So I have been following the stories that have been unravelling around Rob Granito.
Don’t know him? Well.. You’re not alone. And that’s part of the problem. (But if you want to get a little caught up, check out the post earlier this week).
After attending dozens of conventions over the years, I have walked up and down aisle after aisle of artist alleys passing by many unknown artists hoping to make it big, or at the very least sell enough art to pay for their table that weekend. So as meander along, checking out art, I tend to drift towards the name artists and occasionally stop by up-and-comers because every so often you can hit gold.
Part of the problem for these new artists is that a lot of people do what I do. They tend to not stay very long at a table if you are an unknown. So maybe Rob Granito got tired of people passing by his table and decided to start looking the part of the big time. Maybe someone who is in the same boat as Granito feels that he )or she) needs to start looking the part of the big league to get noticed. And of course this is where part of the problem lies.
It would seem to me that a quick and easy fix to want to get the attention (and thus cash) from fans is to look like well-known artists. Draw like them. Be like them. This may be easy for a quick fix, but if you want to have ANY lasting power in this industry, you have just shot yourself in the foot.
Now, before I get all kinds of comments about ghost artists and cover re-creations, I know that these exist. And I also know that things like cover re-creations can cost a lot of money especially if they are done by the artist who originally drew the art. BUT even then, usually the artist wants to change it some how. Here is an excerpt from Mike Zeck (artist of The Punisher, Secret Wars, etc).
RECREATIONS… I finally said ‘yes’ to recreating one of my covers back in 2000, and that prompted quite a few requests. I was able to do about 40+ recreations before having to close my request list. My general rule for recreations is to make each one unique and collectible. Multiple requests for a same cover should have at least some change whether it be costume, character, or other. I had avoided recreations for a good while, but clever collector requests made them enjoyable to do. Hopefully more to come once I’m able to get back to commissions.
So maybe you can’t afford or more likely, can’t get the original artist to do it. Then hey why not someone else? Usually the artist will at least give credit to the original creator.
Rob Granito doesn’t seem to want to do that. Over on Facebook a group called Rob Granito is a Fraud has posted a number of pictures showing the original artist’s work and then Granito’s. No credit is given anywhere on any of his pieces.
Seeing Bruce Timm’s “Big Barda” (a DC character) next to Granito’s swipe on a “Secret Invasion” background (a Marvel title), really makes me think he’s got a mental illness and/or developmental problems. Maybe something that hampers his sense of right & wrong or makes him prone to believe he really did create/collaborate on the original works.
It’s a common illness that affects most in the western world: greed.
ha ha – yes, he’s not giving the art away for free, true. But reading his emails as posted on Bleeding Cool and looking at his picture I just had the impression there’s something ‘off’ about him
(aside from the greed, the lying, the bad reproductions etc etc)
I think Scott is right on this one. I can’t imagine he really thinks he worked on those pieces to begin with. I think he had a good run swiping other people’s creations and now the truth has come forth. He is a fraud.
If he really thought that he worked on this stuff, I am sure somewhere there would be a post by him trying to defend his stance. Sadly, I haven’t seen one yet.
I change my mind.
I’m siding with you guys on this one. I saw a clip of him talking (at the 6 minute mark):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lIRy7QnjOs
Nothing in the interview that leads me to believe he’s anything other than a liar & scum.
While all of the above examples are egregious, doesn’t stealing from someone like Arthur Adams (who has such an instantly recognizable and interesting style) defy logic? You would obviously get caught.
Just watched that clip. In the words of the late Evan Owen “That guy’s a fink!”
I agree. The only thing about that piece is that maybe he thinks all comic collectors are under 15 years old and don’t know about the Creature From the Black Lagoon comic by Adams. But c’mon Bruce Timm too??
Exactly. It was the sheer stupidity of the swipes (“nobody will figure out this is a Bruce Timm drawing of a 3rd-tier DC character I’m putting on a Marvel cover! And nobody knows anything about ‘Calvin & Hobbes’!! And Art Adams? Too detailed!”) that made me wonder if he wasn’t a little…..simple.
Seeing the youtube clips (oh yes, there ARE more…) and reading replies from him, I don’t think that’s the case. He’s just a liar and semi-illiterate moron.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon picture is HILARIOUS!
what have any of you guys ever done to criticize mr granito? his name is STAYING in the headlines, he CREATES news, you just wannabe it. this article was completely unfair and dishonest. i WONT be returning to this site, boy!!!