Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #16 cover art

No, this isn't my auction, but you all know how much I love the work of Samm Schwartz. His daughter is selling one of his covers, a beautiful, twice-up gem from 1961.  Stop by and put in a bid!

There's more to it than just making "pretty pictures" - Part One

Drawing a character falling down can be a real challenge. Standing, running, even flying is easy, but a pratfall or a stumble is hard to show clearly in just one panel. So what do you do when a script calls for it? You might start by studying the work of a terrific "Archie" artist named Samm Schwartz.  This five-page story from 1977 has at least five separate examples of Jughead falling flat on the ground. It's also worth noting that Schwartz did his own inking and lettering. I like the way the sound effects are incorporated into the art, not just arbitrarily pasted over the figures. Like his contemporary, Harry Lucey, he was skilled at gestures and body language. The fretting victims in this story show their emotions in every movement. I especially like the motorist in the last panel on page three.