DOC SAVAGE by JAMES BAMA webinar by Arlen Schumer
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- Опубликовано: 6 май 2022
- The series of 62 Doc Savage paperback covers that legendary illustrator James Bama painted for Bantam Books between 1964 and 1972 represent an apex in realistic figure painting of not only the 20th Century, but the entire history of the human figure in art, fine or commercial.
For Bama’s Doc Savage character-crowned with that sci-fi widow’s peak, clad in that impossibly-shredded shirt, riding jodhpurs and calf-high boots-remains, to this day, one of the most staggeringly heroic, idealized masculine figures ever visualized in any age, by any artist, in any medium.
And now pop culture historian Arlen Schumer (writer/designer, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art) takes you through Bama’s creative process, from his reference photos of the great illustrators’ model Steve Holland, who posed as Bama’s Doc Savage for all 62 covers, to many of Bama’s original paintings, shown free of all the trade dress elements of the paperback covers!
So even if you have all the Bama Doc Savage books, or you’re already a fan of Bama’s work, you’ll see his incredible Doc Savage covers as if for the FIRST time!
www.arlenschumer.com
I am just reading this one year later, WOW what a legacy. I remember in his fifties he said he lives very healthy. Not bad Jim. We have learned so much from you. I know i have.Thank you so much for your content on Jim and his work. His influence on me is ongoing. God our physical flesh does not last forever, but God has made it so our spirit is eternal. Do not be sad, James is in heaven with all the other greats talking Art. I mean you Bob Peak, Norman Rockwell, Pyle,Wyeth, Cornwell, And all the Legends.
what treat, fantastic presentation, thank you!
Just getting to view this but you outdid yourself. I have loved this man's work my entire life. A very worthy
tribute.
Just discovered this podcast and must say what a wonderful experience it was to watch it. Your passion for Doc Savage and love of James Bama is present in every word and image. Thank you Sir for this exemplary documentary.
Arlen, I finally had a chance to watch the webinar. I had no idea you reference my Steve Holland books as much as you did! Many thanks for the acknowledgment and support. It's a great episode.
Yea Arlen! great stuff!
Touching to get a hand written reply from the genius himself.
It is amazing that Holland stayed in such great shape all those decades. I think Bama once said all he did was play handball.
That must have been the most fulfilling 7 years of Bama's life. It would have been for ANY illustrator. Fantastic webinar.
Thanx for the kudos, les! And actually, I have a feeling his years living in Wyoming, painting all that Western stuff, might have been more satisfying--why else would he pick up & move there?
ALWAYS enjoyable and interesting content from you, Mr. Schumer.
thanx for the kudos! Anything specific stand out for discussion here?
My biggest takeaway was the personal mystery you shoved as to the difference of the visual versions of Doc (Bama's and the other guy (I forget his name, no disrespect intended). Because of the other guy's style, I always thought his work appeared decades before (like in the 30s or 40s, a la, The Shadow). I can enjoy both versions, but he's no James Bama of course.) Funny and interesting to observe how his illustrations had nothing to do with the storylines. Would love to see you do Wally Wood (or Richard Corben, or Howard Chaykin, Paul Gulacy, Lee Weeks ...etc.) Or my request: The unsung John and Marie Severin. Cheers! @@arlen6658
Another fantastic presentation!
What a great look at Bama's works, and the presentation here is outstanding! Interestingly, I was recently looking at my Bantam paperbacks, admiring the Bama covers. I wondered what the ones I didn't have looked like, and this video answered the question.
I never knew about Bama's use of photo references. I often looked at Doc Savage covers and wondered why Doc looked a bit grizzled and perhaps aged. I think between seeing the reference photos and Bama's later western paintings, I'm assuming that Bama used that technique to give a more realistic and detailed look to his subjects, especially Doc.
Bama's covers literally forced me to start reading Doc Savage since at the time I was hooked on Burroughs' Krenkle/Frazetta. Lol these five and six decades later, Bama's Doc covers still remain evocative and iconic. One might have some justification in saying that the covers are better than the books but then you know what they say… you can’t judge a book by its cover. They obviously were talking about Bama's work! Lol.
Yeah, @wereflea8496, I tried reading the books; the first one, "Man of Bronze," was pretty good; not "great." So i read the second one--and it was almost EXACTLY just like the first! I dropped it & never read another DS book again! But those COVERS...
