The dueling artists of Black Panther #32 pushed this solid issue to the top of my list. Francis Portela and Andrea Di Vito each get 11 pages to show what they've got and their work is awesome. Framing, character arrangement, and dramatic contrast between foreground and background shine as the art tells the tale of the new Fantastic Four marooned on a hostile planet.
It looks just like Chicago of the 1930s / 1940s, but Black Panther, Storm, Thing, and the Human Torch are not in Chicago (let alone on planet Earth). The heroes are on a Skrull amusement world taken from the memories of a kidnapped American gangster. The alien warrior race added their own flourishes such as flying jalopies, abducted cosmic beats, and a gladiatorial arena.
When Reginald Hudlin's already vivid concepts are visualized by Portela and Di Vito, the result is a ferocious issue with captivating action. Portela conveys the tension with his low angle, oblique perspective selections. Di Vito shows power when drawing the Black Panther himself, sending the hero leaping towards the audience while helping the series earn its namesake.











1 Responses to “Comic Pick - Week 48 2007”
Leave a Reply