comics?

Discussion in 'Whatever' started by cornbluth, Oct 27, 2008.

  1. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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  2. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Hey, American shoppers! In the mood for an insane deal on a genuinely magic and marvelously gigantic bit of turn of the century love?*
    Little Nemo in Slumberland Vol 2: Many More Splendid Sundays!
    $51.50 at the time of this post, ship included!

    Here's the original enticement from the producers of the volume, complete with couldn't-possibly-do-the-real-thing-justice sample pages:

    And here's...
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    I am prone to fits of lust over really, really beautiful books, and no one gets me lustier faster than Sunday Press, publishers of the gigantic, marvellous "Little Nemo: Splendid Sundays" collections. These books collect the Sunday Little Nemo comics of Winsor McCay, a surrealist watercolor genius whose weekly strips were lush, gigantic paintings that took us through the dreamscape of Little Nemo, a charming and enigmatic boy living in turn-of-the-century America. And now there's a second volume: "Little Nemo in Slumberland, Many More Splendid Sundays."

    [​IMG]
    I grew up seeing the Little Nemo strips reproduced in "large-format" hardcovers, typically 8.5x11, and I confess that I didn't really get what the fuss was about. The strips were small and smudgy, the type spidery and illegible. Then I saw the first Sunday Press collection, "So Many Splendid Sundays," and I experienced enlightenment. Publisher Peter Maresca has scanned, cleaned up and reproduced his favorite Nemo pages, at full size, 21" by 16", and at that size, Nemo is a completely different experience.

    First of all, you can't read a book this big the way that you normally would. I couldn't read it at my desk chair -- even in my reading chair I barely fit (as you can see from these photos). The only way to really read these books is lying on your stomach on the carpet, the book open, chin propped on your hands, and you are, once again, 10 years old, reading the funnies on a lazy Sunday.

    [​IMG]
    This second volume is every bit as charming and magic as the first. Mostly, of course, it's made of Nemo strips (120 of them!), but there are a handful of sweet little essays describing McCay's relationship to Coney Island (it was his muse) and to William Randolph Hearst, his publisher (and nemesis). There's also a Dinosaur Gertie flip book for you to cut and assemble, the perfect aperitif for your lazy Sunday with the funnies.
    Just to give you a little bit of sense of the scale.

    Oh... I guess I could have just ported over this snap of the first volume...
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    ...but I'd already pasted the spoilered biz over.

    Anyway, a total jewel at twice the price, which would still be below retail. Run!
     
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  3. Bob

    Bob Toy Prince

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    Just got this great indie book which came with bonus patch and resin toy. I’ve got a couple of the individual issues but great to get the full collection.

     
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  4. skaldavsatanssol

    skaldavsatanssol Toy Prince

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    So for my Halloween reads I gave Nameless and Batman: Damned a shot.

    Nameless sees the mystical mix with sci-fi horror and Damned is a showcase of the more paranormal characters and downright evil side of the DC Universe with a Black Label twist.

    Both stories coincidentally, were nonlinear adult romps, sprinkled with terror and a pervading sense of dread. Of the two I would have to recommend Nameless because Morrison crafted a proper narrative in there somewhere whereas Damned is one convoluted mess by Azzarello with a conclusion so unrewarding - one has to resist the urge to throw the book against the wall. Should future volumes emerge, perhaps this would retroactively rectify my issue with the series but for now I would recommend avoiding paying money for a physical release.
    [​IMG]

    Congratulations Nameless, you are the winner! Now I shall see if Punk Rock Jesus is any good...
     
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  5. Dr Dave

    Dr Dave Fresh Meat

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    Pretty much my experience with a LOT I've read by Azzarello in the past 10-15 yrs, ha ha!! (*full disclosure - I loved his run on WONDER WOMAN, though!)

