Let's say that, for one comic book, you could flat out steal another artists' talent completely. I'm not saying that you're copying that person's style or technique. I'm saying that you temporarily become that person, and any work you generate is a perfect replica.

Which artist would you temporarily swap with, and what kind of story would you do during that period?

I would switch with Gene Colon. I absolutely fell in love with his use of dramatic shadow when I first encountered his work. His lighting establishes a perfect mood for a variety of emotional themes, and his work is just plain great to look at.

While I was able to draw like Gene Colon, I would sit down and do a noir type story. Hopefully I could do something that justifies the art, and not go on to do a lame Raymond Chandler knock-off.

Anybody else want to testify?

Well, given a couple days to practice and pore over their stuff I can already copy most people very closely.

But if I were allowed to perfectly imitate someone, I think I might choose to snag Gary Larson's style. I don't even think I'd bother doing a story, I'd just spend as much time as I could making myself "original" Larson drawings just so I could have them.

Mark Brooke, i love how he can jungle a realistic and animu style while drawing these insanely cool backgrounds, but He mostly only draws guys well. For female figure work i'd want j.scott Campbell's skills to make painfully sexy panels and hair.

You know, at first I was going to say Moebius right away but then I thought about it and I realized that the style I want doesn't necessarily suit the story-telling I want...

Moebius' style is holy shit amazing. But I am not as mesmerized by his story-telling. On the other hand, the Hernandez brothers may not necessarily have the most beautiful style but I LOVE their story-telling. Not only that but their art-style suits their stories.

Then I thought about combining the two and then I realized Moebius' art style may not fit with Hernandez's story-telling...

So now I am at a loss.

Fuck it, I am going to take Yukito Kishiro (the guy who did Battle Angel)'s style and do a scifi story with it.

I'll testify.

Mike Ploog and I'd do a heavily 70s-style inspired Surrealist horror story with were-wolves, zombies, vampires, at least one Frakenstein knock off and teenagers from Mars. His best work is cartoonish and moody. He's an excellent draughtsman and has done realistic work as well but I prefer his more exaggerated stuff.

It's actually an awesome question and so hard to choose. Ploog has the skills for the kind of story I'd like to tell right now. Alternates include George Perez (for Rural Youth), Wally Wood (again for the Surrealist), Mike Allred (once again Surrealist) (and perfect for it) and Seth Fisher (Rural Youth).

Joe Mad, or Alvin Lee.
Doug TenNapel would be cool as well.

1. I would steal Pablo Picasso (or Van Gogh, or Leonardo Da Vinci, or...) and make a bunch of forgeries and make lots of money.

2. But if we're talking about pure idealism, then Claire Wendling...


She looks like she's from the Frazetta school. I'd probably draw or collaborate on 1 of my medieval epics scripts, with her style.

Either Junji Ito or the Gantz creator (not sure of the name).

With those powers, I'd create a masterpiece of macabre fantasy.

Ryuthehedgewolf
Joe Mad

WORD!

Junji Ito, likely.

Frazer Irving
Lauren K Cannon
Stuart Immomen
Caravaggio - that guy got into fights, killed people, and rich people wanted him to paint stuff before the law could arrest him.

The guy who does View of Venus , I'd LOVE to have his style. And Chris who does the Naked Nurse , I'd LOve his style as well :)

Kirby's sense of power and design, Joe Mad's coolness, Arthur Adam's inking and women. R. Crumb's crosshatching and portraits, Timothy Truman's sense of black placement, george perez's backgrounds and detail and Alan Davis for his everything.

Air Raid Robertson
Gene Colon.

Do you mean Gene Colan or Ernie Colon? :D

My choice would be...

Philippe Druillet

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And I'd draw the postapocalyptic war between heaven and hell.

Craig Thompson. I'm not sure what I'd do but I have Craig Thompson powers so I'd be totally awesome!

Aurora Borealis

Air Raid Robertson
Gene Colon.

Do you mean Gene Colan or Ernie Colon? :D

My choice would be...

