Archive for February, 2009
A couple of cool articles over at Wired. An interview with Alan Moore and profiles on comic shop employees. You’ll find out a lot of interesting facts and tidbits. Gary Panter’s daughter works in a comic shop. Don’t know why that suprizes me that Panter has a daughter. Play a drinking game of how many times the shop employees say they have girlfriends. Also, I miss Tom Strong. That shot of Midtown Comics looks really tempting.
Since this Final Crisis discussion started, a lot of us have weighed in with what we think is wrong with comics today. I feel like I’ve been kind of sniping at them, so let me try to explain myself a little bit more.
I’ve been listening to all these issues, and I’m trying to determine which ones are matters of taste and which ones are really killing comics. Many of them seem somewhat subjective, so I’m trying to see if there are any bright lines to be drawn. Secondarily, I’ve been trying to determine which ones apply specifically to Final Crisis.
The question of “good” seems more problematic in superhero comics than in other media. Firstly, comics aren’t solely concerned with being good. They must also come out monthly, be entertaining, contain a certain amount of action, be reasonably open to new readers, and maintain the brand equity of certain long-lived characters. All of those are constraints, and the last one is really a killer.
Second, there seems to be a large variety of what’s considered “good.” I doubt any two Panel members read any three of the same comic books. I love DMZ; Matt Kish hates it. I love Will Eisner; Steve Black is not a fan. I agree with Craig that comics are too decompressed, but I don’t have any particular feeling for “myriad paroxysms.” I didn’t care for Jack Kirby when I was a kid, but I appreciate him more now. I enjoyed Final Crisis; Dara hated it with the fury of a thousand dying suns.
Thirdly, “good” doesn’t always seem to be an overriding need for comics, and it is not always a requirement for new readers. One of Dara’s formative comics experiences was West Coast Avengers, and Shadowhawk was one of mine. I understand the kids like that manga stuff these days.
So as I talk about categorizing peoples’ beefs, let me start with mine: I hate deconstructive comics. I don’t like any comic that attempts to show how superheroes “really” would be, or that pokes fun at superhero conventions. I say use the conventions or ignore them. There wasn’t much to deconstruct there in the first place.
(I have made this argument in stronger terms in the past. The more writing I do on the internet, the harder I work to avoid hyperbole.)
So here’s my question: Which issues are matters of opinion, and which are really serious? Is it possible to come up with a consistent standard of what’s a good comic book? Or at least to come to more of a consensus about what’s bad?
Guys, maybe we could take up a collection?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/books/02/26/comic.book.auction/index.html
They left it out of the article, so let me add: BAM! POW!
I’m sure everyone that’s ever bought a comic book on Amazon got the same email I did, but here goes…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O2KSZA/ref=pe_30300_11432460_fe_txt_1/
I don’t know about the movie, but the Nite Owl comic character was a chubby guy with self-esteem issues. That’s the image that should be on the bag.
While planning your 2010-2011 geek calendar, be sure to save February 18, 2010, for that is the opening of the confusingly named Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the Broadway musical by Julie Taymor, Bono, and the Edge. Hey, if we can get a group of 12 people together, we can buy tickets now.
I love legitimate theater.
I was reading this post on the ABC News blog, wherein, as a side note, they mentioned that Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal delivered the Republican response to Obama’s speech last night. Innocent enough, right? But then I spotted this gem in the comments section:
“Jindal is a muslim who claims to have converted to Christianity. We don’t need another Barrack Hussein Obama. SARAH PALIN 2012!”
I can’t decide if I’m giddy with laughter, or horrified for the future.
Probably the former.
That is, until 2012 rolls around.
Mark Waid is one of only a handful of contemporary comic writers who gets how superhero comics should be written. He manages to write stories that provide insights into a character’s persona without losing the sense of reverence and awe that should surround these heroic figures. My favorite of his works will probably always be the “Return of Barry Allen” story from Flash, but a very close second is his run on Captain America with Ron Garney and Andy Kubert.
Waid is very good at providing cliffhanger moments throughout this series; instances where the story pauses long enough for the reader to think “sweet bejezus, how are they going to get out of that?” before turning the page to see the hero step in front of a runaway train and somehow save the day despite impossible odds. Properly done, that kind of storytelling should be what drives a regular superhero comic; excitement, inspiration, idealism, and all those other charmingly naïve emotions. That’s what I took away from Waid’s Captain America.
When writing the “Desert Island Comics” list many moons ago, I cited an issue of Flash in which Wally West throws himself out of an airplane to try to rescue an innocent bystander as an iconic moment capturing the spirit these books are supposed to convey; I neglected to mention that book has a cousin:
Captain America (vol. 3) #22.
A “sonic cancer” is sweeping the globe, a sound wave which is causing the molecules in the super-metal called vibranium to become misaligned. An early casualty is Cap’s own shield, which has been shattered into pieces. For months, Cap went through a series of replicas and substitutes (see those Avengers panels scanned a couple posts below) before Tony Stark identified the problem and delivered some dire news: the sound wave is heading for the vibranium mounds of Wakanda, and will destroy a hefty chunk of planet Earth when it hits. Stark offers a solution, a device that will alter the pitch of the sound wave, rendering it harmless– but destroying the remnants of cap’s old shield in the process.
Like a good soldier, Cap flies to Wakanda, ready to sacrifice his most cherished possession for the good of the world. But he is met there by Klaw, longtime nemesis of the Black Panther and evil master of sound, who seeks to take advantage of the sonic wave to bolster his own power. The villain destroys Tony Stark’s device and soaks up the power of the sound wave, amplifying his own formidable power a thousand fold, then flies toward the vibranium mounds to destroy the metal which is his own sole weakness. All that stands between him, absolute power, and the destruction of countless lives is one man holding pieces of a shield bound together by duct tape. Sweet bejezus…
The Bogarts had just been through a very, very bad time when I first read this; it blew me away when I first read it, and it still gets me today. (If that strikes anyone as cloying and sentimental, I’ll remind you we’re gathered at this weblog because we dig superhero comics. ‘Nuff said.) This is the feeling that every writer who tries to pen a superhero book should be aiming for. Contemporary writers have mistaken the tearing down of that sense of wonder and awe for “realism”, when instead it was always the metaphor of real-life struggles and conflicts these characters embodied that came closer to reality.* Mark Waid gets that, and gave us a big helping here.
Your slate of comic book movies for 2010 and 2011:
Iron Man 2: May 7th, 2010
Thor: July 16th, 2010
Jonah Hex: August 6th, 2010
Green Lantern: December 17th, 2010
The First Avenger: Captain America: May 6th, 2011
The Avengers: July 15th, 2011
You know, provided there aren’t a couple of complete comic book movie bombs between now and then, which would most assuredly prompt Hollywood to deem all comic book movies dead and move on to the next exploitation feeding ground.
Ok, to offset the last couple of negative posts, here’s one about a DC book that I’m pretty excited to see (when and if it ever comes out)
My fellow PANEListas know of my love for several of DC comics’ B and C-list characters, especially Hawkman. Well, feast your eyes upon these pages, courtesy of the wonderous Kyle Baker:
More pages, and an interview with the man himself over at The Pulse.
DC has confirmed that there’s no new Hawkman book in the works, so the rumor (perpetuated by Rich Johnston) is that DC will be publishing a new weekly anthology series called Wednesday Comics, with Hawkman being on of the features stories within its pages. I guess I’ll wait and see if that’s the case.
Sorry, I’m feeling a bit jaded about the big comics publishers tonight…
Fusion: Cyberforce/Hunter-Killer/Avengers/Thunderbolts #1 (of 3), coming in May from Marvel (aka the house of “ideas”) and Top Cow (aka Image Comics of 1993)
File under: Nobody gives a rat’s ass, crossovers nobody asked for, WTF OMG R U SRIOUS!!!!1111, product not art, OMG huge b00bz!!!!
Well, not much of a rant, but seriously, this is the last time I’m going to mention Final Crisis on this blog.
Still confused as all hell? Couldn’t make sense of the characters, timelines, or plot points? Fear not, the Comic Book Resources blog answers all your questions.
36 pages of answers and clarifications.
‘Nuff said.
The Batman theme continues. Bonus: sound effects and boobs.
