Names on the front of comics

GMaster

Banned
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
984
Location
South Yorkshire, England
When I look at comics, and I see the names placed on the front of the creative team, Usually we see only three names: the writer, the artist, and the inker. Sometimes it is as little as 2 names. Hardly any comics have the colourists name on, and little to none have the name of the letterer on.
I don't see why that is? Surely each person is as important as one another?
If I was a colourist or a letterer working on a project, I'd be annoyed at not having my name on, as I'd have worked as hard as the writer, inker and penciller on this project. It just seems as though they are trying to make the colourist and letterer seem not as important as the writer, penciller and inker.
 
The reason as to why that is cuz:

1.) No company is going to put like a ballizion names on a cover like that.

but really:

2.) The 3 most people that do the most work. The writer of the comic, the penciler, and the inker.

It's really cuz of those two, though not in those EXACT words, but y'know.
 
That's probably because that is who the people tend to follow. You rarely hear someone say "oooohhhh......so and so is the new colorer on blank book. I neet to get that series."

People tend to add or drop a book because of the writer and/or penciller and not on who is lettering, inking and/or coloring the book.
 
i've noticed colour changes in ultimate spidey numerus times, but i still buy it.
 
eroz said:
That's probably because that is who the people tend to follow. You rarely hear someone say "oooohhhh......so and so is the new colorer on blank book. I neet to get that series."

People tend to add or drop a book because of the writer and/or penciller and not on who is lettering, inking and/or coloring the book.
People may not say that because of the fact its not exactly widely publicised. And the fact that there are more company colourers than actualy employed ones, like Guru eFX.
 
Hello Meg It's Jon said:
Who is your favourite colourist?

I've always been partial to Paul Neary, myself. :D
 
GMaster said:
When I look at comics, and I see the names placed on the front of the creative team, Usually we see only three names: the writer, the artist, and the inker. Sometimes it is as little as 2 names. Hardly any comics have the colourists name on, and little to none have the name of the letterer on.
I don't see why that is? Surely each person is as important as one another?
If I was a colourist or a letterer working on a project, I'd be annoyed at not having my name on, as I'd have worked as hard as the writer, inker and penciller on this project. It just seems as though they are trying to make the colourist and letterer seem not as important as the writer, penciller and inker.

Can't speak for the colorist, but a lot of times the lettering is done by computer. My understanding is that sometimes even then there are "specialists" that work on it, it's still by and large done electronically.
 
GMaster said:
When I look at comics, and I see the names placed on the front of the creative team, Usually we see only three names: the writer, the artist, and the inker. Sometimes it is as little as 2 names. Hardly any comics have the colourists name on, and little to none have the name of the letterer on.
I don't see why that is? Surely each person is as important as one another?
If I was a colourist or a letterer working on a project, I'd be annoyed at not having my name on, as I'd have worked as hard as the writer, inker and penciller on this project. It just seems as though they are trying to make the colourist and letterer seem not as important as the writer, penciller and inker.

This is sort of comparable to the debate of whether Stunt people deserve their own Academy Award category.
 
Hello Meg It's Jon said:
Who is your favourite colourist?

Laura Martin (Ultimates 2, Astonishing X-Men) is the shizzle. Her colors are the first ones that have actually grabbed my attention and made me really appreciate what colorists do. Everything in U2 seems to pop off of the page a little more than it did in the first volume. The colors seem more vibrant, without being too bright.
 
DIrishB said:
This is sort of comparable to the debate of whether Stunt people deserve their own Academy Award category.
I disagree.

The colorist is like the cinematographer of the comic, something Bendis said back in his Image days. You could look at any set of pencils and inks and there are just about fifteen hundred different ways to color it.

Maybe they can go with a constantly sun-baked look, bright pastels or hard blues. The colorist has to collaborate with other creators to choose those colors, like a cinematographer chooses filters.
 
Another reason could be that sometimes entire companies colour books with their programs.

I think Digital Chameleon did some of USM and it looked great.
 
UltimateE said:
Can't speak for the colorist, but a lot of times the lettering is done by computer. My understanding is that sometimes even then there are "specialists" that work on it, it's still by and large done electronically.

Lettering is done by computer, but it is still a tricky job. Especially the big KABOOM's and such, placing them in the right place, deciding if ity was coloured would it give the explosion a greater effect, or should it be left clear to see the explosion, or should the words speak for themselves. Lettering isn't easy, trust me, I'm trying to do it on my own comic now.

ProjectX2 said:
Another reason could be that sometimes entire companies colour books with their programs.

I think Digital Chameleon did some of USM and it looked great.

Most colouring is done on a computer, that is what I use for mine. It gives a simple eye-pleasing look, but then you get people that try doin such thinmgs as pastel colours, and in the right situation, looks fuggin awesome.

And my favourite colourist? John Higgins.
Favourite letterist? Easily Richard Starkings. The guy did Batman: The Killing Joke with a freakin pen, for crying out loud!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top