Simply the Best: Modern Masters and Mythic Power

During the early decades of the 20th century, giants walked the earth. 

No, not giants in the physical sense but rather giants of illustration who applied their mastery of painting and composition to the burgeoning worlds of advertising and publishing.  Instead of being confined to stuffy art galleries and high society functions, the artwork of these modern masters became widely known to and appreciated by the masses, primarily through popular magazines, illustrated fiction, and high profile advertising campaigns (click on the paintings to the left for a larger view).

In particular, artists like J.C. Leyendecker, Howard Pyle, Maxfield Parrish, and N.C. Wyeth brought a mythic power and rugged heroism to their paintings that resonated with American audiences.  Somewhere in between the age of these Master Illustrators and what we know to be the modern comics era came the Golden Age of Comics, whose artists grew up with a steady diet of Parrish dreamscapes, Pyle's flinty pirates, or Leyendecker's Greek gods sporting Arrow dress shirts.

It's exactly this influence that I see at work here on the breathtaking cover of Whiz Comics #22 (1941).  Though he was primarily known for a more whimsical or cartoony approach to drawing Captain Marvel, artist C.C. Beck obviously had no trouble taking things in a more "illustrative" direction from time to time.   

Beyond the simple "iconic" appeal of the scene, it also seems to capture the essence of Captain Marvel's world:  Majestic power (the lightning bolt), a dash of danger (the billowing smoke clouds), coupled with a mythic scope (the mountainous vista), all of it reinforced by the strength and simple decency of the two central characters.

In addition to those basic elements (and the vivid color palette) are the more subtle touches I enjoy, such as young Billy's confident, relaxed body language or Cap's convincing body mass (you get the feeling nothing could possibly budge that guy), which is only amplified by his exaggerated height.

Although I don't belong to the "Billy and Cap are two separate beings" camp*, I can't let that nonsense get in the way of enjoying one of the greatest covers of the Golden Age or, for that matter, any age of comics.

* I've always preferred the interpretation that Captain Marvel is, literally, a magically grown-up version of Billy Batson.  Although there are plenty of examples to suggest otherwise, I stubbornly insist that the powerful wish-fullfilling element of a boy instantly transforming into a super-powered man is one of the major "pillars" (if not THE major pillar) of the character's appeal. Merely switching places with him doesn't seem to have the same mythic punch...know what I mean?