Maritimus

BPRD takes its time to get really good, but after that doesn't stop delivering consistently. Mignola's brain is a real treasure. Also, to anyone interested - i was in a bookstore a couple of weeks ago and found this http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/10-686/Fafhrd-and-the-Gray-Mouser.

I never knew it even existed. A brilliant book with Mike's art, which makes it enough to get it, but the sword and sorcery stories here are a perfect match for his style. It says it contains 4 issues, but each one is like 40 pages long.

Batman & Robin #16. Grant Morrison pulls out all of his artillery for this MONSTER of an ending to the epic storyline that's been going on for the past 4 years or so, especially since R.I.P. Wow! i think Grant tried to top himself here, and he might have done so. All the best things about the Batman&Robin series explode here from every page.. All the threads that could have gone wrong after a couple of years of crazy twists and mysteries, tie together in this single issue of pure Grant Morrison magic.

So i finished the latest Hellboy last night. What i've always liked about this book, well besides the art, is that it never goes where you think it's going to. A+

After reading this issue i felt that Hellboy has become a truly epic story, up there with classic tales and myths.. what a stunning issue! I love how Mignola reveals the mysteries slowly, building the tension to a point where events just explode. Hellboy finally facing the whole army, along with the reader. Only bits and pieces were shown in the Wild Hunt, and now we get to see how freaking huge it is! Also.. the ending with hellboy was quite shocking. Can't wait for The Fury.

Duncan Fegred has become quite a great storyteller while working with Mignola, hope he does the art there too if it's not Mignola himself.

Hulk was also on the team in the Ultimates written by Mark Millar, even though for a period of time he was more of a troublemaker, smashing a half of Manhattan in an alcohol-fueled rage over a girl..:) That's a great run by the way, i never liked The Avengers that much but for some reason picked that up and loved it. The filmmakers seems to be getting some ideas from the Ultimate universe, like Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson.. Joss Whedon did some great X-Men, hopefully the movie will be a really good ride.

Check out anything starting with Brand New Day, especially stories written by Dan Slott and Zeb Wells, most of them are fun.. It's a kind of a superhero action soap opera mix, in a good way :). Straczynski's run is mostly good, sometimes great, especially in the beginning.

Batman & Robin #10 - Grant Morrison (re)introduced the supernatural element to the Batman mythos and did it in such a way that it's actually very exciting. At the core, we deal with a classic Batman story, an investigation, search for clues to solve the mystery, only this time they are not even sure if what they look for is real. The character of Damian is playing an interesting role, torn between his his mother's control, that appears to go farther than he realized and growing respect for Dick.

I was disappointed with the confusing, inconclusive RIP and very remotely interested in what happened after Batman's "death", but this openness for supernatural elements in recent B&R issues might turn out to something really cool. It leaves room for mystery, even after all is said and done.

It's not like Batman doesn't supposedly know certain flying guy with a red cape anyway.. Great issue and the bigger story starts to shape up nicely too.

Event Horizon - not many people know it, but some truly love it. I saw it about 10 times and consider it one of the scariest movies ever. Great atmosphere, great acting, great soundtrack. Leaves me slightly paralyzed each time the credits roll.

I will most def check out more Moore. Every page (or rather 2 pages usually) of Promethea is so enjoyable in some way that it's hard to start describing it, like there's a whole spectrum of all possible elements that can be used in graphic stortelling present. Awe, fear and dark humor in the characters and situations, sharp contrasts, parallels and blending of fantasy, science fiction and the real world in a way that it's hard to say where one ends and another begins. All of it looks beautiful and very detailed, flow of panels and page compositions are unlike anything else, and as everything else should aspire to be.

I read 49ers a couple of weeks ago and it was excellent as well.

My personal fav story is Midnight Nation by J.M. Straczynski, i read the whole thing in one day and i think it changed my life.

Reading Promethea currently, up to the second trade, and what w great story that is, so full of vibrant characters, highest level plotting and vast imagination with amazing art by J.H.Williams. Alan Moore explains magic in such a way that we can see how it's reflected in the material, "real" world - as our imagination, power of the creative mind to do just anything. If you haven't read it (are there any?) - it is smart, it is funny and if you feel like what you are reading is full of holes sometimes - this is what storytelling looks like at its best.

