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Nice tribute to Neal. Nice Zorro cover.

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Neal Adams is such a master of the form who does not get enough credit. Thanks for helping to rectify that

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Amazing, amazing cover for Zorro. I think you nailed it. Love what you did with the blacks and how everything is there. I'd love to see more of this approach.

Last year I discovered a bit of Toth's work and read through his Zorro comics. Impressive stuff, I completely understood the love for his art. It's always a great source for inspiration. One of those artists that makes me go "I love comics!" with joy.

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A,

I'm glad you're enjoying the newsletter. This is why I love Substack, everyone here wants to be here and it makes writing these stories and updates much more fun than throwing them into the great void that is most of social media.

FYI: I'll only excuse the "Sir" stuff once, it's Joe ;^). Chaykin however is always "The Great."

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Hi sir. Just wanted to give you a big thank you for the great war stories. As one reader already stated, and I'm further affirming it, these really take the edge off most of the crazy news we've been dealing with for most of the week, month and year. It's also a treat to see the great Howard Chaykin corresponding with you here =D. Take care and stay well, sir.

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Hope you’re well! I had a question about learning to draw and write. I think (and I’m sure you said this) that you have to draw and write everyday. My question is, does art or a creative writing program enhance your abilities exponentially? Or is it, “that you have it or you don’t)?

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Mike,

Anything, whether school, an art book, or speaking to a professional in your chosen field is helpful, especially if you're listening and open to different points of view.

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Neal Adam's was a great artist Its cool you met him. It's cool to be influenced by another artist but it's better to have your own. Back in the day they had artist like Kirby, Gil Kane, Mike Golden. Mike Zeck. Now they got frank quietly, alex Ross, Lee bermejo and Joe quesada don't forget john Buscema

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Thanks, Kevin. Flattery will get you everywhere here on DTLS.

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I think it was Neal (that's who I attribute it to when I tell this to other artists) that also said "style is where influence meets limitation." Which is a similar thing to what you relayed here. For me, in my aspiration over years to draw like Kirby/Timm/Cooke/Mazzucchelli...where I fall short of that, that's my style. Shoot for the stars and settle for the moon, or however that saying goes.

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Jacob, that's a much more concise way of saying what took me an entire newsletter to communicate ;^)

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That Zorro piece is stunning ! I do believe I saw you working on it during a OD&DSC session :)

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Sean,

I started it during an episode of Drink and Draw.

After the episode, Dan Panosian begged me for it. I mean, he got down on his hands and knees. It was embarrassing and unnecessary, especially since it was drawn digitally. But he kept begging.

I felt so bad for him (yes, he has big biceps, but he's a real softy) that I drew and inked it and gave it to him as a gift. He started crying again when he received it, so I had to hang up on him.

Sean Murphy had heard about the piece (as well as Dan's crying) and asked if it would be okay to use it as a variant for his Zorro Kickstarter. I was flattered but told him he would have to ask Dan if he'd be willing to remove it from its museum frame to scan it properly.

I'm certain Dan had it museum-framed, right?

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When I left home and moved away in 1974, at the age of 20, I got an estimate and mailed off my considerable Marvel collection to a retailer in Denver. UPS said it never arrived. I never got paid. Anyway, I was having lunch at my new job in 1983 when a co-worker brought a comic to read. "What is that?" I asked. "The Dark Knight," he replied. Then I discovered graphic novels and comic stores, which I had only dreamed about as a youngster. The first time I walked into a comic store, coincidentally at the location of a drug store where I used to buy comics, I just walked around slack jawed and walked out. I couldn't believe it. Like you said, I "left comics behind" but came back big time. Love your stories, Joe!

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Chuck, it sounds like we rediscovered comics at exactly the same time.

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What's weird about that timing for me was that after chasing five drug stores every week to get the comics I wanted (and that didn't work too well), "someday there will be stores that only sell comics." Also the idea of a graphic novel was a pipe dream as far as I knew. And here's this guy at lunch reading one! Totally mindblowing.

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I pencilled for Marvel in the 90's, and I'm sure the reason I got the job was because I was able to mimic the trend at the time, the very rendered Image style. At the time, Larry Hama took me aside and gave me some great advice. "Keep it simple". He said I was rendering too much, and I realize now that it was a sign of insecurity. He turned me on to Alex Toth, Milton Canniff, etc., and I was already a big fan of Steve Rude, who was of that school. Over the years I have simplified my work greatly and am always getting books of the masters as I can afford them for inspiration.

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Henry, almost every artist at that time was trying to mimic the Image style, it was a real thing. I think that's why artists like Mignola resonated with me. He was doing the exact opposite.

And Larry is a wonderful guy and amazing artist, writer and designer who was also mentored by Neal.

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Yep, Larry is a great guy, always helping. Larry was my writer when I penciled "Blaze" in the late 90's, he shared many stories with me. I also worked at Neal's studio and learned much from him. Like Larry, he was a huge fountain of knowledge and willing to help those that would listen and not let their egos get in the way.

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The first time I met Neal Adams was a few years after I started a sketchbook with a theme of artist choice. Mr. Adams looked at me and asked if I really meant any character he wanted to do. I told him yes, and he went on to tell me that his all time favorite character was Atomic Mouse and was I sure that that was okay. I told him of course, I wanted to see what he’d draw given free rein. He looked so happy at the drawing table while he did the con sketch of Atomic Mouse and would take occasional breaks to play with my son who was crawling around the table at his feet, (He was 1 at the time) and then told me how whenever he could get away with it he hid an Atomic Mouse in all crowd scenes of superheroes. My Neal Adams Atomic Mouse is one of my most treasured pieces of original art.

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Stephen,

Thanks for sharing, that's a great story. I never heard about the Atomic Mouse thing.

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I didn’t think about including it before, but here’s a link to the artwork. https://1drv.ms/i/s!AgkQ39UzLs6F6lBA_c6uuhUygKEF

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That's fantastic!

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Thank you, sir.😀

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Looking forward to seeing you at the con. Maybe this time you’ll have time to convo with one of your long time fans, you’ve always been so busy but I see your taking things a little easier.

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David,

I've always tried to make time to talk to anyone who approaches me at shows. It's a bit easier these days because I'm on my own scheduled.

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And you did, I enjoyed our convo at NYCC and I really enjoyed the sketch you took the time to make for me, until next time thanks.

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Great article. Thanks Mr. Joe. Great pick me up from all the bad in the news lately. Appreciate it.

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Thanks, J,

We could all use a little escapism during times like these.

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Wish I could make it. Have to work and out of town...

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Joe,

You were missed.

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Neal is one of those figures in comics I'll always regret never having had the chance to meet or speak with. Just having the chance to talk to his family was a great experience in itself, but there aren't a lot of comic artists whose style could be fairly described as revolutionary, and he was one.

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Zach,

Agreed.

And there are things that Neal would do behind the scenes that will never be seen on the page, comic, or reprint. From time to time, he would call me at Marvel to make me aware of a creators health, or economic situation, in the event there was something Marvel could do.

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