(click image to enlarge)
(previous weeks: 9/12/2005, 9/19/2005, 9/26/2005, 10/3/2005, 10/10/2005, 10/17/2005, 10/24/2005, 10/31/2005, 11/1/2005, 11/2/2005, 11/3/2005, 11/4/2005, 11/5/2005, 11/6/2005, 11/7/2005, 11/14/2005, 11/21/2005, 11/28/2005, 12/5/2005, 12/12/2005, 12/19/2005, 12/26/2005, 1/2/2006, 1/9/2006, 1/16/2006, 1/23/2006, 1/30/2006, 2/06/2006, 2/13/2006, 2/20/2006, 2/27/2006, 3/6/2006, 3/13/2006, 3/20/2006, 3/27/2006, 4/3/2006, 4/4/2006, 4/5/2006, 4/6/2006, 4/7/2006, 4/8/2006, 4/9/2006, 4/10/2006, 4/17/2006, 4/23/2006, 5/1/2006, 5/8/2006, 5/15/2006, 5/22/2006, 5/29/2006, 6/5/2006, 6/12/2006, 6/19/2006, 6/26/2006, 7/3/2006, 7/10/2006, 7/17/2006, 7/24/2006, 7/31/2006, 8/7/2006, 8/13/2006, 8/21/2006, 8/28/2006, 9/4/2006, 9/11/2006, 9/18/2006, 9/25/2006, 10/2/2006, 10/9/2006, 10/16/2006, 10/23/2006, 10/30/2006, 11/6/2006, 11/13/2006, 11/20/2006, 11/27/2006, 12/4/2006, 12/11/2006, 12/18/2006, 12/25/2006, 1/1/2007, 1/8/2007, 1/15/2007, 1/22/2007, 1/29/2007, 2/5/2007, 2/12/2007, 2/19/2007, 2/26/2007, 3/5/2007, 3/12/2007, 3/19/2007, 3/26/2007, 4/2/2007, 4/5/2007, 4/9/2007, 4/16/2007, 4/23/2007, 4/30/2007, 5/7/2007, 5/14/2007, 5/21/2007, 5/28/2007, 6/4/2007, 6/11/2007, 6/18/2007, 6/25/2007, 7/2/2007, 7/9/2007, 7/16/2007, 7/23/2007, 7/30/2007, 8/6/2007, 8/13/2007, 8/20/2007, 8/27/2007, 9/3/2007, 9/10/2007, 9/17/2007, 9/24/2007, 10/1/2007, 10/8/2007, 10/15/2007, 10/22/2007, 10/29/2007, 11/5/2007, 11/12/2007, 11/19/2007, 11/26/2007, 12/3/2007, 12/10/2007, 12/17/2007, 12/24/2007, 12/31/2007, 1/7/2008, 1/14/2008, 1/21/2008, 1/28/2008, 2/4/2008, 2/11/2008, 2/18/2008, 2/25/2008, 3/3/2008, 3/10/2008, 3/17/2008, 3/24/2008, 3/31/2008, 4/7/2008, 4/14/2008, 4/21/2008, 4/28/2008, 5/8/2008, 5/12/2008, 5/19/2008, 5/27/2008, 6/2/2008, 6/9/2008, 6/16/2008, 6/23/2008, 6/30/2008, 7/7/2008, 7/14/2008, 7/22/2008, 8/4/2008, 8/11/2008, 8/18/2008, 8/25/2008, 9/8/2008, 9/22/2008, 9/29/2008, 10/6/2008, 10/13/2008, 10/20/2008, 10/27/2008, 11/3/2008, 11/10/2008, 11/17/2008, 11/24/2008, 12/1/2008, 12/8/2008, 12/15/2008, 12/22/2008, 12/29/2008, 1/5/2009, 1/12/2009, 1/19/2009, 1/26/2009, 2/2/2009, 2/9/2009, 2/16/2009)
One of the skills I’m always in awe of is the ability of artists to use negative space effectively. It’s one thing to learn how to draw stuff; that’s difficult enough. But to learn how to draw stuff by not drawing the stuff between the stuff? Man, that’s something else. Much respect.
For example, what do you see here?
OK, that’s not exactly fair, because I’d flipped the original image 180 degrees. Try this:
See the car now?
It’s just one piece of this gorgeous illustration by John Paul Leon, which serves as the cover for DMZ #41.
Since Craig’s been blogging about the few good comics to come out of the 90s (aka the Dark Ages), I thought I’d remind everyone what the other 95% of the industry’s output was like: Die-Cut vs. G-Force
That’s right, a character with the same name as one of the most overused 90s cover gimmicks, versus another hyphenated character. Courtesy of the chaps at Marvel UK. Liam Sharp provides the cover pencils.