Print

[Electricmastro]

Here

[Electricmastro]

Page with a signature belonging to ?Jim,? followed by an illegible last name (Giggle Comics #1, October 1943):

[Robb_K]

Page with a signature belonging to ?Jim,? followed by an illegible last name (Giggle Comics #1, October 1943):

I would guess Jim Davis.  The facial expressions look a LOT like Davis' "Adam The Chimp".  The last name might look too long to be Davis, but, the drawing style fits and I can also make out the name "Davis" at the beginning of the word.  So his trail is a bit "lumpy".  But, If I had to be right (yes or no) in a game of Russian Roulette, I'd still guess Davis, who was brought to my mind before I looked at the signature. 

[Robb_K]

From Coo Coo Comics #10 (March, 1944), having a signature which could belong to Disney animator Paul Busch.

I'll be curious to find out if "Billy Goat's" artist was Paul Busch, or whoever it turns out to be.  A lot of the beginning of The 1940s Funny Animal artists' work looked fairly similar.  I think that 1910s-1920s style, vertical, tall-stand pipe ashtray, with pipe holder is interesting.  One of my uncles had one like that. They disappeared from use by 1950.  My German, finishing artist/business partner would love to have one of those.  He's a 1920s-1930s Kitch collector, and been a pipe smoker for 55 years.

[Electricmastro]

Page with a signature belonging to ?Jim,? followed by an illegible last name (Giggle Comics #1, October 1943):

I would guess Jim Davis.  The facial expressions look a LOT like Davis' "Adam The Chimp".  The last name might look too long to be Davis, but, the drawing style fits and I can also make out the name "Davis" at the beginning of the word.  So his trail is a bit "lumpy".  But, If I had to be right (yes or no) in a game of Russian Roulette, I'd still guess Davis, who was brought to my mind before I looked at the signature.

It did cross my mind if Jim was attempting to somehow creatively incorporate ?PV,? as in like the army ?Private.?

[Robb_K]

Yes, I meant PAUL Busch.

[Robb_K]

Page with a signature belonging to ?Jim,? followed by an illegible last name (Giggle Comics #1, October 1943):

I would guess Jim Davis.  The facial expressions look a LOT like Davis' "Adam The Chimp".  The last name might look too long to be Davis, but, the drawing style fits and I can also make out the name "Davis" at the beginning of the word.  So his trail is a bit "lumpy".  But, If I had to be right (yes or no) in a game of Russian Roulette, I'd still guess Davis, who was brought to my mind before I looked at the signature.

It did cross my mind if Jim was attempting to somehow creatively incorporate ?PV,? as in like the army ?Private.?

Wouldn't "Private" alone, be abbreviated as "Pvt." Maybe "P.V." is "Private" ......with "V" standing for an additional classification.  In any case, the signature now looks like an "inside joke", of "Jim P.V.(Private) (additional classification) Davis, Esq. (Esquire).  Jim was the "foreman" of Sangor's West Coast Studio.  So, maybe that was his "nickname" among the "regulars" - a friendly making fun of his "fancy" status.

[Electricmastro]

Tarzan covers from Tip Top Comics that I think are all by Paul Berdanier:

Signed covers for comparison:











Unsigned:

[mopee167]

Paul Frederick Berdanier, Sr. (1879-1961) was an engraver before he started working in comics and it really showed in some his linework.

[Robb_K]

Paul Frederick Berdanier, Sr. (1879-1961) was an engraver before he started working in comics and it really showed in some his linework.

Great action, line detail. and colouring in those Tip Top covers.

[Electricmastro]

Paul Frederick Berdanier, Sr. (1879-1961) was an engraver before he started working in comics and it really showed in some his linework.

Great action, line detail. and colouring in those Tip Top covers.

Agreed, he?s not just great with visualizing scenery, but anatomy as well. Probably one of the more unsung comic book artists of his time.

[The Australian Panther]

Good as this appears, he's not necessarily original.

The Artists who set the template for Tarzan illustration were Hal Foster and  Burne Hogarth.

Covers 36, 37, 39, 45, 47 and 50 all look like Hogarth swipes to me.

The interior art in these books is most likely Hogarth.

A prodigy and classically educated illustrator who found work during the Great Depression with King Features Syndicate, Hogarth became the principal artist on the "Tarzan" Sunday newspaper comic strip in 1937. Over a 12-year period, he would bring his unparalleled sense of classicism and dynamic mastery of anatomy in motion to pump new life into the hero's adventures. In the 1970s, after authoring books that would become definitive texts on artistic rendering that have never been out of print, Hogarth would return to the character for a series of acclaimed, handsomely-crafted and definitive Tarzan graphic novels. 

He in turn influenced  Russ Manning, for one.
Foster and Hogarth would also have been an influence on Alex Raymond.

Here is a selection of Tarzan Art for comparisons.

The Art of Tarzan: Celebrating The Iconic Ape-Man's Most Influential Artists

https://www.cbr.com/the-art-of-tarzan-celebrating-the-iconic-ape-mans-most-influential-artists/

If you are not aware of Hogarth, you are missing something.

Cheers!

