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Lou Mougin

Don Heck: A Work of Art Hardcover – August 26, 2014

by John Coates (Author), Eric Nolen-Weathington (Editor), Don Heck (Artist)

4.7 15 ratings

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Don Heck remains one of the legendary names in comics, considered an “artist's artist,” respected by peers, and beloved by fans as the co-creator of Marvel Comics characters Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Black Widow, and for his long stint on Marvel Comics' team book The Avengers. In Don Heck: A Work of Art, author John Coates has meticulously researched and chronicled information on Don’s storied 40-year career, including his time at DC, Dell, Gold Key, and as “ghost” artist on Lee Falk’s The Phantom newspaper strip. From personal recollections from Don’s surviving family, long-time friends, and industry legends, to rare interviews with Heck himself (where he discusses his career, artistic technique, triumphs, frustrations, and love of drawing), this book is full of insight into ― and first-hand anecdotes from ― the early days of Marvel Comics. It also features an unbiased analysis of sales on Don’s DC Comics titles, an extensive art gallery (including published, unpublished, and pencil artwork), a Foreword by Stan Lee, and an Afterword by Beau Smith.

Print length

192 pages
Language

English
Publisher

TwoMorrows Publishing
Publication date

August 26, 2014
Reading age

16 years and up
Dimensions

9 x 1 x 12 inches
ISBN-10

160549058X
ISBN-13

978-1605490588
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Jon B. Cooke
31
Paperback
33 offers from $30.39
Stan Lee
112
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About the Author

John Coates is Sadleirian Professor of Pure Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ TwoMorrows Publishing (August 26, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 160549058X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1605490588
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 16 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.68 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 1 x 12 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,568,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #590 in Comic & Graphic Novel Literary Criticism
- #3,345 in Literary Graphic Novels (Books)
- #4,781 in Artist & Architect Biographies

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4.7 15 ratings

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Lou Mougin

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Writer and historian of comics, new pulp, and anything I can get my hands on. Worked for Marvel, Heroic, Lucky, Eclipse, THE CREEPS, Pro Se, Claypool, InDELLible, and others. Old but immature, Christian, trying to hang on.

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David J. Hogan

A master artist recognized at last

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2014

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Don Heck was a key architect of the Marvel Universe, but of all the important comic book artists of the early 1960s, he may be the last to be represented with an art book. Heck was very popular with comic book buyers of the time, and sold many millions of issues, but because he wasn't as aggressively dynamic in his work as Jack Kirby, or as frankly eccentric as Steve Ditko, his reputation has suffered with the passing years. This pleasing book from John Coates and TwoMorrows Publishing helps restore some of Mr. Heck's considerable luster. The earlier reviewers on this page cover key points nicely. I'll simply agree that the numerous examples of Heck's pencils and layouts are the book's visual highlights. He drew beautifully--more in the style of a commercial illustrator than an archetypal comic book artist. Besides a sophisticated sense of design, he had a keen understanding of anatomy and an illustrator's ability to convincingly render street scenes and architecture, as well as the whole catalog of familiar objects, from aircraft to typewriters to sailing ships. And few could match his depictions of beautiful women.

Heck showed his versatility by doing superior work in many genres. His pre-Code work in horror and war remains startling; in superhero comics, he excelled with the Avengers, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Flash, the Justice League, and many others. Heck preferred to ink his pencils himself but, as noted in a review above, during his career he was paired with far too many short-term inkers, some of whom were frankly unsuitable or inferior. Heck was thus prevented from creating a "brand" akin to Kirby-Sinnott, Colan-Palmer, or DC's Swan-Klein. Don's own inks were simultaneously loose and disciplined--a neat trick that gives those pages vitality and power.

The book bursts with well-reproduced Heck art in color and black and white, but page design is very busy. My eyes jumped nervously around most spreads, and I didn't react well to a multiplicity of typefaces, some of which are not particularly attractive. But that has nothing to do with Don Heck. He was a professional's professional, and now he has a tribute he deserves.

