You know, I was going to write this big article about the future of the comic book industry, but then I scrapped it because I realized I would get into too much trouble. I mean, I just imagined certain bloggers crucifying me. And yes, digital comics was involved in my overall trending.
That said - and because my blogging mojo just seems to be off today, I will open the floor to you.
This is an open forum, to either ask me a question, have your say about a certain topic, or just talk amongst yourselves.
Now, this also might get me into too much trouble and be a terrible idea. But I'm curious as to what would happen.
Rules:
1. No spam. Or if you're going to just plug your work, do it a little creatively or add a haiku.
2. I reserve the right not to post certain questions that I feel are inappropriate, and also to post some questions but take the fifth.
3. Those who are responsible for the sacking have also been sacked (obscure)
Ok, have fun!
Okay, then, I'll just say "first" to get that out of the way.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to put this out there: I don't think your blogging has been off?
ReplyDeleteOne change I've already embraced is page format. Call it efficeincy or laziness but I think it's smart to draw in a format that is compatible with print, the web, cell phones, pods, Wonka-in-brain-video-gum etc. The standard vertical pamphlet-floppy-comics page just looks like crap on computers. If you have to do any scrolling to read a comic then I'm out. I scroll for no one. Most artists are already drawing in "widescreen" panels so maybe that can be chopped down to a format that fits multiple screen sizes. I say just cut to the chase and draw everything in a square. If you look at American Born Chinese, the page layout is perfect for any medium. It's a plain old square. Throw your fancy blue lined vertical bristol boards out folks. The square is the future.
ReplyDeleteNice shout out to Monty Python & The Holy Grail!
ReplyDeleteHA! i'm first.....OK.......a guild/union similar to the SAG, but for both writers and artists (colorists and letterers included). Pros? Cons? Would it work?
ReplyDeleteHouse of Mystery #1 is a terrific opener to an intriguing series. If you've got an extra $2.99 this week, give it a try.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else have a pick of the week?
"I'd like to put this out there: I don't think your blogging has been off?"
ReplyDeletethanks! :-)
I just meant today. Sometimes I feel this need to blog nothing but one long essay-like screed on a topic that will win me about 20 enemies. And I thought today: let me not do that.
"Throw your fancy blue lined vertical bristol boards out folks. The square is the future."
ReplyDeleteI heartily agree, Shannon. With the switch more and more to digital -- or multiple formats (print, computer, mobile phone, digest) -- there is a need to draw in more practical dimensions. Trying to reformat the standard comic page dimensioned work to a size that will fit nicely on a computer screen is a pain in the ass. And standard comic pages don't fit well on a computer scrren -- there is always that need to increase the size and move the page.
"a guild/union similar to the SAG, but for both writers and artists (colorists and letterers included). Pros? Cons? Would it work?"
ReplyDeleteI think you definitely need this -- but how will the big companies react?
I think I read or overheard somewhere (and maybe I haven't, maybe I've just imagined it)that some artists tried to do this a while back and faced interference or just were outright fired. Like a bunch of them got together and tried to make a union or just talk about it and they were all just wholesale fired. Has anybody heard of this?
In order to get a union going, you'd need to get a lot of people onboard -- and, most importantly, high-profile people.
"Anyone else have a pick of the week?"
ReplyDeleteI haven't read enough yet to make a good assessment. We tried budgeting our comic purchases this week. So there was a lot of this yesterday:
"Can I buy this?"
"No."
"Can I buy this?"
"No. That's crap."
"I know it's crap. But it would be funny to review."
"No."
"Can I buy this?"
I'm looking for validation for something I'm working on.
ReplyDeleteWould any one here be interested in telling a website what comics it likes and then having the website alerting them when those comics are coming out?
Rann Thanagar War 2 is my pick of the week. I just hope the wierd shows up in it.
Okay...here goes. I think you touched on this when the story first broke, but I thought I'd expand on it.
ReplyDeleteAnd before I do, I'm fully aware of how meaningless this topic is in the grand scheme of things, considering the state of the world/war/politics/environment, but I just want to rant for a moment:
Bringing back Barry Allen is a terrible idea.
And I say that as a lifelong Barry Allen fan, not some sort of Wally West junkie.
The truth is, Barry was one of the few characters whose death was actually permanent. It had emotional resonance. It gave the concept of death in the DC Universe some semblance of finality.