    Thanks for the NAMELESS recommendation... I'm a little tentative with all things Morrison these days, so I'm glad to hear this one holds up, especially as I really love Burnham's art and hate to see it "wasted" (the way I feel Eduardo Risso has been, doing so many Azzarello projects that just weren't as good as 100 BULLETS). I'll still buy a book for the art alone, but it's always so much nicer when it's well-written, too!!
     
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  6. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Go git you some Scioli, y'all!
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    FF: Grand Design, in the shops as of this morning!

    I promise I'll only bring it up 3 or 4 more times. Five tops.

    Too funny, @skaldavsatanssol, as just yesterday I read through Azzarello and Bermejo's Joker for the first time - it was fine - and I chased it with Morrison and Irving's Annihilator. Underwhelmed by the first, although it surely had its moments, and pleasantly surprised by the latter; I always hold my breath for a while before diving into a present-day Morrison yarn. Funny thing about Annihilator, other than the funny bits, is that a chunk of it took place on Halloween.

    @Dr Dave - Just read that Wonder Woman run earlier this year, I must admit that it was Cliff Chiang's art that brought me to the table, but I'm glad I did. Agreed that results vary when it comes to that particular typist's work, but WW was a genuine joy from page 1 until the well-landed final one. My first taste of anything New 52, too, if you don't count my having followed Morrison's dance with Batman to its conclusion.
     
  7. skaldavsatanssol

    skaldavsatanssol Toy Prince

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    ^^Good to hear Morrison made another worthwhile foray into horror. Question, guys: does everyone’s apprehension for modern Morrison stem from Final Crisis or elsewhere? I’ve decided to reread Animal Man having finished The Invisibles lately and craving more weird Morrison.

    I found Joker by Azzarello to be enjoyable enough. Leagues above Damned anyway, haha.

    Latest book reports: Punk Rock Jesus is enjoyable if you don’t mind escapist atheist adolescent fantasy (I certainly don’t!) and Violent Cases, an early entry by Gaiman and McKean centering around childhood reminiscing on Al Capone is underwhelming. Fact!

    Bonus round: my favourite read of the last fortnight goes to Promethea - Moore’s vehicle to wank himself off to the nature of magic and the power of the imagination.
     
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  8. Spaceman Yells

    Spaceman Yells Toy Prince

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    Happy to read this. 8)

    I think @toothaction mentioned before, but have you looked at The Filth by Morrison, Weston, & Erskine yet? If you liked Nameless, it should be an easy fit.

    Also, just popped into my head, is Army@Love by Rick Veitch. And, Can’t Get No.
     
  9. skaldavsatanssol

    skaldavsatanssol Toy Prince

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    Why yes pal, you did recommend Promethea and it was a strong recommendation. Can’t fault you on that, thanks! I am acquainted with both The Filth and Army@Love, yes. Good titles! As for Can’t Get No, I was not. Looks intriguing and definitely added to the list.

    I’m sure some of you already acquainted with this but for something more grounded I’d recommend My Favourite Thing Is Monsters. MFTIM contains multiple engaging plot threads such as a murder next door, childhood slices of life, family drama, World War II and more - all spearheaded by a little girl who (as a giant horror movie fan) imagines herself as The Wolfman. MFTIM also functions as a period piece of the 1960s in Chicago. Perhaps just as interesting as the story/art itself is that author Emil Ferris contracted a rare disease which led to become paraplegic. During rehabilitation of her right hand, she managed to allocate x hours per day towards each page of the book. At the time of writing this, only volume 1 is out currently but it is a tome of a book so worth the value.
    [​IMG]
     
  10. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    ^ Fully with you on Ms. Ferris, and I'm pretty sure I've sung her books' praises here in the past...
    Yep! Here's my pocket review from a couple years ago:
    I've since gotten in the habit of buying it every time that I find a used copy and giving it away, Pauper Oprah-style, to many an unsuspecting acquaintance and relation.

    Check out this cool BTS anecdote from Eric Reynolds, co-publisher of Fantagraphics.

