RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Comic Books Barry Windsor Smith

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I've been back into Smith's work lately, particularly his earliest stuff.
In the pre-internet days, those early issues were hard to find, or even to checklist, so I gained a lot of pleasure in finding it.

I was surprised how little of it there is in this checklist, only 139 titles over Smith's 50-plus year career:


Barry Windsor-Smith checklist
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/creator.php?creatorid=111



I have a complete collection of his CONAN THE BARBARIAN 1-24
And SAVAGE TALES 1-3, "The Frost Giant's Daugter" (1), and "Red Nails" (2 and 3).
And SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN 3, "Kull of Atlantis",
And 16-17, Bran Mak Morn "Worms of the Earth" runs,
And his AVENGERS 66-67, and 98-100 stories in original or reprint runs.

When tracking down Smith's other earliest stories and anthology work with this checklist, such as TOWER OF SHADOWS 3, 5, and 7,
CHAMBER OF DARKNESS 3 and 4, ASTONISHING TALES 3-6 and 10, and MONSTERS ON THE PROWL 9, I was pleasantly surprised that I already had about 75% of it already in my collection, so I didn't even have to find or buy them.

Smith initially worked from 1969-1976 in comics (the latter sparse 1974-1976 stories mostly inventory or delayed-published earlier work), some of it he abandoned working on (several of his later CONAN THE BARBARIAN issues, I think 21 and 23, and SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN 16-17) that was finished by other artists.


In 1980-1981 when I first discovered his work, I was a little resistant to Windsor-Smith in the beginning, because I perceived him to be an elitist snob who thought he was too good to do comics (see the Smith interview in EPIC ILLUSTRATED 7). But the work is good, regardless of what Smith is like (or isn't like) personally.

A shop owner I've known for about 35 years now, who has been going to comics conventions all over the country since the 1960's, who was friends with Len Wein since they were both in high school, and met most of these 1970's writers and artists from the time they started out professionally in comics, said Howard Chaykin used to be a real jerk in the 1970's, and he actually watched at a convention one comics fan Chaykin insulted get angry at Chaykin and throw him around a bit for his arrogance. And as this dealer said, no one made a move to intervene on Chaykin's behalf, such was their dislike for him at the time.
But he said seeing Chaykin over many decades at conventions nationwide, Chaykin matured and mellowed over the years .

And my own experience meeting Chaykin at Miamicon in 2012 is that he was very approachable, funny, and a great guy to hang out with. There's also the possibility that most of these artists are almost always great people, but you can just catch them on a bad day.

So maybe Windsor-Smith was even back then more down to earth than he might seem. Who knows.

But regardless, his comics work, and especially his Gorblimey Press work, was beautiful. And has aged well and remains classic work.




After about a 7-year hiatus away from comics (except for a few articles and interviews displaying his Gorbimey Press prints and portfolios), Smith began doing comics work again in 1983, with EPIC ILLUSTRATED 16, MARVEL FANFARE 15, MACHINE MAN MINISERIES 1-4, a few roughly annual issues of X-MEN, in 186, 198, 205, 214, in DAREDEVIL 236 and IRON MAN 232 and 243 ,re-visiting titles where he initially did a few scattered fill-in issues of his earliest work.

And there's certainly a huge schism between Smith's earlier work and his post-1983 work.

There are times when I'm not as into his later work. And at other times I see it as, while different from his earlier work, has a complexity and attention to detail that makes it arguably as good in its way as his best known earlier work.
The fourth of July story in DAREDEVIL 236, his MACHINE MAN miniseries, and his Wolverine "Weapon X" run in MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS all being prime examples. I recommend the later collected trade reprint version of WOLVERINE: WEAPON X (1993), with offset clearer printing and much more vibrant colors.

Smith is definitely up there among the finest artists in comics history. And while he doesn't impact me the same way as, say, Adams, Wrightson, Kaluta, Bolton, Golden or Rogers, his work is powerful elegant stuff that I wouldn't have wanted to miss.

