Apparently, Jim Aparo died. This is very sad for me, and I'm sure for a lot of other comics geeks. I'll always remember Jim as the artist on the Batman/Aquaman fight, but the man drew a whole lot of comics.
Posted by Matt Rossi at July 19, 2005 1:03 PM
I really loved is artwork on the Aquaman comic in the early 70's when I was a wee lad.
--Chris M.
My the time I came on the scene, he was long into his downward slide (around the late '80's and early '90's), producing Batman art that, frankly, sucked. It wasn't until I saw some of his '70's output that I realized how he had earned enough tenure to still be employed well after his prime.
Yeah, I know what you mean, Nathan. His later art, sadly, pales in comparison to the work from his prime. But when he was good, he was -very- good.
--Chris M.
My first exposure to him was probably on the 1-900-ROBIN DIE DIE DIE story, and I still thought he was a pretty impressive artist. My estimation of his skill only grew as I was exposed to more of his work.
Damn. This is dating me - or reverse-dating me, whatever you'd call it - but Jim Aparo drew the very first Batman comics I ever read as a kid (and some of the earliest comics period). Him and Scotty back to back - it's like my childhood dying all over again. Damn.
The first time I encountered Aparo art that made me rethink my opinion of him as a not very good artist was in the Dutch black and white reprints of his seventies Brave and the Bold and Batman work: his style suited b&w very well. On the Baxter Outsiders comic otoh, it wa just wrong.
At his best his artwork was in a class that gave me a physical thrill when I saw it, like Toth or Perez could also give me.