Friday, May 12, 2006

Composite Composition

I've seen some pretty creepy things in comics: Vertigo horror scenes, Jonah Hex body counts, and the costumes designs of Todd McFarlane.

But I have never

ever

seen a panel that creeped me out more than this one, a panel that still haunts me decades after first seeing it:

That's not the Joker in the foreground; it's the nightmarishly powerful Composite Superman himself, disguised as a statue of the Joker housed in the Batcave.

You can criticize the drawing technique and anatomical accuracy of the Old Comic Masters all you want ... but they understood composition. Oh, yes.
at

11 comments:

  1. Dave5/11/2006 5:26 PM

    I haven't seen this in years, but boy, do I remember it.

    Actually, my favorite part is that determined look on Robin's face.

    And what's with Batman's ears? As good as Swan was, he never could quite get Batman right.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sleestak5/11/2006 7:34 PM

    Tose are Adam West Batman ears. Swan got them correct as far as that goes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5/11/2006 8:30 PM

    This story actually predates the TV show by about a year and a half.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5/11/2006 9:43 PM

    Oh, that was a big story during my childhood. One guy with the powers of the entire legion? Could things get any better than this!

    ReplyDelete
  5. T5/11/2006 11:44 PM

    *shudders* that really is one of the creepier pictures of the Joker I've seen, even if it's not really the Joker. Yeeee

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5/12/2006 6:26 AM

    Wasn't that the way several artists were drawing Batman's ears then?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bully5/12/2006 7:29 AM

    Bat-ears of the same style in this panel were around waaaaay before Mister Adam West:

    Batman #103, 1956
    Batman #106, 1956
    Batman #113, 1958

    Tee-hee. We're discussin' bat-ears.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous5/12/2006 10:48 AM

    Haunted are you, you cackler!!

    Using composition to show the story better. Good example. Like directors of black and white film - painting with light instead of color.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Harvey Jerkwater5/12/2006 2:47 PM

    Large Ruffled Collars = Terror.

    Simple as that.

    Brrrrr...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous5/12/2006 10:08 PM

    You know, I used to wonder why the Composite Superman didn't simply turn invisible, rather than hiding the Joker statute and impersonating it.

    Now I realize: so Swan could draw that panel.

    ReplyDelete
  11. J'onn J'onzz, Martian Manhunter5/13/2006 7:44 AM

    Off topic, but when did Devon post here?

    ReplyDelete