 

[Electricmastro]

Good as this appears, he's not necessarily original.

The Artists who set the template for Tarzan illustration were Hal Foster and  Burne Hogarth.

Covers 36, 37, 39, 45, 47 and 50 all look like Hogarth swipes to me.

The interior art in these books is most likely Hogarth.

A prodigy and classically educated illustrator who found work during the Great Depression with King Features Syndicate, Hogarth became the principal artist on the "Tarzan" Sunday newspaper comic strip in 1937. Over a 12-year period, he would bring his unparalleled sense of classicism and dynamic mastery of anatomy in motion to pump new life into the hero's adventures. In the 1970s, after authoring books that would become definitive texts on artistic rendering that have never been out of print, Hogarth would return to the character for a series of acclaimed, handsomely-crafted and definitive Tarzan graphic novels. 

He in turn influenced  Russ Manning, for one.
Foster and Hogarth would also have been an influence on Alex Raymond.

Here is a selection of Tarzan Art for comparisons.

The Art of Tarzan: Celebrating The Iconic Ape-Man's Most Influential Artists

https://www.cbr.com/the-art-of-tarzan-celebrating-the-iconic-ape-mans-most-influential-artists/

If you are not aware of Hogarth, you are missing something.

Cheers!

Hogarth seemed even more detailed with the Tarzan work, having circular patterns with his muscle and even drawing a ?bump row? pattern for the ribs.

[crashryan]

Nix nix! Hogarth was influenced by Hal Foster, who preceded him on Tarzan. I'd argue that the majority of the Berdanier covers are based on Foster's work rather than Hogarth's. Foster's figures were more compact with less "noble" faces. A few years ago Dark Horse put out a nice collection of Foster's Tarzan. When you look at Hogarth's earlier Sundays you can see how closely he followed Foster's staging and posing. It took him a while to develop his own style: elongated figures, Michelangelo faces, and extreme poses. Even so in his early days Hogarth often botched the foreshortening, something The National Lampoon poked fun at in one of their comics sections. I learned a lot from Hogarth and still respect his accomplishments on Tarzan, but I'm less fond of him now than I was in the 70s . The fancy Watson-Guptill Tarzan hardback (1972) dulled some of my enthusiasm. The coloring was garish and the figures were too mannered for my taste. Every one looked like an anatomy diagram, and the poses seemed more bizarre than dynamic. But I still keep his anatomy books on my reference shelf.

[The Australian Panther]

Crash,

Nix nix! Hogarth was influenced by Hal Foster, who preceded him on Tarzan. 

While I didn't make that clear, for which I apologise, I didn't argue othewise.

I wrote -   

The Artists who set the template for Tarzan illustration were Hal Foster and  Burne Hogarth. 

The colouring was garish and the figures were too mannered for my taste.

I don't disagree. I would use the term static. Looking at his work can be like looking at a series of paintings rather than reading an energetic action story.

None-the-less, its undeniable that Hogarth has been hugely influential.

Of the artists on the link that I supplied, my preference would be for John Coleman Burroughs and Roy Krenkel - as spot illustration. I don't favour Jesse Marsh - who is not represented here but as you wjill know did a lot of Tarzan, strip and dell and gold key.

https://www.cbr.com/the-art-of-tarzan-celebrating-the-iconic-ape-mans-most-influential-artists/
   
Cheers!

[Electricmastro]

A more direct comparison:

Berdanier:



Hogarth:



Berdanier seems to focus less on giving detail on Tarzan?s muscles, in contrast to Hogarth giving him a six-pack chest and bumpy ribs, and appears to focus more time on giving backgrounds more detail like with flowers and plants in general, likely as a result of his time drawing landscapes more so than people for paintings. Berdanier does give more detail to Tarzan?s eyes though, including a white dot in the middle so as to convey an iris more. Berdanier also gives Tarzan a more rounded face with a bit of a cleft chin, emphasizes on his dimples, as well as a slightly bulgier nose. Hogarth?s face for Tarzan is relatively less smooth due to giving him more details with the bumps, though has even less of a cleft chin.

Based on that analysis, I think this cover I was particularly interested in identifying was indeed drawn by Berdanier, if only based on him being inspired by Hogarth:

[mopee167]

We are all, to some extent, influenced by what has gone before. Even Joe Kubert's Tarzan was influenced by Hal Foster's.

[Electricmastro]

We are all, to some extent, influenced by what has gone before. Even Joe Kubert's Tarzan was influenced by Hal Foster's.

It?s fun trying to see the differences and similarities in art, at least if one knows where to start and look from there. I did some identifications for Charles Coll, Roland Patenaude, and E. C. Stoner on GCD, and I feel pretty confident in them. I was thinking of looking into identifying some of Rolland Livingstone?s art too.

