Okay, yeah, I’m feeling way too lazy to do the Penny Arcade book. Instead, here’s an animation using a whiteboard and markers.
I don’t know or remember if I’ve said it on here before but I love stop-motion animation and the most recent one that I’m giving you guys is pretty cool.
Enjoy.
Scyo.
I’m starting up a little series that will last about three graphic novels, five if I decide to include a couple of “sequels.”
I was going through my trades for the my move a couple of weeks ago and found the various collections that I own of web comics that were put to print. I have books from PvP Online, Penny Arcade, and Megatokyo. All three come from web comics that I’ve reviewed before.
I won’t be reviewing the books, well, sort of not reviewing them. Mostly this is because, in general, the books are collections of strips that I’ve already read. Sometimes they do put in extra art or strips that they never ran online but it’s nothing big enough that makes it worth reviewing in my traditional sense. Instead, I’ll be looking at how they use their collections because each is different.
PvP: The Dork Ages
TDA collects issues one through six as published by Scott Kurtz. Before buying this trade I never knew that Kurtz had actually been collecting his strips in issue format through Image comics for a while. There are a couple of other collections, none of which I have but if one wanted to they could find the single issues.
Most of the issues in this book are less than comic book length at about 16 pages. Issue 4 the Christmas Special is about 29 pages long, all of these give or take a couple of pages. Issue 1 is the shortest at about seven pages.
Unlike most collections which hold every strip from a certain year(s) or chapters in some cases Kurtz’s issues don’t really follow this pattern. Each issue is a self-contained story with each page coming from the day he posted them.
Issue 1: Brent and Francis goof-off for the day, get caught.
Issue 2: Some DnD-esque game is played involving Super Heroes, the story revolves around what happens in the game.
Issue 3: The characters are re-hashed as anime characters…strangeness ensues.
Issue 4: Christmas Issue, shenanigans, morality, cold hearts become warm, etc. etc.
Issue 5: The Comix, Matrix parody.
Issue 6: Skull tries to get Jade and Brent back together.
The first five issues work. They’re self-contained stories, or one-offs in the case of the goof-off. Little breaks from the daily jokes that were normally done on the website. Issue 6 is the strangest one as far as story goes. If you haven’t read all the archives online you miss out on a lot of the references between the various characters. The whole thing comes off as a single episode in a prime time sitcom. You don’t need the back story but it kind of helps.
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I like and don’t like what Kurtz has done here. Collecting various story arcs together in issue form like he’s done is a great idea. You lose the filler and can get through the whole story without waiting for the next update. Most of the stories are short enough for one issue anyway. It makes for some good afternoon reading, or if you’re a toilet reader a quick bathroom read.
The problem that I have is that from what I’ve seen he doesn’t have many collections or issues of just his one-offs. It’s all story based. Sure it’s great that I can read various arcs that’s cool. However, I’d also like to read some of the dailies as well. Losing the filler kind of sucks. I like looking at the sketches or what-have-you that web comic artists through up when they’re feeling lazy. Sometimes it’s cool just to see their art without a comic format.
Also, unless you’ve extensively perused the archives you can’t really tell when the strips came from. That one’s personal to me but I think others would agree. With most web comic collections it’s #1 through #something. You know where you’re at. The stories that Kurtz has in his issues could come from anyway. True, they are self-contained story arcs but still. My thing…you don’t have to agree here.
Recently Kurtz did release a book called Awesomology which is supposed to collect 600 strips from 1998 (the year PvP began) to 2005. From a fan perspective it is pretty awesome, though the $85.00 price seem a little steep to me, it is 600 strips though…hrmm.
In fact, to be honest I would recommend picking up Awesomology over the issue collections. He has five other books that have five or six issues in them and they each run about 13 dollars (about 65 all told). I dunno, doesn’t seem worth the price.
For those of you who don’t like books or would rather use the web comic for what it is, free, there are always the archives.
