tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214757882024-03-07T18:47:29.414-06:00Random Generationthe place where i talk about the comic books.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-29482945664367924402011-04-23T06:48:00.002-05:002011-04-23T06:55:12.378-05:00Update on where my blog is.This may be kind of pointless, but my new blog is here.<br /><br /><a href="http://minorhenchman.wordpress.com/">http://minorhenchman.wordpress.com/</a><br /><br />thanks.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-43229147610700496962008-03-17T22:39:00.002-05:002008-03-17T22:58:40.560-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH13YS40kdxOtEac_LJNAHVsJGprKEvgcQgaNzI7DPwX507YaFztD_kZp0dQNCmJrKfon0l7gXQQqJyQB4FH0zIua2V_yO66G9s6AmcvDoQxBuWigaiQlO_cwsLQJgbCFgdCYjQ/s1600-h/mar_17_2_web.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH13YS40kdxOtEac_LJNAHVsJGprKEvgcQgaNzI7DPwX507YaFztD_kZp0dQNCmJrKfon0l7gXQQqJyQB4FH0zIua2V_yO66G9s6AmcvDoQxBuWigaiQlO_cwsLQJgbCFgdCYjQ/s320/mar_17_2_web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5178926096094717026" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaboix6tvAmwtoQAnqq-o8SJm0muF5dWV3gR9M9y-KWWrTH4x9zeMA4jopcPWPhz-env7Ge9Qv8M2rl-uR5Wub43tgf-hftC45N1wAw6BIHqRfpuHUrpMJbVef9jEe9XTP7UzGoQ/s1600-h/mar_17_3_web.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaboix6tvAmwtoQAnqq-o8SJm0muF5dWV3gR9M9y-KWWrTH4x9zeMA4jopcPWPhz-env7Ge9Qv8M2rl-uR5Wub43tgf-hftC45N1wAw6BIHqRfpuHUrpMJbVef9jEe9XTP7UzGoQ/s320/mar_17_3_web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5178926100389684338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2cXFm3KB5j_j1BGG8Y01GjiqjJsCWvWfER47SAm0qIL03dUZeJXCzJeJhtC4RL44WovFOlxHNvK7YZewC3YrI2AwdxjFoemx6k8zTa9oeT4t4tb4fhpF073xP0qqaLICjDLI8g/s1600-h/mar_17_1_web.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2cXFm3KB5j_j1BGG8Y01GjiqjJsCWvWfER47SAm0qIL03dUZeJXCzJeJhtC4RL44WovFOlxHNvK7YZewC3YrI2AwdxjFoemx6k8zTa9oeT4t4tb4fhpF073xP0qqaLICjDLI8g/s320/mar_17_1_web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5178925958655763538" /></a><br /><br />swipe from a Seymour Chwast drawingMatthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1145292806630607482006-04-17T11:50:00.000-05:002006-04-17T12:01:14.393-05:00If there were only 15 comic books around...Here's a little Meme from <a href="http://yeoldecomicblogge.blogspot.com/2006/04/for-further-discussion.html">Ye Olde Comick Blogge</a><br /><br />Hypothetical situation: Due to diminished readership and rising paper costs, it has been decided only fifteen comic titles will be published from this day forward. You have been charged with the decisions of which titles shall be printed and what creative teams will be assigned to them. <br /><br />Artists may only draw one title; writers may script up to four.<br /><br />You may also set a creative direction, tone, or other details if you see fit (i.e. choose the Avengers or JLA members who would appear should you decide to have those titles make the final cut).<br /><br />Of course, I've cheated. 7 of my titles are anthologies more than 20 pages long, and one of 'em is Shonen Jump. Paper shortage? Not really.<br /><br />Batman –Bendis-Immonen<br />Bendis’s major talent is his ability to write dialogue, So I’d like to see how he’s handle a more silent character like Batman. Stuart Immonen is an artist who can draw both kinetic action and realistic still scenes, so I think he’d be great for Batman.<br /><br /><br />Justice League –Robert Kirkman-J.H. Williams<br />Robert Kirkman occasionally writes an entire universe of super characters in Invincible, so I’d love to see his League. J.H. Williams did some great work on Promethea and Desolation Jones. His innovative layouts and fine art influences would be ideal for a book with the tendency to become very staid and boring. Story arcs would alternate between League Red, made up of Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Red Tornado and League Blue, made up of Batman, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Black Canary, Zatanna, and G’nort.<br /><br />DC Universe –Morrison-Quitely-Waid-Michael Lark<br />DC Universe would be an anthology with a feature Superman story by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, with back up tales penned by DC’s biggest fan, Mark Waid, and drawn by Michael Lark, who would be a nice gritty counterpoint to Frank Quitely.<br /><br />X-Men –JMS/Chris Sprouse<br />I suggest booting the current TV talent writing X-Men (Joss Whedon) and replacing him with another, J. Michael Straczynski. Chris Sprouse’s clean style would be great for depicting the huge number of X-characters and the strange settings they find themselves in.<br /><br />Spiderman –Peter David-Gene Ha<br />Peter David does best on books with a lighter touch and a sense of humor. And anyway, he just got the gig of writing Spidey, I don’t want to take it away. Gene Ha can draw some amazing panoramic cityscapes, which makes me think he’d be great on Spider-Man.<br /><br />Marvel Universe –Darwyn Cooke/Rucka/Kuberts<br />The front story would feature core Marvel U characters written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, The second story would feature second stringers and would be written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Andy or Adam Kubert, the quintessential Marvel artists.<br /><br />Hellboy-It’s one of the top selling creator owned comics, why fix it? This is written and drawn by Mike Mignola.<br /><br />Top Shelf Presents -Dan Clowes/Jessica Abel/Adrian Tomine<br />I know they haven’t been published by Top Shelf, but this would work right? Okay Adrian Tomine couldn’t meet the deadline so his mess ups would be filled in by a Hernandez brother. Contemporary Drama by the creators of Eightball, Artbabe and Optic Nerve. This is a sixty page anthology series, in black and white and color.