    Haven't given this conversation with her a second listen, but I remember it being quite enjoyable:


    No telling when Book 2 will hit print, but we were treated to a savory little snack this past FCBD:


    Emil Ferris's runaway smash hit My Favorite Thing Is Monsters has been the graphic novel event of the decade and for this year's Free Comic Book Day, Ferris has delivered something truly special: an all-new, 16-page Monsters story exclusive to FCBD readers. Additionally, Our Favorite Thing Is My Favorite Thing Is Monsters features two other Ferris short stories never before collected: a six-page autobiographical story about the harrowing circumstances that led to the creation of My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, as well as a five-page "how to" strip appropriately titled, "How To Draw a Monster"!

    Highly recommended! It shouldn't be too hard to track down a copy, although the 'free' window is probably long shut.
     
  11. skaldavsatanssol

    skaldavsatanssol Toy Prince

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    Nice links, cheers. More amazing is that there was free comic book day release. Desperately need it now of course.
     
  12. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    A tradition that I wish had lasted for 47 more years...
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    Happy Halloween, my book buying 'brainer brethren!
     
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  13. hellscrape

    hellscrape Comment King

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    https://imgur.com/a/Wl0EhEi

    Swamp Thing Absolute, with new colors by Steve Oliff. Many consider him to be a color wizard. He is also behind the Miracleman recoloring. While I was not well-versed enough in the old MM comics to have too strong an opinion, I can say that I'm not too sure about this..
     
  14. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    Although I would welcome the oversized format and bonus material, the Moore Swamp Thing run will forever be black and white in my mind. I bought the Titan TPB collections as they were originally being published (in B/W) here in the UK, so Swamp Thing for me will always be b/w. I personally think the creepy/horror vibe works better that way, the colouring just detracts from the original artwork IMO. Of course, I doubt many people would agree with me!
     
  15. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Sigh...
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    Say goodnight, Tatjana.

    @The Moog - I'd pick up a b&w hardback in a heartbeat!
     
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  16. hellscrape

    hellscrape Comment King

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    Moog, you have no idea how much I'd love a stab at those B/W books! Wood was one of the original artists of this series; color is an essential aspect of the overall product. Change the color, Mr. Oliff, and unfortunately, you no longer have the same comic. But I would imagine this is for an audience I am not a part of. I got the Miracleman books, and the coloring didn't bother me too much, as the Eclipse comics were not firmly ingrained in my mind like Swamp Thing was. To be honest, I'd have been quite happy with B/W versions of those as well, as the color was added for American audiences, and not in the original Warrior magazines.

    It reminds me of Lucas' incessant Star Wars tinkering. The original versions were the best; each "improvement" only served to degrade the movie further.
     
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  17. skaldavsatanssol

    skaldavsatanssol Toy Prince

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    Damn shame to hear about the Swamp Thing Absolutes being recoloured for obvious reasons...

    On a related note - forgive my ignorance as I’ve only just made it through the Vol 1 TPB of Hellblazer and by god I love it already! This Jamie Delano bloke can write a fucking story :D
     
  18. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Truth. The beauty of the reprint is that you can get there when you get there. Myself, I trailed off just a couple of authors later, so something like 170 issues of Hellblazer await me should I choose to dip back in. Don't know that it quite sticks the landing, but Delano's post-Morrison work on Animal Man is worth a look, too. Quality horror. Honestly, I can't think of any books of his that I've read that I'd outright skip.

    Where I'd like to be:


    "Every life is a failure when viewed from the inside"
     
  19. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    This was just about the funniest thing in the world to me when I was 8:
    [​IMG]
    Popped in my head today for the first time in decades.
     
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  20. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Pardon the double post, but I had to jump back in to issue this Swamp Report:

    I find most of these flip-through videos impossible to listen to...

    ...but, sound down, they can be an invaluable aid when considering a purchase on a spendy tome.

    This fellow actually happens to be a little charming, I'll admit, so listen if you dare.
     
