Mark Brooks Spotlights Phoenix And The Avengers' 80s Lineup In New Corner Box Covers

Keep it on topic, folks. This is a thread for Mark Brooks' upcoming variant covers for Avengers #3 and X-Men #24, not a thread to talk $#!& about other comic book artists.

On 5/30/2023 at 3:49 AM, leokearon said:

It's even worse that Larroca didn't start off as a tracing hack, he was a great artist, now he's gotten lazy, with drawn bodies and photoshopped heads

Hard agree.

It's honestly jarring to see his previous work, especially when he drew Claremont's Fantastic Four run, and compare it to what he "draws" nowadays. Like Mike Deodato, his modern work just screams regressive complacency. I would say it's a shame, but I genuinely have no respect for the kind of artists that rest on their laurels and trade good visual storytelling for lazy shortcuts. They're not only doing a disservice to readers, but also to themselves and to the legacy of what it means to be a comic book artist.

On 5/29/2023 at 6:29 PM, ADour said:

How is the result bland and generic? Each character's head pops, with vibrant colors and hints at their personalities, instead of having them all have blank stares. Clint's cocky, Jen is relaxed, Thor is stern and Tigra is snarling. They also do not look like traced heads, they're clearly drawn since they're slightly stylized despite Brooks' style being of the most realistic kind, and they're consistent with his previous work.

Since this seems to be your first exposure to Mark Brooks' art, I'd highly recommend you to check out some of his other work, as well as his process (since he does traditional art), before lumping him with the likes of Greg Land or Salvador Larroca. Those two are tracing-loving hacks.

It's even worse that Larroca didn't start off as a tracing hack, he was a great artist, now he's gotten lazy, with drawn bodies and photoshopped heads

On 5/26/2023 at 2:09 PM, 010101 said:

This guy is a superstar artist? Looks like he traced photos of real people like some of the other "artists" from the last 10-15 years. In any case--the result is bland and generic.

How is the result bland and generic? Each character's head pops, with vibrant colors and hints at their personalities, instead of having them all have blank stares. Clint's cocky, Jen is relaxed, Thor is stern and Tigra is snarling. They also do not look like traced heads, they're clearly drawn since they're slightly stylized despite Brooks' style being of the most realistic kind, and they're consistent with his previous work.

Since this seems to be your first exposure to Mark Brooks' art, I'd highly recommend you to check out some of his other work, as well as his process (since he does traditional art), before lumping him with the likes of Greg Land or Salvador Larroca. Those two are tracing-loving hacks.

Brooks is an amazing artists, whose art evolved tremendously from more simplsitic and cartoon to more realistic but still retaining his style. And No he doesn't just "TRACE" art like some other artists, he might be using reference like every other artists but all his faces are distinctly done in his own style.

There's also interesting article about how Steve Ditko invented corner box for Marvel in case you didn't know that.

https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-steve-ditko-marvel-comics-corner-box/

On 5/29/2023 at 4:39 AM, McHogan said:

I'm impressed with the art, especially love the homage to the classic corner boxes. Reminds me of a very happy time in my early childhood. Honestly something comics haven't done for me in a very long time

I miss the corner boxes of both the UK and US.

I'm impressed with the art, especially love the homage to the classic corner boxes. Reminds me of a very happy time in my early childhood. Honestly something comics haven't done for me in a very long time

Love love love Mark Brooks' work. So seamless and smooth and beautiful without being too computer dependant. If that's a thing.

On 5/26/2023 at 1:09 PM, 010101 said:

This guy is a superstar artist? Looks like he traced photos of real people like some of the other "artists" from the last 10-15 years. In any case--the result is bland and generic.

Many modern artist do but he isn't one of the. He's a skilled and classical painter much in the tradition of Norman Rockwell but with his own style. Sure he uses digital enhancements like all modern artists but most of what he does is original and organic.

I for one like these images.

This guy is a superstar artist? Looks like he traced photos of real people like some of the other "artists" from the last 10-15 years. In any case--the result is bland and generic.