Thursday, January 12, 2012
Full of Awesome
These animated comic book covers are amazing. So clever and well done. I followed a bunch of links to get to the source and forgot to leave bread crumbs to mark the trail. Sorry. But thanks to all who posted about these.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
The Addams Family
Yeah, I'm still here. Just haven't been reading comic books. Not for 2 months! That's what DC's done to me, killed off my interest with the DCnU. Well, no, not really, but my enthusiasm has waned a bit. I'm still buying and now that I'm -- tada! -- retired, as of the end of 2011, I should start to be able to catch up. Anyway, Google caught my eye with its latest logo doodle, and since it's comics related, I realized it would make a good post to kick off 2012 here.
So, thanks to Google, I know that today is the 100th anniversary of Charles Addams' birth.
I've adored the cartoons of this cartoon genius since I was a kid. My father had briefly worked in the stock room at Doubleday following his discharge from the navy after WWII and was able to buy a lot of books. Lots of non-fiction, some fiction, and a lot of cartoon collections. I bought my own cartoon collections over the years and a few years ago, my father gave me his because he knew how much I coveted them.
The one with the plain cover is Drawn and Quartered. Its dust jacket fell apart many years ago. Favorite Haunts still has its dust jacket, which is in remarkable shape. And Monster Rally is a softcover I was able to find on my own. A number of Addams cartoons are also in the bigger anthologies that collected works of many wonderful cartoonists. But none were quite as perverse as Addams was, though many cartoonists who followed him brought their own brand of lunacy to the genre, ie Gahan Wilson and Charles Rodriguez, both of whom contributed to the National Lampoon.
But back to Addams. I supposed my favorite of his cartoons was the skiing one. I'm too lazy to go find and scan it, but it's classic: a tree with one set of ski tracks that run up to it, around it on both sides, then rejoin in front of it to continue on. There's no caption; none is necessary as we're left to scratch our heads in puzzlement, and wonder about the nature of the human/creature who left those tracks.
I grew up reading all those cartoon collections over and over and over. I traced the art. I practiced drawing by copying them freehand. Cartoons, as much as comic books, were a vital part of my childhood and now, my adulthood. And the cartoons by Addams feel as fresh today as when I first read them 50 or so years ago.
By the time The Addams Family premiered on TV, they were all familiar to me, as well known to me as my own family, though far more entertaining. And were brought to life by that amazingly perfect cast led by John Astin and Carolyn Jones.
So, here's a toast to Chas Addams, as he signed his cartoons... one of the very best to create a world with pen and paper and a deep imagination.
So, thanks to Google, I know that today is the 100th anniversary of Charles Addams' birth.
 |
| Google Doodle |
 |
| Charles Addams Collections |
But back to Addams. I supposed my favorite of his cartoons was the skiing one. I'm too lazy to go find and scan it, but it's classic: a tree with one set of ski tracks that run up to it, around it on both sides, then rejoin in front of it to continue on. There's no caption; none is necessary as we're left to scratch our heads in puzzlement, and wonder about the nature of the human/creature who left those tracks.
I grew up reading all those cartoon collections over and over and over. I traced the art. I practiced drawing by copying them freehand. Cartoons, as much as comic books, were a vital part of my childhood and now, my adulthood. And the cartoons by Addams feel as fresh today as when I first read them 50 or so years ago.
By the time The Addams Family premiered on TV, they were all familiar to me, as well known to me as my own family, though far more entertaining. And were brought to life by that amazingly perfect cast led by John Astin and Carolyn Jones.
So, here's a toast to Chas Addams, as he signed his cartoons... one of the very best to create a world with pen and paper and a deep imagination.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
DCnU Not So New
Read issue 2 of Voodoo and issue 3 of Grifter and I'm not feeling the love. I don't hate them, but I'm not seeing anything special in them, either.