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Several interviews of Barry Windsor-Smith from over the years, from his own site:

http://www.barrywindsor-smith.com/studio/interviews.html



Oddly, the interview from EPIC ILLUSTRATED 7, August 1981, is absent from the list, and I can't find it anywhere online. Even the above link in my first post for EPIC ILLUSTRATED 7 shows the entire contents of the issue, except for the 15-page Smith interview and artwork. It's as if he suppressed it from being available for some reason.

Here's another online version of EPIC ILLUSTRATED 7 that does the same thing, with the magazine's entire contents, but omitting the Smith interview:
https://comiconlinefree.net/epic-illustrated/issue-7

From Smith's Gorblimey press days in the 1970's his "Lord of the Black Corsairs" Conan print, that was also used as the back cover for MARVEL TREASURY 4, June 1975.

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Courtesy of the Diversions of the Groovy Kind blog, here are several posts he did on Smith's best known early work (and some less well known) from Smith's early years on CONAN THE BARBARIAN, SAVAGE TALES, Ka-zar in ASTONISHING TALES, and other less well known early work in X-MEN 53, DAREDEVIL 50-52, NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD 12 (even I didn't know that last one till the above checklist!), and other assorted treasures.

https://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/search?q=barry+windsor-smith

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The Cover for PATHWAYS TO FANTASY 1 (and only), July 1984, the last book published by Pacific Comics before they folded (this and ALIEN WORLDS 3-D #1, either one a great way to go out on a high note). Here you have a larger version, and without the clutter of any logos or text. Windsor-Smith in peak form.

Smith also did a 7-page interior story (pen and ink, not painted) based on the cover. With additional great work by John Bolton, Lela Dowling, Scott Hampton and Bruce Jones.
Here you can see the same painting used as the cover, with logos and text.
https://www.comics.org/issue/38906/

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Thoth Amon, The great wizard of Kull's era, as illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith, from Smith's Gorblimey Press Robert E Howard portfolio (1975).
One of 5 prints from the portfolio, the others being of Conan, Valeria, Solomon Kane, and Bran Mak Morn.
I was fortunate enough to luck onto a copy of it purchased with a collection at my local comic shop in 1996, all 5 matted and framed. And I've savored having them displayed on the wall ever since.

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Solomon Kane, my favorite page from the portfolio.

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Bran Mak Morn page.

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Valeria page.

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The portfolio is signed and numbered on the first Conan plate. Limited to 920 signed and numbered sets. I always wondered why he settled on that number.
Not 900, not 950, not 1000... exactly 920. Go figure.

The Gorblimey Press work is for my money Smith's best. But his peak work extended well into the early/mid 1980's, until he pretty much stopped doing portfolios and prints, and started just doing comics again.

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The Devil's Lake (1975), the first of Smith's art prints I was able to find, ordered from Bud Plant back in 1980.

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Here's a link to MONSTERS, a 365-page graphic novel by Windsor-Smith, that apparently has been a back-burner project Smith has been working on for over 30 years, and finally completed. The reviews I've read of it are very favorable. You can judge for yourself, here's the complete graphic novel:

https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Monsters

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Here's what appears to be a very complete checklist of Windsor-Smith art: comics, books, posters, prints, fanzines, whatever you might want to know about.

https://glimmergraphicsprints.net/barry-windsor-smith

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Gorblimey Press print. Barry Smith named his company that released all his porfolios and prints from 1974-1983 Gorbimey Press. This particular print was sent out as a thank you to all his loyal purchasers one year. Because he was ill for a while and it delayed his sending ordered material to his following.

It's a beautiful image of Lady Britannia, and I have versions of it on the wall, both the original black and white print, and an equally if not more so color version of it.
Beautiful in either form.

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"Cimmerian Death print" by Smith, released if I recall around 1977-1978.
I recall seeing this for years in SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN ads, for sale from Bud Plant, Moondance, and others who ran full-page ads in Marvel's magazines.

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"Something Ic Waes", which is presumably Celtic or Gaelic for "Something I was".