And it gave the classic big heroes-- from Supes to Diana to Bats to Green Arrow-- a common loss that was unique in the world of comics. They all lost a teammate and, most of all, a friend. And that friend was never coming back. No matter how much they wanted him to or wished him to.
The most profound moment in the recent LIGHTNING SAGA within the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE was Batman's uncharacteristically emotional reveal that he thought "someone else" was coming back from the dead other than Wally West (ie., Barry).
His simple reveal was wrought with more emotion, pathos and sadness than anything else in the entire series.
And it gave a window into how these larger-than-life Greek Gods dealt with loss and death. It was a great literary tool that now threatens to be ripped away by editors in search of a "quick fix" for sagging sales.
I know it's absurd to get worked up over this, especially when it's within a medium that revives characters on a regular basis (I assume Darkseid will be back in months). But keeping Barry dead was something that really worked on a thematic and literary level and added much needed emotional stakes to a genre that more often than not treats death as something as temporary as a cold.
At this point, I'm not really sure why Bruce Wayne doesn't ask Hal Jordon to use that power ring to grab some DNA from his parents' graves and regenerate them. I mean, it worked for Ollie, right? If Bats is still so worked up over their deaths, why not go to the next logical step?
I'm sure there isn't a reader of this site who hasn't dealt with death in a very real way. It's painful. It's tragic. It's confusing. It's frightening. Sometimes it's noble. Sometimes it's meaningless. But it's always life changing. And in our reality, it's always permanent.
Barry was one of the few characters that allowed the writers of the DC Universe to tap into that emotional well, giving their stories a greater depth and emotional resonance.
And there's something particularly perfect about that representation of "death" being Barry Allen. The guy was a hero, full stop. Even as a kid, I felt there was something different about him-- like he was the one hero everyone could get along with. He was the one guy no one had a bad word to say about. Despite his powers, he was an every man.
And having THAT person die-- and stay dead-- made his loss even more profound and painful.
Corporations rarely understand the far reaching implications of their actions. George Lucas, Inc. didn't understand the devastation they would wreak to the STAR WARS legacy with the creation of the prequels. They weren't just bad films. They retroactively hurt the previous trilogy, making them all seem kinda lame in retrospect. Sure, I still have fond memories of the original trilogy, but I can't remember the last time I watched them. (And even when I did, I kept thinking things like, "Really? Vader built Threepio? Really??" or "Why doesn't Artoo use his jets here? Oh yeah, because the jets are STUPID.")
DC runs the very real risk of doing the same thing to the legacy of the greatest Flash. They're about to take an icon from an earlier age and turn him into something far less special.
I understand DC's sales are down and that they need some kind of media stunt to get press and sell books. I also understand that every writer for them now seems to be a 35-45 year old white guy who is obsessed with the Wolfman, Wein and Perez universe of their childhood (which can be the only explanation for why they're all racing back to the past in every damn title).
But speaking as a 35 year old white guy who grew up worshiping the same writers and artists, I fear that DC is being shockingly shortsighted and, worse, turning their most noble hero into nothing more than a marketing tool.
Barry was brave enough to stay dead. Dragging him out of oblivion to get a brief bump in sales really does not serve his character or memory at all.
He was the best of the best.
And I wish they'd let him stay dead.
Also agree that your posts have not been off. Your site is always a bright spot in my day.
ReplyDeletePick of the week? Actually...Nova. Followed by Secret Invasion. I'm not a hater-- as long as Secret Invasion is a fun, silly, crazy whacky thing, I'll be okay with it. As long as it doesn't "change everything forever!" for a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteAlso in the shower this morning I started scripting voice over for the Luke Cage movie & realized it should be a Heroes for Hire movie.
"Would any one here be interested in telling a website what comics it likes and then having the website alerting them when those comics are coming out?"
ReplyDeleteYou mean like with reminder e-mails? I think that would be a cool idea. But you could expand it and have a "if you like this, we recommend you try these other titles" thing too. And then either use it as a way to promote your own comics retailing business or get a comics retailer (preferably with mail-order capabilities) to sponsor you.
"Would any one here be interested in telling a website what comics it likes and then having the website alerting them when those comics are coming out?"