Voodoo has a lot of sex in it, so far, which doesn't bother me, as Pris is using her sexuality more than being exploited because of it and even exploitation doesn't bother me if it's part of a larger story, but the thing here is, even allowing for a snail's pace of revealing the backstory, precious little is happening here. Yeah, there was some action, but I don't feel anything is really building here as opposed to wandering. I'll stick with it for another couple of issues, but I suspect I'll be dropping it. The tease of a Green Lantern appearing next issue is not helping as I've been avoiding the regular DC characters, except for Batwoman.
Grifter started out with an intriguing mystery, and while it's not meandering the way Voodoo is, it's not exactly great, either. The art is fine, but there's nothing that feels new here. And rather than letting me get into an alternate version of Cole, I'm finding myself missing the original very much. The reason for him wearing the mask, even what it looks like, is rather silly. Cole was my favorite Wildstorm character, but right now, I don't really care about him. I did in the first two issues, but this third one has squandered the emotions it built up. And visiting Seattle, home of Green Arrow, next issue? Oy vey!
Voodoo has a lot of sex in it, so far, which doesn't bother me, as Pris is using her sexuality more than being exploited because of it and even exploitation doesn't bother me if it's part of a larger story, but the thing here is, even allowing for a snail's pace of revealing the backstory, precious little is happening here. Yeah, there was some action, but I don't feel anything is really building here as opposed to wandering. I'll stick with it for another couple of issues, but I suspect I'll be dropping it. The tease of a Green Lantern appearing next issue is not helping as I've been avoiding the regular DC characters, except for Batwoman.
Grifter started out with an intriguing mystery, and while it's not meandering the way Voodoo is, it's not exactly great, either. The art is fine, but there's nothing that feels new here. And rather than letting me get into an alternate version of Cole, I'm finding myself missing the original very much. The reason for him wearing the mask, even what it looks like, is rather silly. Cole was my favorite Wildstorm character, but right now, I don't really care about him. I did in the first two issues, but this third one has squandered the emotions it built up. And visiting Seattle, home of Green Arrow, next issue? Oy vey!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Ways DC Could Have Rebooted the DCU
I've been thinking about how DC could have reinvented the DCU that wouldn't have pissed me off so much.
They could have created another universe in the multiverses and started over. They could have taken the new versions of the old characters in any direction. Everything would have been new and fresh and could've been exciting. The old DCU would exist in the universe we all knew and loved, but we just wouldn't be reading about them, until/unless there was a crossing of the universes and they all met. Fun times! Same as when Earth-1 and Earth-2 characters learned about each other.
Age the longstanding DCU characters to something resembling their actual age, maybe add in a decade or two. Most would be retired, some even deceased perhaps. Keep some of the newer, younger characters in their roles, either at their age at the end of the DCU or a bit more mature. Fill out the character roster with new heroes. Maybe Bruce Wayne, Jr. is Batman. Superman and Supergirl likely age more slowly, so might be able to maintain their roles, or perhaps, their offspring have taken over.
I like either of the above options because they maintain continuity, in a fashion, and the legacy aspect of the DCU that made it so special to me for 50 plus years, along with the multiverse. The DCnU doesn't feel special at all. It just feels like a mess.
They could have created another universe in the multiverses and started over. They could have taken the new versions of the old characters in any direction. Everything would have been new and fresh and could've been exciting. The old DCU would exist in the universe we all knew and loved, but we just wouldn't be reading about them, until/unless there was a crossing of the universes and they all met. Fun times! Same as when Earth-1 and Earth-2 characters learned about each other.
Age the longstanding DCU characters to something resembling their actual age, maybe add in a decade or two. Most would be retired, some even deceased perhaps. Keep some of the newer, younger characters in their roles, either at their age at the end of the DCU or a bit more mature. Fill out the character roster with new heroes. Maybe Bruce Wayne, Jr. is Batman. Superman and Supergirl likely age more slowly, so might be able to maintain their roles, or perhaps, their offspring have taken over.