I'm not sure if they're connected, but to me it is reminiscent of Smith's "Cimmeria" 5-page illustrated Robert E. Howard poem in SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN 24, Nov 1977.
https://viewcomiconline.com/the-savage-sword-of-conan-issue-24/

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I actually like the "Cimmeria" poem adaptation better in color. Although both versions have their merits.
Reprinted here as a backup story to Thomas and Windsor-Smith's "Red Nails" adaptation (itself reprinted from SAVAGE TALES magazine, issues 2 and 3, 1973)

ROBERT E. HOWARD'S CONAN THE BARBARIAN
https://viewcomiconline.com/robert-e-howard-s-conan-the-barbarian-full/

A decorative border frame was added to each page in this 1983 reprint version.



And previous to that reprint, here's the first full reprinting of Thomas and Smith's "Red Nails" adaptation, in MARVEL TREASURY 4, in 1975. And while I like the comic book printing better than the offset re-colored 1983 version, it's in somewhat butchered form in this 1975 version, with about 10% at the bottom of each page shaved off, presumably to fit it on the pages in the different treasury size. I picture Barry Windsor-Smith being pissed as hell when he saw how his pages were altered in this edition. But y'know... better at least in this form, than not reprinted at all. In an era before comic shops, when back issues were almost non-existent.

MARVEL TREASURY EDITION 4, 1975
https://viewcomiconline.com/marvel-treasury-edition-04/


Here's the story in its original black-and-white magazine form, in SAVAGE TALES magazine.

SAVAGE TALES 2 and 3, Oct 1973 and Feb 1974.
https://viewcomiconline.com/savage-tales-issue-2/


Here's the original black and white limited edition print version of "Something Ic Waes" (version limited to 1,000 signed/numbered copies)
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0oJImk8JTh8/VX0O6FXrO7I/AAAAAAAA3bs/l0gDYq9uZ3E/s1600/00ic.jpg
https://capnscomics.blogspot.com/2020/05/something-ic-waes-by-barry-smith.html

The old link expired, here's the same portfolio image from another source.


And the page of Conan from the same portfolio (page 1 of the portfolio, signed and numbered by Windsor Smith in the lower left.)
https://downtownbrown.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/363812_2.jpg?auto=webp&v=1713389129

And the full details of the Robert E Howard Portfolio:
https://www.downtownbrown.com/pages...oward/robert-e-howard-memorial-portfolio

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The same PATHWAYS TO FANTASY issue, August 1984, but as published with the logo and cover copy.
With anthology stories by Bruce Jones, John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Jeffrey Jones, Lela Dowling, and the cover and lead story by Barry Windsor-Smith.
Unfortunately just one issue, but what a great single issue, if there could only be one.

https://www.comics.org/issue/38906/

It was pretty grim. https://www.worldcomicbookreview.com/2021/07/22/monsters-review/ Nice artwork though.

Otherwise, surely this is one of the best comic book covers ever: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b6/0d/50/b60d5008640495f3bba73717d7543230.jpg

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Yeah, those X-MEN issues by Windsor-Smith, along with that "Weapon X" Wolverine series, are really nice stuff.

And even the MACHINE MAN four-issue mini-series where Smith was inking over Herb Trimpe pencils, also was outstanding work, especially the covers.
https://readallcomics.com/machine-man-v2-1/
https://readallcomics.com/machine-man-v2-2/
https://readallcomics.com/machine-man-v2-3/
https://readallcomics.com/machine-man-v2-4/
or at :
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Machine-Man-1984/Issue-1?id=59526

And maybe a warm-up for Smith, for the work he did after in X-MEN, and WEAPON X.

https://readallcomics.com/uncanny-x-men-v1-186/
https://readallcomics.com/uncanny-x-men-v1-198/
https://readallcomics.com/uncanny-x-men-v1-205/
https://readallcomics.com/uncanny-x-men-v1-214/
or at :
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Uncanny-X-Men-1963/Issue-186?id=22871
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Uncanny-X-Men-1963/Issue-198?id=22884
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Uncanny-X-Men-1963/Issue-205?id=22893
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Uncanny-X-Men-1963/Issue-214?id=22903


https://readallcomics.com/wolverine-weapon-x-gallery-edition-tpb-part-1/
https://readallcomics.com/wolverine-weapon-x-gallery-edition-tpb-part-2/
or at :
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Weapon-X-1993/TPB?id=105336#2

Updated, because the frigging links of these issues keep expiring.

