One of the more remarkable members of my extended family is
my brother-in-law, Terry. Today, he is a sought after comic book artist, working alternately for both
Marvel Comics and DC Comics. During his
career, he has drawn Spiderman, Wonder Woman, and X-Men. Although he is not as well known by the
general public as writers like Stan Lee, Frank Miller or Roy Thomas, Terry is
mobbed at Comic Con by enthusiastic admirers hoping for one of his impromptu
sketches.
I first met Terry, the youngest of my husband’s four
brothers, when he was just eleven years old. Back then, he was a shy but tall young boy who said little, always keeping
his keen eye fixed on his surroundings.
He never went anywhere without a little spiral flip pad and a pencil in
his pocket. If we sat down at dinner,
or the car stopped at a red light, out came his little sketchpad and he was
deep at work. At that age, Terry was
obsessed with smurfs, drawing the little Belgian characters in every possible
position and situation.
As Terry grew older, he also grew into the traditional
six-foot-something frame that characterized his brothers, shooting up well
before he filled out. He also ran the
gamut of sports year round, playing football, basketball, and baseball. With his interest in sports, the
subject of his drawings shifted from bulbous blue sprites to muscle-bound
heroes. I enjoyed watching as, over
time, his little sketch figures became more three-dimensional, more realistic,
and more pumped.
Terry was a good student, yet his passionate interest in
drawing never wavered. I cannot remember
his ever discussing working as a teacher, or a doctor, or a businessman—the career
paths taken by his older brothers and parents.
When it was time for college, he
set out to study art. He was determined
to become a professional cartoonist, resisting any suggestions that he study
graphic design, or computer-animation “just in case” he needed other career
options.
Today, Terry’s artwork blows me away. I love to visit his studio and let him show
me his sketches. Together with his wife
Rachel, who has developed into a phenomenal ink artist and professional partner,
Terry and Rachel have a signature look that is unequalled. Terry is especially well-known for his “bombshells”—voluptuous
female characters who walk both sides of the law. But as incredible as his renderings are, what
distinguishes his work for me is his incredible eye for architectural detail,
endowing his drawings with unusual realism.
As an avid traveler, he incorporates images of historical buildings into
his background scenery. When two
characters have a protracted conversation, he draws each frame from a different
vantage point, giving the reader a 360 degree view of the surroundings. He also
betrays his love of Art Noveau style. In
a particularly wonderful sketch of Wonder Woman that he gave me for my 50th
birthday, the heroine’s hair and whip pattern are oddly reminiscent of
decorative features one might find in a print by Alphonse Mucha.
Terry is an example of how personal passion drives
excellence. From a young age he revealed his true
self. To my knowledge, he was never
pushed to make a more “traditional” career choice, or to sacrifice his
dream. With a firm belief in his own
ability, he refined his craft until he was, indeed, among the best. Even today, in an industry dominated by animation
and 3D, he calls his own shots, remaining a pencil sketch artist exclusively
engaged in the comic books and graphic novels he loves.
Terry Dodson art, copyright 2012, used with artist's permission.
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