ReplyDeletehttp://comicscout.com
I think DC's given up on any sort of company-wide attempt at good writing, so they figure a "Crisis" will cover that all up. Not just in a "punching at the walls of reality" cover up, but in a "Hey, no one will notice that by and large our writers and stories suck and our good titles are always late, so let's just 'shake things up' to get some industry buzz going!".
ReplyDeleteI'm just bitter, sorry. "Final Crisis" looks so anti-climactic it hurts, the only good crossover/crisis/event I've enjoyed from DC recently has been "Sinestro Corps Wars". Marvel's at least got it right using "Annihilation" and "Annihilation: Conquest" to launch some truly awesome-looking books, all DC does is bring back the moneymake...I mean much beloved characters they think people want back to life for the umpteenth time.
Sorry, that was long. Uhm...I read OS all the time. Keep up being awesome.
http://comicscout.com
ReplyDeleteDammit. I knew there had to be one. Now I know how those guys in knocked up felt when they discovered that other site.
After looking at the site. It's not what I had in mind. My idea still lives.
And i was thinking of doing email alerts and text messages too.
why don't DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, or whoever make a bigger effort to get comics into stores like Target, where most kids shop nowadays?
ReplyDeleteMarvel has a nice line of Target-exclusive comics, with 6 new releases every couple of months, featuring their marquee characters. its a nice start, but it should be more.
DC has a few trades on sale, and they're not even doing as much as Marvel!
Target has a huge magazine selection, but there are no comics there. i'd love to see a whole other section in Magazines devoted to comics.
i know they'd probably operate on a loss for a while, but wouldn't you start (re)building the kid audience for comics again? in the end, wouldn't it be worth it?
Hey!
ReplyDeleteDo you see the big comic companies getting out of the "big event" cycle at ANY point in the future?
Thanks!
Love your Blog~
Val:
ReplyDeleteThe future of comics is an excellent concept for a post, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, when you feel you can share it.
Of course it would piss off people.
But sometimes those are the things that need to be said.
On the subject of page format:
I always wondered why most webcomics have two basic styles - the standard comic strip (and sunday strip), and the standard comic book page dimensions. Both, I feel, don't fit the web, especially in the new widescreen formats of most monitors.
I figure a 640 x 480 or 800 x 600 might be better, and perhaps even one with more interactivity. The point is, webcomics (with a few experimental exceptions) haven't really killed their parent medium and continue on as their own. Even though the standard strip seems to be the most profitable format thus far.
I'm working on some myself, but I won't spam it here. But I hope to get it launched soon.
Valerie...you do realize you've just given me free rein to ask you an arse load of questions.
ReplyDelete1.) Watchmen. Love/Hate/Meh? Why?
2.) Do you download comics online for free in lieu of buying them sometimes?
3.) First comic you ever read?
4.) Are you a gamer if so.. platform?
5.) Favorite Doctor Who? Or is the Doc not your bag.
6.) Thoughts on the upcoming Power Girl series by by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner.
7.) Favorite Authors (of non-comic variety)
8.) Worst thing you've ever read (comic or novel)
Ok...back to lurking I shall go.
I'm not sure what the point of a comic workers union would be or how effective it would be. One one hand, you have a problem similar artistic unions (SAG, Equity, WGA) have. There are hundreds of people willing to do your work for next to nothing. The internet if full of comic writers/artist that would pay to do a nationally distributed Superman comic. And as soon as it became more profitable to pull a non-union worker, the companies would. Because it doesn't matter that much who writes big name characters. Batman is going to be one of DC's biggest sellers even if you have some 3rd rate fanfic writer on it. The character is the draw, not the creative team. Same thing with the X-Men, or Superman, or any high profile series. So the union wouldn't have much to bargain with to begin with. And it wouldn't be in the big name creator's best interests to join a union anyway. Most of the major writers in comics have or have had individual projects with various small press or creator owned entities. These projects would be harder to realize when the union set a standard of payment for creative talent. Virgin or Avatar or Top Shelf wouldn't be able to afford union talent, and so top creators like Morrison, Brubaker, or Bendis would either have to not unionize to continue smaller press works, while sacrificing the larger paychecks and benefits from the big 2, or forgo smaller work completely. Really, the vast divide in market share between the big 2 and the smaller press would mean that a union might only serve to squeeze out the little guy financially, at which point Marvel and DC, controlling the means of production, would be in a better place to squeeze the comic workers than before. This is why SAG and Equity are only active in major cities. If you had to follow Equity rules on every theatre production, it simply would never be viable to put on a play in anything short of a major metropolis.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I'm not in the comic industry, so I could be missing something, but is there really any discontent among comic workers about how they're being treated by the industry? You hear of little spats here and there with individuals, but are there any industry wide problems that would require a union to negotiate?