"Red Nails" was also reprinted in black-and-white with clearer printing in CONAN SAGA 9.
https://readallcomics.com/conan-saga-009/

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Also from 1985, during Windsor-Smith's comeback to Marvel, his humor story in MARVEL FANFARE 15, July 1984, where Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm play pranks on each other, and the retribution back and forth on each other keeps escalating.

Full issue at :
https://readallcomics.com/marvel-fanfare-1982-015/


His work in EPIC ILLUSTRATED was also a major turning point, marking the end of his Gorblimey Press prints and portfolios era, and his return to doing comics again in 1983.

Starting with an interview of Windsor-Smith in EPIC ILLUSTRATED 7 in August 1981, with a number of his gorgeous full page portfolio pages accompanying the interview. (AGAIN: Except for Smith's cover, the interview and portfolio pages are omitted from all the many online scans of this issue I've seen.)
And Windsor-Smith's full comeback to comics in EPIC ILLUSTRATED 16, Feb 1983, with several full and partial stories he was developing at the time.
And his partially finished stories in EPIC ILLUSTRATES 34, Feb 1986, as part of the "incredible last issue", work that probably would have run in completed form in a later issue, if EPIC ILLUSTRATED had not been cancelled.

https://readallcomics.com/epic-illustrated-07/
https://readallcomics.com/epic-illustrated-16/
https://readallcomics.com/epic-illustrated-34/

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Here's a huge collection of Barry Windsor-Smith's Gorblimey Press porfolio pages, art printts, and posters.

https://geekynerfherder.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-art-of-barry-windsor-smith.html



Among them most of the portfolios, posters and prints that appeared in THE STUDIO book (1979), from the years 1975-1979, when Jeffrey Jones, Michael Kaluta, Berni Wrightson, and Barry Windsor-Smith all shared a studio in New York City. And the daily exposure of each to the others' exceptional work inspired each of them to do their very best work in that period.

And also displays some portfolios that I've previously seen but don't have.

Such as Smith's CONAN TUPPENY PORTFOLIO, a black and white portfolio of Conan images, that someone colored and posted online here, with very nice results.

And the 1981 SYBILA portfolio, that was shown with the interview of him in EPIC ILLUSTRATED 7, in 1981.
Plus several other Smith portfolios and prints, pictured with the interview..

And pages of his later post-1983 work in IRON MAN, DAREDEVIL, X-MEN and WEAPON X (that last one was first serialized in MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS, before later being printed again in collected form, with offset printing). Plus other Smith comics work and decorative pages shown.

That's an awesome collection to have. While I read a lot of Conan as back issues, it was Windsor-Smith's MCP: Weapon X that turned me on to his artwork.

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Here's what appears to be an early Smith portfolio page from his Gorblimey Press period, that I've never seen before.
Although the "BWS" signature I only recall seeing on his 1980's and 1990's work.



And I linked the collected edition of "WEAPON X" earlier
https://readallcomics.com/wolverine-weapon-x-gallery-edition-tpb-part-1/
https://readallcomics.com/wolverine-weapon-x-gallery-edition-tpb-part-2/
or at :
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Weapon-X-1993/TPB?id=105336#2

(reprinting with better offset printing the serialized issues from MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS 72-84, March 1991-Sept 1991 )
https://readallcomics.com/marvel-comics-presents-v1-072/

Whichever format you prefer.

https://readallcomics.com/category/monsters/

Updated, with a new link to the full story (the above ReadComicOnline link still works too, but with a lot of pop-up ads).

I liked your review too, Dave.
And glad you liked Windsor-Smih's MONSTERS enough that you thought it worthy of a review.