Gene Colan was the artist behind the best of the favourite comic strip of my teens, Howard The Duck. As I was growing up I marvelled - I mean literally marvelled - at his abilities as a draughtsman and storyteller. There was no bigger contrast in comics than that between an issue of a comic that was regularly drawn by Gene Colan and a filler issue drawn by anyone else. Gene's art looked real. I mean REAL. Anyone else looked like some sort of cartoonist filling in for the master.
I read, and still keep and treasure, Gene Colan's Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Tomb Of Dracula, Howard The Duck, Avengers and Batman. I also have fondest memories of his quirkiest strips including Slow Glass, a painted strip in a 1970s Marvel sci fi comic based on a short story (I'll have fun finding that in the boxes in storage tomorrow).
Gene Colan's comic strip artwork deserves to be in gallery collections, he is such a significant part of 20th century popular art. In tribute I shall dig out his stuff tomorrow and read it. Essential Howard The Duck, it could be you.
Kev F
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