<br /><br />Acme Novelty Library -Chris Ware/Scott McCloud/Farel Dalyrmple<br />This would be a slightly oversize sixty page, color anthology featuring experimental comics that don’t necessarily fit the strict right to left, top to bottom reading path. Chris Ware does brilliant design work, Scott McCloud brings the feel of his online-comics experiments to the page, and Farel Dalyrymple (Pop Gun War, Caper) does surreal masterpieces. Dave McKean shows up for guest issues. What’s not to love?<br /><br />Kane -Paul Grist<br />We need a mystery comic, and I nominate the wonderfully hard boiled Kane by Paul Grist. Take that, Sin City.<br /><br />House of the Unknown –Challengers/Walking Dead/30 Days of Night<br />House of the Unknown would be an sixty page anthology of horror and weird Sci-Fi, featuring Challengers of the Unknown by Steven Grant and John Paul Leon, Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, and continuing 30 days of Night stories by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith.<br /><br />Fables JR JR<br />Fables continues as it is, but John Romita Jr. takes over the penciling chores from Mark Buckingham.<br /> <br />Fists of Fury –<br />This would be a sixty page anthology of kung fu, martial arts, samurai, and wuxia stories. It would start off with a Shang Chi story by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel (just like Nightwing and Richard Dragon). The second story would be a color Usagi Yojimbo tale by Stan Sakai. The final piece would be set in ancient China and created by the team of Mark Millar and John Cassady, and would be gor-geous.<br /><br /><br />Incredible Science Fiction<br />Incredible Science Fiction would be a sixty page anthology of science fiction series. The lead would be Fear Agent by Rick Remender and Tony Moore, followed by Vimanarama by Grant Morrison and Phillip Bond, and the Surrogates by Robert Venditti and Bret Weldele. That’s a 3-step attack of hard drinkin’ retro action, quirky supernatural hijinks, and unnerving moody speculation.<br /><br />Shonen Jump<br />One Piece and Naruto would continue, but Shaman King and Dragonball Z would be replaced by Planetes and Maison Ikkoku, neither of which are truly shonen. But hey, this is my fantasy, right? Right!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1144429076694199632006-04-07T11:41:00.000-05:002006-04-07T11:57:56.746-05:00Update from Beyond!I thought I should write a little update, since its been a while and a few people have actually written to comment. David saw V for Vendetta and wants to know what I thought, but... I haven't seen it yet. Meagan, a while back, wanted to know what I thought of Paul Pope's Batman project (Batman: Year 100). It looks gorgeous, and promises to be really cool, but... I haven't read it yet.<br /><br />Sounds like I'm not fan enough for the role of 'comics blogger.'<br /><br />Lately I've been enjoying Nextwave #3 and All-Star Superman #3, so far the best issue of the storyline. I also got a couple minicomics, while I was at Chicago Comics on the north side. I've been working through a couple volumes of Essential Marvel: Fantastic Four and Avengers. Reading the Essential Fantastic Four and Essential Avengers books is a challenge, if only for their sheer phone-book girth. Fantastic Four is better by far, in consistency, quality, and tone, But it's not the one I've been reading the most. After reading a few issues of FF, I've committed myself more to the Avengers book. It's interesting, because Roy Thomas is one of the first fan-writers, a guy who came up loving the comics and characters as a kid and wrote them for that reason. And despite all the childishness of the plots and conversations, he almost seems to be aiming for a teen to twenties audience. Fantastic Four, by comparison, definitely has the flavor of boy's adventure stories, similar in a way, to the Tintin comics of Herge.<br /><br />I've also been geeking out to an awesome graffiti magazine I got at Tower books on Wabash in Chicago. Shout out to <i>Artillery</i> from down under!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1143185687784705242006-03-24T01:32:00.000-06:002006-03-24T01:34:47.796-06:00Marvel: Civil War<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/McNivenCivilWar.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/400/McNivenCivilWar.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I love this picture. Steve McNiven is a giant among artists. I might actually be excited enough to buy Marvel's Civil War series. Bring it on!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1143013962513993082006-03-22T01:33:00.000-06:002006-03-22T15:06:17.043-06:00Frenzy from the Vaults! HawkmanI'm still trying to iron out the format and content for this blog, as well as figure out how to write about comics. Very, very few of my friends are fans, so I don't really talk about comics a lot, even though I love them to death. (Of course, my family might have something else to say... I do talk comics a smidgen. Just a smidgen, I swear!)<br /><br />From time to time, I'll cherry pick an old comic from my collection and give it read. Today I picked Hawkman #20 from 1994.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/hawkman20b.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/hawkman20b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Hawkman #20, Stalking the Skies!