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DC Comics: The Art of Jim Lee #1
DC Comics: The Art of Jim Lee Vol. 1
This new, oversize art book captures some of Jim Lee's most dynamic artwork from his decades in the comics industry. From his early work with WildStorm Productions to his recent turns drawing the greatest heroes in the DC Universe, this title collects hundreds covers and behind-the-scenes art from the artist's career. See why Jim Lee is considered the greatest comics artist of his generation with this extraordinary collection!
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2010
12 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Jim Lee
1,185 books357 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, creator and publisher. After graduating from Princeton, he decided to attempt illustrating comic books, and met with success. Lee's distinctive, crisply hatched line art style and rigid, idealized anatomical forms established a new stylistic standard for superhero comic-book illustration and reinforced a popular trend away from brushed to penned inking in the late 20th and early 21st century. Lee is currently one of the most successful artists in American comics.
He has received a great deal of recognition for his work in the industry, including the Harvey Special Award for New Talent in 1990.
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, creator and publisher. After graduating from Princeton, he decided to attempt illustrating comic books, and met with success. Lee's distinctive, crisply hatched line art style and rigid, idealized anatomical forms established a new stylistic standard for superhero comic-book illustration and reinforced a popular trend away from brushed to penned inking in the late 20th and early 21st century. Lee is currently one of the most successful artists in American comics.
He has received a great deal of recognition for his work in the industry, including the Harvey Special Award for New Talent in 1990.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 15, 2022
A beautiful coffee table work showcasing Jim Lee's work at DC and Wildstorm. The majority of the book is devoted to Batman, then the rest of the DC heroes and finally touching on some of his Wildstorm work. It's got all kind of unseen sketches and pencils including things like a birthday drawing of the Joker Lee sent to Heath Ledger. It's gorgeous to see all Lee's artwork blown up to this scale. Also included is a little Legion of Super-Heroes original story featuring the classic lineup. I've never seen the LSH look better.
March 17, 2021
Excellent collection of this artist's work. Beautiful full page reproductions. Very recommended
July 11, 2013
I won this book at an auction.
And part of the prize for Jim Lee to draw a pic in the inside cover.
Jim is the nicest man.
He signed it to my little boy.
This book is priceless to me.
And part of the prize for Jim Lee to draw a pic in the inside cover.
Jim is the nicest man.
He signed it to my little boy.
This book is priceless to me.
July 10, 2025
Este compendio es una gozada visual 🖤 Espectacular el trabajazo y el catálogo artístico que este gran artista llamado Jim Lee ha creado en el mundo del cómic. Sus dibujos a lápiz me han volado la mente, vaya espectáculo, qué manera de jugar con las líneas y las sombras, para dar vida a tantas expresiones y poses.
Todo el arco de Batman ha sido impecable, con un gran número de imágenes y comentarios. El de Superman también ha estado genial, pero el de Wonder Woman y Trinity se me ha quedado muy corto, jo. Sobre todo, teniendo luego tanto contenido de Wildstorm que, personalmente, no es de mi interés.
Para fans y amantes de los cómics, resulta un catálogo increíble con muchos bocetos y páginas a todo color que son impresionantes en detalles.
Todo el arco de Batman ha sido impecable, con un gran número de imágenes y comentarios. El de Superman también ha estado genial, pero el de Wonder Woman y Trinity se me ha quedado muy corto, jo. Sobre todo, teniendo luego tanto contenido de Wildstorm que, personalmente, no es de mi interés.
Para fans y amantes de los cómics, resulta un catálogo increíble con muchos bocetos y páginas a todo color que son impresionantes en detalles.
March 8, 2024
Impressive
Initial chapter focuses on Batman, and my reactions kept saying "wow, oh boy, oh yeah, nice!" Plenty of the top characters along with lesser known are featured. Commentary is nice. Gallery at the back is great! I found some stories I need to read.
Initial chapter focuses on Batman, and my reactions kept saying "wow, oh boy, oh yeah, nice!" Plenty of the top characters along with lesser known are featured. Commentary is nice. Gallery at the back is great! I found some stories I need to read.
December 5, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
2010 has seen some great comic artists with their art books getting published. There's Alex Ross, Joe Quesada, Adam Hughes and now Jim Lee. What a fantastic year!
Jim Lee's Icons is a bargain for the price. It's hardcover with 296 pages of amazing artwork printed on good paper. Just one look at the cover and you can tell that it's really good. Publisher Titan Books has done a very good job with the printing and construction.
The work collected spans Jim Lee's entire career. The amount of work featured is quite simply stunning.
Right from page 1, it's a non-stop flow of beautiful artwork featuring the superheroes of DC Comics and WildStorm — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. There are sketches, inks, layouts and full coloured illustrations. Many are printed at full page size, some across two pages, showing off all the intricate line work, grain left by the pencil hatches, details in the characters and background.
I spent a while on each page marveling at the quality of work, thinking about his dedication to comics. It's really inspiring.
You probably won't get as many page-pausing moments with other art books in 2010.
Highly recommended.
July 4, 2011
This book literally took a week to get through. There's just so much goodness to be found within the pages of Icons: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee that it will keep you glued to it. When I first heard about the book, in my mind I thought it was going to be some tiny book full of covers and pin-ups. Boy, was I ever wrong. When I finally had this in my hands, I was like a little kid opening up the biggest present on Christmas morning.
That's right. Biggest. This book is HUGE. I would even say it can be used as a weapon if need be. It's THAT heavy. Page after awesome page, you get to see Jim Lee's art on glossy paper and twice the size from that of a regular comic book. This is how you do a coffee table book right. Along with all his Wildstorm and DC art, you get insight to pretty much everything inside the book.
One thing you need to know though is that none of his work from Marvel is represented. So, no X-Men stuff and no Punisher. Had his Marvel run been included, it would have easily made this a 10 Star book. Even with this unfortunate omission, this is a book that belongs in everyone's personal library.
Get it. You will NOT be disappointed at all.
Rating: 5 Stars out of 5
April 3, 2011
A fantastic retrospective on arguably my favorite artist out there, Jim Lee, Icons is a beautifully presented volume covering Lee's time with Wildstorm and DC Comics. Including artwork that covers his entire career with both companies including sketches and art that I've never seen before, this really is the perfect book for any Jim Lee fan. The physical look of the book, too, from the shear size of the volume to the layout of the interior pages does nothing but add to the beauty of the book. I think that this is a volume that can truly show that comics are not just a form of entertainment but can also be viewed as a true work of art. Bill Baker's running comments on the art and background information on Lee and his studio makes for a nice finishing touch.
Naturally, the only thing that would make this volume perfect would be to also include his art and time with Marvel, but since he is now DC Comics' co-publisher, this may be the best book that we'll get for the foreseeable future.
Highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of Jim Lee's artwork or to anyone who enjoys a beautifully presented book of art.
Naturally, the only thing that would make this volume perfect would be to also include his art and time with Marvel, but since he is now DC Comics' co-publisher, this may be the best book that we'll get for the foreseeable future.
Highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of Jim Lee's artwork or to anyone who enjoys a beautifully presented book of art.
February 13, 2025
The Anatomy of Spectacle: A Review of Icons: The DC Comics Art of Jim Lee
The superhero, that enduring and often magnificently absurd archetype, is, at its core, a creature of visual grandeur. More than literature, more than cinema, more than myth itself, the superhero demands an artist—a creator with the ability to render the impossible as effortless, to capture kinetic energy in a frozen moment, to imbue the inked page with the illusion of perpetual motion and larger-than-life heroism.
Few have done this with more technical precision, more dramatic flair, and more sheer, undeniable cool than Jim Lee.
And Icons: The DC Comics Art of Jim Lee, an oversized, lavishly assembled art book chronicling Lee’s career at DC Comics, is both a celebration and a testament to his status as one of the definitive superhero artists of the modern era.
This is not a book of narrative.
It is a book of spectacle, of power, of the unapologetic embrace of comic book dynamism.
And in studying it, we do not merely examine one artist’s evolution—we examine the very essence of how superheroes are drawn, how they are sold, and how they are remembered.
Jim Lee: A Titan of the Modern Age
To understand why Icons matters, one must first understand Jim Lee’s position in the pantheon of comic book artistry.
By the early 1990s, the industry had entered a new era—an era of excess, of bombastic storytelling, of heroes with impossible musculatures and impossibly small waists, an era where visual storytelling drove the medium’s commercial success more than ever before.
Jim Lee was, in many ways, the defining artist of that era.
His X-Men #1 (1991) remains the single best-selling comic book of all time, a visual manifesto of ‘90s superheroics—ripped costumes, dynamic poses, excessive cross-hatching, and faces locked in perpetual scowls of determination.
His defection from Marvel to co-found Image Comics in 1992 with fellow rockstar artists (Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Erik Larsen, and others) was an act of rebellion, an assertion of creative control over an industry that often exploited its talent.
His eventual return to mainstream superhero comics via DC, culminating in his redesigns for The New 52 and his ascent to DC’s co-publisher, cemented him not merely as an artist, but as one of the most powerful figures in the modern industry.
And so, Icons is not merely an art book.
It is a chronicle of that power, a document that captures the visual splendor of Jim Lee’s work, but also the sheer cultural force of his artistic style.
The Art: Anatomy, Action, and the Language of the Superheroic Form
To open Icons is to be immediately overwhelmed by the sheer force of Jim Lee’s linework.
His art is not merely dynamic—it is hyperbolic, muscular, and impossible in the most aesthetically pleasing ways.
The Anatomy of Power
Jim Lee’s superheroes do not resemble actual human beings—and this is precisely why they work.
His Batman is a towering fortress of muscle and shadow, his cape a storm of jagged edges, his face a mosaic of clenched determination and barely concealed fury.
His Superman is Olympian in stature, a broad-shouldered, thick-necked demigod whose every pose exudes effortless strength.
His Wonder Woman, though sculpted with the same meticulous attention to physical perfection, manages to convey both elegance and ferocity, her presence commanding without resorting to the over-sexualized excesses that plagued many ‘90s depictions of female superheroes.
These are not mere comic book characters.
They are Greek statues in motion, figures of myth rendered with a combination of anatomical precision and pure, exhilarating exaggeration.
The Language of Motion and Impact
What makes Jim Lee’s artwork so enduringly compelling is that it never feels still.
Every panel, every cover, every splash page is a study in movement, as if his characters exist mid-action, never at rest.
His use of speed lines, debris, and torn fabric makes every punch feel as if it is breaking the sound barrier.
His compositions, often angled dynamically from below, turn simple poses into monumental statements of power and defiance.
Jim Lee does not draw superheroes standing still.
He draws them moments before they reshape the world around them.
The Influence: Jim Lee’s Impact on the Superhero Aesthetic
The greatest testament to Jim Lee’s work is that it is now impossible to separate his style from the DNA of modern superhero comics.
His Batman, introduced in Hush (2002), is now the default Batman of an entire generation, the image most often replicated in merchandise, animation, and even film.
His Superman, especially in For Tomorrow, helped shape DC’s approach to the character’s iconography in the 2000s, emphasizing godlike strength and unshakable nobility.
His redesigns for The New 52, while controversial in their departure from classic looks, proved so visually striking that they have persisted long beyond the reboot itself.
Where Jack Kirby defined the cosmic grandeur of superhero comics, where John Byrne defined their elegance and storytelling clarity, Jim Lee defined their sheer, exhilarating intensity.
Final Verdict: A Monument to the Spectacle of Comics
Icons: The DC Comics Art of Jim Lee is, at its core, a celebration of what superhero comics are at their most visually thrilling.
This is not a book of restraint.
It is not a book of minimalism.
It is not a book of quiet contemplation.
