Honoring one of the all-time greats…
Writing a lengthy preamble about my thoughts on Marshall Rogers is pretty pointless at the stage of the game. Other than Neal Adams, he’s probably the comics artist I’ve written the most about over the years, particularly when it comes to Batman illustrators.
Rogers, who died in 2007 at the age of 57, was born 72 years ago on Jan. 22, 1950. For this year’s birthday celebration, I’ve decided to do something we’ve never done — 13 SPLASH PAGES, all culled from his ’70s salad days in Gotham, a fictional city he drew better than anyone who’s ever lived. (In my not-so-humble opinion. But it makes sense, given he studied architecture.)
So dig these 13 SPLASH PAGES by one of the all-time greats — mostly inked by Terry Austin:
Detective #475
Detective #474
Detective #472
Detective #481. (Rogers inks too.)
DC Special #15. (Rogers inks too.)
Detective #468
Detective #471
Detective #475. Not a splash page but close enough. Because, man.
Detective #471
Detective #479
Detective #473
Detective #478
Detective #476
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MORE
— Dig This Fabulous Original MARSHALL ROGERS BATMAN Art. Click here.
— INSIDE THE BATMAN: The STEVE ENGLEHART INTERVIEWS. Click here.
January 22, 2022
For me, that run’s portrayal of the Dynamic Duo is the quintessential take.
January 22, 2022
That last page always puzzles me. What is the white part supposed to be?
January 22, 2022
I think sunlight gleaming off the building behind him.
Btw I was unaware of the late Mr. Rogers until DC did the shadow of the Batman reprints and I was blown away and became an instant fan.
January 22, 2022
Me too, I think he is trying to frame the bat symbol with the rising sun…
January 22, 2022
I didn’t understand myself for a long time but eventually figured out that it was lens flare. Steve Englehart talks about it here: https://13thdimension.com/detective-comics-476-the-masterpiece-inside-a-batman-masterpiece/
January 22, 2022
I’ve told myself it was sun glare for over 40 years
January 22, 2022
Lens flare.
January 22, 2022
Wishing a very happy birthday to the late Mr. Rogers.
January 23, 2022
Marshall Roger’s beautiful city scape turn Gotham into a character,
No one drew a more breath takingly beautiful Silver St Cloud like him.
I treasure my copy of his inked rendition of Silver sitting by his drawing table with Batman peering outside tut window.
January 23, 2022
Being an architecture student made Rogers the perfect artist for drawing a realistic, but still very moody Gotham. I don’t think any Batman artist (including Neal Adams) ever drew Batman’s cape better.