Comments on: 5 Thoughts About Mainstream Comics http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/ Never Safe For Work Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:04:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Miles http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-61014 Miles Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:03:08 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-61014 Hey Chris, This is probably not actually worth posting on the site, but I thought you might get a kick out of this: http://www.mondomagazine.net/?p=834 We've been running lists of contributor's favourite Marvel characters and we asked J. Bone if he'd like to weight in on his feelings. He did and the list is really sweet. Hope you enjoy. Miles Hey Chris,

This is probably not actually worth posting on the site, but I thought you might get a kick out of this:
http://www.mondomagazine.net/?p=834

We’ve been running lists of contributor’s favourite Marvel characters and we asked J. Bone if he’d like to weight in on his feelings. He did and the list is really sweet.

Hope you enjoy.
Miles

]]> By: Lugh http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60935 Lugh Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:42:24 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60935 As a superhero reader and a fan of manga, I'd recommend against dividing your house (both on general principle and since any mech, magical girl or ninja manga is guaranteed to deal with superheroes just as much as Iron Man, Wonder woman or Iron Fist comic). As a superhero reader and a fan of manga, I’d recommend against dividing your house (both on general principle and since any mech, magical girl or ninja manga is guaranteed to deal with superheroes just as much as Iron Man, Wonder woman or Iron Fist comic).

]]> By: meh http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60598 meh Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:07:05 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60598 i agree with pedro, the insane "logic" is what annoyed me the most because the fans kept saying it was genius, intricate and complex but it was all lies and coincidence. Another thing that annoyed me was how the two brats commanded the fbi and yakuza type gang. I liked it at the beginning but as time went on things got ever more ridiculous. It certainly didn't help that most people i knew were singing nothing but praise about this title. i agree with pedro, the insane “logic” is what annoyed me the most because the fans kept saying it was genius, intricate and complex but it was all lies and coincidence. Another thing that annoyed me was how the two brats commanded the fbi and yakuza type gang. I liked it at the beginning but as time went on things got ever more ridiculous. It certainly didn’t help that most people i knew were singing nothing but praise about this title.

]]> By: Pedro Tejeda http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60581 Pedro Tejeda Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:04:14 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60581 Death Note's is really bad after the big thing that happens mid way through. Even before then it was taking a nosedive in quality. Near and Mello are just never interesting characters. They take the two aspects of one of my favorite character's personality and exaggerate them greatly to show us the balance is needed. This ideal didn't appeal to me at all. Reading the chapters featuring them became a slog. I just didn't care about a single character in the book and the plot just felt super thin after awhile. How does Kira get out of this now? Oh don't worry, he's set up the situation with increasingly insane coincidences to barely pull his ass out of the fire. Don't forget the 1960's Batman level leaps of logic in regards to clues. It came off less as jokey or trashy and more as badly written. I read the legit copies and not the "fanscanalations" so maybe that's on the fault of the translator but once I got over the game of who could outdo who more, (which is the tennis match. It's so outrageous that even if I know how silly that sequence is, I love it.) I know a lot of people liked it, but every girl and my little brother kept telling me it was the most boring manga they have ever read. It strengths my opinion that the most popular stuff in any medium is not gonna be the good stuff. Death Note’s is really bad after the big thing that happens mid way through. Even before then it was taking a nosedive in quality. Near and Mello are just never interesting characters. They take the two aspects of one of my favorite character’s personality and exaggerate them greatly to show us the balance is needed. This ideal didn’t appeal to me at all.

Reading the chapters featuring them became a slog. I just didn’t care about a single character in the book and the plot just felt super thin after awhile. How does Kira get out of this now? Oh don’t worry, he’s set up the situation with increasingly insane coincidences to barely pull his ass out of the fire. Don’t forget the 1960’s Batman level leaps of logic in regards to clues.

It came off less as jokey or trashy and more as badly written. I read the legit copies and not the “fanscanalations” so maybe that’s on the fault of the translator but once I got over the game of who could outdo who more, (which is the tennis match. It’s so outrageous that even if I know how silly that sequence is, I love it.)

I know a lot of people liked it, but every girl and my little brother kept telling me it was the most boring manga they have ever read. It strengths my opinion that the most popular stuff in any medium is not gonna be the good stuff.

]]> By: Kat Kan http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60334 Kat Kan Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:33:20 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60334 My LCS (admittedly a small one) did sell out of Secret Invasion #1 and did re-order. He told me he ordered more than he usually would, based on the buzz, and sold out in 3 days. I haven't checked the other shop in town yet (I don't go there much, because they treat me like an ignorant female, never mind I've been reading comics longer than they've been alive). My LCS (admittedly a small one) did sell out of Secret Invasion #1 and did re-order. He told me he ordered more than he usually would, based on the buzz, and sold out in 3 days. I haven’t checked the other shop in town yet (I don’t go there much, because they treat me like an ignorant female, never mind I’ve been reading comics longer than they’ve been alive).

]]> By: Scott Bieser http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60305 Scott Bieser Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:36:36 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60305 1) Comics writers and artists have always had to live with the unfortunate fact that unlike in other pop-culture media, it is the characters who are the stars, not the writers and artists who create them (at least for the most part). I think one reason (among many) that the superhero genre has dominated comics is that they are such unique and identifiable characters. Whereas with noir detectives, cowboys, or space explorers, one character pretty much seems like any other, and when the artist changes, they don't even look like themselves. 2) I think it was Warren Ellis who pointed out that manga is not a genre, or even a style -- it's an idiom. 3) The cost differential between small-publishers and large publishers with regard to printing is the main thing driving indie comics to the trades and the Web. Only the Big Two can get printer discounts low enough (and ad buys large enough) that they can sell full-color pamphlets for $3. Even Image and Dark Horse have to charge $4. And as inflation pushes the cost/price of pamphlets up, readers are getting more price-sensitive. Eventually I think pamphlets as we know them will only survive to carry the most popular Big Two characters, and everything else will be web-comics and trades. 1) Comics writers and artists have always had to live with the unfortunate fact that unlike in other pop-culture media, it is the characters who are the stars, not the writers and artists who create them (at least for the most part). I think one reason (among many) that the superhero genre has dominated comics is that they are such unique and identifiable characters. Whereas with noir detectives, cowboys, or space explorers, one character pretty much seems like any other, and when the artist changes, they don’t even look like themselves.

2) I think it was Warren Ellis who pointed out that manga is not a genre, or even a style — it’s an idiom.

3) The cost differential between small-publishers and large publishers with regard to printing is the main thing driving indie comics to the trades and the Web. Only the Big Two can get printer discounts low enough (and ad buys large enough) that they can sell full-color pamphlets for $3. Even Image and Dark Horse have to charge $4. And as inflation pushes the cost/price of pamphlets up, readers are getting more price-sensitive. Eventually I think pamphlets as we know them will only survive to carry the most popular Big Two characters, and everything else will be web-comics and trades.

]]> By: Derek Halliday http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60290 Derek Halliday Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:48:50 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60290 Pedro>Just out of curiousity, why did you dislike DEATH NOTE? Pedro>Just out of curiousity, why did you dislike DEATH NOTE?

]]> By: JG http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60242 JG Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:28:09 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60242 I think Derek sorta nailed it. All too often I've heard people stop or start reading superhero comics almost entirely based on which character was in it. It's rather depressing to hear of someone who stops reading something like Captain America not because they've stopped enjoying the story, but merely because Steve Rogers isn't there anymore. The only counter to that is the fact that putting Batman or Spider-Man on a title doesn't always guarantee popularity. It sure as hell works a lot better than using someone like Nova or Booster Gold though. I think Derek sorta nailed it. All too often I’ve heard people stop or start reading superhero comics almost entirely based on which character was in it. It’s rather depressing to hear of someone who stops reading something like Captain America not because they’ve stopped enjoying the story, but merely because Steve Rogers isn’t there anymore.

The only counter to that is the fact that putting Batman or Spider-Man on a title doesn’t always guarantee popularity. It sure as hell works a lot better than using someone like Nova or Booster Gold though.

]]> By: Jamie Coville http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60221 Jamie Coville Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:00:25 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60221 Chris, the 2nd print is a variant cover. In some shops there is always "demand" for those. :P Chris, the 2nd print is a variant cover. In some shops there is always “demand” for those. :P

]]> By: Pedro Tejeda http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60210 Pedro Tejeda Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:45:34 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60210 1. Little homie Geoff Johns is kind of getting there. David Uzumeri kind of points out, http://www.popcultureshock.com/alternate-current-geoff-johns/43602/, that Geoff's been trying. I don't agree but I do feel like Johns is actually trying to get better as a writer. 4. I've have a very interesting experience vice versa with my younger brothers who wouldn't touch anything non-manga. I just had to try the right superhero books. I think it was Dick who made an interesting point in regards to Superheroes vs. other genres is that Superheroes is more of an occupation vs. an actual genre like crime and romance. These cycled off very much pre-code and none lasted forever because the reading audience got sick of them. I can't understand why people make the assumption that manga itself is a genre instead of just a particular style of art, and even then that's not so right. I personally can't stand the hell out of Death Note. I should have listened to everyone who warned me how bad it was going to be. 1. Little homie Geoff Johns is kind of getting there. David Uzumeri kind of points out, http://www.popcultureshock.com/alternate-current-geoff-johns/43602/, that Geoff’s been trying. I don’t agree but I do feel like Johns is actually trying to get better as a writer.

4. I’ve have a very interesting experience vice versa with my younger brothers who wouldn’t touch anything non-manga. I just had to try the right superhero books.

I think it was Dick who made an interesting point in regards to Superheroes vs. other genres is that Superheroes is more of an occupation vs. an actual genre like crime and romance. These cycled off very much pre-code and none lasted forever because the reading audience got sick of them.

I can’t understand why people make the assumption that manga itself is a genre instead of just a particular style of art, and even then that’s not so right.

I personally can’t stand the hell out of Death Note. I should have listened to everyone who warned me how bad it was going to be.

]]> By: Derek Halliday http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-60033 Derek Halliday Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:21:40 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-60033 Being a superhero guy myself, I can't really say I understand the tunnel vision aspect of that fandom... as there are superhero themed manga that are REALLY good, and deal with the superhero concept in innovative ways... such as JUNK: THE LAST HERO (which is commerically available), ZETMAN (by admitted Batman fanatic Katsura Masakazu, artist of I'S/DNA2/SHADOWLADY/VIDEO GIRL AI/etc etc), HAKAIMA SADAMITSU (Masahiro Nakamira), AKUMETSU (about a violent young vigilante that kills corrupt politians and business men while wearing a mask... a sort of Socio-Economic Punisher), KAMEN RIDER (arguably the first Japanese Superhero, by the amazing Shotaro Ishinomori, who created almost the entire genre in Japan himself), etc etc. My guess is that it's even less the CONCEPT of the superhero they enjoy, and just the actual specific characters, maybe? It'll be interesting to see how that BATMAN mini-series by Yoshinori Natsume does... it seems pretty faithful to the contemporary North American Batman, rather than the Micheal Keaton one, which is the only Batman the Japanese really seem to acknowledge (check out the trailer for GOTHAM KNIGHTS... at least three of those shorts look like Micheal Keaton). Being a superhero guy myself, I can’t really say I understand the tunnel vision aspect of that fandom… as there are superhero themed manga that are REALLY good, and deal with the superhero concept in innovative ways… such as JUNK: THE LAST HERO (which is commerically available), ZETMAN (by admitted Batman fanatic Katsura Masakazu, artist of I’S/DNA2/SHADOWLADY/VIDEO GIRL AI/etc etc), HAKAIMA SADAMITSU (Masahiro Nakamira), AKUMETSU (about a violent young vigilante that kills corrupt politians and business men while wearing a mask… a sort of Socio-Economic Punisher), KAMEN RIDER (arguably the first Japanese Superhero, by the amazing Shotaro Ishinomori, who created almost the entire genre in Japan himself), etc etc.

My guess is that it’s even less the CONCEPT of the superhero they enjoy, and just the actual specific characters, maybe? It’ll be interesting to see how that BATMAN mini-series by Yoshinori Natsume does… it seems pretty faithful to the contemporary North American Batman, rather than the Micheal Keaton one, which is the only Batman the Japanese really seem to acknowledge (check out the trailer for GOTHAM KNIGHTS… at least three of those shorts look like Micheal Keaton).

]]> By: Chris http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-59967 Chris Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:22:12 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-59967 Perdro- I would classify Criminal has having completely slipped my mind. Awesome comic book that was. Amended! Perdro- I would classify Criminal has having completely slipped my mind. Awesome comic book that was. Amended!

]]> By: Pedro Tejeda http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-59965 Pedro Tejeda Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:08:18 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-59965 5. Weird, what would you classify Criminal as? 5. Weird, what would you classify Criminal as?

]]> By: ______ http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/comment-page-1/#comment-59960 ______ Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:46:46 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/04/10/5-thoughts-about-mainstream-comics/#comment-59960 Secret Retailer Forum?!? Secret Retailer Forum?!?

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