Sorry this is so late, but contrary to popular belief, the life of a humble comic book blogger is not as glamorous as one might expect. Most of us (me included) do this as a labor of love without any financial compensation whatsoever, just because we believe in the medium. I bartend and cater to subsidize my comic book addiction and meager existence. Anyhoo…
Writers always seem to get all the love, but comics are, most importantly, a visual experience. Artists are the ones who do the real heavy lifting in comics, and don’t you ever forget it. So how to decide who to pick when it comes to the Best Comic Book Artist of 2013 category? Technical skill? Composition? Splash? Cover art? Storytelling? Layouts? The “X” factor? Well, I chose to factor in all of these considerations.
My pick for Best Comic Book Artist of 2013 goes to… Francesco Francavilla! Mr. Francavilla has a brilliant, expressive style that pays homage to the pulp/noir classics and “Silver Age” greats, while being instantly recognizable and all his own. His superb composition and use of contrasts is unrivaled. EVERYONE in the industry speaks highly of Francesco—and for good reason. He’s just a wonderful, insanely talented artist and human being. You might know his work from a plethora of titles, including work on: The Black Beetle, Hawkeye, The Shadow, Guardians of the Galaxy, Afterlife With Archie (his art actually made me LOVE an Archie comic!), Fantomex, Tales from The Crypt… Too many to list! By his own count, Mr. Francavilla illustrated over 300 interior pages this past year!
But Francesco was far from done. Follow him on social networks and you’ll see he posts a staggering array of art, at times seemingly just for fun. Art and minimalist posters for films and TV shows including: Breaking Bad, Sleepy Hollow, Blade Runner, vintage horror and SF movies—whatever he feels like drawing really, sets Francesco Francavilla apart.
The ability to engage people with art on the same days new movies release or episodes of certain shows air is extraordinary. This man does not seem to sleep (or EVER stop making art). Did I mention he signs his name at conventions with a really cool little symbol (and is about the sweetest guy you could ever hope to meet)? No wonder so many other artists respect him SO much, and that he’s my pick for Best Comic Book Artist of 2013. THANK YOU for making the world a better place with your art, Francesco Francavilla. Please, keep up the superior work in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Sean Murphy, Menton3, Fiona Staples, Dave Johnson, Becky Cloonan, Greg Capullo, Emma Rois, Michael Oeming, Paul Pope, Geof Darrow… And probably twenty others I’m forgetting right now.
Comics, and Stuff, and Things 