Posted in: Comics, Swipe File | Tagged: arthur suydam, Bill Sienkiewicz, Comics, entertainment, Swipe File

Swipe File: Bill Sienkiewicz And… Guess Who?

In the artists alley at San Diego Comic Con, there was only one joke. Matt Kindt suggested that he had taken over four tables, but they were very small tables. Brandon Petersen posed for photos as if he were taking other people's nametags down. It went on from there at every drinks gathering, too. We got asked to talk about it at our Bleeding Cool panels, even.

And, Bill Sienkiewicz had something to post himself.

One of the bits of 'buzz' I was informed of at SDCC this year- by Neal and Buzz Da Artist as a matter of fact – was something I'd only heard of marginally on social media. I'd missed it due to deadlines and prepping for the show.

I'm not much for the 'jump on the bandwagon' school of bashing fellow pros. Comics and illustration is a tough field, a tough life's choice to pursue, and I give props to anyone trying to make an honest go of it.

Key word here is honest.

Left is a 30×40 in painting I did in the early 90's for a Superman exhibition in Nebraska. Right is a print for sale by this ….other guy… By the way– Supes's thighs are courtesy of Frank Frazetta.

I'm not gonna even say his name.
Just
Shame on you.

If you need a clue, I ran it as Arthur Suydam Swipe File Of The Week back in 2006. Maybe you can figure the identity from that…

The commenters dived in with other examples. I think some are unfair, Suydam was clearly tasked by Marvel to recreate famous Marvel covers as painted zombies, and they were very popular. But not all fit that category, such as this one. In further commentary, Bill added,

Honestly missed the whole table-gate mishegas, though when I heard of what he'd done I wasn't surprised. I'd been the recipient of his 'convention booth kudzu' at many a NYC con. I used to get phone calls from convention organizers telling me that he had specifically requested booth space immediately adjacent to mine. Guess he wanted to 'draft ' off my fans.

I'd arrive at between 10:30 or 11:30 am at my booth and every. single. day. I'd find his merch ALL over my booth and table space. "Not cool." I'd say, and his response of a laugh, a wave and a "just keeping it warm for you" failed to elicit any smile from me after the second day– or again on the third.

I just felt messed with and disrespected.

I treated this guy as a peer, a friend, with respect. This is confounding. I don't particularly care to understand what motivates this behavior. I told all show runners to keep us separated.

Renee Witterstaetter has also replied, saying,

I wasn't going to chime in on this since I"m not Arthur's agent , Bill and Arthur are both my friends, and I'm trying to actually work today.

But I was Arthur's agent when this piece was done over 10 years ago. At the time, when Arthur realized the reference he'd been given was based on your piece, Bill, he approached you at a convention, and paid out of pocket everything he'd made on the piece, which was $300. You said " You hadn't even seen the piece," and thanked him, and took the payment. So, perhaps this is the first time you are seeing it? It was a long time ago.

I remember this vividly because there was then a discussion about if Arthur was going to pay my agent fees or not, since he didn't make a profit on the piece. He did end up paying me as well, even though he didn't have to in this case. That's the back story that I know.

But if you are looking for that Frazetta leg…

It wouldn't be the only time he used it.

In Swipe File we present two or more images that resemble each other to some degree. They may be homages, parodies, ironic appropriations, coincidences or works of the lightbox. We trust you, the reader, to make that judgment yourself? If you are unable to do so, please return your eyes to their maker before any further damage is done. The Swipe File doesn't judge, it's interested more in the process of creation, how work influences other work, how new work comes from old, and sometimes how the same ideas emerge simultaneously, as if their time has just come. The Swipe File was named after the advertising industry habit where writers and artist collect images and lines they admire to inspire them in their work. It was swiped from the Comic Journal who originally ran this column, as well as the now defunct Swipe Of The Week website.

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