In Eclipse Monthly #1, we get our first look at Doug Wildey's RIO. 1983 was pretty far from the heyday of the Western, comic book or otherwise, and this fantastic strip pretty much slipped under the radar.
The level of character and realism Wildey conveys in his simple, no-frills story is truly amazing. Wildey's masterful use of half-tones lends a sense of depth and natural light that makes every scene absolutely convincing. You believe you are outside in the Wyoming winter or in a smoky saloon or in a small sod cabin. The poses are naturalistic when the characters are conversing and dynamic when action breaks out. But don;t take my word for it. Enjoy part one of "The Hide Butchers".
I remember reading this when it first came out. I knew Wildey had created Jonny Quest, but didn't know he'd also worked on comics until I'd read Rio. This was just fall-off-the-page awesome.
ReplyDeleteHobbyfan: Check out the link for the website "The Forgotten Art of Doug Wildey" for more background on his comics career.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting more of Doug Wildey's stunning 'Rio' strips - thanks to you he's a new fave for me. Beautifully rendered artwork with strong design & a fine eye for detail. Cheers, & keep 'em comin', pardner! :D
ReplyDeleteLorenzo: My pleasure! I'm glad I can expose others to Wildey's work. I'd also like to put up some of Moebius' Blueberry stuff, but I'm not sure my books will fit in the scanner. Thanks for stopping by!
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