A Matter of Color

We all have our likes and dislikes when it comes to art and comics are no different. Some like pastels while some like neon. Some like highly detailed styles while some like plain. Now I have no problem with people not liking the same as me, to each his own, but I have to say right now I am really disliking the coloring on the Iron Man DOS series.

Roberto De La Torre and Butch Guice have done the majority of the art since Patrick Zircher left, and I like their work. The only problem is their work looks better in black and white than color. Much better, and that shouldn’t be the case ever. Both have pretty good details, angles and know how to use shading. However, the drab colors that Dean White uses just kills the excitement of the work.

As I mentioned both artists make good use of details and shading. White’s coloring is so dull that it counteracts both, creating less definitive lines and shadows. It’s almost as if he puts a drop of color on the page then just smears it with his finger. The latest issue, #26, I felt was a muddled mess that took excitement away from the book like poor lighting for a movie set in the dark takes away from the visuals. Some frames it was hard to tell what was going on because the colors blended together so much.

And the thing I like the least? Tony Stark looks middle aged with a spare tire. His face outright looks fat and old, which we all know is not how he is supposed to look.

One of the things I am most looking forward to on the new monthly series is a colorist who doesn’t kill the artists work. I know some feel with the dark and gritty storyline the Knauf’s are going for his work compliments it, but I just cant agree. I normally don’t like being this harsh on an artist but I just feel White is really hurting the overall quality of the book.