THE NEAL ADAMS CHRONICLES: One of the master’s favorite characters…
People rightly hold Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams’ famed Green Lantern/Green Arrow run in high esteem, because of its political relevance and the often-tumultuous relationship between the male leads.
But Black Canary was a main component of a lot of those stories and to this day, I don’t think anyone’s drawn her better than Adams. (Alex Toth, whose style was substantially different, is a close second.)
1970’s Green Lantern #78. Frank Giacoia inks.
Anyway, there’s a gorgeous Black Canary portrait at the online Neal Adams Store and ya gotta check it out.
Here, I’ll help:
“Black Canary was one of Neal’s favorite women to draw because of her lustrous, blonde hair,” said Peter Stone, Neal’s son-in-law, whose column is central to 13th Dimension‘s NEAL ADAMS CHRONICLES. “Coming from the school of Stan Drake’s women and his wonderful inking of their hair, Neal had fallen in love with that blonde, beautiful vision of Black Canary.”
1966
“Neal readily admitted that he studied Stan Drake’s The Heart of Juliet Jones for the lines Stan drew for one of the main characters’ hair,” Peter added. “Stan could draw a line that started thick, then narrowed to a thin line, then back to a thick line. One line. Neal spent a long time mastering that skill. That was the real love Neal had for Black Canary.
“Did he love drawing the fishnets? Probably not. Too many lines. Just to put it in perspective, though, the women Neal loved and lusted over were Sophia Loren (he REALLY loved her), a young Lainie Kazan, Ann-Margret and, of course, Lynda Carter. Odd that he liked brunettes (and a redhead) in life, but blondes in his art, right?”
Sophia Loren, as if you didn’t know…
The 8 1/2″ x 11″ original illustration runs for $2,500. Click here for more info.
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MORE
— NEAL ADAMS CHRONICLES: JOE KUBERT AND NEAL ADAMS: Two Artists, Two Friends, Two Legends. Click here.
— THE NEAL ADAMS CHRONICLES: 13 REASONS Neal Adams’ BATMAN: ODYSSEY Deserves Your Respect. Click here.
September 21, 2023
I definitely see the Ann Margaret influence -a lot-now that you mention it.
September 21, 2023
Always a fan of Cardy’s version of the lovely bird too…..
September 21, 2023
That Green Lantern #78 page was my real introduction to Black Canary back when I snagged the paperback that reprinted some of the GL/GA stories. I must’ve been around ten or eleven or so. I love it!
September 22, 2023
I still think that Alex Toth’s Black Canary was the best looking.
September 22, 2023
Alex Toth brought a sort of ‘post-psychedelic’ sexiness to the character. He’s the first artist I think of when I hear the name .