/Clash of Wings<br />Publisher: DC Comics<br />Writer: William Messner-Loebs<br />Penciller: Steve Lieber<br />Inks: Curt Shoultz<br />Color: Buzz Setzer<br /><br />The story starts out with a odd, monochromatic scene at the Adler Planetarium. An elementary school teacher points out Hawkman to her class. As she talks a blue rodent-shaped aura swirls in the air around her. Soon, Hawkman notices the aura, and slices into the teacher with his throwing blade, killing her. The school-kids react with shock, as Hawkman raves to himself "you're all avatars" and proceeds to slice up the kids, off-panel, of course. Whew! On the facing page, we see that all of this is Hawkman's dream, as he lays in his bed in his civilian identity, Katar Hol. His mother walks in the room, and calms him down after he comes to his senses. She goes back to bed, and we see a beautiful shot of Hawkman in the air the following day. He stands with wings outstretched in the sky of Chicago, bouncing a chunk of wood off the flat of his blade.<br /><br />After receiving a fax that his assistant Lefty hands him, Hawkman is joined into the sky by another winged superhero, Black Condor. After performing displays of knife throwing skill, Hawkman and Black Condor fly to the museum mentioned in the fax. Black Condor explains why he came to Hawkman. Seems his powers and flying ability are the result of his grandfather's experiments (creepy!) and he's come to Hawkman to receive training in the ways of heroism. Hawkman says that he doubts what he has to offer, and they arrive at the museum. An archaeological mission has uncovered a mysterious meteor with the ability to disintegrate whatever touches it. Inexplicably it shoots out a ray of energy which possesses a scientist and transforms her into a humanoid lion. She rampages through the lab, dispatching police officers right and left as Hawkman and Black Condor match her blow for blow. When Hawkman and the scientist reach a standoff, Katar counsels her to let go of her rage. She lets the energy flow through her, and the lion disappears.<br /><br />After reading hundreds of comics, this story no longer seems extraordinary to me. When I first received it, it blew my mind. It came in a bundle given to me by a Marvel Zombie friend. The exciting world of the super-mortals, the mysterious otherworldy objects, and the stunning art all captivated me. The violence was a shock and a surprise, and the resolution of the story was way stranger than I expected. The comic came out of an era that is now unpopular, and most of the continuity from this era is now being dismantled. Honestly, I don't care. No matter who's behind the mask of Green Lantern, Hawkman, or Flash, I can still read the back issues whenever I want. And isn't that what it's all about?Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1142879610942348092006-03-20T11:54:00.000-06:002006-03-20T12:35:00.920-06:00Doing Church<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/browntree.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/browntree.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />We've been having some really weird weather up here in Rockford. One day it's really nice, almost warm, and the next the temperature had plunged back down again. One day last week I went outside and there was a kind thick layer of snow on my car. It was really wet stuff, real fluffy snow that you could easily brush away with a snow brush.<br /><br />Yesterday morning I got up in a weird state: both restful and tired. Blame it on a nap taken right before bed, the night before... I got out the door about 10:20, and drove down to church. I went to New Direction Missionary Baptist Church down town. Its an odd shaped, federalist looking building squeezed between a Walgreen's and a US Bank. I went in a side door, and wound my way around the building, finding all the signs saying, THIS WAY TO THE SANCTUARY. As I got closer and closer I heard the bounding drums, and booming voices of a black gospel choir. The music and sermon blended into a harmonious whole, giving a message from God, that actually started to <i>feel</i> like a message from God, warm, mysterious and powerful. Sharp as a two edged sword. <br /><br />The sermon was about Leah, Jacob's #2 wife, and how she had 3 sons in the hope that each one would cause Jacob to love her. None of them did. Finally by the time she had her fourth son, Judah, she turned her eyes to God, and blessed him in spite of her loveless relationship with Jacob. Judah was an ancestor of Jesus.<br /><br />It's got me thinking about comics, and the curious fact that church services are something I've rarely seen comic book. As a Christian from a young age, they are definitely something I'd like to see. I don't have a life that's all that unusual, so its strange to think something so much a part of the fabric of my life isn't represented in my graphic fiction. The only examples I can think of are a strip drawn by David Heatley in the McSweeney's Comics Edition, and a scene in a recent issue of Optic Nerve. Not exactly the highest profile comics, huh?Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1142749781355407412006-03-18T23:43:00.000-06:002006-03-19T01:05:40.736-06:00The Mechanics of a Comic Story, pt. 2<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/houseofmystery.0.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/houseofmystery.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Okay, I just read the last post and thought to myself, "Boy, that's the boringest thing I've ever read!" And it's not 'boring' in the sense of "I just worked on something creative, and now I immediately hate it!" ---it was really boring. I went into an absurd level of detail on miniscule things without writing the payoff of why they matter, and I used a tone, that was... (what's that word?) pedantic. ugh. The alternate title for this post should be: Reasons Why I'm Not a Professional Writer.