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Quitely. All-Star’s shipping schedule is beginning to look unprofessional, but it always feels worth it when the new issues come out. I was born as Swan was leaving the Super-books, so I didn’t grow up with him the way some fans did, so it’s easily Quitely for me.

Quitely is easily one of my favorite artists, but come on–Curt Swan is THE Superman artist.

I like Swan a lot, but Quitely’s Superman may be the best ever.

Tough one, but I’m gonna have to say Curt Swan.

Quitely’s Superman is awesome, but he feels sort of superior. Quitely’s version is brilliant, but if I was going to meet one of them, I’d choose Swan’s Superman – he seems so nice.

Swan, by a mile. I don’t get the appeal of Quitely at all.

Curt Swan. It’s not that Quitley’s version isn’t awesome; the cover of All-Star Superman #1 may be one of the greatest images of the character ever.

But, to me, the Curt Swan version _is_ the definitive Superman. I can compare Quitley’s version to anybody else’s version; but Swan is simply the real one everybody else is working off of. Yes, I know that’s not historically accurate; but it is how _I_ think of the character.

I love Quitely’s Superman, but Swan’s has a “the golden age is twelve” factor going for it. So, Swan.

I’ll take Bruce Timm over both of ‘em, though.

Curt Swan. I’m honestly surprised anyone would answer otherwise; in ten years’ time, All-Star Superman will be just one of the many things Quitely drew, while Swan’s art style will be forever associated with Superman.

I appreciate ‘em both.

Of course, given when I first started really reading the character, in my eyes Dan Jurgens’ version is canon — like Jim Aparo’s Batman…

I’ll say that I prefer Swan, but that both Swan’s and Quitely’s SUperman seem to be stylistically different interpretations of the same workable interpretation of the character. They convey it in different ways, that’s all.

Even as a kid, I always thought Swan’s Supes looked a mite doughy. I know his style is the benchmark for the character, of course, which makes it tough for Quitely to compete. But Quitely it is, in my book: Look at how brilliantly he handles Clark versus Supes. Simply gorgeous acting through his artwork.

P.S. to Eric — no “maybe” about it: The cover to All-Star Superman #1 IS indeed one of the greatest images of the character, ever.

i know it was the sixties, and this isn’t his best drawing but people like byrne were doing better anatomy than this.

i think all-star superman is the best superman i’ve ever read, i can’t imagine forgetting it as has been suggested might happen…i’d love for someone to recommend better superman, i’d LOVE to read it. drawing wise quitely rocks the bells, he wins.

Both, at different times, in different moods, depending on what story I’m reading at the moment.

That’s the beauty of the multiverse. There’s room enough for everybody.

i can’t imagine forgetting it as has been suggested might happen

I believe the statement was that we would forget about All Star Superman in that it would not stand out as the acme of Quitely’s career, like it did for Swan.

Hey, way to pit my 2 favorite Superman artists of all time against each other!

Jerk!!

…I ain’t choosin’!!!!

Quitely. Nostalgia only goes so far with me, especially nostalgia for an age I didn’t actually grow up in. If I had to go for a retro Superman artist, I’d probably go with Joe Shuster; the Golden Age has always held more visual charm for me than the Silver Age.

When Quitely does a tenth as many Superman issues as Swan has done, then I’ll make this choice.

Christopher Reeve

Curt Swan is the true definitive artist for Superman. I like Quietly …but there is so much power in swan’s Superman.

Wow. Toughie indeed!

I’m gonna have to decline to answer this one. Its like picking your favorite Beatles song when you like so many…

Poo on you, Curious Cat!

I go with Quitely for a couple reasons. I also see that same “doughy” effect on Swan’s Superman. And the way that Quitely draws Clark Kent and shows how it could actually be plausible that people wouldn’t make the connection is the real cincher for me. Swan’s Kent looks like Superman in a “normal person” costume.

Swan, although he’s not one of my favorite artists. Never quite dug how Quietly draws people.

People are complaining that Swan’s Superman is doughy but praise the Quitely version? Ugh. All of Quitely’s characters are doughy fatheads. It is distracting and I don’t get why people act like he is so great.

Rebis, the only reason I said “mayby” is I dislike calling something less than 5-10 years old a definitive, all-time classic. Sometimes we get it right; other times we look back a few years later and go “what were we THINKING?”.

With that said, I like the odds of the cover for All-Star Superman #1 passing the test of time.

wow, might as well ask if I prefer to get kicked in the nuts or gouged in the eye. I never much cared for Swan, but at least he’s inoffensive as an artist. I’ll take bland over ugly any day…

Can I vote a tie? Honestly, Swan’s is classic, and how Superman always looks for me. BEFORE Quitely, that is. His has been amazing, graceful and nuanced; and bonus points for the Clark/Superman juxaposition.

