Jim Lawson's Art
 

Hey everyone...I say this very reluctantly, but I really do not care for Jim Lawson's Turtles. In a way, in my opinion, volume 4 took a hit by being drawn solely by Lawson (at least to my knowledge it was).

I know most here aren't going to agree, but I figured I would see if anybody else had the same opinion. I just think his Turtles are way too bulky and square. I much prefer the original E & L artwork from the first few issues. To me, they look the most like mutated Turtles in those issues...and maybe it's also because it's the original/source Turtles. I just love that art. But yeah, Jim Lawson, not so much. :ohwell:

It depends really. Early Lawson work can be great. Some of it, like his work in the Archie comics is hit or miss. By the time vol 4 came around...i couldn't stand his style. Not my cup of tea.

Man, I'm sick of everyone always ragging on Jim. If you don't like it, you don't like it.
Are his turtles a little too angluar for my preferance? Sure, but I still love them.
His style is unmatched, and that's why I like it. No one else draws like him.

[Insert typical response criticizing Jim's style]

[Begin objective view on Jim's style being unique, him being a great writer, and how I grew to appreciate it.]

[End with snarky retort about this being a tired subject.]

^^^^^^^^^ This.

To be honest, until recently, I hadn't known there was anyone else who disliked his art. So, I don't understand why the comments complaining that people are voicing how they feel about Lawson's work. I've only seen a few people actually publicly voice their opinions. but...

this is pretty much how I feel too.

If you do a search I am certain you can find quiet a few topics on this subject, along with simply reading the letters page in the back of any volume 4 comic there is always at least one person complaining about Jim's style.

It at this point just feels like beating a dead horse. Some people like his style (like myself) some people don't. Neither side is going to change the others opinion and we just keep going around in this circle of the same people saying almost the same things.

*shrugs*

I agree! I did like some of his art in the earlier days.

Yeah. This *is* a place to share opinions about the Turtles and their legacy, right? I mean, there was a recent "who is your favorite Turtle?" poll/thread, and I'll be darned if that isn't a common topic. My intention wasn't to start a debate between the two camps, I just wanted to hear some other opinions. But it comes with the territory, I suppose. I didn't see anything about this on page 1 of this sub-forum - sorry for not running a search. Didn't think it was a big deal.

Maybe, I think I only recall one topic about it before this. As for the comics, I read the comics themselves, very rarely will I read comments section because more often than not, they don't interest me.

I can understand that, but there's always people coming into the fandom or the forum or may not have seen other topics about certain things... and I'm sure there are many other reasons why someone would start a topic about something that's 'been done'. It's not a rare thing.

Just find it a bit bothersome when someone posts in a thread only to proclaim their dislike for said thread. No one's being hurt by this topic, so there's really no point in advocating against it.

Annnd getting off my podium now...

I didnt like it at first (compared to other comics) but it grew on me it gave the tmnt their own universe. I enjoy his art people look like people different and not drop dead gorgeous with DDD breast sizes (which wouldnt bother me if it was like that in the real world). Its unique, edgy, and awesome.

Would you rather I come in here ranting my dislike for people not appreciating Jim's art? I could have, it would have been on topic and it would have accomplished nothing. I know because I have done just that in this topic at other times. It just leads to people fighting and getting annoyed with one another. I think a lot of us have seen that happen with this topic on here more so then maybe almost any other topic in the fandom and that is why people have bothered to say anything.

You're completely right it's not a rare thing for subjects to come up over and over again, in the infinite universe there are only so many topics we can cover before we start repeating ourselves.

At the same time people starting new topics have to accept that at times people will say things about repeating pass conversation to them. Search functions would not have been invented for forums otherwise.

The thing I hate most about Jim's turtles are those damn beaks.

As far as I can recall, the only the artists rendition of the turtles to have real beaks were Zulli's & Bodes, to an extent.

Whatcha talkin' about?

I'm a mad Lawson fan, personally. I totally dig his style.

I loved all of his early TMNT work with Mirage, Tales and Volume 2. His writing in particular. But his artwork was also amazing.

I also liked his work with Archie and most, if not all of his work with Volume 4.
I thought some of his work in Volume 2 of Tales wasn't that good. Some of it seemed rushed, but whenever he was back on Volume 4, I liked his take on the Turtles.

But yeah, liked pretty much everything outside of some Tales of the TMNT Vol. 2 stuff. Including the new pin ups and short story in the Tales of the TMNT Vol. 1 Trade that Mirage released a couple of years back.

I like Jim's art. A lot. One of my favorite comic book artists, and his comics look far more appealing to me than most current comics I've flipped through.

Of his Turtles stuff, I'd have to say I enjoy his Vol. 4 work the most. He drew pretty cartoony for Tales 1, more realistic for "City at War", and then did both simultaneously for Vol. 4. It's a really weird, unique fusion of realism and cartooniness with a liberal sprinkling of really great, technical textures.

If people don't like it, y'know, whatever. I just don't like the nasty comments by people saying they can draw better despite the fact they don't draw real well. :) I guarantee no such person can do something like this:

Not really beaks as much as snouts. The front of their faces stick out a lot. It just bothers me for some reason.

I know what you mean, it looks like blocks are placed below their masks.

I absolutely love Jim Lawson's art, and I'm very glad he drew the turtles for so long.