I grew up reading a lot of comic books drawn by Gene Colan. Gene drew everything from Batman, Detective Comics to Howard the Duck, but I think he shined in horror comic books like The Tomb of Dracula and Night Force. Gene had a distinct style that was sensuous. His artwork encapsulated Romantic paintings and pulp magazine covers.

Gene’s been on my mind a lot because I picked up his run on Night Force on ComiXology earlier this week. I loved the series, but I don’t think it was Gene’s best work. I don’t know if Gene was rushing to make deadlines or if the inkers couldn’t adequately convey Gene’s drawings or if there was some other reason, but Gene’s work seemed rushed and a little shoddy.

This post’s inspiration is Gene’s drawing of Merlin, a leopard that is a companion to the series main character, Baron Winter. One panel in particular. Take a look at the lower left-hand of the frame. When I saw it, I couldn’t believe my eyes; it looked like something I would have drawn when I was six-years-old. I flipped through the pages to see how he drew Merlin in the rest of the issue. Surely it was a slip-up. But no, in every panel, Merlin is either passably drawn or outright terrible. What the hell?

I hope I’m not dissuading you from reading Night Force because it’s otherwise excellent. And I still consider Gene a master at his craft but man, that leopard!