TWO ARTISTS WE LOVE

AMY REEDER

Dynamic pencils lead to dramatic storytelling

My favorite place at any comic convention is Artist Alley. Without fail, one of the first artists I visit is Amy Reeder. She is like a breath of fresh air in the comics fi eld. Fun, quirky, and exceptionally talented, Reeder also happens to be one of the nicest artists I’ve ever crossed paths with.

I first encountered Reeder in the DC booth at NYCC 2010. She was getting ready to take over alternate art duties on Batwoman as well as providing covers for Supergirl. I love booth sketches, so I quickly got in her line. We chatted for a bit and she told me how much fun she had drawing Madame Xanadu. (I didn’t really know the character, but I bought the trade and was instantly blown away by her work. She was awarded Eisner Awards as Best Penciller and Best Cover Artist for her work on the series.) As we chatted and she sketched, she turns to me and says, “I’m not doing my best work today. Why don’t you come by my desk tomorrow and I’ll do a better sketch for you?” I went to her table in Artist Alley the next day, and true to her word she had drawn a wonderful Supergirl for me. It would have been so easy to forget, but she didn’t. I’ve been a devoted fan ever since.

Reeder continues to churn out some of the best pencils on the market. Her pages always have a clear focal point and are so technically profi cient. Reeder’s work has a clean, soft line, with a keen sense of pacing and fashion, along with some of the most expressive faces in all of comics. If you are not familiar with her work, I can’t recommend Rocket Girl more highly. It is, simply put, one of the most beautifully rendered books in all of comics.

Amy Reeder's Supergirl

DC Comics

Amy Reeder's Madame Xanadu

DC Comics

HUMBERTO RAMOS

His manga-inspired style is instantly recognizable

As a proud Latino, I love following the exploits of Latin artists. In 1995 I was introduced to the frenetic and expressive art of Humberto Ramos, a young Mexican artist, would quickly become one of my favorites.

Humberto burst onto the comic scene while launching Impulse with the great Mark Waid. His work was manga-inspired, but had an energy that literally jumped off the page. With a thicker line and dynamic poses, his work would inspire a new wave of artists (Ed McGuiness, Joe Madureira, and J. Scott Campbell). In 1998 Humberto was tapped by Jim Lee’s Cliffhanegr Comics to launch his own creator owned-series Crimson. Ramos would continue to play in this creator-owned realm for almost five years, launching Out There after Crimson. After playing for so long in the teen world (Impulse, Crimson, and Out There all centered around a youthful cast) that catered to his strengths, Humberto would get the biggest break of his career.

In 2003 Ramos began an award-winning run at Marvel, working on covers for Spider-Man. With his profile at an all time high, he would continue his Marvel work while still launching creator-owned books (Kamikaze and Revelations). In 2008 Humberto went full-time exclusive with Marvel. He’s worked on The Runaways, Spider-Man, and re-teamed with Mark Waid to launch The Champions. With an oft-copied art style, he stands completely unique with instantly recognizable art. He is hands down one of the best Spider-Man artists of all-time and an absolute inspiration to Latino artists everywhere.

Humberto Ramos' Spider-Man

Marvel Comics

Humberto Ramos

Humberto Ramos