Customer Reviews

Modern Masters, Volume 8: Walter Simonson (v. 8)

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When I think about the nearly 45 year history of Thor, only three artists come to mind: Jack Kirby, John Buscema, and Walt Simonson. They not only had among the longest runs on the title but also the most noteworthy. Kirby guided it from the beginning and through the Silver Age. Buscema picked up the baton and guided it into the Bronze Age of the 1970's including the classic Thor #193. Simonson then brought Thor into the Modern age and embraced its Norse mythology with a magnificent run that began with Thor #337. The Thunder God could sure use any of their talents today!

Walt Simonson is the subject of volume eight TwoMorrows Publishing's Modern Masters series and is a most worthy choice. If I had one word to describe Simonson's style it would be epic. Very few artists have the ability to make almost everything they do seem monumental...there's Kirby at his peak, Perez, Adams, a few others, and Simonson.

The book is essentially a long (90 plus pages!) interview with Simonson that traces his career from the beginning to the present day, complement with scores of Walt's art. He talks about his first big break in comics with DC working with the late Archie Goodwin on Manuhunter, a back-up feature in Detective Comics. That short run won over not only many fans, but many of his peers as well. Often forgotten, Simonson actually had a shorter run on Thor as artist only for about ten issues in 1977, some six year before his famous stint that began in 1983.

Simonson had been a big fan of Thor himself since college and as both writer and artist, it gave him the opportunity to use ideas that he had come up with nearly twenty years older, and developed a dynamic mythology for the Thunder God and the realm of Asgard. Simonson discusses the concept of Beta Ray Bill and exactly why he designed him to look the way he did. Fascinating Stuff! Walt also fills readers in on the hilarious Thor frog story, influenced by no less than longtime Disney artist Carl Barks.

After leaving Thor, Walt would move on to X-Factor that was being written by his wife Louise. The pair enjoyed a run of almost three years on the title which would feature the revamping of Angel into Archangel and the death of Madelyne Pryor.

We can all be happy that Simonson, approaching his 60th birthday, continues to be very active in the comic book field. He brings an element of majesty to everything he does. Besides being a great artist, Simonson is also a great storyteller, a skill sadly lacking among many of today's artists. The book concludes with a 28 page Simonson art gallery featuring both finished pieces as well as sketches. This latest edition of Modern Masters shows why Simonson is one of the all-time greats!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Walter Simonson is one of the best and most dynamic designers in the business. This is a great overview of his career, with insights into, well, how he does it! Packed with great art! Buy it or miss out!