jokingofcourse

July 9, 2019 12:01 pm Thanks Josh. For anyone who hasn’t read it before Scott Mclouds books are excellent. However I must be a poor communicator, as my copy is a decade old, worn out and I tell you you as much as I appreciate it, Understanding Comics is still written from a “fan” perspective rather than an academic one. (ie : I made comics and so can you, here’s how) Also check out Will Eisner’s books on sequential storytelling too. Which are also essentially “here’s how to make comics like me and what I’ve learned “ books. Comics need a scholarly compendium so that all discussion can springboard from those agreed upon standards. Anyone entering film or visual arts (or music, opera, theater...) has a set of agreed upon terms, techniques and historical context to form opinions with. Comics do not even have agreed upon terms for the techniques employed in the medium. Rather it’s just a hodgepodge of terminology from other art forms criticism at best. See terminology from film criticism (pan, fade in, cut, etc.) or from visual arts (form/background, composition, layout, light source, etc.) and that doesn’t cover anything unique to comics. No other art form is about substituting space for time or attempting to control the pace in which the reader advances through the work. Comics needs formal terms and historical context for its unique techniques that it employs. I mean can you, or anyone, tell me who was the first cartoonist to use any given page layout, panel type, inking style, coloring technique? What were the predecessors and current outside cultural influences that spawned those techniques? I don’t know. To me comics will not be considered a unique art form without those things. And no collection of random fans “here’s my opinion on comics” will ever help.

July 8, 2019 4:34 pm oops, retroactive humility: I don't mind pleading ignorant here. If there really is a text out there that systematically categorizes the methods of comics art form and their relevance I would love to know. I am by no means near an expert, which is why I don't just go write one. dang a freakin roo now i'm really late.

July 8, 2019 4:31 pm "Qwickster" gentlemen. The genius Netflix spin-off company name that the world still mourns that never came to be. Also I agree with Conor's assessment in general of "Comics Media" and its lack, however, I would say that its actually a much larger issue, where few in comics even themselves seriously consider comics an art form(beyond self congratulating lip service to justify their career choice to ignorant public), so what is there in comics to seriously probe? How many decades are we into this art form and we have yet to even have a basic text or website that identifies or catalogs any of the techniques used in the medium itself, their inventors, innovators and timelines. When was the first use of inset panels, splash pages, diagonal compositions...etc. All analysis in comics is fan analysis. All comics history books are about the behind the scenes gossip and relationships not about the advancements on the page. (Flip through any art history text to see the difference) All the more serious arts criticism places contemporary work in its art historical context (what new ground are they breaking/ perceived boundaries are they pushing) and compares it with its place in our current culture. (how is the artist influenced by it or commenting on it) Its impossible to write any criticism like that in comics because first you'd have to undertake the gigantic task of writing the entire history of the comics medium as an art form. and now I'm done ranting...and I'm late...damn podcasts.

June 10, 2019 1:52 am Far be it for me to defend writers of a movie of which I do not possess the interest to even contemplate seeing, and not to say that these writers wouldn’t have mucked it up anyway, however I am dubious that anyone could make an impactful version of the Dark Phoenix Saga fit into 2 hours and some change, unless it was the third film in a carefully planned trilogy. The comics version’s emotional impact comes from years of storytelling and relies on previous character knowledge. You need invested versions of the relationships. Scott and Jean, Xavier and Jean, Scott and the new team, etc. So that when those relationships are tested and break or hold together alone versus space armies on the dark side of the moon you actually feel something. These movies have laid none of that groundwork. You need some version of the 60’s comics storyline (Scott & Jean on adventures with the team flirting, bonding, growing closer) followed by the Phoenix Saga (really though beginning in issue 98 with Scott & Jean’s first on-panel kiss on their Christmas date night prior to the multi-issue Sentinel attack that culminates in Jean’s sacrifice and crashing into Jamaica Bay) up through Xavier mind blocking Jean's new powers down and only then you could move into the Dark Phoenix Saga about Jean’s corruption and fall and ultimately final sacrifice. (Minus of course the Mastermind brainwashing aspect and all other adventures in-between these storylines) Oh well, third times a charm I guess.

May 31, 2019 4:54 pm A lil’ late for posting, but for posterity and future listeners... Definitely go back and check out Dash Shaw’s early work. His art style varies project to project. Didn’t read his Clue book, however from the preview pages online, the art is radically different (and more blah pedestrian from my ignorant judgement of a few pages) than his previous books. Please read “BodyWorld” to get a sense of his excellent use of color and varied mediums/ line styles that give it the off kilter psychedelic tone. If you’ve read Charles Burn’s “Black Hole” or any of Chris Ware’s or Daniel Clowes work you’ll enjoy “BodyWorld” for that same suburban ennui goes awry story. And if not just read it anyway. It’s probably at a library if you live in the big city and if not, there’s free chapters online. See future judgemental listeners, just know that people in your past didn’t want the dismissing of Dash Shaw’s art to go un-clarified. And don’t tell me how I died I still want it to be a surprise... it’s my cat, right? She kills me in my sleep... No don’t say anything... But I’m right? Just blink if I’m right...

May 19, 2019 5:29 pm as much as I enjoy some good ol fashion BigRazor ribbing...Edgewell owns Harry's now, not Schick. At best Schick and Harry's are step-siblings. Under your joke logic you could've also said Playtex Tampons owns Harry's, Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen owns Harry's..and I'm already bored of listing things. and great, now BigTech owns everything I just typed. dang. no winning.

March 17, 2019 7:09 pm late to reply but for posterity's sake: The Kurtzman EC war comics were "Two Fisted Tales" & "Frontline Combat" (really if your library has the reprints flip through any old EC collected edition, some stories can get repetitive but the art is always pretty good) It seems like cheating the question, but there's plenty of early 80's indie work that is worth knowing like Chaykin's "American Flaqg" , Dave Steven's "The Rocketeer", Baron/ Steve Rude's "Nexus", Mike Kaluta's "Starstruck" or Barry Windsor Smith's "Machine Man" (OK that's a Marvel comic but you get the point)

October 17, 2018 8:28 pm I say it for the children... the children! ^.. ^

October 17, 2018 8:26 pm Oh. Very good. I hope you enjoy it. Not a mainstream book so don't expect a mainstream ending. Love the colors on it.

October 16, 2018 10:12 pm Also...READ "SABRINA" BY NICK DRNASO (excited yelling, not angry yelling.) Since you balked at "My Favorite Thing is Monsters"...you could at least try to eat some vegetables...delicious vegetables...Yum. Murder mystery with a dash of paranoia and social insight. and remember to floss.