<br /><br />I just looked that word (pedantic) up in a dictionary, to see if it meant what I thought it did. It doesn't. (again, I'm not a professional writer...)<br /><br />anyway, I think I'm gonna try and pick up the pieces and keep writing, in lieu of being all emo and stuff...<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/houseofmyred.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/houseofmyred.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Even though I'm a child of the 90s, I do like reading old comics. Old comics from the 50s and 60s can be creaky, overwritten, and lacking in point, but they can also be solid gold when they're done right. (Case in point, the EC Science fiction and war stories) Even at their most plain-vanilla, comics of the 50s can be great, if merely for the shining moments of unintentional comedy. For a prime example, look at the hero of (in a booming voice...) <b>"The Man Who Hated Good Luck"</b><br /><br />He's a solid, levelheaded man with a solid levelheaded name: Don Barker. When he first comes to the door to greet a visitor, he's dressed in a button down shirt, sweater in vest and slacks. Apparently, Mr. Don Barker is dressing down today. It makes me think of all the episodes of the Dick Van Dyke Show I've watched, and the questions they made me ask. Did every one <I>really</I> dress up so much in the late 50s? While he speaks, his teeth are (of course!) clamped down on his trusty pipe.<br /><br />Jane, the narrator of our story, begins the action by visiting Don Barker, who immediately turns to the TV to watch the lottery drawing. He then proceeds to tear up his winning lottery ticket to the shock and dismay of his lady friend. Because of her reaction, he goes on to explains his reason for being, (in a booming voice...) <b>"The Man Who Hated Good Luck!"</b> While spending a day in the park, Don saw a runaway horse about to run over a stranger. In an instant, Don runs and hurls the stranger out of the way. The stranger, who is mysteriously dressed in a long cloak, asks Don how he can repay him for saving his life. Don asks for a stroke of good luck, and the stranger agrees to give him what he wants, with a condition. Don Barker will be the recipient of 4 instances of good luck, each greater than the last. In order to receive the greatest boon, Don must turn down his first 3 strokes of luck. After the lottery ticket, workmen at Don's house discover a chest full of pearls, which he gives to a neighbor. In the third bit of luck, Don inherits a castle in England, which he must immediately visit to own. At first the temptation is too great, and Don packs up a plane with Jane in tow. After seeing an ominous face in a cloud bank, Don turns around, and starts to lose control. The plane plummets into the sea, and Don drags the helpless body of his female friend to the shore. After embracing on the wet sand, Don realizes that he's found the greatest good fortune of all: the love of a lifetime!<br /><br />It it a corny story? Well yes, it obviously is. Did I enjoy it anyway? Yes. Would I have been annoyed if the other forty stories in Showcase Presents: House of Mystery weren't twenty times better?<br /><br />Definitely.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1142412696403789192006-03-15T01:52:00.000-06:002006-03-18T23:18:47.853-06:00The Mechanics of a Comic Story<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/houseofmystery.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/houseofmystery.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />One of the great advantages of the current era in comics is the massive number of worthy old comics that are back in print. I may take it for granted, but it truly is amazing that I can currently walk into a store, and if I choose to do so, buy affordable collections of old Metamorpho, or Killraven, or little Lulu. Frickin Little Lulu is back in print! As is Astro Boy... as is... 60s Green Arrow... as is the original Spider-Woman... as is Samurai Executioner.... But I digress.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/houseofmyblue%20copy.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/houseofmyblue%20copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />As promised in my last post, today I'm taking a good look at the nuts and bolts of comics, with a look at a few things I've read lately. The first example we'll use is a story called Sir Greeley's Revenge, drawn by Frank Springer. The art is very nicely drawn, with expertly spotted blacks, and a slight scratchy illustration style common to the 1970s. The script is by long term comic book Scribe Otto Binder. As a point of comparison, we'll use The Man Who Hated Good Luck, drawn by Doug Wildey from a script by the ever prolific Unknown. Sir Greeley's Revenge was originally published in House of Mystery #181, 1969, and The Man Who Hated Good Luck was originally published in House of Secrets #17, 1959.<br /><br />In the garage of comic book creation, a lot of the nuts and bolts will change over the course of ten years. The balance of words and pictures, the role of words in each panel, the number of panels per page, the shape and size of panels, the variability of panel size, the variability of "camera zooms", balloon placement, intro and ending routines, and sound effects lettering all change. Some of these are big things (size and number of panels), some of them are small things (intro routines and sound effects). But interestingly enough, even the small things are important in the final analysis. If a handful of these small elements all change at the same time, as they often do, the final effect is unmistakably different.<br /><br />Let's run the numbers. <I>The Man Who Hated Good Luck</I> clocks in at 6 pages. <I>Sir Greeley's Revenge</I>, though it doesn't seem any longer, is actually twice as long (12 pages.) The Man is 33 panels long, while Greeley's is 52 panels long. Divided by page counts, that gives <I>The Man</I> an average of 5 and a half panels per page, and <I>Greeley's</I> an average of 4 and a third.<br /><br /><I>The Man</I> has very regular panels, although rarely a perfect grid. Every page except the first and the last uses a three-tiered page of panels. It has exactly one page-deep panel, and one page-wide panel. The text is in the form of captions, speech balloons, and thought balloons, sometimes using all three in the same panel. Only one panel features no balloons of either type, but it does have a caption.<br /><br /><I>Greeley's</I> shows a little variation in the shape and placement of panels. The pages have either two, three or four tiers of panels, though all the panels are still rectangular. In a now near-universal practice, it opens with a full page splash panel (unheard of in 1959). The story features 13 page-wide panels, and although it has some very thin, tall panels, not a single one is page-deep. (I'm not counting the splash page, of course.) The story uses speech balloons, thought balloons, and captions, though it does favor speech balloons over the other two. Greeley's has one wordless panel, showing the orphan protagonist chopping firewood with an axe.<br /><br />Both stories have strong similarities: they're both obviously talky, and feature lightweight characterization. But the differences between the stories point out the changes that comics were going through, which only became more pronounced through the 70s, 80s, and 90s.<br /><br />Next installment of <I>The Mechanics of a Comic Story</I>: More analysis of <I>Sir Greeley's Revenge</I> and <I>The Man Who Hated Good Luck</I>, featuring attention to plot! Drawing style! And more!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1142269729962939862006-03-13T10:49:00.000-06:002006-03-15T02:51:53.820-06:00This just in: Comics Change!I've been reading comics from widely different eras, just in the last week. I've been reading current American comics (see my last post), current Japanese Comics (Nodame Cantabile, natch), and Early 70s American Comics. The Early 70s stuff is the House of Mystery reprint volume, which not only reprints the original stories that series had in 1968-71, but also double reprints, some dating back to 1958! What have I noticed? Though comics don't seem to change much in terms of story or genre, (or at least change very slowly) the aesthetic changes are HUGE!! By examining the nuts and bolts of the form, you see that not only do the drawing styles change, all the storytelling and design choices can, and ususally DO change, just within the space of a few years!<br /><br />Wow!<br /><br />Maybe I'll have to do some analysis and tell exactly what I've noticed in a future post. Blogging aint no picnic, lady!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1141753999461707002006-03-07T11:29:00.000-06:002006-03-08T02:02:27.443-06:00Fear Agent, Next Wave, Sea of Red<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/129_lg4-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/129_lg4-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Yesterday I went to the Comic Shop before work (I work second shift) and I picked up 3 books. The books were Fear Agent #3, Nextwave #2, and Sea of Red #8. I could have got much more, but I had to get to work, and I was trying to limit my spending. Yasee, I had just recently purchased Showcase Presents the House of Mystery, and had also bought the best of the Spirit trade paperback that DC put out. I haven't finished the two graphic novels, but I eagerly devoured the three single issues. (Nextwave I read before work, Fear Agent and Sea of Red I enjoyed after, in the wee hours of morning.) Perhaps this is why the old 20 page pamphlet form hasn't, and won't go away. There's something undeniably satisfying about reading something so convenient, as well as short and sweet. I know I'm not getting a real story, and merely a chapter instead, but that's okay. (Nextwave came close, but there's a difference, however small, between a two part story and a done-in-one.) <br /><br />Fear Agent and Sea of Red both seem committed to the 6 issue+ arc length, but each single issue also delivers something of a satisfying unit. I came in cold near the end of a Sea of Red arc, but I enjoyed it anyway (Of course, you're mileage may vary. I'm the only person I've ever met with such a strange method of reading comics.) It prbably doesn't hurt that all three comics had very, very enjoyable art. Nextwave and Fear Agent feature some great light hearted action cartooning, and Sea of Red is great with the slightly confusing, yet very moody scribblings of Paul Harmon. Now if only I can get those GNs finished, so I can buy some more comics!!!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1141236853822923022006-03-01T11:23:00.000-06:002006-03-02T11:09:37.333-06:00Links for March 1st<a href="http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=004818">Megatokyo moves to DC</a><br />What successful comic is part of both the webcomics trend, and the OEL manga trend? Megatokyo.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/?column=10">Steven Grant on Speakeasy</a><br />Good analysis for anyone interested in the business of comics (creators, editors, publishers, and aspiring pros) Steven Grant examines the closing of Speakeasy comics.