Philippe Druillet

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And I'd draw the postapocalyptic war between heaven and hell.

buddy, i know i've commended you on this before, but damn good taste. i love Phillipe.

Warpedwenger

Ryuthehedgewolf
Joe Mad

WORD!

FUCKING WORD x 10...

aside from that, if i could steal artists powers, itd be...

Frank Miller...oh i dunno, pretty much EVERYTHING
Jim Lee...his surety of lines (have you ever watched the man draw on Youtube)
Todd McFarlanes page payouts
Eiichiro Oda's dynamicism
Tite Kubos scratchy "i totally did this with a ballpoint pen and i still > you" look
Mignolas shadows
Kirbys mind
Buscemas grace and power
Romita Jr's perspectives and class
Klaus Jansons inks

Aurora Borealis

Air Raid Robertson
Gene Colon.

Do you mean Gene Colan or Ernie Colon? :D

My choice would be...

Philippe Druillet

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And I'd draw the postapocalyptic war between heaven and hell.

Whoops. I meant Gene Colan.

You'd think I'd be able to spell his name correctly considering I'd like to steal his powers. (Blushes)

Akira Toriyama. I would love to had a ludicrous amount of money for essentially doing nothing. Draw some desert, some spikey hair, the end.

Seriously this man admits to just cheating when it came to super saiyans. "Oh well I didnt know how to draw them more powerful." Here is the Akira Toriyama method to writing:

Make a powerful bad dude.
Bad dude beats people up.
Good dude shows up but cant stop the bad dude, but he does better than other good dues.
Goodest dude gets a new form, or magic, beats the bad dude, maybe dies in the process.

THE END

BAGS OF MONEY, TONS OF IT ALL AROUND. HERE HAVE SOME CASH!

We can all learn a lot from Mr.Toriyama. You dont need to be good to make money off comics. You just have to sellout like a motherfucker. I wish I had the talent to lower my artistic credability to the point where I can swim in cash and do about as much actual work as a mall cop.


In all seriousness though, Otomo. His style is all his own, in a culture where there is really just one style (or at lest at the time). Anime has become so common place in comics now that it's hard for an American to draw it and retain some shred of credability in the industry. But at the same time so little determines what is and what isnt anime. Fucking diconnected eyes or mouths = manga at this point. Connected eyes and squared off features = American. It's a real petty line in the sand. Otomo found a great mix of both styles, and is able to do his own thing because, quite simply, it's good.

I would like the ability to move away both from the Japanese style of art and English style of art and do my own thing. I'm trying, but I just wish I had the ability to do it with the snap of my fingers.

Naomi Nowak. She makes it look so easy!

R. Crumb.

I would say I'd use his powers to interpret Biblical stories, but he beat me to it.

So probably I'd make an epic coming-of-age tale about bein' a smalltown punkrock kid. Not like that's never been done. But if I got that kind of genius talent all of a sudden, I'm-a devote my efforts to thinly-veiled autobiographical pursuits! >:)

Hyena H_ll
R. Crumb.

I would say I'd use his powers to interpret Biblical stories, but he beat me to it.

So probably I'd make an epic coming-of-age tale about bein' a smalltown punkrock kid. Not like that's never been done. But if I got that kind of genius talent all of a sudden, I'm-a devote my efforts to thinly-veiled autobiographical pursuits! >:)

If there was anyone I'd trust with R. Crumb's powers, it would be you.

Steve Epting. I just like his work on Captain America. And his covers.

Let's see... also DJ Coffman for art, then throw in Amelius' colouring abilities.

After that, Jim Lee, Bruce Timm, Don Kramer, Pete Woods, Mike Deodato, Leonardo Fernandez, Lan Medina, Kinsun, Megan Rose Gedris, Chuck Rowles or Dave McKean for pencilling.

I don't know what kind of story I'd do, but I'd definitely steal Nina Matsumoto's abilities. (a.k.a. "space coyote" ) She pretty much has developed the career that I would love to have myself one day. Her style is superb, and she's a spankin' good colorist to boot.