I agree on your point regarding the return of Barry Allen, Ted --
ReplyDeleteI think it lessens the impact of his original sacrifice.
Of course, there are two ways this "return" could actually go down:
1) It's just a red herring and Barry "dies" anyway.
2) We have Jay, Wally, and Barry all alive working beside each other (like the Green Lanterns). I hate this approach.
"why don't DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, or whoever make a bigger effort to get comics into stores like Target, where most kids shop nowadays?"
ReplyDeleteI know that as far as efforts to get the comics into supermarkets, that has been really difficult. Archie has been the only one to really do this successfully, and it has something to do with distribution deals/formulas etc.
The same case might be regarding Target. Maybe, as you said, Marvel & DC would have to operate at a loss. But to have a bunch of floppies or affordable digests by the checkout line would ultimately be a boon to them.
But then there is the idea of the Big Two alienating both Diamond & the direct market retailers.
In the future, however, I think it is going to go the way of more books in Target, K-Mart, etc, and I see the companies turning more and more outside the direct market for channels to sell their products. That is going to have an impact on the direct market, and force them to be ever more inclusive general-interest book & entertainment stores, or heavily focused and "niche" oriented.
"Do you see the big comic companies getting out of the "big event" cycle at ANY point in the future?"
ReplyDeleteI think the event-oriented publishing cycle reflects a dependence on the standard monthly "floppy" comics publishing model. Things will not always be this way. With trends like longer serialized works (multi-volume manga format), more original graphic novels, and the primacy of the collected trade paperback over the monthly "floppy," the event-formula will be less and less effective or relevant.
Then there is the idea that these events are mostly done for superhero comics. Superhero comics are still very popular, but they are becoming more and more a niche within a panorama of different genres. These events are envisioned by Marvel and DC as the big tentpole by which all their other business efforts will rest for the coming year. This is increasingly becoming a more and more dangerous strategy.
"I think it lessens the impact of his original sacrifice."
ReplyDeleteI always sort of thought the "ran so fast that I can basically appear anywhere in time at any point in the future including living out my entire life with my wife in the future" thing sort of ruined it right off the bat. :)
Hi Nick, thanks for reading!:-)
ReplyDelete1.) Watchmen. Love/Hate/Meh? Why? I really like Watchmen and I look forward to actually having the time to sitting down and rereading it. I'm one of the few people (it seems, at any rate) who liked the pirate sub-plot.
2.) Do you download comics online for free in lieu of buying them sometimes? I explored this way in the beginning but couldn't morally justify it. I was just like -- if I can download for free almost every comic that is going to come out on Wednesday on one file in less than an hour -- it devalued the whole process for me. But comics are expensive, and I see why some people would be driven to take this route. This is why comic companies need to take back some of their control and put these comics online first. At least they can collect the online ad revenue.
3.) First comic you ever read? I have so many different answers to this one. There was an early issue of Teen Titans from 1981 or something where Donna had to put on a very thong-like bathing suit and said that it wasn't a bathing suit but more like string with gland protectors. It's strange what details you will remember.
4.) Are you a gamer if so.. platform? Not much of a gamer, outside of the occasional volley of Rock Band. But we have an X-Box at the house, and would like to get a X-Box 360.
5.) Favorite Doctor Who? Or is the Doc not your bag.The current one is pretty good; not that familiar with the others.
6.) Thoughts on the upcoming Power Girl series by by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner.I'm going to have to read the actual comic and make a determination at that point.
7.) Favorite Authors (of non-comic variety)Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Don DeLillo, Robert Anton Wilson. Yeah I'm a weirdo.
8.) Worst thing you've ever read (comic or novel)Titans East Special was pretty bad.
"Can I buy this?"
ReplyDelete"No."
"Can I buy this?"
"No. That's crap."
"I know it's crap. But it would be funny to review."
"No."
"Can I buy this?"
OK, who was whom? in this conversation?