<br /><br /><a href="http://comics.212.net/">NYC Comic Con</a><br />Chris Butcher has some insightful comments on manga, and a refreshing report on the New York Comic Convention.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=5930">Train_Man</a><br />Viz announces that they are publishing a three volume manga of Train_Man, which started as the first novel created from online chat transcripts. It's about an Otaku (nerd) who rescues a girl from an obnoxious drunk on the train, and the romance that follows. Its been turned into a TV show AND a featurre film, and has been made into FOUR different mangas.<br /><br /><a href="http://goodcomics.blogspot.com/2006/02/valerian-foreign-comics-should-be-good.html">Foreign Comics Fun</a><br />Comics Should be Good reviews one of the buried treasures on my book shelf, The classic Euro science-fiction comic Valerian.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1140510963623190722006-02-21T02:18:00.000-06:002006-02-21T02:40:07.066-06:00What NOT to put in a pitch to DC (hint: it involves Prez)<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/metamorpho.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/metamorpho.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />One of them's a hardbitten adventurer who gained powers in Egypt.<br /><br />The other one's an ex-president, and he's only 25!<br /><br />Together they're cops, traveling the biways of America in a midnight blue Trans Am. United by Duty. Fighting for Justice. Metamorpho and Prez. The adventure continues...<br /><br /><I>image courtesy of Lars' Customs -presented by Raving Toy Maniac (toymania.com)</I>Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1139604464974599072006-02-10T14:44:00.000-06:002006-03-07T11:59:12.696-06:00Thoughts on Nextwave, Pts. 1 and 2<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/elsabloodstone2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/elsabloodstone2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Thoughts on Nextwave<br />(the comic with a theme song.)<br /><br />Like a thousand other nitwits, nerds, and aesthetes, I’m a big fan of a lot of Warren Ellis’s stuff, and strangely enough, an even bigger fan of Stuart Immonen. Back when I started reading comics on the mid 90s, Stuart was drawing one of the Superman monthlies, and was one of the first artists I fell in love with. He’s an amazing artist on a lot of levels, a guy who can really flesh out the entirety of a scene, paying attention to background details that simply make everything more real. He draws great people, beautiful women, and does a great job with the character acting that makes a comic sing. When Nextwave came out, there was a good chance for me to be let down.<br /><br />I wasn’t.<br /><br />Nextwave is a five person superteam consisting of the Captain, Boom Boom, Captain Marvel/Photon, Machine Man, and Elsa Bloodstone. Elsa Bloodstone is a gun-toting monster hunter, an amazon who tosses out one-liners as easily as she crushes zombie skull. Machine Man is a barely-used creation of Jack Kirby, a guy with no desire to be human, and none of the logic of the typical ‘bot. Photon is an experienced hero with both phenomenal power and an average joe background. It’s too early to judge what the other 2 will be like, except that the Captain is stupid. Really stupid.<br /><br />Stuart's art for Nextwave has been causing a lot of people to say, 'there's nothing this guy can't do!!' While flattering, this isn't quite true. While light years beyond his (already superb) work on Action comics, this is simply a new wrinkle on the the style developed for Superman: Secret Identity. (with Kurt Busiek, available now!) Stuart's art has a wonderful sense of lighting, three dimensional space, and solidity. The biggest change is a newfound sense of movement/flexibility that almost seems like an animation/manga influence. While I can't say what the actual influence was, I will say this: it's beautiful, and it fits Nextwave to a T.<br /><br />The jokes in Ellis's script have an amazing hit/miss ratio. The characters exhibit the improv-like near-spastic fits of humor, (Dirk Anger, p. 4) as well as the sardonic verbal jabs (Elsa Bloodstone) that fans have come to expext. Nextwave isn't as funny, say, as an issue of Ren and Stimpy, but there's a point. While hilarious, this isn't a comedy book, its an action book with laughs. From start to finish, the comic vibrates with energy. Picture the opening of an action movie without any fights. People are chatting, the scenes are changing, fancy cars are driving around. Even though nothing is expoding, the pulse is picking up; the soundtrack goes from catchy, to pounding, to the roar of an engine. That's the first 8 pages of Nextwave.<br /><br />From there, we get giant-monster rampaging and streetfighting robots. What more do you want? The charcters are sharp, the colors are vibrant, and the threats are menacing. The team has to save a town while they fight both Foom and their corporate sponsors. While I'm excited to see the end of the battle, I'm just as excited by Warren Ellis's plan to keep each story contained in 2 issue arcs. While I love the story as it is, I can't wait to see where the team winds up in issue 3. Good onya, Warren.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1138951499544474412006-02-03T01:22:00.000-06:002006-02-03T01:54:39.386-06:00Fear Agent: Rick Remender GO!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/fear_agentgreen.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/fear_agentgreen.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />If comics sales were a simple offshoot of the obsessions of bloggers, every comic shop would only sell three types of books. <br />A) Titles related to Infinite Crisis<br />B) Titles related to House of M<br />C) Books written by Grant Morrison.