: How I learned to draw comics... my way!

After a brief interuption for the Christmas holiday, I'm back with a new entry for STAN LEE WEEK!

In my previous post, I provided a link to a Youtube video showing a clip to Stan Lee and John Buscema from the "HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY" video. Based, of course, on their best-selling book of the same name.

My actual copy of the book, some 30 years old and well-read.


I must have been around 13 or 14 when I first got this at the local bookstore, BOOKLAND. What a thrill it was to get this, after reading about it in STAN'S SOAPBOX (published in the Bullpen Bulletins every month in Marvel Comics). Here was the book that showed the techniques and steps an actual Marvel artist took to create a comic book.

John Buscema, one of Marvel's top pencillers (SILVER SURFER, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, THE AVENGERS), had been teaching a comic book art class in NY, and it was decided that he should design and illustrate an instructional book showing his process. Stan took the writing chores, and giving it the hyper Marvel spin, added a friendly, conversational tone to the project. 

This image, early on in the book, really captured my attention, and made me fantasize what it would be like to become a comic book artist, sitting at my very own drafting table creating my own comics. The artist in the drawing didn't look that much older than me, making the possibility even more tangible.

The book lots of the basic lessons you see in most books of this kind, demonstrating how to look at the human figure as individual shapes, and how to construct your drawings using stick figures which you late flesh out. Because this book was to show you how to draw like a Marvel artist, though, emphasis was placed on choosing the more dynamic pose available. Not stiff and pedestrian like Marvel's competitors!

I certainly wasn't even thinking of becoming a self-published cartoonist at that early age (if I even thought that that was even a possibility), but I wasn't necessarily wanting to become an artist working for Marvel either. I just loved seeing how the comics were created and hoped to one day do the same.

As in the sample below, Stan's commentary planted in my head that the artwork should always attempt to really showcase the action and emotional intent of the scene, before the dialogue is even written in the word balloons.

The chapter where they finally showed you how to create an actual comic page was probably the highlight for me back then. It was interesting to the how figures were constructed, and how perspective and panel composition are created, but to see all the elements come into play for an actual page, well, that was the whole gist of what I wanted to see.

 

Around the same time, 1980 or so, I most likely had read or seen other cartooning books on how to draw characters and faces. But this was my first time really seeing how an actual comic page was done. Stan's commentary clearly explained what John was demonstrating, and with his relaxed conversational style, Stan made the lessons much more approachable, instead of feeling like a dry textbook.

I think that, as a kid, knowing the comic book characters probably also added to the interest in the book, making the material all that more familiar.

As I mentioned, Stan would often emphasize how many of the approaches in the book were the way which Marvel artists worked, creating more dynamic artwork and storytelling than the 'average comic book company'. But even without that layer of hype, the book was an extremely important tool in my development of a comic creator years later. While there were many other influences that developed my style of art, and personal aesthetic, HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY was an early and powerful influence.

I recently taught a 5 week comic book workshop to a group of young kids. I don't use this book in class as a guidebook, but the fundamentals found in it's pages are still a part of the lesson plans I use. I think one of the things I always try to stress to my students is to vary their 'camera angles' in their panels, so as to not always get those static shots that an 'average comic book art student' would do!

The actual comics themselves are of course the first and primal inspiration, but books like this and ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS took away the fourth wall and gave me a direct access, through Stan Lee, of the secrets behind the comics.

Speaking of 'Secrets Behind the Comics'....

In 1947, Stan Lee wrote this 99 page booklet, with illustrations by Ken Bald. It's one of the very first 'how to draw comics' instructional books ever made. A few years ago I bought my copy on Ebay. This was a reprint from sometime in the 1970s. At least, that's what the listing stated. I very much doubt I got an original 1947 edition. But if I did, I got a great price and it's in miraculous condition! 

Tomorrow on STAN LEE WEEK, we'll take some time to celebrate Stan's 88th birthday! See you then, heroes! 

STAN LEE WEEK: Stan Lee video "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way"

With Christmas Eve and Christmas Day upon us, I haven't had too much time to make a longer post, but I think this video clip will actually be a good lead in to my next post for STAN LEE WEEK.  

Back in the late 1970s, Marvel published this book:

 

"HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY" was a big deal to many Marvel fans, and young artists. A book by Stan Lee and Marvel Comics artist John Buscema on how to draw comics like the ones published by Marvel?! I got my copy around 1980 or so, and this opened my eyes to how the comics I loved to read were actually created.

Like the book I reviewed in my previous post, "ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS", this drawing book was another principal factor in really setting me on the path to inspiring me to make my own comics.

In the late 1980s, Stan and John actually performed a reading of the material for a videotape (remember those?!) version of their landmark book. Here's a link to Pt. 1 of the series via YouTube. (The embedding feature has been turned off, sorry). Take a look at it, and in my next post I'll go into more depth on the actual book, and how it appealed to me as a kid.