I feel that the whole Barry Allen is kind of silly to argue, because no one really knows what would happen to someone with capabilities such as him. I feel that the second issue of Secret Invasion was fluff, and that has me concerned. PS Val rules, but it would be nice to see a little more Indy stuff, and I'm not talking Image or Dark Horse.
ReplyDeletePPS any comments on the Comic Book Resources top 100 list
Just wondering how much crap(?) grief?) hassle(?), let's say unwanted attention you get for being an attractive (no I'm not coming on to you) in an industry OVERWHELMING dominated by males? In other words, how many times a day do you get "Hey, baby, wanna go out next time you are in town for the MegaMiniCOn?"
ReplyDelete"OK, who was whom? in this conversation?"
ReplyDeleteMe<---buyer of crap
I think by BF was concerned because I bought an awful lot that could be construed as crap last week -- and, to be honest, I only read a small portion of it yet.
And I bought my THIRD issue of Teen Titans Special: Raven yesterday, but haven't read any of them yet.
Hi-Ho, Heroine! Just a quick note to let you know I'm a big believer and bellicose booster of your boisterous. beauteous bloggings! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteSmiley
Any thoughts on "Indy" books such as American Flagg, Grendel, Grimjack, Nexus, Elementals? Or other Comico and First Comics? I've found that by and large in the 20+ years I've been reading, my favorites tend to be smaller press books rather than Batman or Avengers, no matter how good the stories were in those Major Label Books. Just wondering if anyone else felt that way?
ReplyDeleteWhat's your favorite Delillo?
ReplyDeletePlease don't say cosmopolis.
As far as the indies go, I love Stray Bullets, Optic Nerve, Palooka-Ville, Eightball, and Acme Novelty, among others that I'll be mad about forgetting later.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ben, but I think one of the problems with comics is that many people think it has to have action in it to be a good title. I think Concrete was a great example of a character with amazing powers not taking the obvious route with them, and it really paid off. I think that the super hero has a rich and wonderful history in comics, but comics are just about HIS story. There are as many wonderful books not about it and I think it would be wonderful to have more space for them here.
ReplyDelete"Just wondering how much crap(?) grief?) hassle(?), let's say unwanted attention you get for being an attractive (no I'm not coming on to you) in an industry OVERWHELMING dominated by males?"
ReplyDeleteReally, the majority of men have been pretty respectful. I would say, from my experience in the comic book industry/fandom as a whole, I can only think of ten or so specific men who went over the line and acted gross or inappropriately.
Of course, some may say that ten is too many.
"The future of comics is an excellent concept for a post, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, when you feel you can share it."
ReplyDeleteThanks, John.
The title was something like "Paper Is Dead, Long Live Zuda."
Just kidding. :-D
Maybe one day I'll print it.
"Hi-Ho, Heroine! Just a quick note to let you know I'm a big believer and bellicose booster of your boisterous. beauteous bloggings! Keep up the good work!"
ReplyDeleteThanks, Fake Stan Lee! Excelsior!
Now if only the guy from the Fake Dan DiDio blog would post, my day would be perfect.
FYI: Teen Titans Special Raven: Kinda painful to read, but the story (from what I was able to read with the blood coming out of my eyes) is interesting.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I want to say something about mangas getting a bigger part of the market. I like them because I know at some point the story ends. Manga authors, even the ones with the "big names" are not afraid to end a story. Heck, even Dragon Ball ended. This means that deaths are more powerful, because it rarely happens that 20 years from now, the perfect death is undone.
But comic books could manage, if they had some "entry point" issues, like countdown was for me. I remember having to explain to my friend that the green lantern in countdown was not the one from Justice League and then trying to figure out the whole "which lantern is which" being confusing.
Speaking of Justice League, you think that the big two could try and publish a stand alone series like that? I mean, JLU was pretty much something that was easy for new people to get interested in, and while elements of each character's history was referenced, the whole thing did not suffer from lack of knowledge of the characters.
I guess, ultimately, what I wonder is: what are the companies doing to bring in the new readers?
Coming out of Iron Man, I could have convinced my friends to buy the comics, but really, would they have been able to jump in that series (especially with the way Iron Man was used recently)?
(Sorry about the length of this post and the stream of consciousness feel, I think it's about time I tried my hand at blogging...)
I am wondering what you think of people taking comics and turning them into monthly dramatic podcasts. Sort of like fan fiction with higher production values.