The point of this is though, Kurtz has both. He has some books with collected story arcs and a new giant collection with every strip in the order they came out (at least I assume it is). Seems kind of gougey (not a word I know but if it were a word, e or no e?) to me but man’s gotta make money.
Not my favorite set up but it works. I mean, I do still read his comics.
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On Friday I might do an animation, I’m kind of missing the Friday Animations. If not expect a look at the first Penny Arcade collection. And hopefully I won’t be posting that one 15 minutes before it becomes the next day.
Scyo.
I deliberately skipped yesterday’s post so I could spend some time with the new trade I picked up. Spider-man Noir.
I talked about the Marvel Noir series back in October. I honestly hadn’t seen anything from this series since I first mentioned it until I stumbled across the Spider-man one at Borders yesterday. The fact that I found it at Borders and not my local comic shop somewhat pissed me off. The place I go to at the moment is terrible. Up in Portland there are Things From Another Planet and they have a pretty awesome selection, maybe I’ll check it out if I get a chance to go up there this summer.
Anyway, lets get into the review, shall we?
Background: This Spider-man is written by David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky from across the ocean. Hine started out in the 1980s on indie titels like 2000AD. I guess that’s indie… Recently he’s begun working for Marvel (recently being in the last five years or so). He wrote the District X series and worked on a lot of X-men series during and before the Civil War event. Apparently, Hine writes Image’s Spawn as well.
Sapolsky founded the French comic book periodical Comic Box, which he edits.
The artist is Italian Carmine Di Giandomenico who started with Marvel in the Amazing Fantasy, What if? stories and Daredevil: Battlin’ Jack Murdock.
The Comic: Noir is based in 1933, four years after the Stock Market crash of 1929. It takes place in a corrupt and falling apart New York City.
The story doesn’t follow Peter Parker in the beginning. Instead, it focuses on a photographer, Ben Urich, who saves Parker from some of the Goblin’s thugs. May Parker is a spokesperson for poor people and uses her soapbox to rail against the corrupt city government, the plight of the poor, and to promote socialism.
Urich takes Parker under his wing. In this story the spider that bites Peter Parker is a mystical one from the “Far East” or Africa, I couldn’t decide which. It gives him the powers and he eventually uses them to fight the Goblin.
Hine and Sapolsky do a great with the story. It feels suitably noirish and still retains the Spider-man origin story that you want from it. It’s definitely a more gruesome and violent Spider-man than any that I’ve read in recent memories. This is Peter Parker who is angry, desperate, violent, and well, noir.
Changes to characters like Aunt May and Jonah Jameson make them fit into the plot easily and really flesh out the characters. Jameson is a newspaper man who tries to showcase the plight of the poor and getting poorer. It’s a great change to the normally angry and boring Jameson. Aunt May as the outspoken soapboxer is a quality way to present her outside of her usual quiet, nice persona. I really enjoyed what they did to the various characters for this series.
Spider-man’s look is awesome. In fact, the art as a whole in this book is pretty good. It feels appropriately noir and really defines the landscape and characters. The all-black look that Spider-man takes on feels right and I had no complaints with the way his costume was designed.
My Recommendation: As you can see I’m glowing over this series. I really enjoyed the trade I picked up. The art was pleasing even if some of the characters were a little liberal in their appearance. The story was well done and added new dimensions to several characters, I thought.
It’s worth the 20 dollar price tag. Of course, I bought mine in hardcover (mostly because I couldn’t find a paperback version). If you do find the paperback I’m sure it’ll only be 14 or so dollars. It’s worth it. Pick it up if you like Noir or Spider-man. Pick it up if you like good art and a good story.
Scyo.
This might be a little late but I decided to try and review a graphic novel for today’s post. It’s been awhile since I’ve actually reviewed a graphic novel or book. It felt pretty good to look through my books and see what I hadn’t reviewed yet.
100 Bullets is one that I’ve been meaning to do since I picked it up in the fall.
Background: Started in 1999 100 Bullets is the series that really launched writer/creator Brian Azzarello’s comic career into prominence. He teamed up with artist Eduardo Risso for the project.
