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B.Krigstein #1
B.Krigstein, Vol. 1
The first comprehensive retrospective of one of the greatest artists of the 20th Century, who began his career as one of the most innovative comic book creators of his generation. A gigantic retrospective/biography/critical assessment of one of the most important cartoonists in the history of comics, who went on to become a renowned fine artist and teacher in New York. The author had full access to Bernard Krigstein's archives and files and has written a compelling biography of the artist from his childhood in New York to his days as a comics artist from the late '40s to the early '60s, and through his post-comics career as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, and teacher. Krigstein is renowned as one of the great innovators working within the commercial comics industry: his story about a Nazi commandant, "Master Race," published by the legendary EC Comics, is studied in college courses and considered one of the most fascinating formal experiments in comics. This book reproduces many of Krigstein's comics stories as well as many of his commercial assignments (such as the line of paperback covers he did for the reissues of Joyce Cary's novels) as well as his fine art paintings. Most of this work has never been seen outside its original publication. Most of the comics stories are obscure and have not been reprinted since their initial publication (mostly from the '50s) and his fine art has only appeared in galleries and exhibitions. Krigstein (1919-1990), classically trained in Fine Art, was a Brooklyn-born painter who was one of the first practitioners who approached comics with the respect, integrity, and psychological depth of a serious artist. After an innovative and contentious decade, he was forced to abandon the field due to its narrow-minded and formulaic tendencies, which continue to this day. This first of two volumes traces Krigstein's groundbreaking comic-book work at Hillman, Atlas, DC, and EC, as well as his parallel development as an illustrator and painter.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 26, 2022
Quite the character ! :)
June 28, 2022
A wonderful overview of a masterful comic book artist pioneer that, I confess, I had never heard of before until Larry Hama (a writer/artist I respect) dropped his name in an interview and said how much he had admired him.
This is a great biography and I appreciate how it focused on Bernie's comic book work instead of spending time too much time on his paintings. To be honest - his comic art was more pleasing to my eyes than his later landscapes or oil paintings. There is still enough information about his life outside the comic book period but it was the comic book information that drew me to this work and I appreciated how it was highlighted. I loved how much actual art and full stories they included to allow me to fully appreciate this early genius of the comic book art medium.
We also get a glimpse into what a horrible person Bob Kanigher was. The disrespect and unveiled contempt he had for artists and people who didn't fit his mold is shown in full view. It churned my stomach to see his quotes and to know how little respect he had for the medium he worked in.
Aside from that unpleasant revelation about Bob you see that Bernie - genius and perfectionist that he was - also had clashes with editors and writers throughout his time in comics. I think the author does a good job of not painting him too much as the hero or villain but the opinionated talent he was. Sometimes he was right and sometimes he was wrong but he always came from a place of wanting to make the comic book the best he could. He was truly ahead of his time when it came to where he envisioned comic books could go.
The art? By the end of the book I was in awe of it. I think the early works made me think "hmm, I don't get why he was a genius" but by the end I saw how brilliant and innovative he was. I still find myself being drawn to Alex Toth's style a bit more (someone who was in the same era) but there is no questioning that Bernie was more versatile in terms of being able to adapt and change his style to suit a genre or story.
I am glad I discovered this artist and I hope more people get a chance to discover and appreciate his work and he isn't forgotten.
This is a great biography and I appreciate how it focused on Bernie's comic book work instead of spending time too much time on his paintings. To be honest - his comic art was more pleasing to my eyes than his later landscapes or oil paintings. There is still enough information about his life outside the comic book period but it was the comic book information that drew me to this work and I appreciated how it was highlighted. I loved how much actual art and full stories they included to allow me to fully appreciate this early genius of the comic book art medium.
We also get a glimpse into what a horrible person Bob Kanigher was. The disrespect and unveiled contempt he had for artists and people who didn't fit his mold is shown in full view. It churned my stomach to see his quotes and to know how little respect he had for the medium he worked in.
Aside from that unpleasant revelation about Bob you see that Bernie - genius and perfectionist that he was - also had clashes with editors and writers throughout his time in comics. I think the author does a good job of not painting him too much as the hero or villain but the opinionated talent he was. Sometimes he was right and sometimes he was wrong but he always came from a place of wanting to make the comic book the best he could. He was truly ahead of his time when it came to where he envisioned comic books could go.