It is a book of motion, muscle, impact, and dynamism—a testament to an artist whose work has shaped the very way we see superheroes.
For those who love superhero comics as grand, operatic, kinetic storytelling, Icons is essential reading.
For those who wish to understand how superheroes have evolved in the modern era, Icons is a vital historical document.
And for those who simply wish to see what raw, undiluted comic book spectacle looks like at its peak—
There is no better book than this.
Because some artists illustrate superheroes.
But Jim Lee?
Jim Lee makes them larger than life.
As well he should.
The superhero, that enduring and often magnificently absurd archetype, is, at its core, a creature of visual grandeur. More than literature, more than cinema, more than myth itself, the superhero demands an artist—a creator with the ability to render the impossible as effortless, to capture kinetic energy in a frozen moment, to imbue the inked page with the illusion of perpetual motion and larger-than-life heroism.
Few have done this with more technical precision, more dramatic flair, and more sheer, undeniable cool than Jim Lee.
And Icons: The DC Comics Art of Jim Lee, an oversized, lavishly assembled art book chronicling Lee’s career at DC Comics, is both a celebration and a testament to his status as one of the definitive superhero artists of the modern era.
This is not a book of narrative.
It is a book of spectacle, of power, of the unapologetic embrace of comic book dynamism.
And in studying it, we do not merely examine one artist’s evolution—we examine the very essence of how superheroes are drawn, how they are sold, and how they are remembered.
Jim Lee: A Titan of the Modern Age
To understand why Icons matters, one must first understand Jim Lee’s position in the pantheon of comic book artistry.
By the early 1990s, the industry had entered a new era—an era of excess, of bombastic storytelling, of heroes with impossible musculatures and impossibly small waists, an era where visual storytelling drove the medium’s commercial success more than ever before.
Jim Lee was, in many ways, the defining artist of that era.
His X-Men #1 (1991) remains the single best-selling comic book of all time, a visual manifesto of ‘90s superheroics—ripped costumes, dynamic poses, excessive cross-hatching, and faces locked in perpetual scowls of determination.
His defection from Marvel to co-found Image Comics in 1992 with fellow rockstar artists (Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Erik Larsen, and others) was an act of rebellion, an assertion of creative control over an industry that often exploited its talent.
His eventual return to mainstream superhero comics via DC, culminating in his redesigns for The New 52 and his ascent to DC’s co-publisher, cemented him not merely as an artist, but as one of the most powerful figures in the modern industry.
And so, Icons is not merely an art book.
It is a chronicle of that power, a document that captures the visual splendor of Jim Lee’s work, but also the sheer cultural force of his artistic style.
The Art: Anatomy, Action, and the Language of the Superheroic Form
To open Icons is to be immediately overwhelmed by the sheer force of Jim Lee’s linework.
His art is not merely dynamic—it is hyperbolic, muscular, and impossible in the most aesthetically pleasing ways.
The Anatomy of Power
Jim Lee’s superheroes do not resemble actual human beings—and this is precisely why they work.
His Batman is a towering fortress of muscle and shadow, his cape a storm of jagged edges, his face a mosaic of clenched determination and barely concealed fury.
His Superman is Olympian in stature, a broad-shouldered, thick-necked demigod whose every pose exudes effortless strength.
His Wonder Woman, though sculpted with the same meticulous attention to physical perfection, manages to convey both elegance and ferocity, her presence commanding without resorting to the over-sexualized excesses that plagued many ‘90s depictions of female superheroes.
These are not mere comic book characters.
They are Greek statues in motion, figures of myth rendered with a combination of anatomical precision and pure, exhilarating exaggeration.
The Language of Motion and Impact
What makes Jim Lee’s artwork so enduringly compelling is that it never feels still.
Every panel, every cover, every splash page is a study in movement, as if his characters exist mid-action, never at rest.
His use of speed lines, debris, and torn fabric makes every punch feel as if it is breaking the sound barrier.
His compositions, often angled dynamically from below, turn simple poses into monumental statements of power and defiance.
