# Colorless Comic Book Portraits Gary Martin Strips Vibrant Superheroes Down to Bare Essentials By Jason Soy | Published 2011-11-28 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gary-martin References: [comicsalliance.tumblr](http://comicsalliance.tumblr.com/post/10558073744/lulubonanza-drawn-by-gary-martin-sky-boy) & [sky-boy.deviantart](http://sky-boy.deviantart.com/) It's pretty tough to make comic book characters seem flashy when you take away the vivid colors of their costumes, but Gary Martin still manages to tackle that feat. An inking specialist, Gary Martin is the guy [comic book pencilers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alterego-the-official-comic) go to when their line drawings are complete, but their images still need that extra oomph to elevate it into badass territory. Martin masterfully adds in any [shadows, shading and value](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/batman-x-blvck-collection) that he feels his own and other people's illustrations may need and pushes these images into visually stunning places. I have to say, he has yet to produce a disappointing drawing. Gary Martin has inked practically every superhero under the sun, so it'd be redundant to name them now, but I will say that I'm extremely impressed by the work he did on the [Iron Man, Spider-Man](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spidernoir) and Harlequin pieces in this gallery. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.3/10 - Popularity: 90% | Activity: 61% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Colorless Comic Book Art:** Artists and publishers can embrace the unique aesthetic appeal of black-and-white comic book art, a more affordable option than full-color printing. - **Minimalism in Character Design:** Designers can explore minimalist character design as a way to create simple, yet impactful images that stand out among crowded visual media. - **Collaborative Creation:** Collaboration between pencilers, inking specialists, and colorists can lead to visually stunning comic book art that pushes the boundaries of traditional superhero designs. ### Where This Applies - **Comic Book Publishing:** Comic book publishers can offer alternative black-and-white printing options to expand their product offerings and capture new customer segments. - **Art and Design:** Artists and designers can explore minimalism as a design style to create visually striking artwork that stands out in a crowded digital landscape. - **Entertainment Media:** Collaborative creation and experimentation with traditional character designs can drive innovation and creativity in entertainment media, leading to new and exciting content for audiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Comic-Inspired Soda Cans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-heroes.md) - [Artistic Jaw-Dropping Lessons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/masters-of-anatomy.md) - [Reverse Coloring Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reverse-coloring-book.md) - [Superhero-Inspired Comic Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marvel-collection.md) - [Mind-Bending Graphic Novels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/incal.md) - [Horrific Beer-Themed Comics](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garage-beer.md) - [Illustrative Artist-Collaborative Card Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shantell-martin-1.md) - [Comic Book Hero Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comic-book-heros.md) - [Superhero-Inspired Pen Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-flash.md)