Panel Discussion: Gene "The Dean" Colan

Martinex1: Recently Redartz and I have shared our appreciation for John Romita and Sal Buscema; today I want to discuss another of my favorite artists from the early Bronze Age at Marvel: Gene Colan!

"Gentleman" Gene as Stan Lee would sometimes refer to him, had one of the most recognizable art styles of the era.   At a time when sticking to the company's model sheets was important in building the recognizable characters that would become icons,  Gene Colan demonstrated a flair that was uniquely his own.  He used motion and shadows and a love of cinema to bring a different technique to the style and storytelling around the heroes.   Often teamed with inker Tom Palmer, Colan's dark nights seemed darker, the shadows seemed more dangerous, and the mysteries more urgent.  The characters were limber and wild; the facial expressions were detailed and varied; the mood was treacherous and bleak.   I say there was a true "art" to what Gene Colan accomplished. Gene started his comic career in 1948 and one of his first cover works was on Captain America's Weird Tales way back in 1950.   That was just the start as he worked well into the 2000s.

Gene Colan, whose images were not traditional or mainstream in my eyes, was not assigned B-list stars when Marvel got rolling under Stan Lee.    Quite the contrary, he was in charge of many Marvel newcomer titles from the late Silver Age (1967 and beyond)  that were taking the world by storm.  He had his hands on Iron Man, Daredevil, Captain Marvel, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Strange, Captain America, and even the Avengers. He was the first artist to draw the Guardians of the Galaxy.   He was prolific as well as talented.  And in my opinion, his early work was just as influential as Jack Kirby's art.  They were vastly different in their approach and styles but they each offered a sense of dynamic energy that has lasted until today.   In the late 70s, Colan would also take on Dracula and Howard the Duck. He intermittently had stints with DC, and when leaving Marvel in the early 80s he worked on characters like Batman, Jemm Son of Saturn, and Silverblade.

Gene Colan's work was amongst the first I recognized.   I was blown away by his "Tales of the Watcher" back up stories in Silver Surfer and soon after was mesmerized by his rendering of Mr. Hyde, Cobra, and the Jester over in Daredevil.  I was exposed to those issues at an early age so they remain amongst my favorites, but I do believe that Colan made an impression on me.  He made me feel the danger, irony, and kinetics of the super-hero tales.

Some may not like Gene's penciling style; like I have said it is unique.   Whereas other artists have played with the body's flexibility and positions, Gene was able to make the impossible seem real and reasonable.  I still think his Daredevil is the best.  If you look at Colan's layouts and motions of the characters, few artists attempt those actions. I will agree, however, that not every book is meant for Colan's talent; Captain America and the Avengers are amongst his lesser works (though still great). I think that is so because those books' more upbeat mood and optimism did not always align with Colan's shadowy style.  The figures within, however, are just fantastic.   Take a look at Cap resting on the couch.  And let's not forget that he co-created Sam Wilson, the Falcon.

In his later years, Gene Colan continued to work and also drew commissions for lucky fans.  I did not feel Gene's talent subsided, unlike others in his field.   He could still create a moody piece.   Take a look at his work though the Marvel years as well as some of his commissions.  

In case you don't think Gene Colan had a sense of humor, take a look at the following. I particularly find humor in the fact that Colan got that word onto the cover of a mainstream Daredevil comic book.  I guess the Comics Code Authority was not watching too closely - see the marquis just below DD's left hand. 

Unfortunately, Gene died in 2011.  But he left behind numerous works that demonstrate a type of talent that is rarely reached and seldom passed.