The art? By the end of the book I was in awe of it. I think the early works made me think "hmm, I don't get why he was a genius" but by the end I saw how brilliant and innovative he was. I still find myself being drawn to Alex Toth's style a bit more (someone who was in the same era) but there is no questioning that Bernie was more versatile in terms of being able to adapt and change his style to suit a genre or story.
I am glad I discovered this artist and I hope more people get a chance to discover and appreciate his work and he isn't forgotten.
January 22, 2024
Krigstein's comic art is fantastic. I'm not as much of a fan of his personal paintings though. It was great to analyze his panels, I just wish more of them were larger so as to get a better look at his linework and compositions.
May 7, 2008
First off, I know this book is volume one and covers the artistic life of Krigstein from the early years to the end of his work in comics---BUT---the ending was far too abrupt. I was reading along, enjoying myself, amazed at Krigstein's prowess at pissing off editors, and then, with 50 pages still to go in the book, came a sentence of, "His days in comics were numbered."
And that was it. Finito. The rest of the book being only art reproductions and indexes. Left me high and dry.
Beyond that, my only frustrations with the book were not the author's fault. It was Krigstein and his constantly unbending desire to piss people off. Look, I work in the comics industry, and I too yearn to do glorious work that will shatter the foundations of literature, but I know when to back off. I currently work in the "Marvel Adventures" line, and my comics have to be done-in-one plots. Fine, I work within those boundaries. No matter how much I would like to have them give me five issues to tell a story, or have my one single issue balloon to three times normal size, there are very solid reasons that can't happen. And NONE of those reasons are that my editors are being unreasonable assholes (which they aren't---they're very nice people). It's just the way page counts work. Yet, Krigstein, again and again, would transform 5 pages of solicited artwork into 7 pages or more, all the while demanding he get even more pages, then getting frustrated and/or angry with the editors for their obstinate refusals. Damn Bernie, they CAN'T give it to you. They'd like to, but they CAN'T.
Ahh, but he's a genius, so I'll forgive him, just as his editors did, as long as they were able.
The book left me chomping not only for more Krigstein, but also for his paintings. I've long known of his talent in the field of comic art (an original page of his, from his "Marco Polo" story, hangs on my wall) but I was unaware of how haunting his paintings could be. I'm very much looking forward to the 2nd volume, due out in August, which delves more into the painterly side of Krigstein.
And that was it. Finito. The rest of the book being only art reproductions and indexes. Left me high and dry.
Beyond that, my only frustrations with the book were not the author's fault. It was Krigstein and his constantly unbending desire to piss people off. Look, I work in the comics industry, and I too yearn to do glorious work that will shatter the foundations of literature, but I know when to back off. I currently work in the "Marvel Adventures" line, and my comics have to be done-in-one plots. Fine, I work within those boundaries. No matter how much I would like to have them give me five issues to tell a story, or have my one single issue balloon to three times normal size, there are very solid reasons that can't happen. And NONE of those reasons are that my editors are being unreasonable assholes (which they aren't---they're very nice people). It's just the way page counts work. Yet, Krigstein, again and again, would transform 5 pages of solicited artwork into 7 pages or more, all the while demanding he get even more pages, then getting frustrated and/or angry with the editors for their obstinate refusals. Damn Bernie, they CAN'T give it to you. They'd like to, but they CAN'T.
Ahh, but he's a genius, so I'll forgive him, just as his editors did, as long as they were able.
The book left me chomping not only for more Krigstein, but also for his paintings. I've long known of his talent in the field of comic art (an original page of his, from his "Marco Polo" story, hangs on my wall) but I was unaware of how haunting his paintings could be. I'm very much looking forward to the 2nd volume, due out in August, which delves more into the painterly side of Krigstein.
March 9, 2013
The life, art and comics of one of the most ambitious of comicbook artists. Krigstein realised early on that the artwork could tell the story rather than simply illustrate it and worked towards perfecting that goal before eventually leaving comics. His Master Race, the writer's name largely ignored, remains a textbook example of the complexity and emotion possible in a comicbook over 50 years on. Worth read to understand how soul destroying working in a creative field can be.
July 14, 2015
Amazing, essential tome.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews