Howland, Mark :: Alex Toth

Dale Evans Comics #6 page 8 by Alex Toth

Artist: Alex Toth (All)

17 Comments - 1,482 Views - 10 Likes

Dale Evans Comics #6 page 8 by Alex Toth Comic Art

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Additional Images:

Flip Side

Artwork Details

Title:	Dale Evans Comics #6 page 8 by Alex Toth
Artist:	Alex Toth (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Interior Page
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	1,482
Likes on CAF:	10 11
Comments:	17
Added to Site:	5/11/2021
Comic Art Archive:

Description

As a mere twenty-year-old, Alex Toth penciled and inked this Sierra Smith, Western Detective story which appeared in Dale Evans Comics #6 in 1949. By contrast, when I was twenty, I was lucky if I could find two matching socks. Some have said that Toth is the artist’s artist, in other words, the artist whose work many other artists collect.

Philosopher Bertrand Russell once said that nothing new has been written since Plato. I suppose the same might be said of comic art, for I see Caniff and Sickles influences on this page, as well as the seeds of a technique - the scratchy movements in panels one and three - that Romita, Sr. would later adopt as one of his trademarks.

I love twice-up art; it’s just so, well . . . LARGE. While the image area for this Toth page is 13 x 18, the overall board is 14.5 x 22. WOWSER!!

Things I love about this page:

Smith’s flying hair in panel one.
The five planes of depth in panel two, a character inhabiting each one. Also the Levis label on the butt of an outlaw.
The power of the punch and more flying hair in panel three.
The background blacks in panel four. (And Toth’s use of blacks generally to frame action and clarify storytelling: note panel three.)
That sense of composition and, again, depth in panels five and six. Also Nan’s drippy word balloons.
Three quick panels of rising action and climax followed by three, more measured, panels of denouement.

Oh, and Toth didn’t just draw Sierra Smith; he co-created the character with Joe Millard. And all of this accomplished at the UN-ripe age of twenty. YOWZER!!

It has been said that Toth died at his drawing table. I can believe it. The consummate artist.

Thanks to Bechara of Nostalgic Investments.

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About the Owner

	Mark Howland Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	December 2004
Last Login:	September 2025
Ebay Id:	howmark
Website:	http://www.comicartfans.com
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Premium Member Q&A Mark's Classifieds Mark's Want List Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Comments on this Artwork

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David Macpherson
Member Since 2020

2 - Posted on 5/11/2021

The flipside doodles are some of my favorite thing about Toth. Awesome piece.

Keith Becker
Member Since 2018

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

This page is AWESOME Mark! Cool to see his early style. Not quite developed into where it would end up, but you can see it moving that way. And as ever with Toth... just genius level composition as you pointed out in your write up. I've always wondered what Toth was drawing when he died... not for any morbid reasons like wanting to buy the art. But just to know. The man was next level. There will never be another him. Congrats on such a FANTASTIC page!

Mike Rice
Member Since 2003

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

What a great page. It's got a little bit of everything. Congrats.

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

Every panel can be it's own splash page and we'd buy it.

Chris K.
Member Since 2008

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

This is a beauty, Mark!

John C
Member Since 2014

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

So worth the wait. We got shoulder shooting, whack payback, smooching, tension. Oodles of doodles. This piece has it all.

Lee Harmon
Member Since 2020

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

A definite prize of a page Mark. Great action panels.

Javier Murillo
Member Since 2007

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

I can see why you love this page. It has some really nice panels. Congratulations!

John Livesay
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

nice!

Aaron N.
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

Interesting how richly rendered everything is--almost George Wunder level. Toth would slash the detail to minimum while doubling down on these complex compositional ideas.

Bill J
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

Love these Golden Age pages! And to have one by Toth is fantastic!

Nils E
Member Since 2014

1 - Posted on 5/11/2021

What I love best is the noir period feel

kent mansley
Member Since 2015

2 - Posted on 5/12/2021

Love the back of the page just as much as the front. So good! Congrats!

Mark Stanleigh
Member Since 2010

1 - Posted on 7/30/2021

Congrats on a truly great page! I especially love the doodles on the back. You can see hints of the later Toth in there and how his work evolved. A really cool look into his style and process!

Bernard Voorzichtig
Member Since 2012

1 - Posted on 12/29/2021

Beautiful!

Roger K.
Member Since 2005
Forum Moderator

1 - Posted on 1/6/2024

This is the kind of Toth page we all want! Masterful storytelling!

Mark Levy
Member Since 2004

1 - Posted on 12/15/2024

Terrific Toth - and it's an end page - and Panel 4!

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