Ruskd's blog, page 3 - StumbleUpon

Last login: 28 months agoRuskd: Rusk is a 44 year old married guy from West Des Moines, Iowa, USA.; Likes 2,720 pages, 2 videos, 108 photos • 104 fans • Received 13 reviews; Member since Aug 25, 2005

Favorites » His Blog

Cover #13: Feb 14, 2006 5:24am 1 review
http://www.acomics.com/covern13.htm; The Great Carl Bark!

FOUR COLOR #199 (DONALD DUCK) (1948)
CARL BARKS

An outstanding example of Carl Barks' ability to combine cartoon and dramatic elements (possibly the greatest purveyor of said combination after E.C. Segar), this cover follows the form of most of the images on this list: simple, dramatic figures framed against a solid background with no unnecessary clutter or information to get in the way. Donald is stalwart in protecting nephews Huey, Dewy and Lewy behind the badge of "The Sheriff of Bullet Valley." The boys stand behind, surprised but unruffled by the experience, expecting "Unca Donald" to make sure everything is okay in the end. A beautiful image, enhanced by the orange/yellow starburst behind which accentuates the ricochetting shells AND the boys' expressions of awe! What kid wouldn't want to see what this was all about?

http://www.shanejohnsonbooks.com/: Feb 11, 2006 6:02am 1 review books
http://www.shanejohnsonbooks.com/; Christian Sci-fi!

Cover #14: Feb 11, 2006 5:44am 1 review
http://www.acomics.com/covern14.htm; The Great Jack Kirby!

FOXHOLE #1 (1954)
JACK KIRBY

Another cover which represents the change in depiction of the soldier in the years after WWII, this powerful image is deceptively complex. Placed in a scene of utter carnage, a soldier stoically contemplates what he's been through as he composes a benign note home which covers up the horror he's seen and the injuries he's sustained. Those who say that Kirby is incapable of subtlety should take a close look at this cover to see the incredible expressiveness the soldier, his face swathed in bandages, staring into the distance with his one good eye--beaten, but not broken by his experience. The composition is masterful: central image at page right so that we can absorb the letter home and the background action before his expression registers, and again the whole scene is silhouetted by a simple, flat background of red sky and billowing smoke. The story is heartbreaking and poignant, evocative and intriguing--enough to entreat almost anyone to take a look behind this incredible picture.

Galactic Civilizations II: Feb 11, 2006 5:42am 10 reviews video-games
http://www.galciv2.com/; This is going to be a great game! Feb 21 can't get here soon enough.

StumbleUpon - BoycottShampoos web site reviews and blog: Feb 9, 2006 9:38am 115 reviews
http://boycottshampoo.stumbleupon.com/; I crack up every time I visit!

www.toto99.com - Official TOTO Website - Releases: Feb 9, 2006 5:59am 1 review
http://www.toto99.com/releases/toto/fibrelease.shtml; Yes, this band is still recording. Though they are literally unkown in the US now, they enjoy a huge following in Europe and Japan. The late, great, Jeff Porcaro (my all time favorite drummer, and originator of that famous "Rosanna" groove) sadly, died of a heart attack years ago. But the band had the good fortune to hire English drummer, Simon Phillips, to fill Jeff's shoes.

Cover #15: Feb 9, 2006 5:37am 2 reviews
http://www.acomics.com/covern15.htm; HIT COMICS #5 (1940)
LOU FINE

The first time I saw this cover reproduced in Steranko's History of Comics, I had no idea who Lou Fine was, much less the character of the Red Bee! The depiction of the red-clad hero, chained, grappling with an enormous killer swordfish quickly began a lifelong love affair with the art of one of comics' great masters. This dynamic composition is essentially monochromatic, with red being the dominant element, while some pale yellows and a smidge of blue float, almost unnoticed within the image. Fine's exemplary draftsmanship is highlighted as the figures curl and writhe in front of the solid black background, fairly coiling around one another in an attempt to gain the upper hand. In the 40's Fine was one of a handful of artists (with Reed Crandall, Jack Kirby, Mac Raboy and a few others) to truly understand the art of cover composition. A quick look at his covers for Hit Comics, for example, will show a phenomenal eye for design, with a perfect understanding of the need for focus on the action. Fine almost always put figure groups in front of flat backgrounds of primary colors (usually red or yellow), where they charged out at the audience, forcing them to contend with these powerful pictures. Check out Hit #17 for the illustration which almost knocked this one off the list!

http://www.jimhillmedia.com/: Feb 9, 2006 5:34am 4 reviews movies
http://www.jimhillmedia.com/; For stuff inside "The Kingdom", check out Jim Hill!

Cover #16: Feb 8, 2006 5:19am 1 review military
http://www.acomics.com/covern16.htm; STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES #138 (1968)
JOE KUBERT

This is the face of war according to Joe Kubert and Robert Kanigher. As depicted on this classic cover, German WWI ace Rittmeister Hans Von Hammer is first and foremost a man, not an instrument of government. Here he is humanized not only through Kanigher's story, but through Kubert's subtle and quiet portrayal of him as a man who hates war, only doing war's bidding because it is his duty. The strong design of this cover--with a blood-red diagonal cut across the brooding, monochromatic specter of the Enemy Ace set against a black background--is a powerful and stark reminder that death looms large for those engaged in the business of war.

Please login or join to view older archives