Like most of your basic Marvel Zombies, I was introduced to Larry Stroman through his 1991 run on X-Factor with Peter David, part of the same "Mutant Genesis" initiative that brought us X-Force and the best-selling single comic book of all time, X-Men #1. I'd started buying that series again because of the dynamic art of Whilce Portacio, but Stroman was not of the reigning styles of his fellows like Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, or Marc Silvestri. Stroman work was more sophisticated, urbane, and design-oriented, but he was still flashy and detailed enough to hold his own. His run of interiors was a mere ten issues, but remain memorable to this day. Marvel went after big names like Jae Lee and Joe Quesada to fill those shoes. Stroman's follow-up project was meant to be DC's Darkstars, but I understand that he abandoned it after three issues when the offer of an Image book came through, and his replacement Travis Charest provided all the cover even before he took over interiors. As we know, most of the Image Comics founders struggled with deadlines when they also had to run a whole business unto themselves, but the second wave of creators were punished for committing the same sins of the first. Tribe was an interesting book with a lot of neat ideas and potential, but only one issue was released through Image, and only a handful followed elsewhere.
I think Larry Stroman was an extraordinary talent whose influence would have elevated the quality of comic art, if he'd had a greater amount of output an visibility. He could have been the Bill Sienkiewicz of X-Factor, if a few things had gone different ways. Stroman's output after Tribe has been light and not exactly high profile, though I've picked up much of it. I was really excited about the prospect of seeing what he would do with the New 52 Martian Manhunter, and I certainly feel like I checked a box by getting something from him. I understand he made some investments from the money Tribe #1 brought in that sustained him after the market fell out, and you can still get original art from him at shows, if not in comics. I wish things had gone differently, but at the same time, how much longer do you figure we've got, anyway?
Artful Mondfay
3 comments:
Awesome! You can see Stroman’s style in the face. In fact, this J’Onn wouldn’t look out of place in a Stroman-illustrated issue of Alien Legion. He’s criminally underrated. One of the only full-character pieces I own is a beautiful rendition of Phoenix I bought from him a few years ago.
- Mike Loughlin
Glad you liked it!
it's really strange to encounter early stroman, now. there's stroman in some of the Continuity Comics i've been collecting, and it's not like what i know him for. but the same could be said for stroman doing that alpha flight annual... there were all shades & flavours of his work, and i really liked the fashion angle he brought to his x-force stuff. there was a little howard chaykin buried in what stroman did on the page. like you, i miss that dude
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