The Retro Genius of Darwyn Cooke
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2024
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Darwyn Cooke worked in advertising and animation for years before breaking into his first love, comic books. This video takes a look at his relatively brief but exciting career from his earliest work on Batman and Catwoman to his creative heights on DC Comics projects like The New Frontier and Solo through his final years working on darker crime comics, adapting Richard Stark's Parker novels. He had a retro style influenced by 1950s and 1960s Americana and it was full of energy and excitement. - Розваги
Hi Chris. I think I can answer your question concerning the 14 pages of Batman Darwyn used to get work at DC. I was in San Diego and remember Mark Chiarello telling a room full of artists, hoping to get a big break, that he'd just received a submission from an artist whose published work was going to blow our minds. He was talking about Darwyn and the submission included pages of the re-worked Batman story "Night of the Stalker".
If there are 14 of those pages they are the Batman pages you'd heard landed Darwyn the DC gig. As far as I know nothing from EGO was produced until much later. Darwyn re-worked the "Night of the Stalker" pages again for print in SOLO. The original version didn't have Lee Marvin or any likenesses to characters that had appeared in "Selina's Big Score".
Thank you for this video. It's nice to see the old guy appreciated and understood with such glowing praise. On a personal note, the Wonder Woman/Black Canary story I drew for the New Frontier one-shot is, to me, some of my best work. It was definitely a highlight of my career so far.
Thanks again.
best,
J.Bone
Thank you so much for this important correction, or at least additional information, Jay. I love the Tangled Web Christmas story you two did together.
WOW!
This is one of your all-time best episodes and certainly 👌 one of my favorites.
I gotta admit, as much as I love the awesome new animated intro, I’m gonna miss the old “comic tropes” intro jingle haha
We all miss things that used to be, even when the future is obviously a million steps above what came before
I miss the "Oh hi! You caught me_________" intros.
@@ShinbrigTV I feel you.
Love the old song
Like the new intro.
Darwyn cook understood the hearts & souls of dc’s characters and was a master storyteller with a passion for comics.
I still miss him.
Darwyn Cooke's The New Frontier was a huge inspiration for me to move forward and be a positive person, comic book industry will miss him
yah i love his retro art style it inspires my style a lot
wasn't that hard, now, was it?
Yeah, me too. I was awed throughout. Now I must read it again! We all miss him, Nikita. Be well.
I didn't know Cooke was responsible for Selina's modern catsuit. I totally agree with him about doing his best to honor the past.
_“I want [mainstream comics] to stop catering to the perverted needs of forty-five year old men.”_ -- *Darwyn Cooke*
Speaking as one of that demo, I second that statement.
so he abandoned his goal, then?
I agree with Mr. Cooke. What, are those guys afraid to watch porn or something?
@@truefanforum3273 Porn with really good stories to go along with it aren't all that easy to come by.
@@somerandofilipino6957 That's probably because good stories are about as necessary to porn as screen doors are to submarines.
Darwyn was a rare breed of comic creators. He could do it all. Draw, write and ink to a higher level than most creators. His SPIRIT run was so much fun to read. His Parker run were all masterpieces. Tragic that as comic fans we only got 4 Parker graphic novels. He also designed the opening credits for the Batman Beyond animation series last minute over a weekend. Truly was a huge talent .
I don’t feel his art was retro, I think it was timeless and tells a story. Something that many newer artists aren’t anywhere as accomplished both technically or creatively.
He drew clothes to the superheroes, not naked guys with color over, you can see the lines of the costumes over the bodies.
The New Frontier brings tears to my eyes every time I read it! Darwyn truly understood DC’s characters and told a beautiful action filled story. Batman: Ego is THE most underrated unread Batman story ever told!
I was unaware he passed away in 2016. That’s sad he was a tremendous creator
I've read New Frontier this year. It was such a great book it was indeed a love letter from the past but I like how he made it complicated by addressing Racism, politics, gender... all the things that were bubbling under the facade of Golden Age America. such a sad loss that we lost him this early. RIP.
Was fortunate to meet Darwyn at a con a year before he passed, incredibly friendly with every guest in line. New Frontier is an absolute beauty of a story a must for any superhero fan.
