CSBG Archive
365 Reasons to Love Comics #297
Let’s talk about a dude who draws snazzy pictures. (Archive.)
10/24/07
297. Gabriel Bá
One of the best exports to come out of Brazilian since their women’s soccer team, Gabriel Bá is a fine, fine artist– and twin brother of equally fine, fine artist Fabio Moon. Together, the two of them produced loads of great comics that none of us have ever read because they all came out in Brazil.
They’ve since transported their work to America, and Bá’s art has appeared in such illustrious works as Casanova, which, as I said yesterday, is totally one of the best books coming out right now. Along with writer Matt Fraction, Bá crafted the world of EMPIRE, WASTE, the Quinns, the Seychelles, and the Berserkos (man, you wouldn’t think a frightening mutant like Ruby Berserko could look adorable, but Bá pulls it off).
Bá’s angular Euro-South-American art is perfect for a superspy comic. There’s a little bit of Mignola in there, too, among other things. I love his style. Check out the following, which includes some of my favorite Casanova images/sequences:
After the first Casanova album (now collected into a handy hardcover, but unfortunately without the backmatter that lets you into Bá’s artistic process– so search out those singles, lads and lassies!), Bá traded off with his brother and moved on to a different series– the Umbrella Academy.
Written by some dude from some emo band (Gerard Way), it’s actually a ridiculously awesome comic filled with crazy stuff like wrestlers elbow-dropping octopi and an undead oven-powered Gustave Eiffel. The story of an extremely dysfunctional family of super-kids all grown up, it’s most definitely recommended and worth checking out. And you get Bá’s art in full color! Woot! He easily sells the necessary energy and the sense of the bizarre.
Has anyone ever drawn a better gorilla-with-man’s-head than Gabriel Bá? I think not.
From madcap, cerebral espionage to madcap, genius, uh, super-stuff, Bá can draw anything and make it look darn pretty. I’m already planning on buying stuff he draws just because he draws it– and because I know he has such good taste, I’m sure the stories will be great, too. Now let’s see some translated collections of his foreign work, dangit!
For the Bá/Moon site/blog, click here. And for an interview with Gabriel on Umbrella Academy and other things, go here.
Who else digs Bá’s art? Why do you love it?
9 Comments
Apodaca
October 24, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Ba’s not bad, by any means, but his linework’s a little too loose for my tastes.
Rohan Williams
October 24, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I love Ba- he was the perfect choice of artist for Casanova, as you say. There’s some Mignola in there, but it’s a little smoother and more stylish. He’s got an amazing feel for layouts as well, and Ba’s storytelling ability had a lot to do with making Fraction’s trippy story comprehensable.
Honestly, anytime anyone writes a spy comic, Ba should be at the top of their list. Unless they call Fabio Moon first, who should totally get his own entry as well…
Paul
October 24, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Your tastes are suspect, Dan…this man can draw the shit out of anything!
Apodaca
October 24, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Well, no, actually. If he drew the shit out of things, it would be super-rendered and more along the lines of Finch or Silvestri. I don’t think any of us want that.
I didn’t say he was bad. I said his personal style wasn’t my preference. When he does sequential art, my eyes tend to gloss over and I lose the narrative flow of the piece. That says nothing about Ba, just about my reaction to it.
So, you know, his skill was never in question. I’m simply stating my feeling on his style.
J to the AAP
October 25, 2007 at 1:16 am
Great artist indeed but one of his Brazilian works has actually been translated. De:Tales is a book he did together with his brother and was published by Dark Horse a while ago, I’d certainly recommend it.
J to the AAP
October 25, 2007 at 1:18 am
Come to think of it Mark Andrew even wrote a review of it: http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/05/26/eisner-nominated-reviews-detales-stories-from-urban-brazil/
Paul
October 25, 2007 at 7:31 am
Right, and I’m saying your feelings are incorrect, Pedantodaca. Just giving you crap, dude. For being wrong and having wrong feelings. About everything. But I will stop because it must be hard enough having bad preferences without someone like me harping on you for it.
Comics Should Be Good! » 365 Reasons to Love Comics Archive
October 25, 2007 at 7:13 pm
[...] 297. Gabriel Bá More to come! Look for a new Reason every day! (Maybe!) [...]
Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » Oct. 26, 2007: No, I’m not promoting your intellectual-property farm for you
October 26, 2007 at 6:36 am
[...] [Profile] Bill Reed sings the praises of Brazilian twin cartoonists Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon. (Above: sequence from the Moon-drawn eighth issue of the swingin’ spy series Casanova, ©2007 Matt Fraction and Fábio Moon.) [...]