tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post5156089952692730948..comments2024-03-21T06:36:04.196-05:00Comments on The Idol-Head of Diabolu, a Martian Manhunter blog: Creators of Mars: Joe CertaDiabolu Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-17594975444045439352010-05-20T01:41:47.690-05:002010-05-20T01:41:47.690-05:00The name was vaguely familiar, so I Googled up som...The name was vaguely familiar, so I Googled up some art, and the examples I saw were very nice.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-10998435493615201212010-05-20T00:46:55.072-05:002010-05-20T00:46:55.072-05:00I've only read one Roy Raymond story, the one ...I've only read one Roy Raymond story, the one from Detective Comics #225, which is included in the couple of facsimile edition reprints of that issue DC has done (because of a certain other story). If that story is a representative example, then Moreira's art is the only reason Roy Raymond lasted as long as he did.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-54852432383233688762010-05-19T18:58:57.054-05:002010-05-19T18:58:57.054-05:00Ooo, Moreira would have been interesting...Ooo, Moreira would have been interesting...Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-91772937353101349552010-05-19T12:41:44.289-05:002010-05-19T12:41:44.289-05:00Certa could also adapt his style to the material. ...Certa could also adapt his style to the material. For the early plainclothes detective John Jones stories, the art has a gritty, film-noirish feel. As the Manhunter from Mars became more of a super-hero feature, Certa's style became less detailed and more light-hearted, more cartoony. He had a loose, expressionistic style for the Idol-Head stories, returned to a grittier style for the early Marco Xavier stories, and reverted to a cartoony style for the later, sillier Xavier stories.<br /><br />I assume he ended up with Manhunter from Mars because he had already been drawing back-up features in Detective Comics for a few years -- first Robotman, then Captain Compass, and then the strip that replaced Captain Compass, Manhunter from Mars. If Schiff had decided to bump Roy Raymond, TV Detective instead of Captain Compass, Ruben Moreira would have been the first Martian Manhunter artist.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-54807511541479608812010-05-19T00:53:18.088-05:002010-05-19T00:53:18.088-05:00That's true. It took me a little time to start...That's true. It took me a little time to start appreciating Certa, but he really is a gem. His '50s work is really nicely polished, while his later '60s stuff incorporates elements of Gil Kane and Carmine Infantino that really blow me away.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-7918214734778206522010-05-19T00:42:21.080-05:002010-05-19T00:42:21.080-05:00Glad to see a writeup of Joe Certa. It's a sh...Glad to see a writeup of Joe Certa. It's a shame there isn't more information about his life. You really have to appreciate the guy when you see how many kinds of faces he could draw. Especially when many artists today rely on a standard idealized face and the only way to tell characters apart is hair color. I mean, Certa could draw some real <i>mugs</i>...that takes a good eye.LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com