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Ron Smith - an undertstated artist

Started by Rumpole666, 30 October, 2012, 01:04:02 PM

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Rumpole666

Hi All

I would really like to hear your comments concerning the above topic. Whilst looking through the Complete case files and "Thrill Power Overload", I am very suprised to see that Ron Smith is given a one sentence "biopraphy", and that seems to be grudgingly.

Why is that? Surely as one of the best aritists to ever drawn Judge Dredd, why is there not more recognition?

What do you lot think?

TordelBack

Well he certainly isn't 'understated', he has one of the most boisterous styles around!  But I take your intended point and agree - the Ronster is woefully under-appreciated, despite drawing many of the most important tales in the whole history of Dredd, and producing some of the most striking images and sequences.  He's in the Top 5 of Dredd artists for me.   

I blame his lack of recognition on his shameful misuse by The Powers That Be in the early 90's - Friday, Chronos Carnival and Judge Tyrannosaur, bleeech.

ming

I think there's more about Ron Smith in TPO than just one sentence, isn't there?  Doesn't Pat Mills wax lyrical about Ron's work on The Man Who Drank the Blood of Satanus?  And there's the big pic of the first appearance of Chopper from UnAmerican Graffiti (and almost certainly more).

Anyway, yes - Ron Smith is a bit underrated.  For me, growing up with Ron's art in the Prog, he always somewhat in the shadow of his contemporaries.  The fact that Ron seemed to stand in for other artists in multi-part stories (Father Earth, the Judge Child, etc.) contributed to my feelings that he was something of a second-best artist, and as a kid I probably inwardly groaned when he inevitably took over from Bolland on something.

These days, I rate him very, very highly - a fantastic artist who provided incredibly memorable art for some defining moments on Dredd as well as a host of other Thrills*.  I'll save time by repeating what I wrote on CAF about one of the Ron Smith pages I have:

Ron Smith. What can I say? The man's a legend, and effortlessly made Mega City One his own, populating it with a myriad of perps and crazed cits. His work on classics like The Graveyard Shift, Shanty Town, The Black Plague and so many more still leaves me speechless.



*Just don't mention Chronos Carnival.

TordelBack

Spot on, Ming.  In fact, if anyone wants to see the artistic equivalent of the Labours of Hercules, just look at any given page of the Black Plague, or the Aggros episodes of The Judge Child. 'When the alarm goes off, the page is done' - impossible, surely?

Rumpole666, you might want to check some of the earlier threads here celebrating Ron Smith's work, and The Legendary Shark's tribute comic project.  We love our Ron round here!

For example: 
http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,34167.0/


dweezil2

I've always loved Ron's work-his character and architectual design work is fantastic. I agree that the man is a legend and he's easily in my top ten AD artists.
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Not forgetting his enormous contribution in the Daily Star strips every week.

shaolin_monkey

His depiction of fellow cits was brilliant.  I remember the Chopper/Scrawler story where Chopper was stood in a Zoom chatting to a mate, surrounded by regular Citizens - who all looked totally bonkers!!!  I had more fun looking at all the crazees than following the story at that point!

Spikes

#7
Quote from: Rumpole666 on 30 October, 2012, 01:04:02 PM
Whilst looking through the Complete case files and "Thrill Power Overload", I am very suprised to see that Ron Smith is given a one sentence "biopraphy", and that seems to be grudgingly.
Certainly with the Case Files, thats true.



But, Ron Smith - this man's art cant be praised enough. I dont think anybody else's art makes me smile in quite the same way as Ron's does.
I can pinpoint exactly when the penny dropped for me. It was halfway through the Judge Child Quest, and it was the episode featuring the Alien salesman. Brilliant stuff.
For a comic that was largely filled with the newest and brightest, Ron's work (and he must have been well into middle age, when the prog was having its first golden age), was consistantly more fantastical and simply brilliant, than most.
Personally, id place Ron Smith above Brian Bolland any day of the week. And for the sheer joy i get from reading those stories, on occasion, i personally think he even eclipses Mick McMahon.

Molch-R

Quote from: Rumpole666 on 30 October, 2012, 01:04:02 PM
I am very suprised to see that Ron Smith is given a one sentence "biopraphy", and that seems to be grudgingly.

I'd be *slightly* careful about casting aspersions here, since the very people who put those books together read the board. Ron only has one line in the early books because info on him was scarce for the team at the time. It wasn't until a few years ago when I interviewed him for the Megazine that we got a much better idea of what he'd actually done in his career!

blackmocco

Ron Smith's the tits. Look at his artwork for Shanty Town, The Hotdog Run and Graveyard Shift. As definitive a version of Dredd as anything Bolland, McMahon or Ezquerra brought to the table. Never appreciated his art when I was younger as nothing stayed consistent from one panel to the next but I adore that about his art now.
"...and it was here in this blighted place, he learned to live again."

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The Bissler

I'd like to see more in the biography section of the CFs about Mr Smith as well. 

Think it is worth mentioning Ron's terrific work in Block Mania.  I seem to recall in the old Titan Books edition there was an introduction (by John Wagner I think) in which it was explained that Mike McMahon was signed up to draw the whole storyline.  When Mike realised the scale of the story he (understandably) stepped aside after penning the first few episodes.  It was Ron that stepped into the breach and it is worth pointing out that it is his episodes which illustrated the massive scale of the chaos.  A terrific job he did of it too, absolutely amazing!  Hats off to you sir!

The Sherman Kid

Quote from: blackmocco on 30 October, 2012, 06:22:58 PM
Ron Smith's the tits. Look at his artwork for Shanty Town, The Hotdog Run and Graveyard Shift. As definitive a version of Dredd as anything Bolland, McMahon or Ezquerra brought to the table.

Seconded.Although I did very much appreciate him at the time.Bought the Daily Star many times over just for his strip (well you wouldn't buy it for the news would you  ;)) and filled scrap books with them.

For the great body of work he produced and his pure inventiveness and sense of fun,Ron Smith easily makes it into my top 5 Dredd artists of all time.So yes, he is an under-rated artist to me.

El Chivo

'Who killed Pug Ugly' & Otto Sump made a huge impression on me, mad genius!

Chi

vzzbux

And we can't amiss his work outside 2000ad.







V
Drokking since 1972

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Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength I gain power.
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Through victory, my chains are broken.

Spikes