The key to Toth's storytelling is choice of moment. It's about being a good director, ironically unrelated to his immense drawing facility. His character's acting takes advantage of the temporal relationship between panels, by skillfully choosing the moment to show us, in combination with excellent physical gesture (knowledge of the human form), he efficiently communicates the emotions of the scene.
Spot on, well said. I'd add to that his composition, cropping, lighting, and blocking, all which he employs usually first and foremost to also drive storytelling.
Listening to Chaykin is such a pleasure...his combination of knowledge, intelligence, acuity, and that sarcastic nature just make listening so educational AND entertaining.
exactly! One of those I looked to for great page layouts (along with Sim, Miller, Garcia-Lopez)...and that lettering by Bruzenak was always phenomenal!
Chaykin is a great illustrator and an awesome page designer. In that sense his work in the 80s it’s phenomenal. But as writer and visual storyteller, he is way better giving interviews.
I really enjoyed this. While I don't have the same disdain Chaykin seems to have for the comics masses, I fully understand the desire to find the people who look at this stuff on a much deeper level than the average reader. I tend to think of myself as a comics omnivore, I'll get obsessed with the particulars of a letter's work and also pick up the newest issue of Superman, and I find trouble getting into complex art or storytelling conversations even with the other folks who frequent or work at my LCS. This channel has been one a few high level analysis things I've been able to find online, and, other than reading the digital back catalog of Comics Journal, it has been a struggle to find stuff at this caliber
Thanks kindly for the comments, Stephen. This was/is my aim with this program, and I'm glad you find it scratches your itch! If you haven't watched before, I'd also recommend www.youtube.com/@StripPanelNaked and you might also enjoy Words, Images and Worlds: www.youtube.com/@JasonDeHart-kx7nq/videos
Always insightful discussions. Thank you. It was refreshing to hear Chaykin's insightful laser point assessments on Toth's work. " There's a unity to Alex's work that is just staggering...Get past the need for pyrotechnics and look at intimacy. " -
just an incredible discussion, was taking notes from it throughout. would love him to go full on like this about Harvey Kurtzman. Alright, off for another rewatch! Thanks so much for what you do here!
those crop in panels were more a way of emphasizing the flow of the story. I think Kubert said it best "he knew how to tell a story". using his style from his animation panel days he told the story in few very key panels, enough to where your imagination could fill in the blanks with no effort. a lot of his best work I think was in the "creepy presents" book.
I agree with your point on crops adding to flow, but also think there are other reasons for/strengths to it, like: emotion; composition; character' center of interest; focus - it doesn't have to be one or the other, does it? Also agree on animation work influencing his take on simplifying and storytelling, but find he was already doing that in other ways prior to the animation work. See episode 14: To Each Their Own Toth for how many have different views of what Alex's "best work" was. Easier to just love it all! ;)
I love listening to Howard. He's so funny. Chaykin's comics work lacks the depth of field. He's a graphic designer who dodges drawing anything that demands any real perspective. Toth NEVER dodged a tough drawing problem. Chaykin is a fan of some fine commercial artists like Bernie Fuchs, maybe Albert Dorne etc. However, you cannot see any signs of that type of draughtsmanship In Howard's work. As to Toth being a terrible writer? BULLSHIT! Alex rejected Chaykin and his work. Chaykin never got over it.
Howard told me when he was coming on it was all opinion, and that's all it ever is. I do indeed see some of these illustrator influences in Howard's work, though I agree it's not got as as much depth of field as in the past. Howard states early on in the episode that Alex hated him and his work - also opinion. Sometimes Alex would write a decent story, but many times it lacks depth and has pacing issues. Alex says that himself about his writing, and never thought he got the hang of it - seems it was struggle, and I certainly wish it'd come easier to him or he'd worked it or believed in himself more in that regard
@@comixcrush I published and conducted the last interview with Alex Toth at Toth's request in a single 68-page slick comic book, "Jon FURY in Japan" in 2011. Alex didn't want anyone editing his comments, and since I worked with him in Australia back in 1973 (He was my mentor). I told him I'd be publishing it myself. Alex had told me that he had written quite a few little scripts that he was thinking about drawing for fun. He told me about a couple. Maybe I'll draw them in his 1957 style.
The key to Toth's storytelling is choice of moment. It's about being a good director, ironically unrelated to his immense drawing facility. His character's acting takes advantage of the temporal relationship between panels, by skillfully choosing the moment to show us, in combination with excellent physical gesture (knowledge of the human form), he efficiently communicates the emotions of the scene.
Spot on, well said. I'd add to that his composition, cropping, lighting, and blocking, all which he employs usually first and foremost to also drive storytelling.
