Search - How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way on DVD

Smilin' Stan and Big John Comin' at ya!

n0s4a2 | Burbank, CA United States | 05/22/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was a fun tape for me, because I grew up reading these guy's comic books, and I bought the book version of How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way years ago. I mainly got the video so I could hear artist Buscema's voice (which is great; he sounds like a character from the Sopranos scolding you for not drawing right). But all they do is read the book word for word from a teleprompter while John pretends to draw over some photocopied enlargements from it's pages! He's literally making these theatrical "drawing" motions without touching the pencil to the paper, while writer Stan Lee pontificates in his endearingly overblown and gratingly nasal Brooklynese. It's great. The original book was just Buscema's comic book drawing course, to which Stan wrote some psuedo-hip "Marvel" patter as a way of marketing it to a wider audience, and this is undoudtedly another scheme to cash in a little more, which must have taken the old partners part of a whole day to do. In fairness, they do some things in video that are pretty good, like superimpose the rough drawing over the finished one to illustrate how it develops. These two are real American characters, and if you liked the book, and you read comics in the '60s, you'll probably get a kick out of this."

Don't Waste Your Money

C. Campbell | 04/11/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"There is NOTHING in this DVD that wasn't in the book. In fact, Stan and John basically read the book to you as they show you the pictures from the book. I was hoping to actually SEE the artists do the drawings, but there is maybe 60 seconds total of footage of actual drawing. The rest of the video is just John Buscema tracing over all the images that are already in the book. If you really want to learn to draw comics, this isn't for you. If you just want a basic overview of the process, this dvd might not be TOO disappointing. But if you already own the book, DEFINITELY don't waste your money. It would be cheaper just to have your mom read the book to you."

Stan and John Create Surface Tension

V. Robert Hagman | Sacramento, CA United States | 08/16/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This dvd first caught my eye with high expectations and a low price. The price turned out to be too much. Stan Lee and John Buscema are two of the greatest comic book creators that have ever lived, but this dvd just isn't good enough to meet their standards. It offers much in the way of comic book jargon, but displays each business element very poorly. The main focus of this "visual" video is verbal instruction. There is a very limited amount of important hands-on drawing, barely even enough to teach a learning artist anything. I think that HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY could have been done a lot better and should offer a great deal more. Unless you are an avid comic book fan, I do not recommend purchasing this dvd. And, even if you are, I would give it some serious thought."

More like, "How to Talk the Marvel Way"

Perry Der | Gainesville, FL | 05/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Way too much exposition and not enough, how you say, "Bob Ross"-style step by step instruction, but hey, that's what art school is for, right, Binky?



Anyhoo, John and Stan do an excellent job explaining the basics of figure drawing and composition choices for comic panels. Inspirational, and rather like hanging at a family gathering with the oldsters. That's my opinion/memory implant. Very 80's in video quality and the music; oy! the soundtrack! I was waiting for someone to get a pie in the face!!!"