Nestor Redondo was a superstar in his native Philippines before moving to the US in the early 1970’s where he began working on various DC mystery comics including “House of Mystery”, “Ghosts” and “The Unexpected” . However, it was in the pages of “Swamp Thing” issue 13 where I first became aware of his work on a story called “The Leviathan Conspiracy” (splash page above - December 1974). Redondo worked on Swamp Thing from issue 11 until issue 23 taking over the art chores from the characters co-creator and artist, the legendary Bernie Wrightson. After “Swamp Thing” ceased publication Redondo began work on “Rima, The Jungle Girl” an enchanting and a very underrated comic which contained some of his most lavish art in US comics. Redondo’s final major work for DC was illustrating the comic book adaption of the “Bible” scripted by Sheldon Mayer and edited by Joe Kubert who also provide pencil lay-outs for Redondo. The finished tabloid sized comic was artistically spectacular. After leaving DC Redondo undertook other comic book assignments working for Warren, Marvel , Eclipse and Continuity comics. Sadly Nestor Redondo passed away in 1995 at the age of 67. Below are some of my favourite Nestor Redondo pages:
Swamp Thing issue 14 -February 1975.
Internal story page from Swamp Thing issue 15 "The Soul-spell of Father Bliss art by Nestor Redondo - April 1975
Rima The Jungle Girl issue 2 (page 4) July 1974.
Rima The Jungle Girl issue 5 (page 4) January 1975.
The Bible
The Bible
Phantom Stranger issue 32 (Black Orchid by Redondo in issues 32, 35 and 36)
Phantom Stranger issue 35, page 6 (Black Orchid )
The Rook issue 12 (Story: The Bat) - Scan taken from the Grand Comics Database.
Savage Sword of Conan issue 90 (inking John Buscema's pencils)
I was probably about seven years old when I walked into my local newsagents in Cambuslang (near Glasgow) with my pocket money firmly he...
Following on from my last post featuring some of my favourite Marvel comic book covers from 1973, I thought I would show some of DC's ...
Nearly a half-century on I still consider 1973 to be the year that cemented my destiny in becoming a lifetime comic book fan. It was a yea...
It's sacrilege to say but there are aspects of Redondo's Swamp Thing that I prefer to Wrightson's. His figure felt more rooted somehow, pardon the pun. People slag off on Redondo but he was a master. DC tapped a vein of pure gold when they brought in all those Filipino artists.
ReplyDeleteHard to understand how anyone could also off Redondo, he was such a wonderfully talented artist. I feel the same about the Wrightson \ Redondo debate Rip, both had their strengths and both were excellent. The Filipino artists, particularly Nino, Alcala, Nebres and Ernie Chan were for me, some of the best artists of their day.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Redondo's stuff on HoM, HoS, Phantom Stranger and particularly Swamp Thing. After a diet of DC journeyman artists for many years, Redondo and his fellow Filipino artists were a real breath of fresh air.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that Redondo didn't do more comics for DC and Marvel as he only seems to have worked on a few comic titles and he was an inker on some of those. His HoM etc work though was always a treat but I would have loved to have seen his version of the Hulk!
DeleteI loved Redondo's DC mystery comics stuff. For me House of Mystery #134 is it! the Dr Jekyll and Dracula issues of Marvel Classics Comics are also stand-outs. He did some nice covers for Savage Sword, but I didn't know that he inked Buscema. I will have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall HoM issie 134 Spirit but the issues I do have with his art in are really nice. Redondo did a few inking jobs and pencil breakdowns at Marvel and I remember being disappointed picking up a Red Sonja comic in the early 1980s where he only provided breakdowns or was only inking the art. According to my issue of Savage Sword of Conan 90 ( "Devoured of souls" ) it's simply noted as art by John Buscema and Nestor Redondo, the pencils to my eye seem to be big John's but Redondo could have pencilled a few pages as well but they're not obvious to me.
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