I didn’t know he was Canadian! It’s always cool as a Canadian learning a out creators from here. I also didn’t know he had died! RIP Darwin Cooke.
Yep, he worked at the Madison pub in Toronto prior to his breakout as a comic creator. As a student at the University of Toronto at the time, would hang out there a lot as it was close to campus. I knew him casually and we would share a laugh later at conventions remembering those days.
I've worked in advertising for 30+ years and before that, I used to hang out at our family's ad agency when I was a kid in the mid-70s. It was the tail end of the era depicted in MAD MEN and the art directors and illustrators I got to know then created ads and visual images in much the same style as Darwyn Cooke. There is something about that "mid-century" look today that makes it very hip - like the graphic design used for Playboy, Esquire and other mens' mags of the 60s.
As a huge pulp and golden age comics guy, I'm glad you showcased New Frontiers. I'm going to buy it now and savor it. It looks right up my alley. Thanks again, Chris, for a great show and all you do for the comics industry.
Every-time I re-read BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTE MEN, I cry . Partly because it really works and its a worthy, tragic prequel Moore’s book, but partly because it’s the (unintentional) final testament for Cooke, and really highlights the great talent we lost.
RIP to a legend. New Frontier gets a lot of well deserved love but him and Brubaker on Catwoman is my favorite. Cooke also gave us those amazing Parker adaptations.
The thing that always amazed me about Cooke’s simple, but gritty line work, is how he fleshes it out with marker like rendering. His use of Grey over color, and Color Highlights add dimension the way Zip A Tone once did. He also proved that gritty and dark stories don’t always have to come with murky shadows or “edginess” to be effective. Storytelling first. While I’m disheartened there won’t be more, I’m glad for what there is, and glad to learn more about it, and him, here. Thanks, Chris.
Great to see some coverage on Darwyn Cooke, but I would have liked to see some mention of his work on The Spirit. I've always felt that his work on the character was the truest to Eisner in terms of both writing and visuals.
Not only the art, but his writing was great on that series. It was a joy to read and you are right he respected Eisner's original vision and added his own touch to the character. Not an easy thing to do.
Quite. As an illustrator and a designer, Cooke brought both a lightness and a depth that evoked Eisner's, and yet remained completely his own.
That quote at the end wow thats legit right there RIP Darwin you are missed
DC The New Frontier is my favorite comic book out there and I don’t think anything captures the spirit of superheroes like it does. Darwyn Cooke was a master at storytelling, just got his Parker series and can’t wait to read it!
Such an amazing talent, God rest his soul
Batman Ego is one of the single best Batman stories ever made. Absolute must read. It's the most interesting one character internal struggle and it's almost entirely in the batcave and Bruce's mind. It goes so deep into the heart of the character in a conversation that feels like it must have happened at some point, it's great to actually see it. How does Bruce live with Batman and vice versa?
AND it offers no easy or pat answers, tempting things for this kind of story.
Rest in the Infinite, Darwyn.
He was able to imbue deep heart and gravitas into his art while maintaining a shamelessly cartoonish flare. Acknowledged the harshness of life while reminding of it's limitless promise.
I admire Darwyn Cooke's work so much. Thanks for shining a light on him.
It's been a while since I last watched, I like the new intro and was suprised by the lack of intro skit
Edit: grammar
It's honestly painful to imagine how many more great stories we might have gotten from Darwyn Cooke if he was still with us, but will now never see. 😪
Darwyn Cooke really makes me wish i could draw, such an amazing artist who simplified the human form while keeping the emotions intact. RIP.
This could have been three times longer and I'd have relished every second. Few creators are as consistently and uniquely rewarding as Darwyn Cooke. It was especially fascinating how his skills as an illustrator and designer informed his strong instincts as a writer. For what it's worth I'd say his Before Watchmen issues (Minutemen and Silk Spectre) stood far above the rest and were the most respectful to Moore.
My introduction to Darwyn Cooke’s work was his illustrious of Catwoman. I went through a huge phase when I was about 5 or 6 when I was obsessed with Catwoman and I remember seeing Cooke’s art of her in a character encyclopaedia. His design of Catwoman will always be the definitive version for me.
