It's always interesting to find something from a comic book creator that fans usually know only through their comic book work. Something many fans don't realize is that usually their favorite artists and authors don't make comic books 100% of the time.
W. Michael Kaluta is an artist who has pretty much left the comic book industry for other artistic pursuits and is staying busy. He was known and is still remembered for his work on The Shadow comic and Batman at DC and has an impressive body of work. Even while active in comic books, Kaluta had explored other outlets, such as album covers and commercial illustration.
Kaluta is credited as being the artist and animator for the 1981 music video Don't Answer Me for the Alan Parsons Project. This roughly though cleverly animated piece is a forgotten gem and a good example of an artist doing work outside the familiar venue of comic books. Done in the crime noir style of art that Kaluta does so well, it can be found on the net or by the YouTube link below.
Be a wise guy and sock the picture to lay your peepers on the video, ya bimbo!
No mention of WM is complete without including a mention of the clever hat-tip to WM by artist Neal Adams in the pages of Green Lantern!
Tags: WM Kaluta Music Video Animation
Oh my. I love Kaluta and am obsessed with the Alan Parsons Project and never knew that. (I'd seen but totally forgot about that video).
ReplyDeleteAdvantage...Sleestak!
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ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting to find something from a comic book creator that fans usually know only through their comic book work.
ReplyDeleteYeah! You know the one that gobsmacked me when I found it out? Jim Sherman, the guy who drew a bunch of Legion comics in the '70s, also designed the logo for Major League Baseball! You could have knocked me over with a butterfly wing.
One of the guys who surprised me was the late Phil Hartman. Known primarily for his comedic work, he was also a graphic illustrator who supplied the designs and art for some popular rock albums.
ReplyDeleteYeah, yeah. That Poco album, for one.
ReplyDeleteMichael Kaluta here... yes yes to that Alan Parsons video: what fun, but oh PLEASE: can you put one of the images that I actually drew on the blog? There was a team, and the image shown, of The Big Guy about to slap Sugar while Nick looks on in rage, isn't one I had my actual fingers on... (the scene was hotly debated between we creative types and The Guy With The Money: HE wanted there to be an actual slap, WE held out against it and won, so there's the THREAT of a slap.. a small positive step...)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Nick drinking in the bar, walking out of the bar, going Grrrrr while in the bar... my actual art, as opposed to just the designs. Or those Cars, the Flamingo Bar itself, the Soda Stand... ah well... thanks for finding the Video... as I said, it WAS fun!
Michael
You got it! I'll change it tonight.
ReplyDeleteThat video has always blown me away with its blend of animation styles. I've never seen anything like it since then, though it's well worth imitating. I'm glad to learn the striking visuals were created by an artist whose work I can now pursue.
ReplyDeleteOh, those cars! Those beautiful cars....