DC Comics The Art of Darwyn Cooke

The media could not be loaded.  The first thing to note about DC Comics' Graphic Ink artist series is that it's more of a compilation of comics than an artbook. The same applies to the Frank Quitely book.I love Darwyn Cooke's art. He has his own unique style that stands out from other comic artists. I like his stylised characters, line art and the way he uses colours, such as those where he has to work with a limited palette, e.g. Parker comics. I also like that Darwyn Cooke's attempt at other genres other than superheroes.This book is a collection of selected comic stories that he has published with DC over the years. It includes The Private Eye which was a story sample he prepared for DC when he was just 20 years old. Oh wow, how time has passed. It's so cool to see how his work looked like back then compared to his more recent comics. With the exception of The Private Eye which was from 1985, the rest of the comics featured are from 2000 onwards up to 2015.Since this book is put out by DC Comics, don't expect to see any Parker art or other non-DC Comics related work.The full list of comics featured areThe Private Eye from Talent Showcase #19 (1985)Toyman's Christmas List from Superman Adventures #41 (2000)A Change in Climate from Legion Worlds #2 (2001)Human Values from 9-11 (2002)Here Be Monsters from Batman: Gotham Knights #23 (2002)On the Street from Just Imagine Stan Lee with Chis Bachalo Creating Catwoman #1 (2001)'n" is for Nasty Canasta! from Looney Tunes #100 (2003)Doctor Fate from JSA All-Stars #3 (2003)Introduction by Rip Hunger from Justice League: The New Frontier Special (2008)The Greater Good from Justice League: The New Frontier Special (2008)The Phantom Quarterback from DC Comics Presents: Superman #1 (2004)World's Window/King of America/Funny Pages/Solo Dreamgirl/Everyday Madness/The Question/Deja Vu from SOLO #5Flight from Green Lantern Secret Files and Origins (2005)Cousin Walter the Scientist from American Splendor #3 (2008)The Hunting Trip from Jonah Hex #33 (2008)The Great Silence from Jonah Hex #50 (2010)Armistice Night from Weird War Tales #1 (2010)The Laws of Motion from House of Mystery #36 (2012)Times Past: 1944 from Shade #4 (2012)The Final Curtain from All-Star Western #34 (2014)Page from Picky Sicky from Harley Quinn #0 (2014)Killin' Time from Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1 (2015)In addition to the comics, there are also several pages of full page splash art, such as for covers, the superheroes, Justice League, Batman and the ones I like best are The Spirit covers from 2007.As for the binding, well, the book doesn't open flat. So it affects quite a number of double page spreads, especially the 40 pages of double page splash art that appears at the back of the book. Some of the character faces are sucked into the gutter and can't be seen. It's not a good way to present wonderful art.Overall, it's a book that's value for money. My only quibble is the binding. I would still highly recommend it to Darwyn Cooke fans unless of course if you already have most of the stories featured.(See more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Graphic Ink: Darwyn Cooke is a wonderful retrospective of this remarkable creator! After a long stint under Bruce Timm as an animator on BATMAN, Cooke broke into mainstream comics. His first published piece was The Private Eye in New Talent Showcase (1985), where his title page was redrawn by Sal Amendola. His version of a classic Amendola Batman story; co-written by Timm; he redrew for his Solo comic one-shot 15 years later. Characters used in that same Batman story were refined in his excellent Selina's Big Score graphic novel. Cooke's first Batman graphic novel EGO remained unpublished in a drawer at DC for 3 years. Cooke has never been a comfortable "fit" for mainstream comics, but his masterful redesign of Catwoman with writer Ed Brusker remains a landmark of comic book noir. Cooke (somehow) refashioned his idea for a "Space Race" era maxi-series featuring Marvel Comics' (caucasian) Nick Fury into the remarkable Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman Silver Age sage THE NEW FRONTIER, which won him an Eisner Award. Fittingly, Cooke's run on Will Eisner's The Spirit is easily the best version of that character since the 1950s. Cooke is like a Weeble in the wind: he wobbles but he never falls down! The shorter pieces collected here demonstrate that he always challenges himself and never just phones it in. To my delight, his recent batch of wraparound covers for a dozen DC titles are included here, as well. For a guy who waited 15 years just to get into mainstream comics, every time Darwyn Cook is up at the plate he demonstrates why he remains one of the greats: long may he wave!

Just to let people know, this isn't a typical art book that features mostly covers, commissions and sketches -- this is a collection of mostly comic book stories, along with some covers, just like the recent Frank Quitely Graphic Ink book. It does feature a lot of covers and stuff, but the story contents are --Talent Showcase #19Superman Adventures #41Legion Worlds #29-11 ArtGotham Knights #23Just Imagine Stan Lee: CatwomanLooney Tunes #100JSA All-Stars #3New Frontier SpecialDC Comics Presents: Superman #1Solo #5Green Lantern Secret Files & OriginsAmerican Splendor #3Jonah Hex #33Jonah Hex #50Weird War Tales #1House of Mystery #36Shade #4All-Star Western #34Harley Quinn #0Harley Quinn Holiday Special #1It's a gorgeous package and a beautifully designed book. A really great way to get a lot of Cooke's odds and ends without back-issue hunting.

I wish I could give this book ten stars, because it deserves it. It collects all of the obscure, one-off art that Darwyn did for DC, including his first DC work from Talent Showcase in 1985. I have all of his major works, like Batman: Ego, Selina's Big Score, Catwoman, The Spirit, and, of course, The New Frontier, and this reprints none of that. Everything in this book is stuff that I don't have, and would be hard-pressed to track down.And, of course, it's Darwyn Cooke. If I have to explain that, you're in the wrong review.This is that rare book that is everything you could possibly hope it would be, and better. Way, way better.

Muy buen libro de arte y de referencias a cultura pop y de dc

A more comprehensive cross section of his work than I had originally anticipated. Combined with the Amazon refund for price discrepancy and this was a big win.

No hay mejor forma de recordar a Darwyn Cooke que con ésta colección de comics y portadas.La calidad es increíble, el producto llegó antes de lo esperado y a un excelente precio.Si son fans de Darwyn Cooke o de los comics en general no dejen pasar éste tomo.

Beautiful book. Shipped in great condition. Thanks Amazon! This is a fantastic tribute to the legacy of Darwyn Cooke.

Beautiful! I must have for all fans of Darwyn Cooke