In tribute to one of the greats, some of the biggest names in comics pick their favorite covers by Nick Cardy, who died yesterday at 93. Levitz, Bullock, Hembeck, Hardman, Palmiotti are among just a few …
Writer Paul Levitz, former president and publisher of DC Comics: “My fondest memory is of the cover Nick did for me for Christmas With the Super-Heroes tabloid C-34, my first editor’s credit. But his run as a DC cover artist included so many beauties — I recall an early Teen Titans with the logo in a book/box format, a great Superman standing in a storm, and his early Ghosts run, which is often overlooked but were some of the best-selling mystery issues of the period.”
Artist Dave Bullock: “Pick just one fave Cardy cover? It’s a helluva hard choice with so many great Superman and Teen Titans covers to choose from but… Covered in crayons and worn as it is, I still have my treasury-sized edition of DC’s Christmas With the Super-Heroes. The light-hearted image portraying the heroes as a family along side Santa has a prime spot on my bookshelf and in my heart. I can’t imagine the Christmas of my youth without it. … Thanks for all of the wonderful memories, Nick!”
1974
Historian Jon B. Cooke: “While beloved friend and tremendous talent Nicholas Viscardi drew any number of superior covers than this, my selection is The Brave and the Bold #92. Rarely was his storytelling better than in the interior pages of this and in the B&B issue prior (featuring Nick’s sensual and exquisite Black Canary), when the artist was experimenting with design and innovative visual devices to push the comic-book envelope. Godspeed, Nick.” (Note: Jon’s 1999 interview with Nick Cardy about these two stories will appear in memory of the late, great artist in the next Alternative Fridays column at 13th Dimension this week.)
Oct-Nov 1970
Artist Cully Hamner: “I mean, it’s really hard to settle on just one, but this is mine, I think (Bat Lash #2). I just love that big hunk of black right in the middle of it, isolating characters who obviously feel isolated. All his covers were design-oriented, but moreover, they were character-oriented. Design was always about character with him.”
Jan. 1969
Legendary parodist Fred Hembeck: “Very sorry to hear Nick Cardy has passed away. His work on Bat Lash is, for me, some of the most wonderful ever included inside a comic book — and his cover for Bat Lash’s second issue remains one of the most dramatic and gorgeous pieces of artwork DC Comics has ever been lucky enough to publish. Redrawing and recoloring that little masterpiece in my own style was a true labor of love. He will be sorely missed.”
Artist-writer Gabriel Hardman, Aquaman #42 and Bat Lash #2: “I was the sort of kid who was fascinated by the past, so as a young teenager I loved searching through back issue bins. I wanted to find that interesting artist I’d never heard of, and I wasn’t put off by old-fashioned stuff. I’ve never had a compass for what’s considered cool in mainstream comics, I just like work that speaks to me. This led me to discover artists like Bruno Premiani, Pat Boyette and Nick Cardy. As square as the comics were, I had a real affinity for the late ’60s/early ’70s DC Comics and Nick Cardy’s covers were the gateway to that era. He was obviously a tremendous draftsman but his line work was rough around the edges. For anyone who knows my art, it won’t be a big surprise that this is the quality that appealed to me. His work didn’t have the advertising sheen of Neal Adams (though Cardy went on to success in other ares of commercial art himself) and I think that’s a good thing. Though the greatness of Adams’ work is undeniable, it’s Cardy’s covers and interiors that resonate with me to this day.”
Writer Rob Kelly, author of “Hey Kids, Comics!” runs the Aquaman Shrine: “My favorite Aquaman cover by Cardy was Aquaman #42. But I’d say a runner-up for favorite Cardy cover period is Bat Lash #2. Both covers seem to leap off the page with their unusual and compelling designs. Then add in Mr. Cardy’s peerless draftsmanship and you have two classics … two classics out of the several hundred other covers that deserve that designation! The man was one of the most talented comic book artists ever to work in the medium.”
DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio released this statement through the company: “Nick Cardy was a wonderful artist and person, but I’ll always remember his amazing covers. From the classic “Is This My Foe?” Aquaman #42 image that featured a victorious Black Manta hoisting Aquaman above him, to the first appearance of the Teen Titans, Cardy just knew how to get a reader’s attention — and that is a talent that can never be understated. He was my definitive DC cover artist for the ’60s.”
Dec. 1968
Cartoonist Kerry Callen: “Some bold, comic cover images stick with you all your life. I saw Superman #279 as it first came out and bought it. Even as a kid, I wasn’t truly a fan of a superhero in any ‘losing’ situation, but Batgirl was so beautifully drawn, I had to own it. Thank you, puberty, for allowing me to pick up great art before I even knew what great art was. It’s hard to choose a single favorite Nick Cardy cover. He created so many, many great ones. I guess I’d have to go with one that has a personal connection, Teen Titans #1. It was the first comic book I ever owned! Plus, can you find another cover with the same layout as this one? I’ll answer that for you. No.”