Listening to Chaykin is such a pleasure...his combination of knowledge, intelligence, acuity, and that sarcastic nature just make listening so educational AND entertaining.
wonderful interview, Howard is a legend as well, when I think of creative layouts and narrative I think of Chaykin.
exactly! One of those I looked to for great page layouts (along with Sim, Miller, Garcia-Lopez)...and that lettering by Bruzenak was always phenomenal!
Chaykin is a great illustrator and an awesome page designer. In that sense his work in the 80s it’s phenomenal.
But as writer and visual storyteller, he is way better giving interviews.
I really enjoyed this. While I don't have the same disdain Chaykin seems to have for the comics masses, I fully understand the desire to find the people who look at this stuff on a much deeper level than the average reader. I tend to think of myself as a comics omnivore, I'll get obsessed with the particulars of a letter's work and also pick up the newest issue of Superman, and I find trouble getting into complex art or storytelling conversations even with the other folks who frequent or work at my LCS. This channel has been one a few high level analysis things I've been able to find online, and, other than reading the digital back catalog of Comics Journal, it has been a struggle to find stuff at this caliber
Thanks kindly for the comments, Stephen. This was/is my aim with this program, and I'm glad you find it scratches your itch!
If you haven't watched before, I'd also recommend www.youtube.com/@StripPanelNaked and you might also enjoy Words, Images and Worlds: www.youtube.com/@JasonDeHart-kx7nq/videos
Always insightful discussions. Thank you. It was refreshing to hear Chaykin's insightful laser point assessments on Toth's work.
" There's a unity to Alex's work that is just staggering...Get past the need for pyrotechnics and look at intimacy. " -
Thx Marvin
just an incredible discussion, was taking notes from it throughout. would love him to go full on like this about Harvey Kurtzman. Alright, off for another rewatch! Thanks so much for what you do here!
Thanks, Phil. Enjoy - again!
this was awesome
Thanks, Ben!
those crop in panels were more a way of emphasizing the flow of the story. I think Kubert said it best "he knew how to tell a story". using his style from his animation panel days he told the story in few very key panels, enough to where your imagination could fill in the blanks with no effort. a lot of his best work I think was in the "creepy presents" book.
I agree with your point on crops adding to flow, but also think there are other reasons for/strengths to it, like: emotion; composition; character' center of interest; focus - it doesn't have to be one or the other, does it?
Also agree on animation work influencing his take on simplifying and storytelling, but find he was already doing that in other ways prior to the animation work.
See episode 14: To Each Their Own Toth for how many have different views of what Alex's "best work" was. Easier to just love it all! ;)
God...I so miss Step by Step graphics!
More than lived up to the billing...still taking it all in
8:19 link the PDF or the title of it, please. Is it "Him On Toth?"
Jesse Hamm's "Hamm On Toth"
jessehamm.gumroad.com/
Only $5 - proceeds go to Jesse's widow.
@@comixcrush awesome! Thank you!
@@rockon8174 My pleasure. A lotta gold in there.
I love listening to Howard. He's so funny. Chaykin's comics work lacks the depth of field. He's a graphic designer who dodges drawing anything that demands any real perspective. Toth NEVER dodged a tough drawing problem. Chaykin is a fan of some fine commercial artists like Bernie Fuchs, maybe Albert Dorne etc. However, you cannot see any signs of that type of draughtsmanship In Howard's work. As to Toth being a terrible writer? BULLSHIT! Alex rejected Chaykin and his work. Chaykin never got over it.
Howard told me when he was coming on it was all opinion, and that's all it ever is. I do indeed see some of these illustrator influences in Howard's work, though I agree it's not got as as much depth of field as in the past.
Howard states early on in the episode that Alex hated him and his work - also opinion.
Sometimes Alex would write a decent story, but many times it lacks depth and has pacing issues. Alex says that himself about his writing, and never thought he got the hang of it - seems it was struggle, and I certainly wish it'd come easier to him or he'd worked it or believed in himself more in that regard
@@comixcrush I published and conducted the last interview with Alex Toth at Toth's request in a single 68-page slick comic book, "Jon FURY in Japan" in 2011. Alex didn't want anyone editing his comments, and since I worked with him in Australia back in 1973 (He was my mentor). I told him I'd be publishing it myself. Alex had told me that he had written quite a few little scripts that he was thinking about drawing for fun. He told me about a couple. Maybe I'll draw them in his 1957 style.
@@comixcrush Toth could write. He was going to, if he had lived longer, had drawn new stories. He was tired but wanted to draw comics again. FACT!
@@paulpower6920 Great to hear, wish he'd had more time.
@@paulpower6920 I know of your book, but have not read the interview. I'll seek it out.