GABRIEL HARDMAN
The 1960s were a time of huge social and artistic change. Old standards were upended in all popular media and comics were no exception. I’d like to point out a few comic book artists whose contributions to the craft remain influential to this day.
1 Bruno Premiani (1907–1984). Known primarily for collaborating with writer Arnold Drake on the original Doom Patrol series, Italian artist Bruno Premiani was one of the finest draftsmen to work in the American comics industry. The story of three oddball heroes gave Premiani the opportunity to bring a beautifully crafted weight and realism to the bizarre stories. While his linework bears a superficial resemblance to that of earlier comic strip artists like Milton Caniff, the underlying structure and craft of his work are unsurpassed. His ability to draw expressive faces, animals, and crazy creatures of all kinds with absolute confidence makes Premiani the best artist you’ve never heard of.
2 Pat Boyette (1923–2000). Texan Pat Boyette turned to comics, in his words, “on a lark.” He worked primarily for Charlton, cranking out a huge volume of work for books like The Phantom, Ghost Manor, and Space Adventures. Boyette had a deceptively simple drawing style that was always expressive if not consistent. He used popular storytelling techniques of the time, such as diagonal panel layouts, with more success than many of his better-known contemporaries.
3 Frank Thorne (1930–). While best known as the artist of Red Sonja in the 1970s, Frank Thorne produced quite a bit of outstanding work in the 1960s. Though it’s easy to see the influence of Joe Kubert on Thorne’s work, I think he brings something unique to the equation. His work on The Mighty Samson is a standout. While beautifully drawn and imaginative, his inks have a raw quality to them. His art takes you into the world of the story—and that’s the definition of the job of comic book artist.
After debuting in the comics industry in the early 1990s, Gabriel Hardman has gone on to have an extremely successful career as a storyboard artist in the world of film, working on Inception, Tropic Thunder, X2: X-Men United, and others. He has since returned to mainstream comics as the artist on an acclaimed run on Hulk with writer Jeff Parker and colorist Bettie Breitweiser and is currently drawing Secret Avengers.