Thanks to the folks who've been letting me know how much they've been enjoying this series of Stan Lee related posts. I'm glad the material has been appealing. And for anyone who actually gave a copy of  "HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY"  book for somebody's Christmas gift, you've just earned a No-Prize!

Have a great Christmas, and see you back here for more Stan Lee Week!

STAN LEE WEEK: Origins of Marvel Comics

This is my second post in my week-long look back at legendary Marvel Comics writer/editor/publisher Stan Lee, and the influence he's had on my own work. For my first post of STAN LEE WEEK, click here.

On one of my bookshelves, I have a collection of books featuring biographies and collections of work by Stan Lee. (Next to a collection of Steve Ditko comics and compilations. More on him later!). Two of those books have had an everlasting impact on me, both as a young fan and more importantly I feel, on the way I would eventually create my own comics.


Back in the middle 1970s, I was already buying my own Marvel Comics at my local 7-11, as well as on trips to the markets with mom. I also started shopping at a local bookstore called BOOKLAND, located on Greenleaf Ave in the heart of Uptown Whittier. What I loved about Bookland was not just that they carried a complete selection of all the newest comics, but behind the front counter (I always assumed it was for the most prestigious books!) they carried the recently-published paperback books from Simon & Schuster written by Stan Lee. And the one my eager eyeballs zeroed in on was ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS!

 ORIGINS, which I had read about in Lee's STAN'S SOAPBOX (more on that later) as well as seen numerous times in various ads throughout the comics I bought, was a collection of the first issues and origin tales of the initial wave of Marvel Superheroes. THE FANTASTIC FOUR, THE HULK, SPIDER-MAN, THOR and DR. STRANGE. Not only were there first appearances reprinted, but Stan had written introductions to each title, presenting the reader with the 'behind-the-scenes' secrets on how the characters were created.


What struck me about his collaborations with artists Jack Kirby (Fantastic Four, Hulk and Thor) and Steve Ditko (Spider-man & Dr. Strange) was the "Marvel Method" Stan employed. After coming up with the initial idea for the book, he'd call in one of the artists and either discuss the plot or give them a few lines of what the story was about. The artist would then proceed to basically create the whole story in the form of the artwork, designing all the characters, their visual personalities, the pacing of the stories and environments they lived in. Staring at pages of wordless artwork, Stan would then have to create the dialogue from scratch, using the artwork as the map of the story. It's been shown that Kirby would include his own dialogue and narration, which Stan, as the credited writer and editor, chose to either follow or change to his own liking.


(Over the years, this method of collaboration has led to some differences of opinion between Stan and Kirby & Ditko. I'll be addressing those concerns later as well.)


As a young 'Marvelite' however, the ORIGINS book really opened my eyes to the very idea of creating characters. Forming a character based on a variety of influences and interests, and shaping those into an interesting character  with unique traits and personalities. While it was the actual comics themselves that entertained me with their fascinating and far-out characters and artwork, Stan's explanations for the origins of the characters really planted the seeds in my mind about using my imagination to conjure up my own comic book characters.


A few year ago, in 2007, I was invited by my good friend Michael Aushenker to the annual CAPS (Cartoon Art Professional Society) banquet, where they honor a guest from the comics/cartooning field. Stan was the guest for the year, and Michael knew I'd want to be there. I had met Stan several times over the years at various signings, but to meet him now that I was publishing my own comics, and at an industry banquet, was too good an opportunity to pass up.


I had asked Michael if it would be okay if I brought along a book for Stan to sign. Michael was very honest and told me that I could, but suggested we play it by ear if we brought in our books to the building, as this was an industry banquet with a lot of professional cartoonists and bothering the guest of honor for an autograph might be inappropriate.


Well, I brought along my well-worn copy of ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS, hoping I would have a chance to get it signed. When we got to the lobby of the facility, I noticed a cluster of 'professional cartoonists' huddled around the guest of honor, taking photographs with him and getting his autograph! I figured 'to heck with etiquette' and pulled out my book to get signed as well!


Eventually they had Stan sit down, so everyone formed a long line behind the table as Stan freely chatted with every autograph-seeking pro. Standing in line in front of me was veteran, award-winning cartoonist Stan Sakai (USAGI YOJIMBO) and his daughter, getting some Spider-Man action figures autographed. 

Stan Sakai and daughter getting a signature, and behind them I prepare to get my lucky Sharpie ready for Stan's magic. To my right is bon vivant/cartoonist Michael Aushenker, and to his right is our pal and fellow DIY comic creator, Rafael Navarro.

When it was my turn to sit and visit with Stan, I told him "Stan, I've been carrying around this copy of ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS for over 30 years. I think I deserve an autograph!". He didn't miss a beat, saying "Oh yeah, sure. Let's have it!"

 

Score!! Three cartooning True Believers victorious once more!

ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS showed me how heroes were created, and also how heroes of mine created those characters. Some of that insight inspired me later on when I wanted to come up with my own characters. Whatever  I paid for that book in the late 70s was money well spent! Next time I'll talk about another book written by Stan that also opened my eyes to the world of creating comics, HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY.