Comments on: 3300+ Graphic Novels? You better believe it…

By: Blog@Newsarama » Quote, Unquote

Blog@Newsarama » Quote, Unquote — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:16:27 +0000

[...] “There are a lot of awful, awful graphic novels coming out these days. Whoeverâ€™s guarding the gate, be it retailers, journalists, ‘journalists’, whatever, I beg you; be discerning in your praise, donâ€™t pass along PR without having vetted the project yourself, stand behind your recommendations and, if you canâ€™t, own up to your mistakes.” – Christopher Butcher, trying to build a metaphorical dam to cut off a flood of awful graphic novels [...]

By: Pedro BouÃ§a

Pedro BouÃ§a — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:26:24 +0000

Seeing this entry (many weeks after the fact, I know) got me wondering if Viz is EVER going to reprint/publish the missing books of Even a monkey can draw manga. I mean, that work NEEDS to get back in print!

Chris, since you were able to get in touch with Viz on the Cat-Eyed Boy thing, would you be able to ask them that? Please!!!

Best,
Hunter (Pedro BouÃ§a)

By: The Comics Creator

The Comics Creator — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:33:20 +0000

Is there a site out there with a complete review listing of graphic novel releases?

I think one of the reasons why there are a lot of bad graphic novels is that some creators believe it’s easy putting together a graphic novel story. They forego learning about the fundamentals of storycrafting and focus more on developing the art side.

However, the longer the story, the more prone it is to narrative flaws. Art can be as pretty as possible, but it can’t save a poorly constructed and executed narrative.

Great blog you have here. :-)

By: Torsten Adair

Torsten Adair — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:41:30 +0000

“Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”–H.L. Menken
“It’s not a crappy book if it sells.” Torsten’s Conjecture of Cynical Consumerism
I sell books for Barnes & Noble. The new stuff, ordered by the buyer, is usually mindlessly shelved. Every week, I scan the database and see if there are titles of interest which were overlooked. I handsell every time I see someone looking at the graphic novels, seducing the innocent every chance I get.
As in movies, some people are quote whores. Eventually, one hopes that the critics are critiqued, and those with taste are trusted more than the lickspittles.

By: Bitter Matt

Bitter Matt — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:18:02 +0000

Yeah, seeing “Cable Classic” seemed like some sort of signpost to me, too…

By: Jones, one of the Jones boys

Jones, one of the Jones boys — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:29:12 +0000

Cable Classic has *already* entered the canon. It has the word “classic” in the title and Marvel wouldn’t lie to the consumer what are you talking about crazy person you are crazy. See also: New Mutants Classic (at least before Sienkiwhatever shows up).

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:26:39 +0000

Jones- Actually, I think it’s considerably better for graphic novels than for other media, just because there were _only_ 3314 books released last year. I think that there were probably 150-300 good-to-excellent graphic novels last year, a huge middle section of mediocre crap, and an ever-growing bottom-of-the-barrel. Citing Sturgeon’s Law wasn’t backing away from anything, but maybe just explaining it?

I do completely agree with “…when you talk about the Hollywood gameâ€“that a lot of these â€œgraphic novelsâ€ are cynical hackwork, produced in bad faith, by people uninterested in the medium or their own stories.” I just think that cynical hackwork produced in bad faith knows no media boundaries, and is partly responsible for the “95%” in every medium…

Granted, the fella who commented before you seems to think the average joe might prefer “crappy” comics, and I can only agree when I see the praise heaped on work that’s actually pretty mediocre stuff… I’m looking at the new book releases for last week as I type this, and it’s pretty awful. “Cable Classic”? “The Chronicles of Conan Volume 14″? The Now Comics “Speed Racer” Volume 2? Who’s buying this stuff? Why am I even ordering it?

I don’t think “good” has to be synonymous with “elitist” either, I like my pulpy mainstream stuff as much as the next guy with any taste, I even fondly remember the Speed Racer stuff collected there from my youth, but am I ever aware that it is not good (it’s not even well-reproduced…).

Getting back to what Mautner was talking about last week, how much of this is going to enter “the cannon”? How much of it will be in print in five years? Who’s ever going to re-read “X-Men vs. Apocalypse”?

- Christopher

By: Jones, one of the Jones boys

Jones, one of the Jones boys — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:01:34 +0000

Chris, I’m curious: do you think things are positively worse in “graphic novels” than in other entertainment media like ungraphic novels or movies? You seem to be suggesting that they are, when you talk about the Hollywood game–that a lot of these “graphic novels” are cynical hackwork, produced in bad faith, by people uninterested in the medium or their own stories. But then you seem to back away from that by citing Sturgeon’s law, as though comics were just another instance of the law. (After all, how many bookshops have separate sections for “literature” as distinct from the rest of the tripe they sell?)

So, is it worse in comics, or is it just shit all over?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:35:40 +0000

Could it possibly be that the average joe prefers “crappy” comics to “good” comics, or outside preferring, doesn’t make much of a distinction? And that as comics become more mainstream, the comics produced cater to this more average audience?

By: Lianne Sentar

Lianne Sentar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:17:55 +0000

Hahahaha! I love you and your rage. I also think you’re right, as you usually are.

By: Tlonista

Tlonista — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:24:11 +0000

T-shirt slogan summary: Bad comics make the Lorax cry.

By: MangaBlog » Blog Archive » News about stuff, most of it manga

MangaBlog » Blog Archive » News about stuff, most of it manga — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:06:40 +0000

[...] Christopher Butcher surveys the graphic novel scene and concludes that Godwin’s Law applies there too: 95% is crap, and the manga is no exception. Choice quote: Manga, especially manga, which despite being cherry-picked out off of a tree that includes some _truly_ wretched material, is often terrible thanks to its formulaic blandness. Even A Monkey Can Draw Manga was not funny, it was a warning. [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:18:10 +0000

Also, bad comics are worse than Hitler, so now we’re all right?

- Chris

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:17:34 +0000

I think you are both right, and so I’ve fixed it.

By: Mike McGee

Mike McGee — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:13:03 +0000

I think you’re thinking of Sturgeon’s Law. Godwin’s Law is that inevitably Mark Millar will be likened to Goebbels. Or something. I dunno, it’s early. And really: It’s not “Shia fucking Lebouf,” it’s “Shia Le-fuckin’-Bouf.” Everybody knows THAT, Mr. Bitter Comics Blogger Guy.

By: Ole

Ole — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:09:26 +0000

I think you mean Sturgeon’s law, not Godwin’s law.

By: Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » Mar. 10, 2008: Another step toward the salvation of trees

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:23:04 +0000

[...] “Seriously, I don’t usually come right out and say this sort of thing (inference is a blogger’s best friend) but man there are a lot of downright horrible graphic novels released every year. By that I mean all of it, Superheroes, educational books, ‘art comix,’ tie-in books, licensed books, shitty adaptations of shitty movies. Manga, especially manga, which despite being cherry-picked out off of a tree that includes some _truly_ wretched material, is often terrible thanks to its formulaic blandness. Even A Monkey Can Draw Manga was not funny, it was a warning.” – Christopher Butcher [...]