Best comic/manga artist(s)

[Smertnik]

I really like the sketchy art style in Dorohedoro. The author Hayashida Q hasn't done much else, though, unfortunately.

Spoiler

 

[Queen Michael]

Great thread! Anyway:

If we're only talking artwork, the medal goes to Eduardo Risso.

Spoiler: Just look at this.

Spoiler: Or this.

Spoiler: Or this.

Other greats include:

Spoiler: Joann Sfar

Spoiler: Lee Bermejo

Spoiler: Jack Kirby, of course

Spoiler: Osamu Tezuka

Spoiler: Will Eisner

Spoiler: Goseki Kojima

Spoiler: Jaime Hernandez

Spoiler: Gilbert Hernandez

 

[Erja_Perttu]

Herge. Not the most intricate looking visuals, but I consider story a part of the artform and those combined to make his work unbeatable.

Miyazaki's work on Nausicaa was pretty phenomenal too, though.

I completely agree with those two choices. I could look at those two art styles all day.

I'm quite a fan of Hiromu Arakawa too. I loved reading Fullmetal Alchemist, there were some fantastic panels in that.

 

[SckizoBoy]

... Kozue Amano... only because I'm reading Amanchu! at the moment.

But seriously, her backgrounds from Aria are unbelievable... and the reason I found my way around Venice without needing a map (of course... that and... y'know... ACII... -_- ).

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Fiona Staples is my current favorite

Spoiler

But other than that there's the wonderful Frank Quitley

Spoiler

Darwyn Cooke, Modern Artist who invokes the best of the classics

Spoiler

Juanjo Gaurnido, an absolute master of facial expression... even when most of his characters are animals.

Spoiler

The classic Moebius, who heavily inspired Hayao Miyazaki.

Spoiler

Also Miyazaki...

Spoiler

Yukito Kishiro (I love Battle Angel, but Last Order gets seriously crummy)

Spoiler

Hiromu Arakawa

Spoiler

And since I'm running out of patience to search and post images...

Western Comics:
Mike Allred, George Perez, Alex Ross, Gene Ha, Zander Cannon, Lar DeSouza, Danielle Corsetto, Chris Hastings, Ethan Nicole, Mike Krahulik, Scott Kurtz, Will Eisner.

Manga (I don't like reading most of these series's anymore, but I still love the artwork)
Eiichiro Oda, Tite Kubo, Akira Toriyama, Yuichi Kumakura, Masamune Shirow.

 

[aba1]

UNFAIR you took the best choice right off the bat >.>. On a side note I can't believe nobody has said Jim Lee yet the man is a god artist.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I've always been a fan of classic Jack Kirby if we're talking super hero comics.

Perez is a baller too:

Spoiler

Woop Woop, glad to see there's another George Perez fan in the house. My favorite of his is the Morgan Le Fey Arc on The Avengers... where he draws Medieval Versions of EVERY AVENGER EVER and it's amazing!

Edit:

I don't know if I'd peg Jim Lee as a personal favorite, but DAMN has he had a huge influence on comics as a whole. Even if his artwork gave rise to the horrible Rob Liefeld...

Edited Edit!:

I'm the only one who put down Moebius? Really? Alas, poor brilliant french comicker, your work is known by so few.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Pro tip. ANY SEINEN MANGA HAS GREAT ART.

However, my favorite is probably Takehiko Inoue

From his environment:

Spoiler

To his characters

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To his watercolors

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Takehiko Inoue is probably the best manga artist out there.

Holy balls man! Thank you so much for making me find Vagabond. I've read the book a zillion times and it's one of my favorite books ever. I had no idea it had been adapted into a manga. I knew something was up when I recognized the name Tsujikaze Temma. Thanks dude!

OT: I think anyone living in Finland (myself included) would also mention Don Rosa. His art surpasses every other Disney artist, IMO even Barks himself, by a million miles. It's simply amazing.

Spoiler

Also, another vote for Guarnido. His drawings are simply mind-boggling.

 

[Deverfro]

I can't say one...SO!

Michael Avon Oeming- Fantastic inks and his composition is amazing! (Powers, Takio, Rapture, The Victories)
Doug TenNapel- Simple, expressive style coupled with heart warming stories (Ratfist, Iron West, Cardboard, Monster Zoo)
Humberto Ramos- Cartoony style that has great emotional weight (Amazing Spider-Man)
Ryan Ottely- Amazing composition and great at drawing violence and gore (Invincible)
Skottie Young- Scruffy, cartoony and down right adorable (Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel's Oz)
Scott. C- Simple, and full of personality (The Great Showdowns, Amazing Everything)
JM Ken Nimura- Super simple, and full of energy and emotion (I Kill Giants)
Cory Walker- Simple, fun and charming (Invincible, Science Dog)
Mike Allred- Pop arty style thats packed with charm (Madman, FF)
Filipe Andrade- Charming, and energetic (Captain Marvel)

 

[axlryder]

Well, many of my favorites have already been mentioned

Joe Madura is good though

I love that sketch.

 

[ZRShinigami]

Wow a lot of great artists

my favorites:
Amazume Ryuta
Hirano Kouta
Naoki Urasawa
Arakawa Hiromu
Boichi
Mizukami Satoshi
Murata Yuusuke
Katou Kazue
Irie Aki
Park Jin-hwan
Asano Inio
Fujita Kazuhiro

overdid it a bit :/

 

[Glasgow]

I agree with Berserk. This was the first piece I read in the 'genre' of manga and ever since it never disappoints.

 

[SadakoMoose]

Naoki Urusawa, mostly for his story telling.
Monster, 20th Century Boys, Pluto, etc.

Spoiler: Urusawa

Also, Aaron Alexovich, because of his character designs and use of black and white.

Spoiler: Aaron A.

Spoiler: He also did work on Invader Zim

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

While JJBA is probably my favourite manga of all time, the art tends to fluctuate a little bit. Story quality and such is nearly always freaking awesome but the art for Part 1 and 4 could use some work.

OT: Oh! Great for Manga (because despite the fact he's a giant perv that guy can DRAW) and... I kinda feel Jack Kirby but for modern ones, Tony S Daniel did my favourite art for Superman ever in Action Comics 18 so guess he's getting it (even if he can't write for s***)

Well that was because Araki got JJBA from a shonen to a seinen. When he was with shonen he was on a tight deadline but once he hit seinen his art just exploded. Part V was when JJBA became seinen, right? That's my theory.

Steel Ball Run, that was the jump to Seinen. You're right, there was a noticable jump in art for the backgrounds but also for the characters and general chapter length. Part 5 and 6 were both better artwise than 4 though pretty much everyone has four for their favourite.

OT: Also contributing Ivan Reis and Jim Lee here, even if Jim Lee takes forever to draw his stuff it always comes out good (provided he's got something to work with, no-one could make Liefeld's stuff good..)

 

[kebab4you]

Only going by art?

Spoiler: Osuzu Akiomi

Then again, I don't read that much manga so probably a lot better artists out there.

 

[Shinsei-J]

Anyone ever heard of a small time manga artist by the name of Naoshi Komi.
He has a very quaint style that has just been perfected over time.

Spoiler: One of his series that got cut short. Double Arts

Spoiler: His currently running series. Nisekoi

I just really like his art style I guess.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I never pay attention to the artist names, to my ultimate detriment. I have enjoyed the stylized comic books from dark horse on the Star Wars franchise though I can never remember the names of those who make them.

Jan Duursema? She did the artwork on Star Wars: Legacy. And more recently, Dawn of the Jedi.