Quitely. Maybe I’m evil. (And I’d pick Schaffenberger over Swan, myself, though Curt is Cool, Too).

Quitely over here. The version of the character Curt drew never connected with me as well. And, like most readers, for me the definition version of a character is the one I happened to enjoy most.

Roel said …

Christopher Reeve

I didn’t even know he could draw

I like Quietly better than Swan; I like LOTS of artists better than Curt Swan. That said, I grew up with the Curt Swan Superman, so that will always be “THE” Superman in my mind, even if there are other artists on the book who I like better. Just like Jim Aparo isn’t my all-time fav Batman artist, but I still think of those old Brave & Bolds when I think of classic Batman.

Quitely’s Superman doesn’t look doughy, though. He looks BULKY.

Curt Swan’s Superman was my main introduction to American comics and at the time I thought he was fantastic. These days I still have a bit of a nostalgic love for his work, but on the whole his art just looks way too stiff an unimaginative.

Quitely by far

I agree, how can someone call Swan doughy in comparison to Quietly, who draws some of the lumpiest, chunkiest people I’ve ever seen? And those doughy chins? I think Quitely is talented, but gets elevated to a higher level than he actually belongs due to his longstanding association with Morrison.

In my mind, the REAL answer is Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, but between the two, I’d have to give it to Curt Swan.

If I recall my comic book history correctly, DC pasted Curt Swan Superman heads over Jack Kirby’s illustrations of Superman in the Jimmy Olsen series. Jack freakin’ Kirby, man! When DC effectively says that The King should draw more like YOU, that trumps anything a dawdling Scot could bring to the table.

Yeah, but let’s be honest, even at Kirby’s peak his faces were FUGLY, except under Sinnott, whose overpowering inks really prettied up Kirby’s faces.

Definitely Swan over Quitely, though I think Quitely’s Clark Kent may be my favorite. Kent as “big, clumsy, doughy galoot of a guy” is one of those notions that seems so obvious in retrospect that it’s a wonder no one ever really used that approach before.

As much as I love Superman–and as I get older, I appreciate the later silver age Superman stories more and more–I’ve never been a fan of Curt Swan’s style. There is just nothing dynamic about it.

On the other hand, Quitely’s style DOES make characters look doughy. That’s just a fact, deal with it. I can appreicate his style more when he’s working with less iconic characters, like the Authority.

You’re making me chose betweent the lesser of two evils. Neither is an artist I would put in my top three (that would be–sorry–Byrne, Jurgens & McGuiness).

But since the cat has a gun to my head, I would choose Swan’s clean linework to the Quitely’s scratches.

Quitely
I think this run will be remembered and influencial to later Superman stories, a few years after its completed.

T. said…
“I think Quitely is talented, but gets elevated to a higher level than he actually belongs due to his longstanding association with Morrison.”

There’s probably an element of truth in that, but I don’t see the comic world lauding Howard Porter or Chas Truog due to their association with Morrison.

Howard Porter doesn’t have a longstanding association with Morrison, just a run on JLA. Chas Truog to my knowledge just did Animal Man with Morrison, plus his work was pretty horrible.

Quitely on the other hand has done the extremely highly regarded Flex Mentallo with Morrison, as well as JLA Earth 2, New X-Men and All-Star Superman. And don’t get me wrong, he’s definitely an above-average artist, not a hack by any means, I just think the fact that he’s illustrated some of Morrison’s most classic stories have elevated him into a higher echelon of comic godhood than he may actually deserve.

Oh, and We3, I forgot that one.

Yeah, I realise Quitely has done a lot more work with Morrison than other artists, but I figure the reason for that in the first place is because of his exceptional talents.
The other artists I mentioned were just meant to be an example of how other artists drawing Morrison’s Superman, and drawing Morrison’s most famed run, didn’t recieve the same acclaim as Quitely, but you’re right that it’s not really a fair comparison.

Don’t make me choose…

Ideally Swanderson (Swan inked by Murphy Anderson).

No love for Wayne Boring? Now HE drew a doughy Superman… still, I have a lot of fond memories of Boring’s Superman stuff.
All that Kryptonite!

Swan, for all the obvious reasons. Quitely’s a very talented artist – anyone else out there remember “Electric Soup”? – but for me, something in the way he draws people conveys a certain snarky attitude towards them. I always feel slightly unclean after reading one of his books. And yeah, I know that says more about me, and yeah, I’m still loving All-Star.

My favorite?…Neal Adams
“Superman vs. Muhammad Ali” Absolutly cemented Superman’s look for my taste.

Adams is almost a bridge from Swan to Quitely.

I do appreciate Quitely’s Clark Kent, but there is something scary (in a good way)about his artwork that fits meaner work like “The Authority” and “JLA Earth2″ better than the sun shiney “All-Star Superman”.

I still pick up almost evertything Quitely draws though!

Swan, by a long shot. Quitely’s just doesn’t look heroic.