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Author Topic: Funnybooks  (Read 170051 times)

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Büge

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1580 on: October 06, 2011, 08:22:47 PM »

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Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1581 on: October 06, 2011, 08:25:20 PM »

Quote from: Thad
Wow, not exactly a tough sell.

I'd buy Reading the Phone Book Comics by Kate Beaton, Jaime Hernandez, Mike Mignola and More.
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Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1582 on: October 06, 2011, 08:58:37 PM »

Animal Man is still the best new DC book.

And I suspect it will be until Astro City comes out.
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Büge

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1583 on: October 07, 2011, 08:28:55 AM »

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1584 on: October 07, 2011, 10:25:59 AM »

Before thad thads all over the place:

Barnes & Noble pulls a bunch of popular DC titles in response to DC releasing them on the Amazon Fire and not the Nook.
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Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1585 on: October 07, 2011, 10:49:46 AM »

Curious who'll come out worse in this.  Amazon's just-released tablet is, obviously, still a pretty small market; brick-and-mortar bookstores may not be doing as well as they used to, but they're still the biggest comics sellers in the country, and B&N is the biggest of them.

Yes, it's going to hurt Barnes and Noble -- but it may well hurt DC more.
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Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1586 on: October 09, 2011, 09:18:37 PM »

Superior: You know, it reminds me of Chosen in that it's a really kind of sweet, earnest book -- and then boom, some Satan shit.  It's not as horrifying as Chosen (and sure as hell not as horrifying as last week's child-murder/gang-rape issue of Kick-Ass), but it's still just disappointing.  Millar's spent the last decade showing us he can do adolescent shock-schlock; I think childlike wonderment suits him better at this point and would love to see a series where he drops the negativity entirely and just goes for pure joy.

Then again, maybe that IS what this series is.  After all, it's not like "monkey emissary of Satan" is a story beat you can play straight.  This may yet turn out to be the first comic Millar's written that he can show to his daughter.  (Outside of his stint on the British Sonic the Hedgehog, I suppose.  And even then he purportedly managed to work in a character named Clint Flicker.  Oh, Mark Millar...)

(Tangentially: The first Kevin Smith superhero arc I read, Green Arrow: Quiver, was much the same in that it had a whole lot of fun character beats -- Batman and Superman bullshitting in Smithian fashion, and a tour through some fan-favorite characters like the Demon and the Spectre -- and then it turned into a bunch of Satanism/child-sacrifice shit at the end for no good reason.  Disappointing.)

The Flash: Now this is a solid, straight-up superhero book.  It has a great pace -- as a Flash book damn-well should -- and, while I'm still not crazy about the Photoshop-over-pencils approach on art, those pencils are solid and the layouts are goddamn wonderful.  It's not just the pace of the book that's brilliant -- it's the MOTION.  The book is kinetic; the positioning (and even coloring) of the panels carries you across the page in a way that only comics can.  The story's serviceable enough, but in terms of pure comic-book storytelling, this book is probably the best of the New 52.  (Yes, better than Batwoman -- Williams is a better artist, and I love his layouts, but they don't add to the storytelling in the same way that Manapul's do.)

JL Dark: Now THIS is a book that uses the Photoshop-over-pencils technique well.  Nice, thick, clean lines, and colors that make the pencil shading pop.  I wouldn't bitch about digital inking if it looked like this all the time.

I really like Janin's figures.  His faces are great, and he even makes the far-too-busy new Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman/Cyborg costumes work.  (And Superman without a spit curl!)

As for the writing, it's pretty good.  Milligan's one of those guys who (like Azzarello) paired with a phenomenal artist around the turn of the century and put out a book that really hit it out of the park, but whose subsequent work has failed to grab me.  I haven't read his Shade or Hellblazer.  But I can see the appeal here; it's no X-Statix, but if that's going to be my bar then I'm going to spend my life being disappointed.

All in all, it bears repeating: while I've griped about Red Hood and Catwoman, and stand by every word of it, there really are quite a few good books coming out of the New 52.  Yes, DC needs their knuckles rapped when they fuck up, but they deserve praise for the shit they're doing right, too.

The reason I complain about books like Red Hood and Catwoman is because dammit, I want more books like Flash and JLD instead.

