Welcome back to Future Comic Rock Stars, now monthly! I know I know, it used to be weekly. Then it went on sabbatical though, so monthly’s a good middle ground. As I’ve been spending more time on Comics Twitter I’ve been increasingly inspired by some fantastic artists, so I’m not promising anything, but it could become weekly again.
Everyone’s got that fan-favorite creator they can’t get enough of, a creator whose sheer talent warrants an instant buy-on-sight for any book. However, it’s incredibly rare for any creator to become a household name over night. This column aims to shine a light on artists who are unpublished but only just, those just starting out, or those one book away from superstardom. Artists like 2013 Top Cow Talent Hunt finalist Phillip Sevy.
I discovered his work through Top Cow head-honcho and all around good dude Matt Hawkins while chatting at Long Beach Comic Expo. Sevy has worked on many of their titles, from Tomb Raider to The Tithe (a fantastic modern-day Robin Hood thrill ride), their mainstay Magdalena to their flagship title Witchblade, amongst others. In the last few years he has gone from a highly capable artist with clean lines and a strong storytelling sense to a dynamic creator worth seeking out. His commissions list always seems full for good reason; he consistently delivers gorgeous pieces that don’t break the bank.
Some recent commissions that I wish were hanging up at FanboyNation headquarters.
I recently re-discovered his work through Twitter, and damn if he isn’t getting better by the day. They say practice makes perfect, and the more pages he puts out the closer to perfection Phillip Sevy becomes.
The big two have a habit, Marvel especially, of poaching creators from Image Comics. Gillen and McKelvie, Jonathan Hickman, and too many others to name have made the leap from indie darling to architects of some of the biggest hits in comicdom. Is Sevy the next to make the jump?
This is the piece that blew me away and inspired this very column. Marvel, get this guy on Moon Knight yesterday.
As a penciler, inker, colorist, and writer Sevy is becoming a force to be reckoned with. Many artists use excessive detail to overcome a lack of technical skill, but not this guy. His simple yet expressive lines display a confidence few modern artists can match. Not that he shies away from detail when necessary.
His page layouts are incredibly strong, using simple panel design that showcases his wonderful skill with pacing. Even his quieter, character moments have a dynamic weight to them. He’s said that he loves panels with people just “standing around, talking” and it shows. Sevy makes us feel like a fly on the wall, sharing the room with these characters.
He’s been posting sample pages of various Marvel and DC properties on his Twitter account, and I hope the big two are paying attention to this Future Comic Rock Star, because given the right break Phillip Sevy is going to be everyone’s favorite artist.
Make sure to follow him on Twitter, check out his comic The House on Comixology, and pick up his creator-owned book Paradox.
