Der vorgestern verstorbene Zeichner Al Plastino (1921-2013) war einer der einflußreichsten und profiliertesten Superman Zeichner überhaupt. Während der 40er und 50er Jahre zeichnete er den "Man of Steel" meist dann, wenn die beiden "Haupt"-Zeichner Wayne Boring und Curt Swan überlastet waren. Plastino's Superman-Version schien stets etwas "seriöser" im Auftreten als etwa der Ur-Superman von Joe Shuster oder der majestätisch durch die Wolken laufende Wayne Boring- Supie.
Plastino's Superman wirkte, als würde der Held sich ernsthaft Sorgen um uns machen... wie eine Art Vaterfigur. Plastino wird Superhelden-Fans auf ewig im Gedächtnis bleiben für seine Co- Gestaltung von Superman’s Cousine "Supergirl" (in ACTION COMICS, Vol.1 #252), sowie als Co-Creator der "Legion Of Super-Heroes" (ADVENTURE COMICS Vol.1 #247; das Cover der Ausgabe gestaltete allerdings nicht er sondern sein Kollege Curt Swan).Auch zeichnete er viele der Jugendabenteuer Supermans als "Superboy" (inklusive "Krypto").
Kürzlich verklagte er erfolgreich ein Auktionhaus, weil dieses sein Original-Artwork einer Superman-Story (von 1964, "Superman's Mission For President Kennedy") widerrechtlich versteigern wollte. Plastino wähnte seine Original-Seiten eigentlich im JFK-Museum...
Hier nun auszugsweise zwei ausführlichere Nachrufe auf AL PLASTINO:
Von DC Comics Blog:
We are deeply saddened by the news of legendary artist Al Plastino’s passing. One of the most talented and prolific Superman artists of the Silver Age, Plastino made a name for himself with the Superman family of titles.
His biggest contribution to the lore of the Man of Steel was illustrating Supergirl’s blockbuster debut in the pages of ACTION COMICS #252, in 1959. Plastino’s fluid, graceful linework, paired with a dynamic knack for facial expressions and subtle characterization made him one of the definitive Superman and DC artists of his time, and one held in high regard to this day.
In addition to Superman, Plastino also left a lasting mark on DC Comics’ team of the future, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and lengthy stints on the Batman comic strip. “We’ve lost a great member of the DC Entertainment family today,” said Diane Nelson, DC Entertainment President. “Al Plastino was one of the most recognizable talents at DC for decades, and his art still resonates with so many fans of the Superman family and the Legion. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.”
“Al Plastino helped redefine Superman in the 1950s,” said Jim Lee, DC Entertainment Co-Publisher. “His work on SUPERMAN’S GIRLFRIEND, LOIS LANE, ADVENTURE COMICS and pretty much any title in the Superman family will be fondly remembered for years to come. He will be missed.”
“When you think of Superman in the 1950s, only a handful of artists come to mind – and Al Plastino’s one of them,” said Dan DiDio, DC Entertainment Co-Publisher. “Along with the likes of Wayne Boring and Curt Swan, Plastino brought a level of humanity to Superman that had never been seen before. This amazing, super-human being now had a smile like you or me. He brought out the human side of a modern myth. It was nuanced but game changing. We can’t think him enough for his work at DC, and we’re thinking of all those close to him during this difficult time.”
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| Deutsche Veröffentlichung in "Superman" (1966) und "Superman, 1. Superband" (1973), Ehapa |
von Mark Evanier's Blog:
As some of you may have heard, veteran comic book artist Al Plastino has been locked in a messy squabble lately regarding the ownership of the original art he drew in 1964 for a Superman story about President John F. Kennedy.
The battle has come to a sad ending for Mr. Plastino, who died this afternoon. He was 91 and had been battling prostate cancer for some time. Plastino was, I believe, the only person alive who drew Superman comics professionally before about 1967. He started in 1948. His earliest known comic book work was in 1941 for a little-known company called Dynamic Comics. After serving in World War II, he freelanced in and out of comics until connecting in '48 with DC, where he worked until the early seventies. For most of that time, he was the second-string Superman artist. Wayne Boring was the main guy through the fifties, then it was Curt Swan.
The stories they didn't have time to do were done by Plastino. He drew some memorable stories for the Superman line of comics, including the first stories of Supergirl and also of The Legion of Super-Heroes. In 1966, he worked on the syndicated Batman newspaper strip and drifted into that line of work.
He was an excellent mimic of styles and took over the art on the Ferd'nand newspaper strip in 1970, drawing it until his retirement in '89. At one point, someone at the syndicate got the brilliant (!) idea to replace Charles Schulz on Peanuts and they had Plastino draw several weeks to show that he could ape that style…which he could.
There are several accounts of what happened next but they all resulted in Schulz being furious (though not at Plastino), Schulz staying on his strip and getting lots of apologies from the syndicate, and Plastino's strips never being published...
He also worked on the Nancy strip for a time and possibly others. He was a very versatile artist...
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| Die "Legion" verfilmt: einer von zwei Gast-Auftritten in "Smallville" |
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AL PLASTINO
R.I.P.
1921 - 2013
