Toth Tuesday: Death by Toth
Sorry, I’m way too busy right now to barrage you all with another slew of faces by Toth, but have another little gem to share instead.
In the mid-’90s my pal and Trollords partner Scott Beaderstadt and I decided to release a (as it turns out, ill-fated) Trollords Classics collection. It featured the first three issues of Trollords (originally published in 1986, as well as as a new story called Death Dreams, which focused on the Trollords arch nemesis, Death. In the 30-page story, we got to see things for Death’s point of view, and in a large double-page spread his visage from a variety of perspectives. To convey this, we asked as many artist as we could think of and contact to contribute a 2″ x 2″ piece of art with their depiction of “death.”
We were pleased to receive back pieces from Scott McCloud, Michael Golden, Alex Ross, Steve Rude, Adam Hughes, Dave Sim, Neil Gaiman, Kyle Baker, Berke Breathed, Terry Gilliam and Will Eisner, among many superb artists. But nothing made my heart skip as when I pulled out the simple piece sent by Alex Toth.
Some folks depicted their characters, or a skull, conceptual or spiritual takes on the theme. But nobody offered a more pure expression of the idea.
Seeing it for the first time, as bleak as is the outlook, I had to smile. How perfectly Toth. Perhaps he was an atheist, or maybe he knew we all really don’t know what is in store for us “after.” But this simple black square is one of my most prized possessions.
Maybe he was being profound, or perhaps he was just being…lazy.
= – )
Next week, more Toth, and I’ll try and have those faces at the ready.
2 Comments so far
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This is the ultimate Toth drawing. It’s lazy AND spiteful. The only thing worth rendering here, according to Toth, were his initials. It sums up Alex beautifully. You’re lucky to have it.
I think so, too, but disagree on your assessment as to why. You state your POV very well. But I’m beginning to wonder whether you have a personal beef with him, or if his type pushes your buttons?
Isn’t there any chance that this is exactly what he thought death is like and expressed it conceptually as simply as possible? He could obviously draw, but doesn’t feel the need to show off at all with drawing. So why take the time to respond to little ol’ me unless he felt compelled to tackle the subject as a conceptual exercise/expression?