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Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Current Reading.
I still have to get my stuff for the week so I really don't have much to report. I have been looking at Mythology: The DC art of Alex Ross a lot lately though.
Haven't got Mythology, but have got some of his sketchbooks. Bit tired of his painting - all seems exactly the same, albeit stunning - but his pencil work's so fine it hurts. Makes me feel that nobody else should bother drawing superheroes. Like my favourite Vasari story, about how Verrocchio threw away his paints when he saw what his student Leonardo was doing.
IMP. _________________ RIVER: skin on the outside. First chapter FREE from www.ianmpalmer.com
Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Current Reading.
I still like his painting but I agree about it blending too much. I got the book because it did have a lot of process, sketches, etc., which I found very interesting.
Eric Clapton said in an interview featured in the "Tribute to Stevie" DVD that he felt that he had nothing else to offer after seeing SRV playing live back in 1985. Of course Clapton's done his best work since then, going on to leaps and bounds. All art is totally objective anyway, even though we become overwhelmed by an individual’s talent. Everybody has something to offer. I think it’s great to think comics can be a legitimate art form of high standard. Not just for teenage boys, eagerly waiting for Wonder Woman to turn around to see if she’s wearing a thong! Illustrated novels can take you inside the person’s head; understanding their personal dilemmas/ paranoias where you never really get that close in a film. I agree with Jonthecelt. People read the book and then disappointed when they see the 2 billion dollar blockbuster. They just skip over details in the plot because they have to fit it all in fewer than two hours. Reading is hard work and it’s easy to watch the film. Along with computer games, the comic format has a lot to compete against today. Will it survive?
I’ve been trying to catch up on my comic reading in preparation for my homemade Batman comic. He’s a little bit different in the comics against the 1960’s TV spoof.
I’m reading a mixture of comics to do some research; I’ll just mention a few:
‘Showdown of the century’ marvel vs DC (50s to 60’s)
‘Batman/Punisher’, Marvel/DC collaboration.
“King of New York” DC comics Batman/ Daredevil
Action/DC comics ‘Death of Lois Lane’
The last three have a very modern look against the top one which was an original classic. All artwork is phenomenal. Ian Palmer must have studied those because his work emulates a similar style with the graded text boxes and heavily outlined figures.
When I was a kid I remember being really excited about comic covers displayed on newsstands. When opened, I was disappointed if they weren’t in full colour. Even if I just looked at the pictures I still really enjoyed them. I even tried to draw them when I was about five. _________________ "Great Scott...!"
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: Current Reading.
I've just been reading 'Kil'n people' by David Bryn - Film Noir meets Sci- Fi meets metaphysical speculation.
Has some resonances for on-line - shall we say 'relationships' ? -too.
Worth a go anyway. _________________ A broken stereotype is a beautiful thing
Hello, Scott (Beet). You should see the stuff I'm doing now. In fact, you'll be able to soon.
What's the Australian comics situation? I know you get American imports, but is there a native industry or format?
I've tried to get into Stevie Ray Vaughan because in theory I probably ought to like him, but I can't. Same thing with Taj Mahal.
As for reading, finally getting to the end of Metamorpho, which has been fun. Read the latest Blood Of The Demon. Now, Byrne is my favourite comics creator - I think he does what he does (the whole job of writing and drawing a mainstream superhero comic) better than anyone - and some of his drawing is the best it's ever been, but he seems to be writing less and less, and it's a long time since he did anything I thought was better than just good. For God's sake, someone give him back Superman or the Avengers or the FF or something.
IMP. _________________ RIVER: skin on the outside. First chapter FREE from www.ianmpalmer.com
Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:48 am Post subject: Re: Current Reading.
In a very minor way but yep. Even listed in the thanks of the book. I kind of know the artist, Scott Hampton, and he was running behind so a couple of my freinds and I were scan and assemble boy on a lot of parts. It was a kind of an odd book that had a lot of "recycle and crop" images. Since it was on a star ship, the sets were pretty much the same so a lot fo the backgrounds were reused, etc. with figures pasted on top, etc. One page is my layout, I sort of kept him honest with saying he needed to redraw a figure here or there because it was repeated too many times, I also evened the lighting in one panel since Hampton was kind of a photoshop newbie. He tweaked it after but there is a rough shadowing by me. Nothing really that spectacular and the other people helped too and sort of knew him better but it is my big, sort of credit in comics.
Works for me -
I'm glad that I'm not the only artist who has recourse to recycle and crop when needs must and the devil drives. _________________ A broken stereotype is a beautiful thing
Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: Current Reading.
This past week I have picked up "Invincible" .. It is an image comic written by Robert Kirkman. I noticed it had kind of pretty art and it was something different. It was really good and I proceed to pick up the tradebacks. Stll have some on order but they are a good read. Basically it is what if Superman had a son, the son is in high school and is also a superhero. It has a Spiderman vibe but more what he kind of should be. Still dealing with real world and superhero issues colliding and stll fun but he changes and adapts, where Spiderman seems stuck in retreads and whatknot. It is also pretty well written and quirky but not too quirky. Just my two cents.
I've heard good things about Invincible. Read an issue of the related Noble Causes not long ago, and it was okay.
This week, JUSTICE # 5 is the first issue which really seems to wake up. Previously the story seemed to be trying too hard, and to suffer from the distance of tone which plagued the X series. Here, everything picks up, largely due to the characterisation of Captain Marvel as both awesome and a big kid. It's quietly impressive that he knows instantly how to take out both Metallo and the Parasite with one gesture, and the World's Mightiest Mortal, blessed with the wisdom of Solomon, telling Batman his cave is "cool", is fun.
It's interesting that where these are "classic" versions of the characters, the version of Luthor here is the businessman. Best reboot ever, that was.
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid In The World is too long and printed too small, but strange and affecting. It's a bit designery, and reminds me of Daniel Clowes and the kind of thing Fantagraphics used to publish (are they still around?). Nice architectural drawing, too.
Superman, Wrath of Gog: overwrought, and seems to reduce the monster who defeated Superman in Kingdom Come to just another nutter, who wimps out in a hurry. Still drawing Superman from photo-ref of Christopher Reeve. You could do worse, but if traditional comics artists are copying photographs, what's wrong with Poser again?
IMP. _________________ RIVER: skin on the outside. First chapter FREE from www.ianmpalmer.com
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:07 pm Post subject: Re: Current Reading.
Don't really know Noble Causes ...
I kind of agree on the Justice thing. I have been picking it up but it is a bit too preachy. But still somewhat interesting. Alex Ross likes the classic stuff ... I have an afinity for it too but only to a certain extent and sometimes it goes too far.
Jimmy Corrigan was a weirdlittle thing that I read a while ago and it was kind of interesting and pretty, in a weird way. It was a Fantagraphics thing for a while. I know they had trouble a few years go and I am not sure if they fully recovered.
No clue about the Superman thing. Seems like a weird one-shot or soemthing though.
Traditional comic artists have often drawn from photographs - Frank Hampson to name but one - but I do think there is a difference.
Drawing, even from photographs, requires a lot more in the way of problem solving to get a good image - and the way that the artist chooses to solve those problems will lead to the development of a distinctive style. In some ways programmes like Poser (and the use of filters if I'm honest) eliminate a lot of those pesky problems at the cost of individuality.
Working with Poser at its best and in the hands of an imaginative artist can produce results like sphaghetti putanesca - cheap, quick and hot, but at worst - a big Mac - bland, predictable and ultimately unsatisfying.
But I am open to persuasion. _________________ A broken stereotype is a beautiful thing
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