I like either of the above options because they maintain continuity, in a fashion, and the legacy aspect of the DCU that made it so special to me for 50 plus years, along with the multiverse. The DCnU doesn't feel special at all. It just feels like a mess.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
NYCC Sunday
It was kids' day at the con. Lots of short folks underfoot. It might've been more mobbed yesterday, but today it really got to me. I could hardly move anywhere. I didn't get many sketches this con, partly because I never got to Amanda Connor's table at the right time and partly because too many of the artists I wanted sketches from were too busy finishing commissions. I don't really commission art or buy finished pieces because I have no room to display them and my money goes toward supporting my toy, book, and comics habits. ;)
Anyway, Cliff Chang was nice enough to do a quickie for me, and Dustin Nguyen did a quick Steph Brown Batgirl sketch. To me, these little sketches are like enhanced autographs.
Now, I'm exhausted and my feet and legs hurt, not from walking around so much as from standing around or moving at a snail's pace trying to get through the dealers' room where I hang out pretty much the entire time I'm at the con.
Highlights in photos...
Anyway, Cliff Chang was nice enough to do a quickie for me, and Dustin Nguyen did a quick Steph Brown Batgirl sketch. To me, these little sketches are like enhanced autographs.
Now, I'm exhausted and my feet and legs hurt, not from walking around so much as from standing around or moving at a snail's pace trying to get through the dealers' room where I hang out pretty much the entire time I'm at the con.
Highlights in photos...
 |
| Cliff Chang |
 |
| At the DC Booth |
 |
| I'm not sure what's scarier: that they made these Alfred E. Neuman Justice Leaguers or that I think I want the Wonder Woman one. |
 |
| Celebrating Spy vs. Spy's 50th Anniversary |
 |
| Jimmy Palmiotti |
 |
| Neal Adams |
 |
| Toys! Toys! Toys! |
 |
| Steph Batgirl by Dustin Nguyen |
 |
| Sketch by Cliff Chang |
More NYCC ComicCon Photos
I spent time in Artist Alley today, then visited with a flickr friend who came to the con from out of town.
 |
| Katie Cook |
 |
| Amanda Connor is always obliging when I ask her to pose with a toy. |
 |
| Dustin Nguyen |
 |
| Amy Reeder |
Saturday, October 15, 2011
NYCC 2012 Has Begun!
I missed out on Thursday's Pro Hours because I didn't know they were going to do them Thursday evening, so I didn't ask for that off on my vacation request last fall and had to work. :(
Today was a madhouse. I met up with 4 friends I met via flickr, which was very cool. Two are friends I've gone on photoshoots with after meeting them in person a few years ago, one I met in person at last year's NYCC, and the other I met for the first time a few years ago and haven't seen since. It's great getting to meet online friends.
We mostly walked around taking pictures and shopping/browsing at the toy vendors. And I got David Horvath to sign my vinyl Critterbox Cinko. Tomorrow, I plan to hit Artist Alley and some of the comics vendors. I'd love to fill in some GNs and compilations I'm still missing.
Today was a madhouse. I met up with 4 friends I met via flickr, which was very cool. Two are friends I've gone on photoshoots with after meeting them in person a few years ago, one I met in person at last year's NYCC, and the other I met for the first time a few years ago and haven't seen since. It's great getting to meet online friends.
We mostly walked around taking pictures and shopping/browsing at the toy vendors. And I got David Horvath to sign my vinyl Critterbox Cinko. Tomorrow, I plan to hit Artist Alley and some of the comics vendors. I'd love to fill in some GNs and compilations I'm still missing.
 |
| David Horvath |
 |
| Dr. Horrible |
 |
| Some DC Cosplay |
 |
| DC Booth |
 |
| DC Booth |
 |
| Zombie Nurses! |
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Yet More on the DCnU
If you haven't seen it, this is awesome: What the DC characters think of the DCnU.
I read Grifter 2 and while not much seems to be happening, it hasn't turned me off, so I'm still curious and still reading.
I read Grifter 2 and while not much seems to be happening, it hasn't turned me off, so I'm still curious and still reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)