For example, there’s Comics Journal editor Gary Groth’s essay for Print magazine’s special issue devoted to comics from 1988, two years after the historic graphic novel revolution. In his intro Costello investigates the multiple ways in which Chaykin’s work has been fundamentally under-recognized and misinterpreted.

And Neon Visions stands on its own as a valuable contribution not only to the advancement and expansion of comics scholarship, but also to an appreciation of one of the field’s boldest, most innovative graphic designers.

Unbowed and unapologetic to his detractors, Howard Chaykin remains one of the most dynamically exciting practitioners of the action-adventure genre. Indispensable to an understanding of the artist himself, it provides insight into the master raconteur’s astute, no-bullshit opinions, analyses, and growth from 1975 to 2010. And if you haven’t yet experienced these presentations, just pick up Costello’s earlier Howard Chaykin: Conversations.

If you’ve seen him speak at conventions, then you also know about Howard’s reputation as an acerbic critic, not just of comics fans and pros but also of the political left and right. And most recently his Divided States of Hysteria series has been pilloried in social media for, let’s say, a number of “politically incorrect” transgressions, which he addresses here. In my Print interview with him from five years ago, titled “Howard Chaykin on His Lewd, Depraved, Banned Graphic Novels” – not surprisingly, one of the top comic book features in the history of this site – his Black Kiss 2 had just become one of the country’s most banned graphic novels. Not at all, I can only hope.Īlthough Neon Visions is the first such serious study in Chaykin’s nearly half-century career, the rabble-rousing contrarian has never been starved for attention, if not proper recognition. So it might be difficult to determine if and how this might reflect on voter judgment – in the “Best Academic/Scholarly Work” category – of a monograph that enumerates his abundant yet under-acknowledged accomplishments. It’s undeniable that, throughout his checkered career, Howard’s “brand approval” among fans has been, let’s say, mercurial. And deservedly enough, Brannon Costello’s Neon Visions: The Comics of Howard Chaykin has been nominated for an Eisner Award at next month’s San Diego Comic-Con. Learn how a digital artist prepares 3D character animations in Autodesk Mayaįinally! There’s a smart, insightful book that critically examines the works one of America’s most important comics writer-artists of the past half-century.

City of tomorrow howard chaykin