Jim Lee does not draw superheroes standing still.
He draws them moments before they reshape the world around them.
The Influence: Jim Lee’s Impact on the Superhero Aesthetic
The greatest testament to Jim Lee’s work is that it is now impossible to separate his style from the DNA of modern superhero comics.
His Batman, introduced in Hush (2002), is now the default Batman of an entire generation, the image most often replicated in merchandise, animation, and even film.
His Superman, especially in For Tomorrow, helped shape DC’s approach to the character’s iconography in the 2000s, emphasizing godlike strength and unshakable nobility.
His redesigns for The New 52, while controversial in their departure from classic looks, proved so visually striking that they have persisted long beyond the reboot itself.
Where Jack Kirby defined the cosmic grandeur of superhero comics, where John Byrne defined their elegance and storytelling clarity, Jim Lee defined their sheer, exhilarating intensity.
Final Verdict: A Monument to the Spectacle of Comics
Icons: The DC Comics Art of Jim Lee is, at its core, a celebration of what superhero comics are at their most visually thrilling.
This is not a book of restraint.
It is not a book of minimalism.
It is not a book of quiet contemplation.
It is a book of motion, muscle, impact, and dynamism—a testament to an artist whose work has shaped the very way we see superheroes.
For those who love superhero comics as grand, operatic, kinetic storytelling, Icons is essential reading.
For those who wish to understand how superheroes have evolved in the modern era, Icons is a vital historical document.
And for those who simply wish to see what raw, undiluted comic book spectacle looks like at its peak—
There is no better book than this.
Because some artists illustrate superheroes.
But Jim Lee?
Jim Lee makes them larger than life.
As well he should.
January 5, 2011
WOW! Icons: The DC Comics and Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee was a truly gorgeous book detailing Lee's early work including Wildcats then segueing into his DC art then onto his more recent stuff. Loads of full color images from his countless covers and other work, many of which include comments from the artist himself about his "process" for that particular piece. I especially liked the "work-in-progress" pages that showed Lee's original lines before they were colored and then the completed work right next to it. All in all, a really beautiful coffee table book for fans of DC Comics (or any comic book art for that matter) and its characters and Jim Lee himself.
January 9, 2011
In my opinion this man is THE best penciler in all of comics. Fresh lines, exciting movement, and articulate nature drive me to draw more like him.
July 14, 2020
It's a bit of a cheat to say that I've "read" this book, given how few words are actually in it, and I'm not one to pore over art. But over the last few days I have greatly enjoyed looking at Jim Lee's gorgeous finished art and intricate pencils, as well as appreciating the development of rough sketches to finished product.
Lee is, despite his frequently point out faults, one of my favourite comic artists and the depth of work in here - much that I hadn't seen before - is astounding. Yes, some covers follow the same formula, but so what?
Why four stars? Well, I would have liked a bit more text - an interview would have been nice (although dated now) and possibly a more comprehensive checklist of his work (comic collectors are, after all, collectors...) Oh, and the Legion story, although again with stunning art, was little more than a fluff-piece, which is a shame.
Lee is, despite his frequently point out faults, one of my favourite comic artists and the depth of work in here - much that I hadn't seen before - is astounding. Yes, some covers follow the same formula, but so what?
Why four stars? Well, I would have liked a bit more text - an interview would have been nice (although dated now) and possibly a more comprehensive checklist of his work (comic collectors are, after all, collectors...) Oh, and the Legion story, although again with stunning art, was little more than a fluff-piece, which is a shame.
March 31, 2021
An astounding collection that does justice to the master: Jim Lee.
Lee helped get me into comics with his X-Men run, then brought me back to comics with Batman 'Hush.' This collection details his DC work (as well as Wildstorm, Vertigo, etc) and it does so beautifully, offering a behind-the-scenes look at sketches, in-progress works, beautifully printed and colored final products, and important context of what was going on at the time he worked on certain milestone projects.