Still dealing with some shortages.  Haven't read Wonder Woman yet.  Or the #2's of Swamp Thing or Stormwatch.  (I hear Stormwatch is better this month!  I hope Swamp Thing is, too.)
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Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1587 on: October 12, 2011, 02:54:08 PM »

Geoff Boucher interviews Gary Groth on the upcoming Carl Barks collections.  Dauntingly, Groth says there will be about 30; reassuringly, he's starting in the middle, with the best stuff, rather than release them chronologically.

Quote
I have mapped out roughly 30 volumes of Barks’ duck stories, published at the rate of two per year. Barks drew his first duck story in 1942 and became very good very fast. But he was 41 when he drew “Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold,” so he was already an accomplished craftsman. I’m not sure I’d point to a specific turning point, but I think he hit his stride in the mid- to late ’40s, which is why I chose to start our series with what will technically be the seventh chronological volume in what we call “The Carl Barks Library.” There was also a sentimental reason: “Lost in the Andes” was Barks’ favorite story — as well it should be because it’s undoubtedly among his best stories. The second volume we’re publishing — technically the 12th in the series — is “Just a Poor Old Man,” titled after the lead story and filled with stories starring Uncle Scrooge. As you know, Barks invented Uncle Scrooge — as well as so many other characters in the Duck universe — and Scrooge, I think, re-energize him, making these, again, some of his best stories.  The third volume will be “A Christmas for Shacktown,” featuring that story, of course. I have to admit a slight prejudice in favor of Barks’ longer adventure stories, which may be another reason I chose this period to publish at the beginning.

Excellent.  I'm quite looking forward to it.
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Misha

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1588 on: October 13, 2011, 10:13:34 AM »

the latest twist in irredeemable is soap opera level terrible
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Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1589 on: October 14, 2011, 10:58:38 PM »

Oh man, remember last week when I said Animal Man is the best DC relaunch book?  Well Demon Knights #2 has me seriously considering changing my answer.

Vandal Savage is HILARIOUS, and while the rest of the cast isn't exactly fully fleshed out yet, I'm growing to like all of them as well.

It's a pretty decompressed book but it's funny and action-packed.  It's also not a bad example of the principle Gillen and Busiek mentioned in that article I linked over in the other thread, in the importance of diversity in a female cast.  Yes, there is a lady running around in a chainmail bikini -- but it is softened somewhat by the fact that everybody constantly mocks her for running around in a chainmail bikini.  And we've also got the return of Sir Ystin (there's been some debate on the forums about whether she qualifies as a legitimate transgender character or is still just the Mulan/Eowyn lady-masquerading-as-a-man archetype Morrison introduced her as).  And we only get a brief look at Horsewoman this issue, with no immediately obvious indications that she's crippled (if she's strapped to that horse I couldn't tell by looking), but even in the couple of panels she shows up for she's already intriguing and seems like a different voice.

I love Cornell and he's really starting to find his footing.  (Still haven't gotten a copy of Stormwatch #2; can anybody tell me if it's better than #1?)  This is another great book from the relaunch.
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Zach

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1590 on: October 15, 2011, 01:47:05 AM »

I read in one interview that Horsewoman has a magic saddle.

Stormwatch #2 is better, yeah. The art's not quite as terrible, and it's starting to dig into the concept of paranoid neo-gods facing off against enormous threats. I'm hoping that [spoiler]using C-list villains as a smokescreen for the JLI[/spoiler] becomes a running gag. I'm the most interest in Harry and Adam One at the moment, although the Projectionist's powers are the most compelling.

There's still more of the characters explaining their powers than I'd like, and [spoiler]I want to know more about the limits of data miners[/spoiler], but #2 is better than #1.

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Royal☭

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1591 on: October 15, 2011, 06:35:36 AM »

All in all the #2s seem to be better than the number ones, which is great. Demon Knights is easily one of the best, and also works as, well, a comedy book. Cornell demonstrated his ability to have funny, action packed stories in Knight and Squire, and I hope Demon Knight sticks with that formula. It's a refresher from the darkness of the other books, which is ironic as the lead is a demon from Hell.

Animal Man is good and trippy, and combines the weirdness of the Morrison/Vertigo runs, with the quaintness of the original concept. Plus things like skeleton pets are entertaining.