Darwyn was such a comic book purist. His Parker stuff is awesome. I was at Walmart one day and saw they had an anniversary edition on Blu-ray for 5 bucks. I had to scoop it up. I liked how he illustrated Wonder Woman being taller than Superman. Lol. The work he did with Brubaker was phenomenal. Always felt his art was just an homage to the silver age of comics in the 60s. Thanks for this video appreciating this gentleman's legacy.
The Spirit was the reason I got into comics. Cooke’s Spirit/Batman will always have a special place in my heart.
I asked for and got the Parker Martini edition for Christmas. Really cool that you made this video for the holidays!
There are many YT channels that showcase opinions, reactions, theories...even propaganda. Chris, I find that your work has become the YT equivalent of a literary essay. Keep up the great work, and Happy New Year's.
I got to meet Darwyn at a Baltimore show in 2007, I think. He asked me to wait while he had a smoke break. When he came back, I got to speak with him about his work on Spirit, which I loved.
Thank you for recognizing Darwin Cooke as he weaves beautiful storytelling through visuals! I actually own BTAS artbook with his amazing storyboarding! Thank you again for recognizing his talents and art style!
Ironically, Cooke’s ‘Minutemen’ was the only ‘Before Watchmen’ that I considered essential reading. Everything else felt like a retread.
Another banger of a video! Man, DC The New Frontier is THE greatest superhero comic book of all time for me. Cooke is such a legend, I loved the way he wrote Silver Age Barry Allen, just totally made me fall in love with that character. So happy you finally covered him!
And his take on Wonder Woman remains the BEST modern take on the character, perfectly balancing between strong and compassionate. "For The Greater Good", the add-on story to New Frontier, drove that point home.
I always forget how short his bibliography actually is. He just feels like one of those writers who have been around forever and have done everything. Wish it was true.
Thank you for this one, Chris. Means a lot.
I met him in 2013 and he was incredibly kind. He signed multiple things for me and patiently answered all my stupid questions. An amazing comics talent and also an amazing person.
Darwyn Cooke was someone we need in this declining comic book industry.
Yes, yes, yes! New Frontier is an absolute masterpiece.
Love Darwyn Cooke. Love the new intro as well.
I’m very new to Cooke. Didn’t know he wasn’t with us anymore. First of his works I purchased was Parker: The Score. I’ve been loving it. Gonna go back and grab many of his works now. Thanks Chris.
You're going to LOVE The Outfit, brother. Personal opinion, all four Parker pieces are great but it's the best of them.
@@johnathonhaney8291 You got me even more excited! I kinda started out of order. But The Score has been so good. If The Outfit is better, I’m in for a real treat! Thanks bro!
Merry Christmas, mate!👍 Love the channel. UK fan👍
As an old school comic strip fan I can pay Darwyn Cooke no higher compliment than to say he would have been a circulation booster for the newspapers that carried his artwork. His talent shares a place at the cartoonist table alongside Milton Caniff, Roy Crane, Frank Robbins, Walt Kelly, Crockett Johnson, Gus Arriola, Kreigh Collins, among others whose work , especially in the 1950s made comic strip reading addictive and memory inducing.
Wow, I've heard about Darwyn Cooke, but never really got into his work before. I've got the animated "New Frontier" movie, but never read the graphic novel. I may just have to pick it up. Another wonderful episode, Chris!
I see a Harvey Kurtzman at EC influence on the Hal in Korea portion of New Frontier.
I think Darwyn Cooke got better over time, I personally didn’t like his cat woman art because arms would be large or heads would be large, etc. But, his later work that he did ,like in the noir comics , he got better in my opinion.
Personally, there is nothing wrong with having adult themes in comics, it's more what adult has come to mean in the modern entertainment industry. Though they had their own share of problems relative to the time period, take a look at adult shows from the 50s when things were still heavily censored, a lot more substance. It feels as if we have the exact opposite now, less censorship, but adult content is used for cheap points rather than anything meaningful. For example, someone laughing at an F-bomb over why the profanity was used in the first place. I tend to not find this very satisfying.
