Todd MacFarlane

[max67marvel]

When it comes to MacFarlane, it seems like not many comic book artists like him, on the other hand, his art seems to appeal to the public in general so I would like to know what is so bad about his art or his story-telling. Maybe I'm wrong but MacFarlane seems very bashed.

[The Scribe]

Todd McFarlane he is a fine artist but he's not as bashed as Liefeld.

I believe he isn't liked very well because he left comics because he is greedy.

[bluelinesmoke]

He's not really an artist at all anymore. He spends most of his time running his empire. When he first started image he was very pro-fan. He publicly stated that he was against trying to milk extra money from collectors and has since turned a complete 180. His attitude seems very selfish to me now, but I can't really fault the guy for having different priorities than I do. As far as his art, I don't think I've seen anything from him in the last 10 years so everything that I know of is very dated. The public, and even other artists went gaga over that hyper-rendered 90's image style back when McFarlane was drawing it, but now the trend is dead. I don't know many people who still bash his art, but most people have just moved on by now. More so I think they bash his attitude.

[William Blankenship]

Mcfarlane used to be my hero. Now everytime I hear him speak I want to shove hot razorblades up my ass. The man is unbearably dumb, and talks like his lips were made of labial tissue.

[Calloway]

Todd is a neat artist and I admit I loved his art but as a person the guy is low down and a good liar. At least he pays his people though.

[Scott Story]

Okay, McFarlane stopped being an artist to run and build his business, and people treat that like it's a sin or greed.

The guy wants to make a good living. He wants run a business and make toys and have the money for the things he wants. There is nothing wrong with that. That is being an entrepaneur.

He quit doing much art. If he doesn't want to draw anymore, why is that an issue? Isn't he allowed to change interests? Why does he have to be chained to an art table when his passion is elsewhere?

I won't comment on his legal battles, because I know little about those. I'm not a fan or detractor of his work or his art, so that's not an issue to me.

Many of you here are passionately creative, and the idea of someone giving up art for business just seems wrong, a betrayal to creativity. Those decisions are for you to make about your own lives, but not about someone elses. And, I don't doubt for a minute that McFarlane makes creatively based choices every day in running his toy company.

If Todd McFarlane wants to run his business, let him. That's clearly what he wants to do, so more power to him.

[Calloway]

I don't think anyone said anything to that effect yet Scott.

His first lie appeared to me in 92 in his last issue of spiderman.

[Scott Story]

I believe he isn't liked very well because he left comics because he is greedy.

His attitude seems very selfish to me now, but I can't really fault the guy for having different priorities than I do.

Actually, this is what inspired my statement. That, and I guess I dug up old comments I've heard about TM before.

If the discussion is about the merits of art, or something else like that, then I read too much into it.

[William Blankenship]

Art-wise, eh. I grew out of it (i.e. realized it wasn't that good based on an evolving interpretation of what's good) but that was even before he stopped drawing altogether. Now Capullo/ Mcfarlane combo from around issue 28-peaking around issue 58 (the pages they did together, and cut out all that Tony whateverhisnamwas that they hired on to hack out every other issue. That guy was crap.) was spectacular and still some of my favorite art ever. I want to own the splash from 36 one day (the sewer fight). Still that's heavily relied on Capullo's...well.... straight form badassness. After that I started seeing Mcfarlanes faces like marshmallowmen, and the rest... no comment. But his stuff doesn't make my eyes bleed like some artists. Some of his early Spidey stuff is still respectable, when spidey's face is covered in his mask.

Again, I'm pretty dispassionate about his art anymore. My main gripe is just seeing how dumb one of my biggest childhood heroes really is. I mean he obviously has business savvy, but that's not the intelligence I'm talking about.
Make your fucking bread Todd, I don't care. I want that fucking bank too! So as for greed, the suckers will pay for it and to hell with the suckers. So yeah, Todd is a creative and successful businessman. But I don't think his mind could hack it (art) after that success, or it made him not have to be as passionate. Plus you get the business eating time. You got your kids and bank. You're wife is hot enough to fuck three times a day (serriously). You're set. WOULD ANY OF YOU PUSH YOURSELF AS A VISUAL ARTIST IN COMICS IF YOU HAD THAT LIFE?

I wouldn't. A reasonable man in his position would go, "Okay, I had my high point, but my work is mostly based on style and hype and I don't feel like studying like an art student to get better. I don't have to. I'm just going to do what I like, ride my life, and my wife."

Personally, that's not the choice I want to make, though I do want that money. I don't believe I'll ever want to stop getting better, an I don't have a business mind (I got other people for that) but I can't pass judgement on him about the choices he's made. Honestly, I could go another ten years without seeing a new Mcfarlane work, and I'm sure he could too.