Action Comics #2 is good, and establishes a nice rapport between Luthor and Clark. Morrison is smart not to focus on the historical arch-foe relationship of the two, and allows Luthor to make huge mistakes that show him as arrogant while still making Superman look badass.

I've got Batman #1 but have yet to read it, Superior #5 is just plain goofy at times (Millar really seems to like the idea of dropping superheroes on the middle east for some reason. Could Millar be taking after Miller?) and I've got more Hellblazers at this point than I know what to do with.

On the trade front, I picked up Chew Vol. 4. And if you're not Chew, well what the fuck is wrong with you? The basic concept follows the actions of an FDA agent named Tony Chu, in a world where an outbreak of avian flu has allowed the FDA to achieve national security status and led to a world-wide ban on poultry. Tony Chu happens to be a cibopath, meaning that he can sense the origin and story of whatever he happens to eat, including decaying bodies. Chu ends up solving a variety of crimes that involve chicken-like fruits from outer space, vampires, revolution on small island nations, and a badass luchador chicken.

But what really makes Chew work is the perfect pairing of writer John Layman and artist/colorist Rob Guillory. Layman writes tight, hilarious crime stories that are filled to the brim with clever narrative tricks (more than once he breaks the fourth wall to dictate that narrative hooks happening on panel do not actually occur in the story, but would be dramatic if they did!) that are pulled off with bright, expressive artwork by Guillory. Guillory is one of those few artists that remembers he's working comics, so the characters are unique, stylized and work in the context. He also has an amazing sense of pace and paneling that makes the narrative flow well with Layman's writing. He also makes the colors vivid and unique, not attempting to emulate reality like most books, but make it fun and entertaining to read.

The fourth volume involves suicidal outer space cults, cryptic alien writing and an overweight genius who's at the peak of his mental acumen as long as he's eating. Seriously, Chew is one of the best books on the stand. Go buy it now.

Thad

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1592 on: October 15, 2011, 01:48:08 PM »

Yeah, I've gushed about Chew in the past but it totally bears repeating.  It is one of my favorite books in years and everyone should be reading it.

Tell me what you think of Batman #1 after you read it.  Most critics seem to love it but I'm having trouble getting past the art.  Heard the guy used to do Spawn and it was not in the least bit surprising.
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Royal☭

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1593 on: October 18, 2011, 11:05:18 AM »

Read it and liked it well enough! Snyder's writing is strong, even if it provides few surprises. And Capullo's art is honestly not that bad. He did do some Spawn work (the cover is like 50% cape) but it isn't so distracting. He has the obnoxious over sketchiness of a Jim Lee or a Todd McFarlane, but for the most part his style is expressive and the coloring is vivid. Those faces sometimes. Also has several panels of Bruce Wayne talking to a guy who looks just like Bruce Wayne, which gets kind of confusing. I'm also going to pretend that's actually Zasz with a Riddler fixation, and not actually the Riddler.

Otherwise the story was a lot of fun to read. The mystery towards the end of the comic feels a bit too inspired by Se7en, but there are scenes where a chipper Bruce Wayne addresses the Robins in an almost jovial manner. Plus, Batman is drawn with smiles. "That'd be ridiculous, Jim."

So not the best of the bunch, but still a pretty good book, and worth picking up. It's secured my second purchase. Which is the goal! I didn't really buy a lot of DC books, and this last month I've bought close to 10. And I'll continue picking up more!

Royal☭

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1594 on: October 19, 2011, 03:18:13 PM »

Ultimate Spider-man #3 finally has Mile Morales doing something.

Saving people from a burning building.

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1595 on: October 19, 2011, 05:18:53 PM »

Patriotism may be the last refuge of a scoundrel, but making firemen look bad is the last refuge of a hack comic book writer.
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Büge

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1597 on: October 22, 2011, 06:51:44 PM »

Patriotism may be the last refuge of a scoundrel, but making firemen look bad is the last refuge of a hack comic book writer.

Are we really complaining about Spider-Man not being nuanced enough here?

This is the kind of bitching that leads to stuff like Grounded.
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Mongrel

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1598 on: October 22, 2011, 06:57:15 PM »

There's a difference between "obvious" and "cliched since the 30's".
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Romosome

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Re: Funnybooks
« Reply #1599 on: October 22, 2011, 07:06:32 PM »

But it's so incredibly basic that you might as well complain about superheroes punching people.
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