<br /><br />I don’t generally go in for big crossovers, but the third category, the Grant Morrison books, are right up my alley. Seven Soldiers and All-Star Superman are interesting experiments in the superhero form. Both ‘events’ show different avenues of building on comic book history without being slavishly tied to it. A third book, Fear Agent, does much the same thing. I’ve struggling to find an interesting reason that Fear Agent isn’t near the top of the list of the 400 bestselling comics. Obviously, there are the three strikes of the current market: 1) creator ownership, 2) No shared universe/not Marvel-DC, and 3) the waiting-for-the-trade phenomenon. All three of these mountains are huge, but none of them is necessarily insurmountable… <br /><br />Think about this…Invincible went from being merely an interesting book in the launch of Image’s sketchy superhero line, but went on to become one of the few properties to successfully cross-over with Spider-man. Spider-Man! <br /><br />In the search for ideas, writers have strip-mined the history (and histories) of Marvel over and over. The same thing can be said for DC. So while ASS is a refreshing modern take that revisits silver-age Supes, it <I>has</I> been done before. And while the Seven soldiers has been busy dragging buckets of inspiration from the wells of DC’s past, (cosmic Kirby madness, golden age team ups, the lite-horror era of the 70s, innumerable 80 sleeper titles) at the end of the day, it is a part of the mainstream machine, and not a strange new beast altogether.<br /><br />Fear Agent is about as pure of a comic as I can imagine, and it gets its inspiration from a rarer, stranger, and riskier source. EC science fiction. While EC gets a lot of credit for inspiring the adult-level-comics boom, that is possibly the most limiting way of viewing its legacy. Honestly, I have to say that EC seems more responsible for the way it rocked its readers socks off, whether they were kids, adolescents, or nerdy adults. Obviously, it has to do with storytelling innovation (After all, this is the first place where Harvey Kurtzman showed his drawing chops. Harvey Kurtzman, as close to Eisner’s equal as anyone gets!) Obviously, it also had to do with the art. EC had a great roster of artists: Joe Orlando, Dean Kamen, Johnny Craig, Graham Ingels, John and Marie Severin, Bill Elder, Al Williamson, Kurtzman, George Evans, Bernard Krigstein, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, and Wally Wood. If you wanna know what kinda line-up makes the comic art critic drool, that was it. But the question of what <I>truly</I> made EC great is nothing if not a damnably frustrating one. After all, EC is <I>still</I> respected, even within the narrower subsets of the comicbook culture. After all, Charlton and Warren had their share of stellar artists, but are mostly regarded as intriguing footnotes in the history of the medium. But rather than continue to act like the typical blogger (affected, arty and over-ambitious) I’m going to leave the question up in the air.<br /><br />What made EC great? Easy.<br /><br />In a secret meeting in the fields of Conecticut, where they were first abducted by their Venusian overlords, staff belonging to the tiny EC outfit made a deal with the devil. In exchange for the national security of the United States of America, the towering brains of the second solar ring offered them genius. The true nature of this exchange can never be revealed, but in essence, it boils down to one word. Gleepnort. What was that made EC products so special? Gleepnort. Does Fear Agent contain this valuable substance?<br /><br />By the truckload.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1138723203002338512006-01-31T10:00:00.000-06:002006-01-31T10:00:07.216-06:00Of Course, Yeah!<a href="http://ofcourseyeah.blogspot.com/">Of Course, Yeah!</a>Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1138610925794240562006-01-30T02:46:00.000-06:002006-01-30T02:52:36.120-06:00Album Review -Cake: Pressure Chief<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/1ae.cake.picA.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/400/1ae.cake.picA.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Wednesday, January 04, 2006<br /><br />Currently Listening<br />Pressure Chief<br /><br />By Cake<br />The GUITAR MAN<br />see related<br /><br />Yesterday was one of the longest, most frustrating days at work I’ve ever had. I had about a week off, and it’s really quite hard to get back into the swing of things. I could get everything done if I really wanted but it would take at LEAST 4 more hours. So then I’d be there till 10 pm. Which really isn’t allowed. And hey, I got a really nice gift basket, so I can’t even complain that it’s a thankless job. And here I am, complaining about not complaining. Pathetic, no? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Moving on... I've got a record review...<br /><br />The oddly named Cake have, over the course of their career, released a string of albums that are both quirky and catchy. Each album is also a consistent look at the Cake sound, a blend of acoustic guitar, electronic drumbeats, introspection, and straightforward songwriting. Cake has one eye on the past and one on the future, with an aim to prove that electronics have soul, and humans will act like machines. But really, that’s a tortured attempt at analogy. The main thing is that Cake is pretty. These are pop songs. Finely crafted, well-written and tuneful 3 minute songs. The 2004 album Pressure Chief has 11 tracks. The first half of the album is more upbeat and strange, with songs a little more show-offy in their songwriting. This peaks with the climactic Guitar Man (which I believe is a cover tune) and leads into the second half of the album. The second, sadder half follows and ends with the hope-and-adversity trilogy of the last three songs.