A friend of mine recently reminded me that I need to be reading lots of comics if I am going to be making them.
So, one trip to the comic book shop later I discovered this wonderful all ages gem! Herobear and the Kid, by Mike Kunkel is absolutely glorious.
You can tell the artist is an experienced animator. All of the characters, even minor ones, have fun, well crafted designs. The art choice of leaving it all in black and white except for the herobear's red cape was smart and flashy. My eyeballs devoured this comic book over and over again, and I found myself wanting to make more fun cartoony art.
Story wise, it is pretty simple: Boy turns his stuffed bear into a superhero, goes and fights various villains. Appropriate for all ages. But the thing that really shines here is the art. Every panel on every page was carefully chosen; the posing and staging all communicate something.
My recommendation?: Get this book! You will not regret it. If you think making cartoony art is easy; think again. This is good quality cartoon art.
Comments
Got two of his books. Love Mikes hilarious squash and stretch of faces and over the top expressions. The story plot is tried and true, but Mike does a terrific job of making the story heartwarming, engaging and really fun.