Previously, I reviewed Azzarello’s Joker which was released in the fall last year. He’s known for his street slang, prominent in both Joker and 100 Bullets. The comic has won Eisner and Harvey awards. Pretty high honors in the comic world.
The last issue, issue 100, came out in April of this year. I’m not really sure what other information to dredge up.
The Comic: 100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call is a collection of issues #1 – 5. It follows a young hispanic woman who is recently removed from prison. The latter issues follow an older white man who runs a bar.
Both of these people are contacted by a man named Agent Graves who recruits them to kill one person. He gives them a gun, money and 100 bullets to do the job.
As usual, you only get the bare bones of the plot. I really feel like giving away too much plot will kill the impetus to read it. However, I do realize that I haven’t figured out how to give away too little of the plot but giving enough for curiosity like movie critics do. Though I do think that they give away too much. It’s a hard balance to strike and I’m still learning.
A couple of big things to take away from 100 Bullets is the style and why it’s a critically acclaimed series.
The series takes a lot from noir and pulp genres with a very dark tone and gritty style of writing. I’m not always a big fan of noir but this series has a very dark feel to it that makes it work. Of course, that might be from the pulp influences which is something that I do find appealing.
I noticed that a lot of critics applauded Azzarello’s dialogue in this series because of his use of “accurate” street slang, slang in general, essentially an authentic feel to the way his characters reacted to the world and their places in it.
His dialogue is good. I’ve really enjoyed reading it in both 100 Bullets and Joker. You really feel like you’re working your way through an underworld of criminals and the lives of the impoverished.
The series is violent, you know the whole 100 Bullets thing and all. However, it feels to me more about the moral dilemmas that the characters face and their eventual decision to try for the kill. It’s always a broken people, or at least the two featured in this collection are.
Some complaints from me focus on the fact that as a whole (Based on the comics that I’ve read by Azzarello) is that he very much a type-cast writer. He loves his ghettos, underworlds, and criminal “authenticity”. Personally, I’d like to something different from him. His work in the underworlds is good. Don’t doubt that but I guess I just wish to see something a little different.
Another complaint that isn’t really a complaint is that as much as a notation. Most of his characters are broken people. The moral decisions aren’t really decisions. You know what the outcome is from the beginning. Though, I suppose they’re not the real story. Agent Graves is.
I mentioned that the story is noir and pulp and Risso reflects that in his art with few colors, gritty style, and a harshness of the characters. It’s a well drawn comic that reminds me of some early Nightwing comics among others.
My Recommendation: As much as I liked Joker I think that 100 Bullets is better. It feels more organic and appropriate for here, Azzarello’s style I mean. Joker felt forced, this feels correct.
I do think you should check it out when you have the time. It’s worth the read. If you’re not into noir or pulp it’s might not be worth looking at. However, if you like that style of writing and art then this is a good pick up for your library.
Scyo.
I think this is my last Friday animation since I’ll be done with my internship on Tuesday next week. We’ll see, though. I kind of like looking for animation clips on Fridays. It’s fun for me.
Maybe, maybe not. I’ll keep you updated.
Anyhow, here’s one that’s French, yeah, I know this is like the fifth French one that I’ve done. Whatever.
Scyo.
Yeah…I said this would be up sometime in the late afternoon but that was a lie. Obviously, considering that it’s now 5 til 10:30 pm.
My apologies.
Let’s get it going.
Background: EmiTown is by a Portland, Or. based artist named Eni Lenox. The first post is in October of 2008 but it doesn’t really get going until February of this year. I’m under the impression that she either works for Top Shelf Comix or Periscope comic, both publishing houses based out of Portland.
I’d heard of Top Shelf before (they’re known for running alt or “indie” comics) but I didn’t know there was another one up there. That’s pretty cool, I’ll have to check them out some more. Maybe I’ll do some research and see how many comics related things are actually up in Portland that I don’t know about. You might see a post about that in the future.