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  21. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    ^^ Colour issues aside, it certainly does look like a beautifully produced hardback and slipcase. Reminds me of when I first got my eager hands on Absolute Watchmen.
     
  22. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    ^ Ah, Absolute Watchmen... another victim of this peculiar need to destroy the original colo[u)ring of a comic to fit in with some misguided notion of the delicate modern sensibility! Fucking Hell. At least they got V for Vendetta right.

    But yeah, the back of that ST slipcase and the moss-effect flocked cover are the stuff of dreams!

    But then there's...
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  23. The Moog

    The Moog Die-Cast

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    Yes, but when i compared them back in the day i only saw minor changes here and there. It was more of a touch-up job, rather than a complete re-colour. The better quality paper and superior inks also made it look different compared to the murky trade paperback printing.
     
  24. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Those recolours (*well, nearly all recolours, for my mind) are atrocious. :x I mean, I get that newsprint and four-colour printing have their limitations, I am not so deluded to think that we should take it as the be all, end all process, and should be held up to a scared level (well, maybe I am too some extent, but that is for a different argument). But @hellscrape is exactly right, it is this whole revisionist thinking, of trying to actually change the impression that the overall art gives, which is so aggravating! But, unlike the GL comparison, which I do think is apt [has anyone see the new changes - yet again - with the Disney+ versions? ] I find it even more frustrating because in the great majority of cases these are decisions made by publishers to somehow 'modernize' what they day as dated/old/irrelevant material, to freshen it up for new audiences, all without the input of the ORIGINAL ARTISTS themselves!! Aarrrrghhh. Can you tell that this gets my aggravated? I am not even a comic nerd, if you can believe it, but seeing things like these recolours/imaginings of ST, Incal, etc. is really insulting and frankly insulting to the craft. I know with some of the TBP collections of gold and silver age stuff it is basically a change due to cost and printing processes used, so naturally I am not expecting an exact reproduction of the pulp pages, but to deliberately make changes to the way the content is displayed, because you think it was just not good enough or up to your standards (or, like with GL, claim it was always intended this way, but the technical limitations prevented it at the time) is utter equine manure. No one would ever accept this suggestion be done to works of any of the masters, so why does it barely warrant a blink here?

    I don't even want to start posting the horrible examples of this I have seen, because I am still wishing I had never been exposed to them. Not unlike certain changes to the SW OT.
     
  25. toothaction

    toothaction Team Tsubu Staff Member

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    Yeah, I was describing the re-colored Watchmen to a friend earlier as being only around 35% ruined, ha! They essentially de-neoned it, amping down the colors here and there, as if they were embarrassed about a comic book looking like a comic book. You can point to dozens of examples of the visual storytelling becoming less clear by the removal of strong contrasts in the palette and layout, for what it's worth, but at least they didn't go all gradient crazy.

    Anyway, I'm pro murk! Bring on the bleed! A good colorist knows how to use the intended paper stock to their advantage.

    I went deeper dork on the Swampy analysis a little earlier and laid those scans from the original pulps against pages from the trade reissues from the aughts:
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    Most thankful to have the floppies in hand, thank you very much! Among other issues I have with the above treatments, crisp white is the enemy of the pre-Baxter age!

    Get offa my lawn! :oops:

    Oh, keep forgetting to tell you, Joe: Possibly everyone knew but me, but I discovered recently that Vertigo had a series in the late '90s, sadly cut short at only 24 issues, that was reprinting the whole of Moore's Swampy saga in glorious black and white! A bummer that they only made it a little over half way through, but I'm glad that I have at least that much of it to chase. Of the stretch that I have no access to, I'm particularly curious about how the SF arc looks sans colored ink; would you mind scanning some pages from the later issues for me us? Veitch monsterscapes and Totleben collages, please!


    EDIT: Nice brick, pH! Promised myself I'd go to bed two hours ago, elsewise I'd babble out some response to that, too. Happy trails, SB.
     
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