Agree, nowadays seems like adult content is defined by "bad" words, tons of bood and violence, and sex/nudity, which are all cosmetic things and very few things go to the actual story being told.
I found the animated show Bojack Horseman to be such an amazing example of this. It uses vaudeville, slapstick, wordplay and downright silly humor while also tackling some VERY heavy subject matter... Yet rarely do they drop F-bombs. Or show full on sex/nudity. (in fact I don't remember any actual nudity) I think there's like... ONE f-bomb per season, and it always comes at a very intense emotional moment. Seriously, don't let some of the silliness of the premise fool you. The show has some masterful writing.
I think it takes far more skill to produce true ‘all ages’ work.
I know this has probably been said to death but that new intro is so beautifully animated!
Darwyn Crooke and Mike Mignola styles are our favorite . Simple yet detailed
I can’t help but think how much my dad, who influenced my sequential art favorites, would have loved D. Cooke’s output. Thanks for turning me on to his work.
Great stuff, always!
oh yeah comic troopes and sunday coffee :) Great video ! I love Brubaker and Cook make some awesome comics and Parker books are soooooo good !
Loving the trope/coffee combo.
Next I'll look for those Parker books.
rip Darwin Cooke you were one of the greats
I loved most of everything I ever came across (his comics work). I know true talent when I see it, and he manifested true talent from my first encounter to my last encounter of his work. Another of the great ones, gone, but never forgotten.
My favorite artist/creator too! Thanks Chris, for such a moving tribute to a much loved person. 😍 🤩
Your retrospective angle is the 👌 best.... keep up this great work! 😁👍👍👍
I read Parker and I loved it, its an amzing adaptation of the books that I had already read, hitting the dark and almost mean tone just perfectly. I had no idea that I'd seen his work in the animation that I watched as a kid. Awesome video.
Thanks Chris, for a new video. Nice Christmas 🎁 present!
I'm a fan of Darwin Cooke for ten years or so, since I found his "Parker" work. This tribute does him justice. R.I.P.
Happy 2021....
DUUUUUDE!!!! It's here! Thank you Chris, ending the year on such an incredible voice in comics. Hope you've had a good holiday season! This is one of of best gifts of the year man, I can't thank you enough.
Great content as always Chris. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for doing this Chris
Sorry, Chris. Had to pause the video for a while just to immediately purchase New Frontier. Cooke is a freaking genius, thanks for introducing him to me and keep up the good work!
Thanks Chris. Happy New Year!
Have been following for a few years now, want to say thank you!!! And couldn't agree more about 'New Frontier' and all of Cooke's work! You da man!
Always a pleasure. Thank you for your consistent quality and heart.
This is one of my favorite videos on your channel. The new opening is great. The kirby krackle background is great. And Darwyn Cooke is great! Well done.
Wow. Such a cool episode. I recently discovered your channel and i'm learning a lot of new stuffs. Cheers from Argentina! 🇦🇷💛
Thanks for making this! Love Darwyn Cooke's work and am happy to learn a little more about him.
Great as always. I would love it if you would do a show on Mike Parobeck. I think his ability to tell a story through his images alone were on par with Kirby. Truly a talent that was taken from us too soon.
I loved his work on the Batman Beyond opening.
Another great episode, thanks!!!
Very talented man. Thanks for highlighting his works.
Wolverine/Doop needs a shout out, seems like no one else read it but Cooke killed it in a short fun 2 issue story. Not as epic as New Frontier but I love his IDW, Catwoman and smaller stuff because it shows how much he can do without needing Batman or Superman on the cover of his work.
Great episode Chris. Wonderful coverage on the amazing Mr. Cooke. I feel fortunate to have known him.
Thanks for this episode. Cooke has a special place in my heart ❤️ I love his three major DC works (IMO) and have the HC's of New Frontier, Ego and Selina's Big Score. I am going to add that Slam Bradley stuff to my hunt list. Keep up the great work!
Wonderful post about the late Darwyn Cooke. I love his style especially in The New Frontier and Richard Stark’s Parker. Thanks much!
I've been waiting for this episode since I first started watching Comic Tropes.
Darwyn Cooke is one of my favorite comic book artists and writers. His comics always bring me a special kind of joy, the kind you get from enjoying art that feels earnest and free of any cynicism or irony. He is truly missed.
Yo a video on my favorite Comic Book artist! Can't wait to watch it later tonight.
Another fascinating, well researched and presented profile of a prominent contributor to the wonderful artistic medium of comic books. Incredible work again Chris. Thank you.
Cooke's Slam Bradley is Robert Mitchum 100%
Thanks for this episode Chris! I loved it ! I'm sure this would have made Darwyn happy, and may he Rest In Peace, god bless his soul.
Awesome job. Thanks for putting this together. The loss is painful but his work endures. I wish Darwyn’s vision for the Marvel Adventures all-ages line had come to pass, as my three sons would have really enjoyed them!
I loved Cooke and Brubaker's Catwoman. I got it physical at home. It was great how they made conversations interesting both with dialog and in terms of graphic design.
Yes a new comictropes video. I love your content keep making videos btw I love the new intro
Wonderful video! As a 'son of the post-Crisis', it was very meaningful to get to read The New Frontier, perceiving it precisely as you said, a love letter to not only DC characters, but the Silver Age specifically, something I sort of had kept in a box , in the back of my incipient, rather sporadic childhood comic reading. Cooke, even including the formerly masked social issues, and precisely for THAT, made it Magic. I 'blame' Wolfman and Pérez New Teen Titans for my becoming a true comic book fan (The "Runaways" two-part story). So the post-Crisis was perfect for me, even if I didn't experience 'Watchmen' until almost right before the movie came to be. And speaking of which, I was almost certain you would not mention Cooke's take on it, as I think his work alone carries that torch properly. In the end, it more than made up for it; Cooke's quote from the RS interview said all. And in the end, The New Frontier would always be his Magnum Opus. It moved me so much as to review it in my fb page, nothing special and only for my friends, but still as a way to express how much it meant to me. Thanks for, once again, a wonderful video...
Thanks for talking about Cooke! He’s probably my favorite cartoonist, and it breaks my heart that he passed
Always top videos , thank you from Italy 🇮🇹
The Parker story The Hunter was also adapted into film in 1967 by John Boorman as Point Blank, with Lee Marvin as Parker.
One of my favorite films, actually. And Lee Marvin was also the basis of Stark, Cooke's Parker stand-in for his DC stories.
Love the new animated intro. Excellent!
Very interesting. So much researching. Thank you.
Great retrospective on one of my favorite artists! But, I was kind of disappointed that there's no mention of the Spirit series written and drawn by Cooke for DC back in 2007 (I think). Those were great.
Excellent presentation and analysis of a great talent! Thank you.
Another great video as usual. What I like the most is that even when I don't exactly agree with the opinion I can definitely see the love and dedication that went into making the vidoes thanks for that :)
I miss the silly 'challenges' though like eating burgers or drinking shots…
Come to think of it there haven't been any more videos of 'tropes' recently - not complaining, just making an observation.
Good morning Chris. Thank you for another great informative episode. I've been trying to get my hands on that New Frontier (both book and movie) for a while now. I like the fact that Darwin Cook seemed to respect the history of the characters and wrote/drew such. It seems some newer writers lean more towards "fan fiction" writing then keeping character. That kind of turned me off for a bit. Some day I'll try to find a few examples from my collection.
Hope you are having a great holiday time and a safer new year to us all.
The New Frontier is my fav DC movie. Great story and visuals.
Got the New Frontier Black Label edition for my birthday, as per your recommendation. I'm loving it so far!
FYI, regarding the all-ages issue, Cooke's point was made clear in an interview (which has been posted on UA-cam). He says that characters created in an all-ages comic should *remain* in all-ages stories. He had no problem with new characters being made for more adult stories. But he didn't think a kid who reads some back issues of Batman should also get the over-the-top grittiness of the recent decades. For what it's worth, I agree with him.
Great video, thanks Chris!
Love the new intro.