<br /><br />Wheels -subtle, no-fault breakup song that chugs along to an unlikely ending. Beautiful arrangement, Dylanesque whimsy will get you every time.<br />No Phone -an amped-up, shouty song that sees Cake getting as close as they can to Hip Hop. Definitely the gem of the album, this easily-supported rant on modern life makes you bob your head as you curse your luck.<br />Take it All Away –graceful yet moody elegy to a doomed relationship. Consider it the spiteful twin of Wheels<br />Dime -believe it or not, an amazing song written from the point of view of a dime. Those crazy musicians! Sad, joyous, and utterly catchy! In the brown shag carpet of a cheap cheap motel/in the dark and dusty corner by the TV shelf/is a small reminder of a simpler time/ when a crumpled up pair off trousers lost a brand new dime.<br /><br />Carbon Monoxide –a tale of a suffering biker that’s begging to have it’s own save-the-earth commercial. Pure organ-based summer-pop.<br />The Guitar Man -the perfect ode to the traveling musician, similar to Turn the page. If it was one bit simpler or more complicated, it wouldn’t be as direct or quite as pretty, dang it!<br />Waiting -A slow building plea that points out the holes in the songwriter’s life. Beautiful, Bacharach-like trumpets grace the transitions.<br /><br />For fans of: Fountains of Wayne, Ben Folds, William Shatner, Odelay-era Beck, R.E.M., Bright Eyes<br />File Under: Pop-RockMatthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1138390082015931962006-01-27T12:27:00.000-06:002006-01-27T13:57:55.656-06:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/1600/batmanlike.0.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5416/2172/320/batmanlike.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />As I much as I'd like to write something amazingly profound, I'm feeling much more a fan than a reader today. So... apropos of nothing, here are my top ten costumes for the big 3, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. I'm gonna cheat when it comes to Wonder Woman, but hey, why not. These are called <I>comic books, after all.</I><br /><br /><br /><br /><B>Batman</B><blockquote><br />1) Grey and Black Costume <br />(The classic one...) <br />2) All Black costume<br />(long ears and huge cape.)<br />3) Black Costume with Red Chest-logo. <br />[Batman: Thrillkiller] <br />4) Blue-Gold-Grey <br />(Knightfall Batman, aka Azrael-Batman.)<br />5) Victorian Overcoat Costume. <br />[Mike Mignola's Gotham by Gaslight] <br />6) Batman Beyond <br />7) Batman as Man-Bat <br />8) Frank Miller Batman <br />(the original one.) <br />9) Kingdom Come robo-suit. <br />10) Spawn.<br /></blockquote><br /><B>Superman</B><blockquote><br />1) Red Cape-Blue Tights-Red Trunks Superman <br />(it's classic!)<br />2) Communist Superman [Superman: Red Son] <br />(all that red never looked so good! )<br />3)Hunter Prey Superman<br />(debatable)<br />4) 90s Superman Blue<br />5) Evil Kirby Superman <br />[Superman, The Dark Side] <br />6) Silver Age Superman Blue<br />(simple yet gorgeous)<br />7) Fleischer Superman -1940s toon design. <br />(also simple yet gorgeous)<br />8) Christopher Reeves<br />(well, duh!)<br />9) Dean Trippe's Superboy <br />(personal sketch)<br />10) Kingdom Come Superman<br /></blockquote><br /><B>Wonder Woman</B><blockquote><br />1) Black Red and Gray [Superman: Red Sun] <br />2) Red, White and Blue: The Classic <br />3) Full Amazon Regalia -Wolfman/Perez/Bolland Era <br />4) Promethea [best_costume_ever] Alan Moore &co. <br />5) Kingdom Come battle armor <br />6) all-white suit from <I>Planetary</I> <br />7) plainclothes mod costume ca. mid-70s <br />8) WW with full skirt (the original version) <br />9) WW with (ugh.) biker shorts <br />10) Just Imagine Stan Lee WW (Jim Lee Design)<br /></blockquote><br />geekout approaching maximum levels...Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1138290586842696822006-01-26T11:48:00.000-06:002006-01-26T10:00:03.296-06:00Recent comic reads, Recent comic purchases<a href="http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=246553&zoom=4"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=246553&zoom=4" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><B>Recent comic reads, Recent comic purchases</B><br /><br />Nextwave #1 Marvel Comics<br /><br />Weird Science #19 EC Comics<br />Weird Science #20 EC Comics<br />Weird Science #21 EC Comics<br /><br />Weird Fantasy #18 EC Comics<br />Weird Fantasy #20 EC Comics<br />Weird Fantasy #22 EC Comics<br /><br />Shaman King vol. 1 Tokyopop<br />Shaman King vol. 2 Tokyopop<br />Nodame Cantabile vol.1 Del Rey Manga<br />Rebound vol. 1 Tokyopop<br />Planetes vol. 1 Tokyopop<br />Planetes vol. 2 Tokyopop<br /><br />Ultimate X-Men vol. 11 Marvel Comics<br />All- Star Superman #1, #2 DC Comics<br />Fear Agent #1, #2 Image Comics<br /><br />And even though you might not count it as comic, I can’t forget the excellent… <I>Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman!</I> Soooooo goooood!!!Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21475788.post-1138169273673705562006-01-25T14:06:00.000-06:002006-01-25T00:07:53.683-06:00semi-pointless inaugural postHowdy Howdy! The time is 12:07 and I need to read Nick Hornby. And then, I need to go to bed.Matthew Jeskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785123650078048156noreply@blogger.com0