I haven't been much of an Alan Moore fan after reading Watchmen - except Dr. Manhattan chapters, which i liked a lot, but i'm really loving this, reminds me of what brought me to love comics in the first place, rather than just reading them out of a habit. Feels like i'm there while reading, transported to that imaginary world, not struggling to get involved with the story and characters. I think he just keeps getting better.

Desolation Jones was delightful

The last really good thing he wrote, yeah.

 

Since then it's been a steady stream of half-assed stuff from Marvel and a plethora of half-interesting but generally poorly implemented minis from Avatar.

 

On the bright side, he did mention on his forum recently that he's still working with Wildstorm to get more Jones out.

 

I'm looking forward to his Mary Shelley/Frankenstein graphic novella that Avatar announced.

When Ellis is good, he is amazing, but when he just wants to make bucks with numerous projects intended for a trade, he tends to be pretty boring and lazy. I flipped through Gravel recently to see how is it and there was like 8 or ten pages without a word, and the art isn't stunning enough to make it work, what's up with that? Same deal with No Hero, lots of fireworks from Ryp, but the point of the story escapes me. Doktor Sleeples put me to sleep on several occasions.

The Frankenstein novel looks interesting, Crecy was fun, and Aetheric Mechanics too, so that might be good as well.

Desolation Jones was delightful, Warren is excellent at writing damaged drug addicts for some reason, and the art and page compositions are jaw-dropping too. I'm slowly abandoning any hope that we will see any further issues, but i'd rather have it stay good and unfinished than continue as one of 800 titles he writes currently, none of which i'm interested in.

The cover is simply stunning. I don't buy posters but i wanna buy this one.

I'm not sure if Frank Quietly does any sketches for some pages. There's stuff that looks lovely (especially cars and some action scenes) but some pages have the proportions off and it would be alright with the villains but even Gordon looks pretty strange sometimes.

 

I felt that the inking looked sketchy and rushed myself. Haven't looked into wether Quitely did the inks or was there a different inker between the first two issues?

It only says "Artist". I think he finds some things more interesting - like sound effects (did you notice "smash" on the wall where Robin lands? that's awesowe) and splashes of liquid (the fire extinguisher scene) and he puts it all in it. Other times it's just to get it over with. Also Dick/Batman has no muscles under the costume, but i guess it's intentional so we can see his transformation as he gains confidence.

Just bought Batman and Robin #2, it took whole 5 minutes to finish reading. There are some good things about this book and some aspects that annoy me. The script seems rushed and uninspired, it feels like 22 page fight scene with some dialogue added after so we don't read it in less than a minute. The relationship between Dick and Damian is interesting, but a little predictable.

The villans remind me of Joker's company in The Killing Joke, but the weirdness of them is a nice touch. I'm not sure if Frank Quietly does any sketches for some pages. There's stuff that looks lovely (especially cars and some action scenes) but some pages have the proportions off and it would be alright with the villains but even Gordon looks pretty strange sometimes.

And what's up with the colors? Background has ugly Photoshop-filtered colors and the whole palette sort of reminds me of Batman and Robin, the MOVIE. Hopefully the series kicks in the next issue, this was ok, but with all the talent involved, i thought it would be much better. Maybe it's just me.

I don't know many horror comic books, there are things Hellstorm, but i can't name other ones really.I feel it's hard to scare with a comic book. Things that work in horror movies don't apply here - like sound effects and music. Long descriptions that build up the atmosphere in books here are images instead, and images don't scare as much as our own imagination - sometimes they are simply grotesque. So comic book has a challenge to develop it's own tools that would affect readers on psychological level. I read a couple of horror books from Glenn Danzig's imprint, they are pretty bad. Haven't read Walking Dead yet, but intend to one day. Any good horror comics?

Therapy? has gone through some transformations, none of their two albums are very similar. Heck, sometimes even the songs on a single album are mixes of different styles - that's why i love their music, it's mad, psychotic and passionate. Semi-Detached is not a very good album, but Suicide Pact, Troublegum, Never Apologise Never Explain are all experimental pist-off inferno. The older they get, the more metal they become - One Cure Fits All from 2006 is their heaviest thing. Have you guys heard the last one yet - Crooked Timber? It's Ok, but doesn't really come close to their best.