[Electricmastro]

Art from Science Comics #6 (July, 1940) I previously attributed to Rolland Livingstone based on his style from Classic Comics:





Other art from Fox I think is by him:

Fantastic Comics #6 (May, 1940):



Fantastic Comics #7 (June, 1940):



Mystery Men Comics #11 (June, 1940):



Science Comics #5 (June, 1940):



Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940):



Fantastic Comics #9 (August, 1940):



Science Comics #7 (August, 1940):



Wonderworld Comics #16 (August, 1940):



Mystery Men Comics #14 (September, 1940):



Fantastic Comics #11 (October, 1940):



Fantastic Comics #12 (November, 1940):



Mystery Men Comics #16 (November, 1940):

[mopee167]

I?m inclined to agree on those Rolland Livingstone art id?s, with the possible exception of Captain Savage, Sea Rover in Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940).  Or maybe he just inked it with a pen instead of a brush?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95427429/rolland-howard-livingstone

[Electricmastro]

I?m inclined to agree on those Rolland Livingstone art id?s, with the possible exception of Captain Savage, Sea Rover in Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940).  Or maybe he just inked it with a pen instead of a brush?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95427429/rolland-howard-livingstone

I?m pretty at a loss when it comes to inks, as opposed to pencils. Some may not care for his art out on the dismissal of it being too crude, but there?s still something about it that resonated with me somehow. I noticed that Livingstone also liked to draw the men as burly, somewhat like cavemen, and it carried over into his Classic Comics work, though in a more organized manner. I?d share more here, though I?m not sure to what extent I?m allowed to share Classics Illustrated interiors on here.

[Robb_K]

I?m inclined to agree on those Rolland Livingstone art id?s, with the possible exception of Captain Savage, Sea Rover in Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940).  Or maybe he just inked it with a pen instead of a brush?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95427429/rolland-howard-livingstone

I?m pretty at a loss when it comes to inks, as opposed to pencils. Some may not care for his art out on the dismissal of it being too crude, but there?s still something about it that resonated with me somehow. I noticed that Livingstone also liked to draw the men as burly, somewhat like cavemen, and it carried over into his Classic Comics work, though in a more organized manner. I?d share more here, though I?m not sure to what extent I?m allowed to share Classics Illustrated interiors on here.

I would guess that we'd be limited to one single story page at a time to compare artwork with a PD page by the same or another artist.  But, we shouldn't end y\up with a full story or near-completed story EVEN if the individual pages of that story are strewn around in several different threads made months apart.  But, you should probably ask Mark  that question.

[Electricmastro]

I?m inclined to agree on those Rolland Livingstone art id?s, with the possible exception of Captain Savage, Sea Rover in Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940).  Or maybe he just inked it with a pen instead of a brush?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95427429/rolland-howard-livingstone

I?m pretty at a loss when it comes to inks, as opposed to pencils. Some may not care for his art out on the dismissal of it being too crude, but there?s still something about it that resonated with me somehow. I noticed that Livingstone also liked to draw the men as burly, somewhat like cavemen, and it carried over into his Classic Comics work, though in a more organized manner. I?d share more here, though I?m not sure to what extent I?m allowed to share Classics Illustrated interiors on here.

I would guess that we'd be limited to one single story page at a time to compare artwork with a PD page by the same or another artist.  But, we shouldn't end y\up with a full story or near-completed story EVEN if the individual pages of that story are strewn around in several different threads made months apart.  But, you should probably ask Mark  that question.

Didn?t think to post full pages either. I just thought to post like five small panels for comparison purposes at most, but good idea, I?ll go ask him.

[Robb_K]

I?m inclined to agree on those Rolland Livingstone art id?s, with the possible exception of Captain Savage, Sea Rover in Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940).  Or maybe he just inked it with a pen instead of a brush?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95427429/rolland-howard-livingstone

I?m pretty at a loss when it comes to inks, as opposed to pencils. Some may not care for his art out on the dismissal of it being too crude, but there?s still something about it that resonated with me somehow. I noticed that Livingstone also liked to draw the men as burly, somewhat like cavemen, and it carried over into his Classic Comics work, though in a more organized manner. I?d share more here, though I?m not sure to what extent I?m allowed to share Classics Illustrated interiors on here.

I would guess that we'd be limited to one single story page at a time to compare artwork with a PD page by the same or another artist.  But, we shouldn't end y\up with a full story or near-completed story EVEN if the individual pages of that story are strewn around in several different threads made months apart.  But, you should probably ask Mark  that question.

Didn?t think to post full pages either. I just thought to post like five small panels for comparison purposes at most, but good idea, I?ll go ask him.

Five small panels from different non-PD stories, used for comparison analysts, should be no problem at all.

[Electricmastro]

I?m inclined to agree on those Rolland Livingstone art id?s, with the possible exception of Captain Savage, Sea Rover in Mystery Men Comics #12 (July, 1940).  Or maybe he just inked it with a pen instead of a brush?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95427429/rolland-howard-livingstone

It can be a little tricky since I?m comparing work done at different publishers a few years apart with deadlines potentially different enough to result in different art, so some flexibility can be needed in willingness to believe that there can be difference in rushed art and patiently-made art by the same art. There can still be consistencies though from what a I?ve understood, like how Livingstone tends to draw the faces of female characters being more similar to each other than the men?s faces. I?m definitely willing to believe another artist could have drawn the story, though I wouldn?t be sure what other artist could have drawn Captain Savage more similarly: