Crusty Bunkers

Crusty Bunker, or the Crusty Bunkers, was the collective pseudonym of group of comic book inkers clustered around Neal Adams' and Dick Giordano's New York City-based art and design agency Continuity Studios from 1972-1977. The group was also occasionally credited as Ilya Hunch, Chuck Bunker, or The Goon Squad.^[1] Many of the Crusty Bunkers went on to successful individual careers in the industry.

History

According to former member Alan Weiss, the name "Crusty Bunker" was first coined by Adams in relation to his children. "It was like calling someone a name that wasn't really dirty. . . . It didn't really mean anything, it just sounded good."^[2] There were over 60 artists who at one time or another were Crusty Bunker members.^[3] The core group consisted of artists who rented space at Continuity or worked up front in the advertising studio itself. Continuity would get the assignment, someone with experience (usually Adams or Giordano)^[3] would ink the faces and main figures, then pass it around for everyone to work on it, until the whole thing was completed.

This period was one of transition in the comics industry, as DC Comics had been toppled from comics dominance by Marvel Comics. In an attempt to revitalize its brand, DC made a concerted effort to entice young artists,^{[citation needed]} including from this talent pool. As many of the Crusty Bunkers began getting regular comics work, they discontinued working in the group's collaborative fashion. The collective was effectively disbanded in 1977,^{[citation needed]} although Adams resurrected the name for some of the comics put out by his own publishing company, Continuity Comics, from 1985-1993.

Art style

Although directed (and often worked on directly) by Adams, the Crusty Bunkers inking style was not a clone of Adams' individual work. Their early published work showed a herky-jerky, jumble of styles that revealed the work of multiple hands^{[citation needed]}. Within about a year, however (in response to the demand from publishers for a homogenous look), the Crusty Bunkers had developed a true "house style," with only hints of the individual styles that the respective artists later became known for. This house style was more rough-hewn than similar work by Adams.^{[citation needed]}

Notable members

Neal Adams — founder Dick Giordano — right-hand man Jack Abel Vicente Alcazar Sal Amendola Terry Austin Joe Barney Pat Broderick Frank Brunner Rich Buckler Howard Chaykin Frank Cirocco Dave Cockrum Denys Cowan Joe D'Esposito

Steve Englehart Dan Green Larry Hama Russ Heath Klaus Janson Jeffrey Catherine Jones Michael William Kaluta Paul Kirchner Alan Kupperberg Carl Lundgren Bob McLeod Al Milgrom Steve Mitchell Gray Morrow Michael Netzer (Nasser)

Bruce Patterson Carl Potts Ralph Reese Marshall Rogers Josef Rubinstein James Sherman Walt Simonson Bob Smith Jim Starlin Greg Theakston Trevor Von Eeden Alan Weiss Bob Wiacek Berni Wrightson

Bibliography

Inking art includes:

Continuity

• Armor #1 (1985)
• The Basics (1985)
• Earth 4 #1-2 (1993)
• Hybrids: The Origin #4-5 (1993)
• Ms. Mystic #5 (1990)
• Ms. Mystic (vol. 2) #1, 3 (1993)
• Revengers featuring Armor and Silver Streak #1 (1985)
• Urth 4 (1985)

Marvel

• Conan The Barbarian #44-45, Annual #3 (1974-77)
• Crazy Magazine #2 (1974)
• Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu Special Album #1 (1974)
• Doctor Strange #4 (1974) - uncredited^[4]
• Dracula Lives #3, 10, Annual #1 (Curtis/Marvel, 1973–1975)
• Haunt of Horror #4 (1974)
• Ka-Zar (1974-75)
• Marvel Premiere #10, 12-13 (1973–74)
• Marvel Preview #1 (1975)
• Marvel Treasury Edition #6 (1975)
• Monsters Unleashed #3, Annual #1 (1973-75)
• Power Man #31 (1976)
• Savage Sword of Conan #2–3 (1974)
• Savage Tales #7, 10 (1974–75)

Other Publishers

• Emergency! (Charlton, 1976)
• Six Million Dollar Man (Charlton, 1976)
• Mr. Miracle (DC, 1977)
• Sword of Sorcery #1-2 (DC, 1973)
• Weird Worlds #2-3 (DC, 1972–73), credited as "C. Bunker"
• Wulf the Barbarian #2 (Atlas/Seaboard, 1975)

See also

• Continuity Associates
• 1970s in comics

Notes

1. ^ Crusty Bunkers at Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
2. ^ Cooke, Jon. B. Comic Book Artist Collection One, p. 184. TwoMorrows Publishing, 2000.
3. ^ ^{a b} Netzer, Michael. "The Lives and Time of Crusty Bunker," Michael Netzer Online, September 17, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
4. ^ The Grand Comics Database Project Retrieved Sept. 1, 2008

References

• Bails, Jerry. Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928-1999
• Netzer, Michael. The Lives and Time of Crusty Bunker, Michael Netzer Online, September 17, 2007
• Rozakis, Bob. You Too Can Be the Answer Man, Comics Bulletin, April 23, 2001
• Crusty Bunkers at the Grand Comics Database Project
• Crusty Bunkers at the Comic Book DB