Roger Kastel did many paperback covers, and i was lucky to see his originals at the Society of Illustrators on sixty third street off Lexington ave in New York.
As a kid circa 1970, I lived for the release of each new Bantam Doc Savage PB. Bama's cover art was half the appeal. I wrote Bama a fan letter as a 13-year-old and received a very gracious reply.
Congratulations. I too wrote to James Bama and he replied with a beautiful hand-written letter. This was in 1980 or so. At that time, he was living in Wapati, Wyoming. He was a very generous and considerate man.
Pal loved this Genre, films like Tom Thumb with Russ Tamblyn, The Brothers Grim, When Worlds Collide, are a few films.
Didn't know if anyone mentioned it in the comments, but Roger Kastel painted the Ron Ely Doc Savage poster. He used Holland to pose and painted Ely's head on the body.
His covers are some of the greatest ever
Excellent insight to my favorite book covers, well done video. I wish you could have published your proposed book. I've enjoyed Doc Savage paper backs since the 70's. Dave
Arlen I am going to post a new video tomorrow suggesting a look see to this video, hope it's ok.
Check out the book "James Bama - American Realist" by Brian M. Kane. Has all the Doc Savage covers in it. Also includes a discussion of Bama by Harlan Ellison. Beautiful book.
Never knew Bama was the artist for that Star Trek stuff.
Did BAMA keep ownership of the art or did Bantam Books retain it? Where are the originals?
I will have to go through Bama's Doc Savage book covers and see if the green color scheme is any more common than other color schemes (as you allege).
The forearms on The Green Death was ridiculous
The George Pal produced Doc Savage poster was painted by Roger Kastel, the same artist that painted The famous Jaws and the Gone With The Wind style Empire Strike back romance poster. I have an insert poster of the Ron Ely Doc Savage.
Thank you, great video. The letter at the end was very moving. Funny to think he made more money once he'd left so-called “commercial” art.
Well, success in the fine art field ALWAYS brings more money than commercial art; for example, Andy Warhol was one of the most successful commercial illustrators in NYC by the early-'60s--but it was NOTHING compared to the zillions he would go on to make in the '60s when he entered the fine art world in '61-2.
@@arlen6658 That's a good point I never thought about that in this way!
14:50 I don't completely agree with your assumption of Clark Gable being a visual inspiration for Doc Savage. I think a more striking example would be Gary Cooper in the 1930's: Search for the Cooper movie "The Spoilers" (where Gary Cooper fights actor William Boyd).
@TomCushwa, thanx for the kudos! Anything specific stand out for discussion here?
@sonder420, please tell us that is NOT your ONLY takeaway from my webinar!
I've got a photo of Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon, during a fight scene, rocking what has to be the same torn shirt as used in the Bama covers. I'm guessing Holland, who had the Flash Gordon connection, may have either obtained that original torn shirt and brought it to his photo sessions, or Bama used it as a guide to similarly tear Doc's shirt for his covers.
Anything else specifically about my webinar to comment on/discuss?
@@arlen6658 You did a great job comparing the covers to the Holland photoshoots, and I appreciated the color analysis. Bama was truly a gifted artist, producing a lot of great material... your webinar material would be worthy of a coffee table book itself!
@@stevejordan2490 "...worthy of a coffee table book itself"? YOUR MOUTH TO GOD'S EARS!!! :)
@garrrywhiteheadful, thanx for the kudus--anything specific stand out for discussion here?
@cordellsenior9935 thanx for the kudos! Anything specific stand out for discussion here?
Good stuff, but I'm afraid you're off on all of the release dates of the classic monster movies.
Uh, got anything to say specifically about the webinar that we can discuss, vs. picayune nits?
@mikemccarthy1352, please tell us that's not your ONLY takeaway from my webinar???
@cliffwoodbury5319, jeez, thanx for that penetrating insight; did you even watch the webinar?
@nofaith2544--don't ya have ANYTHING more to say about all my hard work then just THAT???
Is doc savage popular in the gay community?
Just wonderful! Thanks!
THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT HISTORY OF LOST ARTIST IN TIME YOU SHOULD ADD HAL FOSTER. DOC SAVAGE IT SEEMS LOST IN PRESENT DAY. YET GREAT READING OF A EARLY SUPERMAN AND SUPER TEAM. AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. LOST ARE GREAT NEWSPAPER COMIC ART STRIPS.