Anyway, back to EmiTown.
The Comic: EmiTown isn’t what one would normally categorize has a comic. It’s more of a diary. At the top of the blog it says “Sketch Diary.”
It’s kind of a cool concept. There are words, in fact the first few posts it was more words than images. It gets more image based as it goes on. I like the idea of using sketches and little explanatory sentences to journal instead of pages of paragraphs.
The art is cute and cartoony for the most part, occasionally she draws, I assume, herself in very detailed, dramatic styles that showcase some of her talent.
For a real look at her talent look at her other blogs Faces and We Dream to be Out.
If you’re looking for a compelling story arch, consistent characters, and jokes then you’re looking at the wrong web-based comic.
However, if you want to see an interesting style of comic, interesting art, and a look into the mind of an artist. I lied a little bit. There are some consistent characters that appear beyond Emi. There’s her best friend Jamestown and this guy Ben who pops in occasionally. I don’t know if that helps but there you go.
Be careful if you’re looking for something non-emo. The first couple of months of the sketches follow a break-up that she went through.
It doesn’t dominate the diary but it’s like each page is split into two parts. One part is the day, or happiness/life, and the other part is her anger, disappointment, desire, sadness, and confusion over the guy she lost. It’s a strange jump being a reader of this because in Emi’s pages things just kind of appear regardless of coherent story telling.
I like it because it feels like a free-write project. This doesn’t make me a Virginia Wolf fan but the occasional stream-writing project can be cool, and EmiTown happens to be one of them.
Just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about, here’s her most recent page:
My Recommendation: It’s a really interesting experiment. I enjoyed going through the past few months of the blog. Her art style is fun to look at and she’s interesting.
If you’re looking for something different check it out. Normally, I’d be uncomfortable saying read someone’s diary but 1) it’s pretty interesting, 2) it’s online and easily accessible and 3) I really like seeing stuff from Portland just because I recognize stuff that she talks about, which is cool for me.
I recommend it. Take some time and sit down with EmiTown.
Scyo.
I was supposed to do a post about the other comic/thing that waterpot sent me last week but I’m not going to do that today.
I’ve spent the whole day moving and I’m too tired to really do this posting thing in a meaningful manner. Check in tomorrow when I won’t be moving and you should find a post sometime in the later afternoon when I get done with my internship.
Scyo.
Last week I mentioned two comics recommended by water pot. Today’s comic is one of them. I spent the weekend hitting the archives.
Background: The comic was first started in January of 2006. I’m not sure who the comic is by, he calls himself theRedDeath.
If you want more info try finding an overweight, redhead, from Chicago who goes or went to college and Missouri Univeristy. That much I did gather.
Apparently, he’s pretty popular on the hosting site Drunk Duck where his comic is located. I don’t know if it’s true or not, this is my first time visiting the hosting site.
The Comic: Bad Guy High follows the exploits of a young man named Evan and his friend Dan. They go to high school at “Bad Guy High” where villains are trained.
The comic is supposed to be centered around the exploits of Evan but it seems to to focus more on Dan and his eventual upgrade to SuperDan.
It uses a lot of comic cliches and references storylines in Marvel and DC Comics a lot, more so DC than Marvel as theRedDeath has a clear love for Batman and Superman.
The writing is alright and the comics are suitably comicy in scope to feel like the homage that it is.
The art is really where this comic suffers. At the start it’s very poor and high school-esque. As the comic as gone it’s gotten better and his Photoshop abilities have clearly improved. In it’s current run I would say that it’s worth looking at. However, it does take awhile to get to that point.
My Recommendation: The early writing and art make it difficult to care about getting through the archives. However, the current run is doing alright for itself.
My biggest complaint at the moment is that the website is horribly, horribly designed. The comments section below the comics is ridiculously broken. Also, never read the blog posts that theRedDeath has unless you want to hate someone or get incredibly depressed. For your own sake just read the comics.
I don’t recommend the comic but the advice above should help you get through it.
Scyo.