ReplyDeletePendantAudio.com is an example of this. For example, the Wonder Woman podcast picks up where Greg Rucka's run left off, since the comic has been a train wreck for quite a while now.
Re: dreadful
ReplyDeleteTo my knowledge and first hand experiences, most artists working for either of the big 2 (or both!) haven't really expressed any discontent with the treatment from either asides from the normal situations that arise from any job.
Personally I'm curious since if one wanted to be so much as an extra, you have to have a SAG card or some sort. I'm sure they do this for legal reasons to protect the investment of the studio and the production crew.
Right now, I'm kinda on the fence about the cheap work for hire no pay necessary aspect of comics. I mean sure it's great that a lot of people willing to do their craft of passion for free but to what extent should it get to that it could (for lack of a better word) "endanger" the financial stability of working artists. Although I have yet to hear of someone that lost a job due to a super cheap artist (as being used in this example) willing to work for close to nothing, one has to wonder if it could happen.
Which I doubt. Editors know that good art and writers sell books (there's always exceptions) so it would be moot to even ponder if an editor would hire an artist not up to par with what would help the book sell.
But i did like your insight!
Fake Steve Ditko wanted me to point out that fake Stan Lee only CO-wrote that post!
ReplyDelete"Fake Steve Ditko wanted me to point out that fake Stan Lee only CO-wrote that post!"
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh. I thought about telling that to a friend but realized there's no way they'd get it.
Anyway, the Raven series hasn't been that bad, but I figure if you're half way through why not just wait for the other issues to come out and read it in one sitting. I did that with the Metal Men series once I'd realized the first two issues had come out and I hadn't started reading them. If I'd known how long it'd take for the others to come I'd have probably read them then though.
And JLU is a fun title. Wish it were continuing. It's a nice counter to the regular JLA title (which I read and enjoy as well).
Have a good day.
I really wish there was a bigger comic crisis and no one bought comics.
ReplyDeleteSo then a new wave of different and new breed of comics appear
Crisis help the creativity.
I also think that webcomics will be bigger than ever (more than today since a lot of webcomics has a bigger readership than most of dc and marvel stuff (
Val,
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read the most recent Conan series put out by Dark Horse? Thoughts and opinons if so?
Regarding the future of comics:
I will go ahead and admit that I regularly download comic scans and junk through informal channels. I buy the TPBs when they're released though, but it's also true not everything I download eventually gets a TPB.
I can say that I would abandon this practice -entirely- if DC, Marvel and all the companies would start making their comics downloadable in digital form from their websites in some kind iTunes knock-off system. It's not just the cost, it's that face that I don't want tens upon tends of monthlies cluttering my room and being lost. Storing them all on my computer is a much, much more appeasing method.
And frankly, there's just something about buying monthlies that feels..I don't know..-nerdier- than picking up a TPB.
I like your blog!
ReplyDeleteSince my "goddess" doesn't read comics it is great to get a woman's perspective on what I feel is still a male dominated hobby...
As for books I read, I used to read Vertigo "only" but got (get) caught up in the hype of big storylines from the "big two".
I still read "super hero" recommends from my friend the comic store owner but "art" is still what moves me..
I agree we need to make comics "more"accesible to "young uns". I used to get my books from any corner store as a kid but once comics got pushed into "comic" stores I found it harder to make the trip to my nearest comic store.
ArrOOoo!
I recently wrote an article about the future of the comic book industry for one of our local newspapers.
ReplyDeleteI now have to very quietly walk in on Wednesday, gather my comics sheepishly, pay, and go.
I once heard that Sturdy Steve Ditko had a blog, but when the I went to it, there was only one post and all it said was:
ReplyDelete"When I do a blog, it's not my personality that I'm offering the reader but my blog. - Steve"
'Nuff Said (I suppose)
Smiley
I was curious about what you thought about Blue Beetle? A few weeks ago you bought the TPB, but then I never really saw what your opinion of the TPBs you bought was (I might have missed it I guess).
ReplyDeleteHmmm, no spam as long as I actually do something creative with it? All right, let me throw some ideas out there:
ReplyDeleteDON'T READ LIGHTBRINGER! Don't read it at http://lightbringer.comicgenesis.com ! Don't look at its terrible artwork but decent writing! Don't ask the quetion of why Lewis Lovhaug has a kind of chibi thing for an avatar!
