Who is your favorite Mirage TMNT artist?
 

Let's see the polls. I almost want to say "Who is your second favorite TMNT artist?" to get more interesting results.

Lawson, for sure. Both as a talent & as a personality, he's the sweetest guy in the biz. His original style, middle style, modern style, I love it all.

They're all great, really, all of them.

While the Image books were under a different publisher, they were meant to be in Mirage continuity, so I gotta give a mega honorable mention to Frank Fosco, whose work blew my mind.

I'm a Berger funatic, tried and true. Love his clarity, edginess, dynamism, etc. Super nice and always willing to chat and answer questions. He's the only TMNT artist I've commissioned, and after receiving the results I may never be able to commission another, because there's no topping what I received for the price I paid.

The combo of Eastman and Laird together is close second though.

I've always loved Michael Dooney's Turtles in particular. He draws them with a strong, "superhero" type vibe, if that makes any sense. Just look at any issue or art with his Turtles, they seriously look like they're about to kick ass.

Early Jim Lawson prior to the 2000's was good too, and of course I love Dan Berger. Lastly Eastman/Laird's art is always good, although I'm not too fond of Eastman's recent art for the IDW stuff, his older art style was way better.

I voted Farley because I like his style best...

but second is Lawson.

Third is Eastman/Laird/Talbot/Berger.

Although I agree, Cubed. Eastman's art has slipped.

When I think Mirage art, I usually think of Lawson's. His is perhaps the most recognizable, and almost all the art that he contributed was really good.

I voted for Dooney, but I also like some of what I've seen from Dan Berger.

Dan Berger didn't draw too many Mirage issues, but what he did was pretty good. Most notable Mirage #45 with Leaderhead, and he did a few in the second volume of Tales.

Come to think of it, it's a shame he didn't do a lot more issues. I think he was busy doing the comic strip at the time.

Powder beat me to it. Lawson and Fosco.

I'll simply add the caveat that I much preferred Lawson's art in Mirage Volume 1, and that Volume 4 was... much less to my liking, regarding his human characters. But I'm not reading TMNT for April and Casey, so I'm fine with it. :trazz:

Jeeeeeez that's a tough one.

I voted Dooney after some deliberation, but A.C. Farley and Dan Berger are all up there, too. I think Dooney won out because his interpretation of the Turtles feels like the most realized/idealized interpretation. He also produced more full issues than either Farley or Berger and, Jesus, his painted work is so gorgeous.

Jim Lawson may not be my favorite aesthetically, but I respect him as the most prolific artist in the brand's history. When I think "Mirage TMNT" I can't help but picture his style simply due to the volume of his output for the publisher. And when he's firing on all cylinders, his layouts cannot be matched.

Talbot is another one of my faves, but he did scant few full story pencils when you go back and look at the catalog (a few shorts and I think only 1 full issue). Because of that I can't really hold him up alongside my other faves who produced more stories overall. His work as an inker, especially when attached to Lawson, is superb, though.

So Dooney gets my vote for number one with Lawson probably a second. Farley, Berger and Talbot are mostly tied for third, maybe. Really is hard to choose.

My soft spot is A.C Farley for the covers he drew for CAW. Then comes Jim and the early Eastman & Laird

Jim Lawson drew more Mirage comics than anyone. All of Volume 4, at least 30 Tales issues (probably more), City at War, etc.

True, he has the distinction of being able to say he's drawn two entire volumes of Mirage (V2 and V4) all by himself.

It's actually kind of surprising how few issues Kevin and Peter actually drew themselves. For guys who created the entire franchise, they surprisingly drew very few issues overall and let other artists do their own thing with them.

Basically after Return to New York, they were basically done for the rest of the series besides returning for issue 50, then done again...forever. Pete never drew a single issue since.

Kevin and Peter did collectively pencil and ink all of the covers for V2, which was pretty neat. Then nothing till that poster for cancer. Then nothing till that anniversary cover.

There's been at least a couple issues of V4 where Peter inked Lawson.

Voted for Dooney but it's so close! Early Eastman/Laird, Berger & Lawson are all amazing as well.

Dooney...but love AC Farley as well as of course Eastman and Laird.

Lawson's early work is great, but his new more stylized stuff...not as much.

For me, it's impossible to look at one of A.C. Farley's painted covers or even interiors and not give it to him. You can see a lot of influence from him in Fosco's work too.

That said, it's difficult to marginalize Lawson. He's definitely the man. When Kevin Eastman inks him, that is some phenomenal art... probably better than Farley solo.

very well said Andrew