X-Men: Jim Lee vs Marc Silvestri | Art of Comics Epi 421

[@liqwidmediaworkztv]

Marc would make the characters feel like they were truly alive. The way he drew emotion and seemingly could draw what the characters were thinking on their faces was incredible to say the least. Definitely one of my favorite artist.

[@ArtofComics]

Thanks for watching. I agree. I think generally I like Marc's loose and expression a bit more, at east in in this era. Check out my other videos

[@Neonmirrorblack]

If only he could draw the same face in the same way each time. He seemed to have a major consistency problem, and most of his faces had this very odd, bony/angular and even improvised look to them.

[@ChadMichaelSimon]

I adored Silvestri's UXM work. It was alive. His musculature was exaggerated yet grounded. It was exquisite work brought to life in a perfect union with Green's inks. Green danced around Silvestri's lines. And… it was my introduction to the X-Men with issue 225. In the late '80s, I went back to study Silvestri's first X work on The X-Men vs. the Avengers, inked by Rubinstein. I was blown away by how he took to the characters, or they to him. His figure work was arguably at its cleanest best. His Dazzler! The little kids running around. Wolverine opening a beer with a single claw. It was beautiful. Then I remember clearly that first issue with Jim Lee. It was good but felt stiff, an element of Lee's work that is always present no matter how dynamic his poses and line work. Lee was trying to emulate Silvestri. You could feel it controlling his hand and the way he drew faces. I was fascinated by comparing these very two issues you've presented. To quote Michael Scott, "Well, well, well. How the turntables…" Flash forward to Lee's run on X-Men, his meteoric rise to fame, and the creation of Image, and you have his style leading the way. Instead of him emulating Silvestri, Silvestri started drawing like Lee, the Image way. I've always felt his work suffered for it and pine for the breezy early drawings.

[@ArtofComics]

THanks for the great comment!

[@datamouth]

Marc Silvestri was my main influence into drawing comic book heros when i was young. Marc had a great way of drawing different kind of faces and emotions. Plus his sketches were very loose n flowy, which gave them an artistic style that i felt Jim lacked. Jim Lee is also an excellent artist, but i felt that he had a hard time drawing different emotions like Marc did. Regardless Jim had big shoes to fill after Marc stopped doing X-Men and he did an excellent job doing it.

[@DV-id6di]

Damn I can’t decide between these two. I grew up in the 80s. Started collecting in 1986. Silvestri gave me a belief that it was so real. Jim Lee gave another feel. Lee was dynamic with bright colors and polished penciling. Silvestri just stuck with me. Silvestri was Slayer. And Jim Lee was Metallica😂

[@ArtofComics]

At the time I was more into Lee, but now I like Marc’s line work and gestural quality more

[@Neonmirrorblack]

Metallica wrote better songs, and actually had solos instead of just randomly flailing across the frets. 😉

[@rudedragens7397]

When I was younger I would’ve said Lee all day and I still love him to death, but now I feel like silvestri is def superior imo

[@ArtofComics]

I'm actually right there with you! I like the loose, gestural quality of Silvestri. Lee is more of a draftsman, but he's a little stiff in the figures.

[@duckboyart]

Great observations and great issues and great artists both. Xmen 251 was done on a biweekly schedule and was late into Silvestris run and and 268 was Lee's first regular, being able to come on fresh. Even if Silv wanted to he couldnt get the detail in. Maybe a better comparison would be 236, after Silv had a month off and was in full stride, lots more detail and provably handing more finsihed work to Dan Green. Also, both of your examples betray each artists influences, Silv being like Buscema and Frazetta and Lee' being Neal adams and John Byrne. Both great have most if not all of both their runs. Cheers

[@ArtofComics]

This is why I made the channel, to learn from others! Thanks

[@Neonmirrorblack]

Silvestri might have been able to make faces "more expressive", but I also thought he always had a problem making faces look natural. They always had this very odd, angular look to them, and he also wasn't consistent. He didn't seem to be able to draw the same face in the same way as though every time was improvised. In many ways, he often reminded me of Rob Liefeld, except a much more talented version. Lee was the best X-Men artist hands down, with Arthur Adams, Portacio and Silvestri following.

[@jmadtoyou]

I really like both artist, but I'd give the edge to Marc Silvestri.

[@ArtofComics]

I do like him too, I like that he's looser, but I bet you/we are in the minority on that. Lee is incredibly popular. I think people like the more draftsman/realistic look.

[@jmadtoyou]

@@ArtofComics Totally agree. Bret Blevins is another artist whose work is more loose and defined by a "line of action". I really like his work too.

[@gentelmanjunkie542]

Silvestri hands down but Jim's no slouch.

[@ArtofComics]

I think I'm in your camp.

[@hr3800]

Bob oksner would be nice. Gene colan Romita sr