Oh, and Val? Concerning the future of comics, in particular digital comics, I should point out that I'm getting a comic published through Brain Scan Studios - one entirely digital. ^_~ This might be spam and I apologize for that, but I felt it might be topical. I'd like to think there's a market for digital comics out there. ^_^
However, if that's not good enough for you:
A new comic has come:
Revolution of the Mask!
The sun shines on this.
Digital comics
The future of publishing
Val equals awesome
I leafed through Secret Invasion number two, and was surprised to reach the end of the chapter without much having happened. The art looked better than issue one, but the story hardly progressed. I'm glad I didn't purchase it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the future of comic books, I'd like to see more books like Preacher and Sandman. Not necessarily content wise, but comic books with a beginning, middle, and end.
Hya!
ReplyDeleteOkay, first of all… LOVE your blog (although I don’t comment here as often as I’d like)!
Every time your feed beeps I stop whatever I’m doing to read the latest post.
Since you gave us a free pass, I would REALLY like to ask you two questions, Val. (And would really like to not feel awkward calling you “Val”, but anyways…:p)
1 – As a Brazilian artist (http://jsousa-art.com/portfolio-en.php) myself (although not working at the moment), I would like to know what is your opinion about us.
If you do have a favorite or favorite ones… besides Renato Guedes, who is not only an awesome artist but, since I had the opportunity to chat with him once, a really nice guy.
2 - I would like to know if you have any advice to a beginner in the industry. Especially in regards to the BIG TWO. Any artistic tendencies you see on the horizon?
Or even (since I’ve already gone and spammed up the comment) if you have any comments on my art?
Yes… I too need Validation. :p
What's your favorite appearance of Jesus in a comic book.
ReplyDeleteOh, and since I'm asking things anyway...
ReplyDeleteConsidering you are half Brazilian...Speak any portuguese?
The ZUDA folk are on the right track but with the wrong viewer. If you split the standard 10"x15" art board into a 10"x7.5" space, the half pages work on the computer and stack to make full comic pages. I've been doing this for a year and a half with my webcomic SideChicks. The free webcomic posts twice a week at- http://www.graphicsmash.com/comics/sidechicks.php
ReplyDeleteAnd sooner or later, I have enough material for a downloadable version. You could pay for it at Drive Thru Comics- http://comics.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=55496 Or get it for free with a couple of ads on WOWIO at- http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=3494
So, it's free for the weekly addicts and at a reduced cost for the downloaders. Eventually, we'll put out a print version in tpb form. With the different formats for the same material, you hit different sections of the fan base.
Thanks for listening,
Bill
'I agree we need to make comics "more"accesible to "young uns". I used to get my books from any corner store as a kid but once comics got pushed into "comic" stores I found it harder to make the trip to my nearest comic store.'
ReplyDeleteWere it not for the Navy Exchange, Borders, and happening to walk into Newbury Comics in Cambridge one day, I would have stopped reading comics long ago. (That some grocery stores in the Chicago area still carried a handful of titles helped a little, too.)
"Any thoughts on "Indy" books such as American Flagg, Grendel, Grimjack, Nexus, Elementals? Or other Comico and First Comics?"
ReplyDeleteI've just started reading a GrimJack trade and I hope to catch up more on those classics.
In terms of covering more indy books in general -- they are on my review pile. Of course, they must go from the pile to my eyeballs and from my eyeballs to my pen to the computer screen. But I am definitely trying to get more of that material in there.
"Speaking of Justice League, you think that the big two could try and publish a stand alone series like that?"
ReplyDeleteI think more stand-alone series/issues would be a good idea. Offer a JLA or Superman or Batman title with a straightforward stand alone story in every issue. No crossovers, no arcs.
I think the problem is that the big companies don't trust their own properties enough to just have stand alones. They feel everything has to be tied into a billion other things.
Any thoughts on the Femforce series? I think AC is a lot of fun and I'm glad they've long printed superheroine comics, though part of me wishes more women were involved in the creative process.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for those of you interested in old movies and classic Hollywood, please check out my blog, "Carole & Co." (dedicated to Ms. Lombard, her life and times, but covering all sorts of topics):
http://community.livejournal.com/carole_and_co/
Thanks for allowing the plug, and keep up the good work.
Apparently, according to the new 'Hollywood Babylon' coming out soon, Lucille Ball started out as a prostitute.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!