Defoe

I know, i know, Defoe is current 2000AD and not in the 68-78 year range of this Blog.
But decided to say something here, not because its joint best strip in there for the last few years, but for the art by Leigh Gallagher.
In my book, Leigh is the natural successor to artists known for their stunning, moody b/w artwork such as Bunn, Font and Bradbury.
Leigh has gone on record as saying the artist that inspired him the most was Jose Ortiz on The Thirteenth Floor but, to my mind, his work on Defoe really recalls the work of Francisco Lopez on Janus Stark.
Both brilliantly use heavy black to convey mood, both use ultra-fine lines to detail a panel and, as seen in the examples here, both can create stunningly atmospheric city scenes, along with truly unique characters.
Thanks Leigh for keeping the spirit of the comics i grew up with alive.