Classic cover artists: Dave Gibbons
What can one say in appreciation of Dave Gibbons that hasn’t been said already? These examples of his many, excellent 2000AD covers speak volumes in themselves. There’s such a solidity and depth to his artwork – something sculptural about his figures, as if they have been chiselled out of the page, expressing power and strength and character with no concession to realism or detail. The covers shown here – each arresting, memorable and iconic – are expertly designed and composed also; each of them is a ‘pick me up and read me’. He’s one of the greats.
On a personal note – in addition to being the storyteller who visualised some of my most-loved comic tales (images from his Doctor Who, Rogue Trooper and Watchmen will stay with me always), Dave seems to me to be one of life’s most genial, good-humoured and generous people. When I’ve heard him speak he always has great stories to tell, and the one brief time I met him (at the 2000AD Forty Years of Thrill-power Festival earlier this year, as I queued with my son for Dave to sign my tatty Prog 1) he recognised the GNFAR logo on my t-shirt and made a point of saying he liked the blog. My son was impressed, and I felt a million galactic credits! Thanks Dave – this blog literally would be nothing without you and the other modern-day masters whom it celebrates.
