Scorchy Smith And The Art Of Noel Sickles
Few current comics fans know his name or work, and he drew comics for only three years, yet Sickles’ influence contradicts his obscurity. In late 1933, he took over the newspaper adventure strip Scorchy Smith, and after initially aping his predecessor’s crude style, developed a visual approach marked by chiaroscuro and cinematic techniques that would sweep the comics pages. Milton Caniff, who shared a studio with Sickles, would take the style to greater commercial success in Terry and the Pirates. As for Sickles, he abandoned comics in 1936 and devoted the remaining four decades of his career to magazine illustration, advertising, and other commercial art. This massive volume is comprised of two sections, each of which could be a separate book: a detailed biography of the artist by Bruce Canwell, accompanied by copious examples of his various kinds of work; and the complete run of Scorchy, here appearing between covers for the first time. Such lovingly lavish treatment has been accorded few cartoonists, but Sickles, despite his lack of renown, thoroughly warrants it. --Gordon Flagg