It's the art book others should aspire to be. Just like Jim Lee is the ARTIST so many aspire to be.
Lee helped get me into comics with his X-Men run, then brought me back to comics with Batman 'Hush.' This collection details his DC work (as well as Wildstorm, Vertigo, etc) and it does so beautifully, offering a behind-the-scenes look at sketches, in-progress works, beautifully printed and colored final products, and important context of what was going on at the time he worked on certain milestone projects.
It's the art book others should aspire to be. Just like Jim Lee is the ARTIST so many aspire to be.
February 18, 2020
I've had this sitting on my shelf for years, read it back and forth, stared at it for hours a day. Now it's just a thing for the kids to marvel at (no pun intended) and ask me endless questions about. You can clearly see the wear and tear of them flipping through the pages. I love this artbook, so much great work from my favorite comic artist of all time. Definitely going to get another copy and keep it safe from little hands.
February 18, 2020
I've had this sitting on my shelf for years, read it back and forth, stared at it for hours a day. Now it's just a thing for the kids to marvel at (no pun intended) and ask me endless questions about. You can clearly see the wear and tear of them flipping through the pages. I love this artbook, so much great work from my favorite comic artist of all time. Definitely going to get another copy and keep it safe from little hands.
August 26, 2025
Pencil, inks,brushes,markers, wipe-out.
Libro que te cuenta el paso de Jim Lee por DC y Wildstorm.
LO BUENO: Hermoso, buena selección del trabajo de Jim, con paginas hermosas, sketchs, comisiones, y te cuenta historias por aquí y por allá.
LO MALO: Que solo sea de su trabajo en DC-WILDSTORM, y se pierde mucho de lo que hizo por fuera de estas dos...sus portadas para Top Cow, sus años Marvel...y algo mas de comentario, de chisme en los pie de pagina hubiera sido hermoso.
Libro que te cuenta el paso de Jim Lee por DC y Wildstorm.
LO BUENO: Hermoso, buena selección del trabajo de Jim, con paginas hermosas, sketchs, comisiones, y te cuenta historias por aquí y por allá.
LO MALO: Que solo sea de su trabajo en DC-WILDSTORM, y se pierde mucho de lo que hizo por fuera de estas dos...sus portadas para Top Cow, sus años Marvel...y algo mas de comentario, de chisme en los pie de pagina hubiera sido hermoso.
January 3, 2026
Wrong format
If you really want to get the best out of reading this book the digital format is not the way to go. If you are able to read the large physical print format do that instead. That is a better way to experience the art of this art book. There's no story here, it's a sketch book with some retrospective information within it. If you really want to deep dive into Jim Lees work and life this isn't the best way to do it. Keep in mind there's none of his Marvel work in here so enjoy his DC work and then look to spend money on his Marvel works. It's still a nice view but not a great read.
If you really want to get the best out of reading this book the digital format is not the way to go. If you are able to read the large physical print format do that instead. That is a better way to experience the art of this art book. There's no story here, it's a sketch book with some retrospective information within it. If you really want to deep dive into Jim Lees work and life this isn't the best way to do it. Keep in mind there's none of his Marvel work in here so enjoy his DC work and then look to spend money on his Marvel works. It's still a nice view but not a great read.
February 5, 2022
Gorgeous, gorgeous book. A super fun read!
June 13, 2022
This book's retail price is normally $40 but Barnes & Noble had it on sale for $10, plus their edition comes with a free poster, so you know I had to snatch this up. Love Jim Lee's art!
January 23, 2024
Without the Legion story, never printed anywhere else, I would never have touched this book. Jim Lee's art does not inspire me.
February 28, 2020
This is great presentation of Jim's art from his WildStorm and DC eras, roughly from 1993 through 2010. There is actually a note in the copyright section that says that the book was originally published as "Icons: The DC Comics and WildStorm Art of Jim Lee" (copyright 2010). I'm embarrassed to say that after thoroughly enjoying this book, I realized that I had another copy, it just had a different title. I guess they renamed and reissued it with plans for an eventual Volume 2.
