Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
The Comics Reporter posted Beauty And Power: 100+ Stand-Alone Pieces Of Art By The Late Darwyn Cooke.
I love seeing so much Darwyn Cooke art being posted since his passing. His art will be around as long or longer than comics. What a legacy!
When I read yesterday that Darwyn Cooke was battling an aggressive cancer, it was like an unexpected gut shot. Truth be told, I only knew Darwyn through his art, stories and the several times I met him at comic shows… but I was such a fan and Darwyn always treated me (and other fans) with such respect and kindness, it sure seemed I knew him better than I did.
I’ve always loved Darwyn’s art and when he began adapting Richard Stark’s Parker novels, I thought it could never get better than that. Each time I caught up with Darwyn at a show I’d have his latest hardcover for him to sign and he always included a quick headsketch with the signature. I loved talking to Darwyn about his latest project and what was coming.
Sadly it was announced today that Darwyn passed at 1:30 this morning surrounded by friends, family and aware of all of the well-wishes that had been pouring in since the news about his illness had been announced.
My thoughts, prayers and best wishes go out to Darwyn’s family, friends and fans. Rest in Peace, Darwyn.
Darwyn Cooke was the cover artist for the Batman: Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1.
Over at the Almost Darwyn Cooke Blog they show us some of the prelims Darwyn created before coming up with his finished cover.
Darwyn Cooke’s James Bond painting must have a double-O license because it kills.
The Bond piece was created for the Lakes International Comics Art Festival and you can see a bigger version here.
Darwyn Cooke was an amazing artist. He was always kind and humble in my interactions with him. But that was the way he was with his fans. Cooke was one of the few artsits that I’d seek out anything he worked on. Sadly he left us far too soon.
Before Darwyne Cooke died, a new mini-series by him was in the works…
Darwyn Cooke’s Revengeance
has been announced and I can’t wait…REVENGEANCE is a psychological thriller with darkly humorous overtones. When Joe Malarky is faced with a criminal tragedy, he sets out to make things right on his own. What follows is Joe’s odyssey through the underside of the city and the madness that seems to drive his crazy world. REVENGEANCE takes place in Toronto in the mid-eighties and is part crime story, part psychotronic melodrama, and a wholly fond look back at the author’s hometown.
Man, that sounded so cool. Of course everything Cooke created fit that category.
Source: Almost Darwyn Cooke.
The Phantom art above is just one of five new Darwyn Cooke covers that appear on IDW’s first issues for the return of King Features greatest comic strip heroes.
Each hero will appear in his own five issue mini-series with the creative talent of…
Sources: ICV2 and Almost Darwyn Cooke.
That’s the splash page to Darwyn Cooke’s first published comics work which appeared in DC’s Talent Showcase #19 in 1985.
Thanks to The Bristol Board you can see the whole story!
Darwyn Cooke created so many wonderful pieces of art throughout his career. His variant for Detective #37 shown above is one of my favorites. Click on this link to see it full size.
Beautiful at any size.
I preordered Darwyn Cooke’s illustrated The Hunter by Richard Stark as soon as I saw it was available.
Since you read my blog, my guess is you will [or did] as well.
IDW has a page devoted to the new edition to keep fans in the know.
That’s a limited edition print that Darwyn Cooke created for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival.
Beautiful, ain’t it?
The art above is a just a small taste of the preview art by Darwyn Cooke for his adaptation of Donald Westlake’s [writing as Richard Stark] Slayground.
You can see much more at Comic Alliance’s: DARWYN COOKE ADAPTS A MASTERPIECE IN ‘RICHARD STARK’S PARKER: SLAYGROUND..
Your eyes aren’t deceiving ya.
That is a sample of some of the preview art by Darwyn Cooke for his adaptation of Donald Westlake’s [writing as Richard Stark] Slayground.
The art is on display at Donald Westlake’s site and can be seen here.
Source: Almost Darwyn Cooke’s Blog.
Darwyn Cooke’s two graphic novel adaptations of (Donald Westlake aka) Richard Stark’s Parker novels have been resounding successes with fans and critics alike. So it only made sense that a third adaption, Slayground would be coming at Christmas.
Recently Cooke, the estate of Donald Westlake and publisher IDW announced…
For the first time, the Parker novels will be published in a deluxe, hardcover format, and with Cooke designing the series, as well as providing stunning color illustrations to accompany Westlake’s (AKA, Richard Stark’s) crime classics! The first book, The Hunter, will arrive in the first half of 2014. Additional editions will be released in chronological order thereafter.
I can not wait!
Source: Sequential Highway
I seldom run a straight press releases, but IDW’s announcement below is an exception:
San Diego, CA (July 20, 2013) – Darwyn Cooke’s acclaimed Parker series from IDW continues to expand with the classic Slayground. In this newest graphic novel, Parker is put to the test against crooked cops and sleazy gangsters after a heist goes south and he finds himself trapped in an amusement park closed for the winter, and embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse… a game that slowly starts to favor the mouse.
“A boarded up amusement park was an inspired setting for Parker,” said writer/artist Darwyn Cooke, “and Westlake made the most of it. A great story that I’m enjoying the hell out of adapting.”
Based on the influential novels by Richard Stark, AKA, Donald Westlake, Parker is a coldly calculating master criminal, one with a very rigid code. The IDW adaptations by Darwyn Cooke of The Hunter and The Outfit have received multiple Eisner and Harvey awards. The Score, released last year, is nominated for an Eisner Award at this week’s San Diego Comic-Con International. Slayground will be the fourth Parker adaptation in the popular and much lauded series.
Darwyn Cooke’s distinct style has made him a premier writer and artist in the comic book industry. A former animator, Cooke entered mainstream comics in 2000 with his critical hit Batman: Ego for DC Comics.
Donald Westlake, writing as Richard Stark, was the acclaimed author of the Parker series. He was a three-time Edgar Award winner, as well as being named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, that prestigious societies highest honor.
THAT is awesome news.
I knew Cooke was working on Slayground, but I had no idea I could expect it for Christmas.
[Of course, if you’re looking for a great crime comic to read NOW, you can’t do better than theFREE webcomic Gravedigger by Christopher Mills and Rick Burchett.]