Monday, 6 July 2015

Leonard Starr (1925-2015) RIP

Glamourpuss #24 (March 2012)
Art by Dave Sim

EDDIE KHANNA:
(from the Patreon Update, 6 July 2015)
Last week saw the passing of one of the greats in the field and the last of the photorealists from the Raymond / Drake / Prentice / Williamson era. In the area of realistic comic art, Leonard Starr was one of the giants, with his high watermark achievement on Mary Perkins, On Stage influencing comic book professionals for years afterwards. There's a quality to Starr's work where the energy in the art almost causes it to jump off the page (captured even in Dave's recreation of the Mary Perkins image above from glamourpuss #24). The Classic Comics Press reprints of On Stage have introductions from the likes of Walt Simonson and Howard Chaykin and Eddie Campbell and Kurt Busiek, all revealing their love and admiration for his work. And while I'm not sure how much of a fan Brian Bolland is, his style does seem very reminiscent and influenced by Starr (whether consciously or unconsciously). Which is something I wouldn't have seen before Dave began talking about the photorealists and their work and influence on the medium. As well, Leonard Starr does figure into the narrative of SDOAR... [Read the full update at Patreon]


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