If you’re a Simonson fan you have to pick up his Alien graphic novel adaptation with Archie Goodwin.

I really didn’t like that – but then I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a comic adaptation of a film

Bill: I don’t remember a lot of Byrne’s run on the NEW GODS either, but, c’mon man, I don’t think it was that terrible. It was not great, granted, it certainly wasn’t as good as I would have expected a classic Kirby creation done by Byrne would be.

Visually, I liked Simonson on ORION but I don’t hink his stories were that much better than Byrne’s. I don’t remember a single storyline from Simonson’s ORION… So I guess they didn’t make a deep enough impression on me to remember them even though it wasn’t that long ago.

Pfah! Byrne’s Fourth World run was absolutely terrible, but Simonson’s blew my brain out the back of my head. In a good way, of course.

But I just couldn’t get into his FF. At all. To the point that I’m surprised that people liked it.

Awesome Simonson take on HR Giger designs!

Then came Tom DeFalco…

Rather oldfashioned good vs. evil saga. Which is too boring for my taste.

You are saying almost exactly what I was writing in yesterday’s entry: Simonson is one of the rare artist who can do Kirby’s creations justice (not just the New Gods). John Romita Jr, Bruce Timm, Darwyn Cooke, Mike Mignola and yes John Byrne (which you dont seem to like, which is too bad cause it probably means he won’t get his own entry…) are among the other very few.

Visually, I liked Simonson on ORION but I don’t hink his stories were that much better than Byrne’s. I don’t remember a single storyline from Simonson’s ORION… So I guess they didn’t make a deep enough impression on me to remember them even though it wasn’t that long ago. Anyway, I have yet to see anyone other than Kirby write a good NEW GODS story… Well COSMIC ODYSSEY was nice (Starlin wrote it) but Mike Mignola’s art had a lot to do with it.

You should also track down a TPB that came out from DC a few years ago. I think the title was THE ART OF WALT SIMONSON (but I’m sure about the exact title). It had a few good example of his early work at DC: Hercules, Metal Men, Batman, Manhunter and some cool pirate tales he did in one of DC war mags.

You should also track down a black & white magazine from that great Bronze Age again: THRILLING ADVENTURE STORIES #2. It was published by Atlas/Seabord in 1975. Issue # 2 was the last issue… But what an issue! Cool pulp style stories by: Russ Heath! Alex Toth! John Severin! and yes, Walt Simonson! A cool samurai story written by Archie Goodwin (IIRC). All this under a Neal Adams cover. Is that a nice package or what?

Twomorrows has recently published a book about Simonson in their MODERN MASTERS SERIES (it’s volume 8). Lots of pictures and a long interview. But I would have prefered a little more details about the Bronze Age when Walt started and also a deeper exploration of his THOR days. To the point: I cannot get enough Simonson!

and the plot still remains comprehensible.

It’s anti-decompression, it’s the most compressed motherfucker I ever read – and it shows why it’s better.
Screw comics stealing from film, Simonson makes every panel a part of the whole page.
This shit should be studied, yo!

He is also responsible (indirectly) for Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed!

Written by Michael Moorcock and drawn by good ol’ Mr. Simonson!

Definitely worth the read.