11 people found this helpful

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Oscar Solis

Comics will break your heart

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2020

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Jack Kirby once said that Comics will break your heart. This biography proves it. A talented man who could draw better than better, Don Heck had trouble fitting in as a superhero artist at Marvel Comics where his work wasn’t seen as dynamic enough. He seemed to have done better at DC Comics where his conservative style of storytelling worked best. Having to deal with complaints from editors should have been the clue he needed to get out of the field and move into advertising as a storyboard artist where his style would have been appreciated as well as rewarded far more lucratively than comics could ever pay him. This book should be on every artists shelf for the art, which is excellent and as a reminder that just because you like something it doesn’t always reward you.

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docsavfan

I just finished reading this fine book on comic artist Don Heck

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2014

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I just finished reading this fine book on comic artist Don Heck. It's a good addition to all the other Twomorrows books on comic artists. The extended and edited interview by Will Murray, (author, as Kenneth Robeson, of the current run of new Doc Savage novels from Altus Press) is very informative. Mr. Hecks' career is nicely covered with many fine examples of his comic art over the years. My one regret is that some of Dons' best artistic triumphs were not mentioned or shown. Such as Avengers Specials #'s 1 and 2 and his inking on Jack Kirbys' presentation illustrations of the New Gods, the Gods portfolio, and a great Captain America spot illo recently seen as a back cover on alter ego magazine. It is too bad that Mr. Heck did not get many regular assignments in later years, and that probably added to a sometimes second tier status in the comic art world. But I still look at his 60's Avengers stories over and over again. All in all a fine job, highly recommended!

4 people found this helpful

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Paul S. Power

TwoMorrows and Don Heck cartoonist.

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2015

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A most enjoyable book on cartoonist Don Heck. I loved Don's art on the AVENGERS and Ant-Man/Giant Man. When he was teamed up with a good to decent inker, he was at his best. Sadly he got bums like Vince Colletta to ink and quite frankly Vinnie was murder on anyone that he fell prey to his rotten style of inking.
Don was rock solid. He should've storyboarded movies in Hollywood. He was mistreated by editors at Marvel & DC and left to felt inept. I wish I had made contact with him years ago. Hollywood wood have LOVED his artwork in films. He was really good and mistreated by New York comic groups. Beau Smith wrote a nice closing to the book and the interviews with Don were very well done by John Coates and Beau Smith plus the interviewers. A fine tribute to a former Marvel cartoonist giant who in the end was treated poorly by foolish fan boy editors at Marvel & DC. I include Stan Lee in that bunch of idiots as well.

4 people found this helpful

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Dr Maviael Joseh

co-creating characters like Iron Man and others

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2016

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Overlookedby his colleagues,overlooked by the editors, overlooked by the critics, Don Heck`s work shaped what we all know today as '' Silver Age of comic books'', co-creating characters like Iron Man and others , and the most curious and strange thing: never credited for it...this book is an first attempt to honor this fantastic artist.

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Thomas Stephan

Don Heck : A Work of Art

Reviewed in Germany on December 7, 2014

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Ich habe mich immer gerne an die frühen Abenteuer der ruhmreichen Rächer erinnert . Auch die Hefte mit den Origins von Hawkeye und Black Widow aus Iron Man sind Klassiker. So gehörte Don Heck immer zu meinen Top ten der klassischen marvel Zeichner , auch wenn ich schon deswegen ausgelacht wurde . Hier kann man sehr gut nachvollziehen warum Don doch ein Meister war und wie wichtig er für die frühen Marvel Zeit war . Hier wird er endlich mit einer Kurzbiographie gewürdigt ein Buch das überfällig war . Mit Vielen Bildern aus seiner gesamten Schaffenszeit einschließlich der Atlas und DC Zeit . Also ich finde ein tolles Buch Danke John Coates.

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ianmillsted

Beautifully produced book showcasing Don Heck's work in comics and ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2015

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Beautifully produced book showcasing Don Heck's work in comics and his story. Heck was something of an enigma and we are still left with questions at the end, but perhaps that is as it should be. If this book goes some way to restoring Don Heck to the status he is due then all the better.

One person found this helpful

NJJ

Haven't read it yet but it looks beautifully nostalgic, and full of interesting bits you can ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2015

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Haven't read it yet but it looks beautifully nostalgic, and full of interesting bits you can poick up and put down. Don't have to do it one take.

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