I suppose the fact that I effectively bought this book twice is pretty good evidence that I'm a fan of Jim's. He was my favorite of the Image artists and remains a favorite to this day. It's been fun for me to follow Jim's career. We were born a few months apart and both had a real love for comic art growing up (I took weekend classes at Joe Kubert's academy in New Jersey in junior high and high school). Like Jim, I went to an Ivy League college and graduated in 1986. Unlike Jim, I didn't give myself a year after graduation to break into the comic business (of course, I had nowhere near his talent). Thank goodness he did, and someone recognized his talent during that time. Because of the similar backgrounds and my enjoyment of his work, it's been fun to watch his progress, from Marvel, to Image / WildStorm, to DC. Here's looking forward to many more years of his tremendous superhero artwork and a Volume 2 of this collection.
I suppose the fact that I effectively bought this book twice is pretty good evidence that I'm a fan of Jim's. He was my favorite of the Image artists and remains a favorite to this day. It's been fun for me to follow Jim's career. We were born a few months apart and both had a real love for comic art growing up (I took weekend classes at Joe Kubert's academy in New Jersey in junior high and high school). Like Jim, I went to an Ivy League college and graduated in 1986. Unlike Jim, I didn't give myself a year after graduation to break into the comic business (of course, I had nowhere near his talent). Thank goodness he did, and someone recognized his talent during that time. Because of the similar backgrounds and my enjoyment of his work, it's been fun to watch his progress, from Marvel, to Image / WildStorm, to DC. Here's looking forward to many more years of his tremendous superhero artwork and a Volume 2 of this collection.
January 1, 2015
This book is very aptly titled, because there are few comic artists as iconic as Jim Lee. As is illustrated in the title, this books covers his DC and Wildstorm art, so none of his X-Men stuff is included.
The book is broken into sections, and covers great stuff like Batman: Hush, and Superman: For Tomorrow. There's a good mix of pencils, inks, and finished pieces. Every piece of art has a bit info about it as well.
I wasn't completely familiar with Jim Lee's Wildstorm stuff, so that was nice to look through. Very interesting to see how his style has changed and matured since that earlier stuff.
The book is broken into sections, and covers great stuff like Batman: Hush, and Superman: For Tomorrow. There's a good mix of pencils, inks, and finished pieces. Every piece of art has a bit info about it as well.
I wasn't completely familiar with Jim Lee's Wildstorm stuff, so that was nice to look through. Very interesting to see how his style has changed and matured since that earlier stuff.
January 31, 2015
There is nothing wrong with this art book, but I personally found it a little lacking. There wasn't much in the way of interesting information, and a lot of these images I've seen already. Also, I know this was DC and Wildstorm specific, but any book about Jim Lee's art that can't include his Marvel work feels incomplete.
It's easy to see why people are grooving on this book. I'm just not one of them.
It's easy to see why people are grooving on this book. I'm just not one of them.
January 8, 2020
This is a reprint of Icons: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee. I believe DC Comics are planning to release a volume 2, hence why they've renamed the title. This book includes his art up to 2011, so hopefully volume 2 will include his art from 2012 to now. This is a gorgeous book. Recommended.
November 11, 2010
a beautiful 'coffee table book' covering the career of Lee. Some of this artwork is stunning, and looks great even magnified to this larger format. I especially liked seeing some pages in progress....to witness the evolution of some of Lee's art from concept sketches to final product.
November 15, 2013
Check out Ep. 37: There's Pretty Girls in That One to get views on Icons and other comic art books from the Comicpop Crew. Here is the direct link to the episode http://comicpoplibrary.com/news/ep-37...
January 2, 2012
Absolutely amazing artist. Would be nice to have some more comments by Jim Lee though.
September 24, 2025
Clearly not Jim’s best era. Though the fact that it has a beautiful looking Legion story deserves a 4th star.
March 16, 2020
I love his artwork. Amazing collection
November 28, 2010
Freakin' gorgeous.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews