Frank Espinosa: The Next Darwyn Cooke?

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"Frank Espinosa is a world-class animator with many credits under his name. From re-designing the complete Looney Tunes characters in 1992, to creating series of Looney Tunes US Postage stamps. If that weren't enough, he also designed the Baby Looney Tunes characters. Stepping away from Warner Brothers and his animation work, Espinosa has set his sights on the genre of comics with Rocketo from Speakeasy Comics.

"Created, written and illustrated by Espinosa, Rocketo tells the story of Rocketo Garrison, a world-famous explorer and mapmaker in a world far different from our own. Set 2000 years in a mythical future, Rocketo features Garrison's exploits through his career exploring the uncharted world that was once Earth as we know it. His art style is one part Yves Chaland and one part Flash Gordon, without losing any originality in his vital work."

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 25 July 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050217/050217_loonatics_hmed.hlarge.jpg

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

No no no no no no no!

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

Frank looks pretty talented, but I'm not willing to call him anyone other than the next Frank Espinosa right about now. And I'm pretty sure he had nothing to do with the above Warnersabortion.

Oh, and if expressive art tickles your funnybone, then check out the work of Eric Wight, though his site hasn't been updated for some time. His Escapist story looked grate!

Uh, how does one post a URL again?

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

FWIW, the "next DC" thing was from the Newsarama thread, & not something I coined - figured it'd be a good way to get folks (i.e. Huk) to look @ the thread.

And here's Eric Wight for y'all.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 03:00 (twenty years ago)

BTW, Matt, I think you can just paste the URL into a post and it turns blue automatically.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 03:01 (twenty years ago)

Ah, thanks.

Sorry, didn't mean to assume that you'd started up the phrase.

People are so damn lazy sometimes. Looking at Frank's and Darwyn's work, you can certainly see some base similiarities, but Frank's far from being a copycat.

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

I'm guessing the comparison stems more from their animation background than any actual similarities. And if it gets 2 or 3 more people to give the series a shot, then what the hey? (And don't worry about misappropriating the comment to me, Matt - I kinda wish I thought of that tagline, actually.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

I suspect most comics readers will look at it and say "TEH YUXX0RS!11!! IT IS FOR TEH KIDDIEZZZZ!1!1!!!".

But yeah, if a couple of Cooke fans give it a shot, then no harm done. I was just attacking the laziness of various buzz-making machines, really.

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 15:10 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

First issue is out! And it's ... OK. Kinda clunky myth-making about explorers and helmet-makers. (Stiff synopsis brought to you courtesy of reading the book @ 2 AM on Sunday morning.) Art is beautiful, though. AND it's horizontal, not vertical - staples at the "top" of the book. Leaves lots of room for yellow / brown / blue purtiness. Worth a spin, if you're feeling forgiving (or like pretty things) (or want to support Good Comics That Don't Involve Tiny Footprints Or Internet Cracks).

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 22 August 2005 12:51 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

Well there is no way in the world I would ever assume I am in the same league as Darwyn.
I think there might be some connections in that we both look at a project more graphically. We were both art directors at one point in our lives and might tend to think in more graphic solutions. Also I would like to add that I had nothing.. nothing to do with the that new loonatics project.
thank you all.

― Frank E., Thursday, 8 September 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

Thank you, Frank! Keep up the good work!

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 8 September 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

Aw snap, someone got caught googling himself!

Is there another Rocketo issue out? His style reminds me of Scott Morse.

― ng-unit, Friday, 9 September 2005 10:22 (twenty years ago)

For the record, there is absolutely nothing wrong w/ Googling yourself. 2nd issue should be out in a few weeks, I think.

Info from the publisher - with previews!

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 9 September 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

I would really like this, wouldn't eye?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 9 September 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

http://comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6353

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

Sadly, I've missed the second issue, and at this point, I'm just going to hold out for the trade. It's also something cool enough that I'd like to have it in a permanent format, so I don't have to feel bad about killing monthly comics...

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

I'll be getting that trade, and then probably picking it up by the issue from there.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

I d'led the first three issues of Rocketo, and after merely glancing at the first few pages, I decided it would be an abomination to read it via PC and I must get paper version. So I guess this trade will be the best thing that ever happened to me.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 30 January 2006 14:50 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

WHERE IS THE TRADE, FISHIES???
The Image website lists it for Feb, and also claims it's B & W.
HELLO, IMAGE, FRANK?
I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY MONEY, PLEASE ACT LIKE YOU WANT IT.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 20:13 (twenty years ago)

I don't think #6 is out yet! & given the trade collects the first 6 issues, that might be why it's being delayed!

Also, speaking of Eric Wight (and Captain Brubaker)...

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 20:23 (twenty years ago)

Oh.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 20:29 (twenty years ago)

So he really is the Nest Darwyn Cooke because he promises stuff and then makes me wait (JLA: Bay of Pigs, Darwyn Cooke's Flash, Darwyn Cooke's The Spirit for Jan '06).

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 20:31 (twenty years ago)

LAME! Looks like the final 2 Speakeasy issues of Rocketo ain't coming out in the ever-popular pamphlet format.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 04:00 (twenty years ago)

Non-shocker. But then I'd been on the Speakeasy deathwatch for some time...

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 05:17 (twenty years ago)

This is how God punishes me for downloading comics.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 16:18 (twenty years ago)

http://www.newsarama.com/ImageComics/Rocketo/Rocketo.htm

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 16:54 (twenty years ago)

FE: I am working on illustrating a story by Glen Brunswick the writer of the Gray Area, and it is a challenge, while at the same time being lots of fun to draw. I would say it's like “Dick Tracy meets La Femme Nikita.”

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 17:46 (twenty years ago)

la dick nikita!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 17:46 (twenty years ago)

Peta Wilson's Many Jaw

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 17:58 (twenty years ago)

er, MANLY

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 17:58 (twenty years ago)

Wow. Not disappointed so far. GREAT GREAT. I stayed up way too late reading this, and I was torn between wanting to keep reading it and wanting to save some for later. Biggest surprise: Intro by Alex Ross and a Rocketo sketch by the same. Bizarre.
Not bizarre that A(lexro)ss would big up Rocketo, because it's DYNAMITE, but I don't know, whatevers.

As for the Darwyn Cooke similarities, if you've got a liking for DC, you'll be more inclined to dig this than if you're a big Jim Lee (or AlexRoss) fan, I guess. But aside from the retro-cartoonish aspects, DC and FE are quite different, stylistically. DC's art is much more defined, while FE leaves things open, lets colour do things that other artists would use lines for. Very fluid, very dreamy, it actively engages the imagination.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 9 March 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Huk-L OTM-L in every regard.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 9 March 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

this sounds right up my alley!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 9 March 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

Well, it's no Alias.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 9 March 2006 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

OR POWERS

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

you guys know me so well!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

speaking of powers, huk, you wanna trade this rocketo thing for a previously loved copy of the first trade paperback of this CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED modern classic?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

(do you cbr, slocki? i've got the first issue and I got exactly one page into it before KNOWING that I had to own paper version of Rocketo, will send once I get home if you want to get further jazzed)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

s1ocki, I'm about to add your trade query to the FAQ?

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know?

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

thanks huk but i try not to CBR things i actually want to buy because it breaks my brain! i screwed myself on captain america the winter soldier that way! and a lot of other stuff!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

The Newsarama link above will give you all you need to know anyway. And when looking for the trade on the shelfs, note that it's printed sideways.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 9 March 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

Okay...I finally finished reading the trade last night. I'd been avoiding it, because I didn't want it to end. The writing, well, there's a lot of room for the writing to improve, just in terms of smoothing out the narrative and maybe some of the dialogue could be just a little less...video game-y. This is not to say that the writing is bad, or even weak, and it certainly doesn't detract from the overall joy of reading Rocketo. Just, y'know, it's not as perfect as the art is (and OH HOW IT IS).
I was also a little disappointed at the abrupt ending, because there were a lot of pages left in the book (bonus sketches & stuff) and I was really looking forward to having those pages be story, but really, that's a good thing, I guess. The bonus stuff (after I got over the disappointment that I didn't have any more PAGES OF STORY to read) was really fun, esp. the paintings HUBBA HUBBA.
I haven't seen the next issue of the floppy solicited (though I've added it to my pull list), but am eagerly waiting.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

two months pass...

Anybody attending MIT in the fall?

CMS 999 TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE MEDIA STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO CHARACTER DESIGN AND WORLD MAKING
FRIDAYS 11-2PM 1-132
Taught by Frank Espinosa,the creator of ROCKETO

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Brief Rocketo blurb in the latest EW as the year's "Must Comic Book."

With his Sinbad–meets–Flash Gordon saga Rocketo, NYC-raised Cuban émigré Frank Espinosa, 43, has quickly established himself as one of the field's most promising new auteur cartoonists. "Some people buy motorcycles or jump off cliffs," he says. "My midlife crisis was to make a comic book." NEXT About three more collections, plus a cool new day job: teaching mythology, world making, and character building to budding videogame designers at MIT.

― c(''c) (Leee), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 02:27 (nineteen years ago)

In the last issue, the typos were significantly down.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Need to read the last issue. And need to find out which MIT building that class is in, and how best to sneak into it.

― barefoot manthing (Garrett Martin), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Because, you know, I am a budding videogame designer.

― barefoot manthing (Garrett Martin), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Did anybody check out his Doc Samson back-ups?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

ten months pass...

OOOOOH, KILLING GIRL
JUST ART

― Dr. Superman, Friday, 25 May 2007 03:08 (eighteen years ago)

He did a signing at a store here the other day, and drew a pretty rad Rocketo sketch inside of my book. He said Rocketo should be starting back up some time this year, but wasn't sure when it was coming out. He made it sound like it's ready to go and just waiting to be scheduled.

― Garrett Martin, Friday, 25 May 2007 13:01 (eighteen years ago)

ten months pass...

more Rocketo plz

― David R., Wednesday, 23 April 2008 02:58 (seventeen years ago)

seconded

― Dr. Superman, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 03:03 (seventeen years ago)

He made it sound like it's ready to go and just waiting to be scheduled.

This was almost a year ago!

― Garrett Martin, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 04:21 (seventeen years ago)

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