The Art of Luis Garcia

by David Roach, Luis García (Artist)

Luis Garcia was one of the most talented artists of the legendary Spanish Invasion which transformed Warren comics in the 1970s, creating artwork that was both stunningly attractive and astonishingly realistic. Garcia drew for all the Warren titles but was particularly associated with Vampirella magazine where his innovative artwork and gift for drawing beautiful women was a highlight for several years. But his career encompassed far more than just horror comics; starting off as an artist of seductive romance strips, he went on to find fame in France drawing for Pilote magazine, was a pioneer of autobiographical and political comics, created some of the earliest and most accomplished graphic novels and then changed careers completely to become a world class painter.

For the first time anywhere in the world The Art of Luis Garcia brings together each phase of his career to create the first comprehensive retrospective of his amazing artwork. Each chapter details his work and life with historical analysis from artist and author David Roach (The Art of Vampirella, Masters of Spanish Comic Art), together with commentary and reminiscences from Luis Garcia himself. It is a story that brings together his life as a child prodigy in S.I.'s mythical Barcelona comic studios and working as a model for romantic fotonovela's, meeting Salvador Dali and John Lennon, moving from swinging London to Hippy Communes, hanging out at Studio 54 and teaching the techniques of Old master Painters like Velazquez. The book is illustrated throughout with some of Garcia's finest artwork, almost entirely shot from the original pages, and includes several complete stories, some translated into English for the first time. It is a fitting tribute to one of the most creative, ground-breaking artists in comics, and beyond.

Genres: Comics

230 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2021

About the author

David Roach is an extremely prolific inker for Doctor Who Magazine comic strips. He continued to be arguably DWM's "house inker" into 2011, having been active with DWM since his first story, 2002's Oblivion. Though prolific with DWM, he hasn't worked on any other DWU publication, save for the story Sunscreen in Panini's 2007 Storybook.

He has never pencilled any story for Doctor Who, though he has a fairly extensive list of pencil jobs outside the DWU. Within the pages of DWM, he has perhaps partnered with penciller Mike Collins most often, but has also significantly paired with DWM's other long-term penciller, Martin Geraghty.

Reviews

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A biography, assisted by the man himself, David Roach does his usual brilliant job on telling us about Luis Garcia. We get early childhood followed by working as one of many for British romance comics followed by his further career with Warren horror magazines, his continental successes and latterly his painting and fine art career.
If you already know Garcia's work, this book will startle you with how versatile the man is. Reproductions include some translated pieces from Spanish and some complete stories. But to be honest, just taking time, staring, studying, drooling over the beauty of Luis Garcia's artwork is enough to convince you to buy this book and read it.

[Aran Chandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roach presents the full gamut and evolution of Luis Garcia’s body of work, from early commercial works to pulp and comics and then political magazines and finally into the realm of fine art. Garcia’s art fails to be confined into a single style, its use of light and shadow, the pencil etching, the lines at times clean and at times scratchy but always mesmerizing.

I can’t imagine the effort and time he spent daily in his craft to produce such high level of details and expression. It’s got me noticing people daily and wanting to sketch them.

[Dru]

Received notice this morning (10 13 21) that the book had been cancelled. Very sad to hear. I waited, I think, over a year? for this book. Shipping date kept getting pushed further and further back. David Roach has included Luis Garcia in several of his books, and with good reason. A talent that stands at the very peak of illustration.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Beautiful work!!