Couple of the bands i put in my list have their ups and downs. Some of the stuff by Priest is really bad, some genius. I put Fear Factory there because i didn't want to put Slayer, who has some very powerful albums, and some poser crap as well. Same reason for Metallica not being there.

Metal bands that don't suck, imho

Faith No More

Therapy?

Pantera

Death

Mercyful Fate

Voivod

Judas Priest

Bathory

Emperor

Fear Factory

Thanks Spain! I was happy to see you guys win 2008 Euro :)

me in PS1 2 days ago, funny how a contemporary art trip ends up being most fun in the stairwell

can someone tell me how to make the photo normal sized?

Hi

Thanks for all the info, that sounds really interesting. I like to see the process of translating one medium into another, at least if it's something being translated into a comic medium. The choice of images to illustrate words, conveying mood, emotions etc so words and images work together.

To be honest, i'm not a big Alan Moore fan. I have a lot of respect for what he does, but i'm not in love with his writing. I read V, Watchmen, Swamp Thing until the space trip and i liked the ideas a lot, but they left me emotionally uninvolved (really liked "The Curse" in ST). I've been reading From Hell, not done yet, and some implications are stunning, but it feels kind of surgical to me, very calculated. U can crucify me now.

Still, I will look around for titles you guys mention.

I read two of his books on comic making and Making Comics never stays on the shelf for too long. He has a brilliant mind for analyzing and organizing ideas, and the books are funny as hell too. So good to have him in comics.

Never heard of Birth Caul, will try to check it out. I remember that Eddie Campbell did some Hellblazer issues after Ennis' run, never read them either. Sean Phillips defin one of the better ones, i hear so much about the Criminal that i feel like i live on another planet, having not read it yet.

I'm on Hellsing right now, pretty dark and twisted manga with some sick humor

I do all kinds of graphic stuff,

Yeah, I bet you do. :wink:

 

Nice job on the Lincoln assassination comic. I like the use of wash and paint in some panels. Your art is reminiscent of Eddie Campbell's — is he an influence?

 

If I'd known how good The Wild Hunt was gonna be, I might have waited for the hardcover.

Eddie Campbell - not really, honestly, heh, i guess i was just in a hurry to submit the project, but i know what u mean. On the other hand i know Campbell's art mainly from From Hell and i associate him with messy style :) Anything in particular you would recommend? If i was to point out my influences, they would be Bisley, Mignola, Bolland.. recently J.H. Williams and Quietly.

The Lincoln thing was my first attempt at telling a visual story in ages (if u are drunk enough to consider comic books drawn by an 8-year old as stories). I recently learned how far drawing pictures goes to become a comic strip by doing it and getting feedback. Now i try to be less confusing and keep my style more consistent. So far i just did whatever felt right at the moment before realizing that i must follow some rules to communicate a story, not just show i can draw.

I still give indulge myself with a dose of Mignola on B.P.R.D which gets better and better since around The Killing Ground

Hi there everybody

my name is Konrad, originally from Poland, living in New York for past 5 years or so. I am an artist, comic books being my love since i was a kid. I remember seeing McFarlane's cover for Spiderman for the first time, like 20 years ago, and i was hooked for life. Ever since i strayed into more mature territory, Transmetropolitan, Hellblazer, Hellboy, Grant Morrison and the rest of usual suspects who break the conventions and just have good stories to tell.

Now i don't have that much time following all the good stuff, but i stick to some titles, like Hellblazer or Hellboy (though i'm waiting for the trade of the Wild Hunt, because Darkness Calls didn't work for me monthly, and i like Hellboy too much to bitch about it).

I do all kinds of graphic stuff, changing shitty jobs according to needs and conditions to be able to pay for the college. I have a gallery at www.wilkonrad.deviantart.com , all are welcome. Currently working on adapting Raymond Chandler's short story as a comic strip.

That's it for now. Thanks for creating this place everyone involved.