Bob Oksner, R.I.P.

[JulianPerez]

I just realized that Bob Oskner inked one of my favorite Cary Bates stories of all time: "Weather War Over Metropolis" in ACTION COMICS #441 (1974). It's depressing to think about because I recently did a review of that story.

[Criadoman]

Wow, I'm saddened.  I absolutely loved his ink work - as Julian - in the 70s.  Just loved it.

[MatterEaterLad]

This is a sad happening, I am amazed that a lot of these guys lived to a nice old age.

As to "Weather War Over Metropolis", nice inking over a junky story...

[Aldous]

I finally got a copy of Alter Ego #67. I don't normally buy fanzines, but in this case I made an exception.

This thread appears on the Superman board, naturally enough, but it was very interesting to read the interview with Bob and find out he never liked super-hero work, and Superman was an assignment he didn't enjoy and is not particularly proud of.

Angel and the Ape (which Nightwing already mentioned in this thread) was his favourite, and where he thought he did his best work.

As I've said before, I love his good girl art. Bob says in the interview: "My women had Saturday night bodies and Sunday School faces."

He was asked where the "Oksner Woman" came from...

"My daughters were very, very pretty and had great figures. When they were in their mid-teens, I would pose them, my wife took the pictures, and I used the photos for reference."

"...Mostly they were my own children."

Also very interesting to read of his impressions and opinions of all the other comics professionals who crossed his path. Admiration for the work of close friend Irwin Hasen. Strong dislike of colleague Robert Kanigher. Disdain for the inking of Vince Colletta. Admiration for the art of Curt Swan. High regard for Tex Blaisdell but concern about Tex's heavy drinking and the effect of this on the work. Impressions of Gil Kane.

I already loved his good girl work, and his Superman inking, but I didn't realise what an amazing caricaturist he was, and how many TV and film star comics he had done.

Great interview, and a good mag.

[TELLE]

Thanks for the tip!

[Osgood Peabody]

Aldous - a while back, I posted some samples of earlier Oksner work in various genres over here:

http://p206.ezboard.com/RIP-A-tribute-to-Bob-Oksner/fmarvelmasterworksfansitefrm6.showMessage?topicID=334.topic

A truly remarkable artist, and very much underappreciated IMO.

[MatterEaterLad]

Aldous - a while back, I posted some samples of earlier Oksner work in various genres over here:

http://p206.ezboard.com/RIP-A-tribute-to-Bob-Oksner/fmarvelmasterworksfansitefrm6.showMessage?topicID=334.topic

A truly remarkable artist, and very much underappreciated IMO.

Good thread there.  Oksner was amazing, its interesting to compare his women to Shaffenberger woman, longer torsos and skinnier calfs, very small feet.  And his stylized "cartooning" of real people is good.  Jerry Lewis is tough to capture in a few strokes, Dean Martin is mauch harder and he gets it by getting the hair.

[Aldous]

Aldous - a while back, I posted some samples of earlier Oksner work in various genres over here:

http://p206.ezboard.com/RIP-A-tribute-to-Bob-Oksner/fmarvelmasterworksfansitefrm6.showMessage?topicID=334.topic

A truly remarkable artist, and very much underappreciated IMO.

Thank you for the link. I really enjoyed your tribute, particularly the examples of his comic art. I see that thread has been placed in the "Vault," but does that mean it can no longer be added to? Although Bob has passed away, his art is most certainly a living subject, and I would love to see more examples and comments about it.

Do you have any plans to extend that thread/article?

Is the Showcase - Shazam Vol. 1 the best way to see the Oksner Mary Marvel work? (I'm assuming all his solo Mary Marvel stories are included?)