Sept. 1974
Feb. 1966
Writer and historian Ed Catto: “Even though I have a still have a crush on Nick Cardy’s Wonder Girl to this day, let me answer this in a couple of ways: As a kid, I always loved the over to Brave and the Bold #91. I remember being so intrigued and wondering ‘How could this have happened?’ As an adult, I realize it has everything about a Nick Cardy cover I like: a beautiful blonde, innovative composition, inky blacks and something just a little different. In this case, it’s showing the action right after it happened. I still buy this issue whenever I see it at a convention because Cardy’s interior art is moody and powerful too. As a long-time Nick Cardy fan, I’m currently most fascinated with this romance covers, and the cover to Girls’ Love Stories #139 in particular. It’s simple and striking – but the innovative composition and use of color in the background figures just screams out to the viewer. Any other artist would have stopped at rendering just a beautiful girl in a bikini, but not Nick Cardy.”
Aug-Sept 1970
Nov. 1968
Writer Jim Zub, The Spectre #8: “A great cover grabs your eyes from across the room and doesn’t let go. Nick Cardy’s covers always popped off the shelves with simple, powerful designs, confident figure work, and strong color choices.”
Writer Joshua Hale Fialkov: “The Spectre #8, wherein Nick Cardy made a goofy visual design into something terrifying. My love of that character comes from these comics, and more importantly from these covers.”
Jan-Feb 1969
Writer and artist Jimmy Palmiotti: “My favorite cover by the Nick has to be for Aquaman #37. What I loved best about this piece is the horror on Aquaman’s face, and the amazing body language of each and every figure. How could you not want to pick this book right away? Add to this is the beautiful lighting coming from above and the surreal above-water sea structures and the perfect placement of the logo and you got one hell of a beautiful classic piece of comic art.”
Jan-Feb 1968
Artist Shawn Martinbrough, Action Comics #409: “Nick Cardy’s mastery of creating drama and true moments of character emotion were always on full display when he illustrated covers for DC Comics. I distinctly remember this particular Action Comics cover grabbing my attention as a young comic book fan. Greats like Nick Cardy continue to inspire my work as an artist to this day.”
Feb. 1972
Artist-writer Dean Haspiel: “It’s impossible to pick your favorite Nick Cardy cover who, arguably, drew some of the very best comic book covers ever. His art was unique in its illustrative qualities and he was a great storyteller, too. Just look at how well designed the cover to Aquaman #48 is. When you quit gawking at the damsel in distress, you may just notice the threat lining the perimeter of the cave as Aquaman swims to help save her. I’ve also attached a quick Aquaman drawing I did for a pal of mine that was inspired by Nick Cardy. I’m so glad I got to meet and shake Nick’s hand and got to talk to him a few years ago at Baltimore Comic-Con. Enjoy!”
Nov-Dec 1969
Writer Vito Delsante: “If I had to pick one Nick Cardy cover that really speaks to me … one that I love above all others … it’s Teen Titans #14. It’s the DC equivalent of the Spider-Man No More (Amazing Spider-Man #50) that John Romita did. Robin and Spidey, both teen heroes, walking away (going in opposite directions), ominous lighting. Cardy’s is the moodier of the two, and definitely makes you feel as if Robin is quitting (Quit! Quit!). Such a beautiful piece. Rest well, Mr. Cardy.” (Dan here: This is mine, too!)
March-April 1968
Writer Jai Nitz picks Weird War Tales #9: “The one with the Nazi tank rolling toward the frozen Viking army.”
Dec. 1972
H. Scott Jolley, 13th Dimension contributor and Wonder Woman expert: “I have two! First is Teen Titans #22. Love, love, love the composition here. All that white space on the right balanced against the crazy dimensional goo on the left. Poor Wonder Chick, always stuck in the middle! My other favorite is the very next issue, Teen Titans #23. Back off, tigers! It’s a bold new direction for a character who never even had her own name before now — this is the first time we really meet Donna Troy. Just a classic cover, so much so that George Pérez paid homage to it when Donna changed her costume again in 1989 (but the less said about that, the better).”
July-Aug 1969
Sept-Oct 1969
Writer Fred Van Lente, Aquaman #40: “Really, too many great ones to choose from, but this is probably my favorite because of the clever use of Mera’s hair doubling as an ocean undertow. We really have lost one of our most inventive illustrators.”
July-Aug 1968
Menachem Luchins, owner of Escape Pod Comics and 13th Dimension contributor, picked Crazy #15: “Cardy did some great covers for Marvel’s Mad imitator, “Crazy.” This one always stood out to me as just so … Rockwellian. Gotta love it!”
Jan. 1976
Historian Arlen Schumer shared this spread from his book, “The Silver Age of Comic Book Art”: “Nick Cardy’s work hit his career peak between ’68-’73, when his covers and interiors for DC reached their zenith (coinciding with Carmine Infantino’s move to art director/publisher, making Cardy’s covers leap in their dynamics from ’67-’68).”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks