I don't talk boxing enough. This summer had some great fights, but was sidetracked with a crappy sideshow, that I would have demanded my money back if I stole the stream off Facebook. Ward/Kovalev 2 was good, but if you enjoy boxing or want to enjoy boxing find a way to watch this weekend's GGG/Canelo Alvarez match. GGG is beast and Canelo is a very good fighter. Best fight of the summer.
I have an on/off relationship with boxing. About 10 years ago I really started paying attention to boxing. Right now it has some of my favorite fighters. The fight on Saturday has my favorite fighter of the last few years vs. a guy I want to see get knocked out. I'm not sure why I dislike Canelo so much, I just do. This should be a good fight, and worth the money to see it. If I were in college this would be the one I threw a party for.
Exhibit 387 for comic creators to use their social media as promotional platforms instead of soapboxes.
Looks like Aubrey Sitterson, the writer of IDW's G.I. Joe series acted like the gatekeeper of a national tragedy and is consequently about to be released from IDW. YoJoe.com has said on their Facebook page they will not endorse IDW comics until Sitterson is fired and GeneralsJoes.com are refusing to promote any IDW books unless they part ways with the writer. Take a moment to read those posts, they're quite enlightening since these two parties promote and follow those IDW titles very closely.
To his credit, the writer tried to explain he was talking about out of towners making it all about themselves, and also tried to blame Trump supporters, but no one was really biting on those particular lines of defense.
I think once the firestorm began, others started going back through his social media and quickly saw a pattern of other controversial comments he's made recently, including this gem about employers.
Obviously creators should be able to be controversial, and this guy is entitled to his opinion. And being a New Yorker should naturally give him a bit more perspective on the terrible day than say someone in New Orleans, but people died in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon as well as NYC on 9/11. And furthermore, it was perceived as an attack on the American people, not just New Yorkers. It emotionally affected a majority of Americans and his comment was insensitive to those Americans. As we've often heard, free speech is protected, but it may not protect you from every consequence of that speech.
Initially, IDW put out a response that seemed very supportive of their writer, but today Steven Scott, PR Manager of IDW Entertainment sent out this official statement, which differs in tone considerably, and was set by a committee meeting. This should be considered as official and press outlets were told to disregard the previous message.
“It has come to our attention that a freelance comic book writer, whose work includes IDW titles, has expressed opinions on his personal social media account that many find insensitive, divisive, and inflammatory.
IDW in no way condones or supports these personal opinions whatsoever, and recognizes the pain they may cause our readers.
Discussions regarding next steps are underway. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our many fans while these concerns are being addressed.”
Next week, IDW Entertainment is due to publish solicitations for a new G.I. Joe relaunched ongoing comic book, Scarlett’s Strike Force written by Sitterson. We'll see how that goes over. I think IDW may have seen things differently until the two major G.I. Joe fan outlets referenced above weighed in. Their responses are even-handed and well written.
If IDW, and the property owners of G.I. Joe decide they no longer wish for him to shepherd their property, I don't think anyone can argument with them with any merit. That's likely to happen long before veterans and patriotic Americans stop making a big deal every September 11th, December 7th, Independence Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Mark Twain would have been banned from ever publishing a word if he'd existed in our current culture.
Most people have come to expect artists doing and saying controversial things. But if Twain were writing stories about 50-year strong children's toy international properties owned by Hasbro, yeah, he'd likely be fired.
Mark Twain would have been banned from ever publishing a word if he'd existed in our current culture.
I like to think that Mr. Twain would have been a bit less ham fisted and much more clever then the scribe in question.
As more people dig into this guy's history with the G.I. Joe fan pages, the worse it gets. Here's a post he made when IDW was doing "Pride Month." Seems like he sort of enjoyed rocking the boat.
After a few people said the artwork on that cover wasn't very good, he called them homophobic bigots. Not really endearing himself to that particular fandom demo I guess.
Mark Twain would have been banned from ever publishing a word if he'd existed in our current culture.
I like to think that Mr. Twain would have been a bit less ham fisted and much more clever then the scribe in question.
But someone would still take "great offense" and the media would run him into the dirt. No matter how cleverly he fought back the tide, there'd be no hope for him.
Mark Twain would have been banned from ever publishing a word if he'd existed in our current culture.
I like to think that Mr. Twain would have been a bit less ham fisted and much more clever then the scribe in question.
But someone would still take "great offense" and the media would run him into the dirt. No matter how cleverly he fought back the tide, there'd be no hope for him.
I don't know. Twain was likely far smarter than the average modern comic writer, imo.
Mark Twain would have been banned from ever publishing a word if he'd existed in our current culture.
I like to think that Mr. Twain would have been a bit less ham fisted and much more clever then the scribe in question.
But someone would still take "great offense" and the media would run him into the dirt. No matter how cleverly he fought back the tide, there'd be no hope for him.
I don't know. Twain was likely far smarter than the average modern comic writer, imo.
Still wouldn't save him. We don't reward "smart" anymore around these parts. ;)
I would say Volleydan's letter is a small part of the bigger problem at IDW - creators who really don't know the property they're working on - whether in terms of audience or the content itself - given rein to do whatever with it.
Because lord that Robotech book ain't good. At all.
I would say Volleydan's letter is a small part of the bigger problem at IDW - creators who really don't know the property they're working on - whether in terms of audience or the content itself - given rein to do whatever with it.
Because lord that Robotech book ain't good. At all.
Speaking of poorly handled licenses. I've noticed a trend at Dynamite that they spend a lot more money on variant covers sometimes instead of on the artwork inside. This is especially true with their current Bettie Page mini/ongoing. They've got good artists on Sheena and Red Sonja, but the Bettie Page, the bionic stories, the James Bond books, all have terrible artwork. What gives?
I generally see good art inside IDW. Am I mistaken?
Mark Twain would have been banned from ever publishing a word if he'd existed in our current culture.
I like to think that Mr. Twain would have been a bit less ham fisted and much more clever then the scribe in question.
But someone would still take "great offense" and the media would run him into the dirt. No matter how cleverly he fought back the tide, there'd be no hope for him.
I don't know. Twain was likely far smarter than the average modern comic writer, imo.
I've noticed a trend at Dynamite that they spend a lot more money on variant covers sometimes instead of on the artwork inside.
It’s not a trend, it’s their standard operating procedure. Always has been. Dynamite is just an extension of Dynamic Forces, a company built around selling variant covers. It's just what they do, and I don't think they really know how to do anything else. They just need to have pages churned out so they have something to wrap those covers around.
I generally see good art inside IDW. Am I mistaken?
I generally see average art inside IDW, though you’re more likely to come across very good art in an IDW book than in a Dynamite book. Take the various Godzilla series they did, which I bought for my son. The first ongoing series started out with fairly nice interior work, but the following volumes varied between pretty mediocre to below par. But then they’ll get James Stokoe to do a miniseries, and then they’ll do a miniseries where each issue is drawn by a different top-notch artist. And my guess is that with a lot of IDW’s licenses, they’re most likely given style guides and lots of reference material for their artists to help them stay on model.
And my guess is that with a lot of IDW’s licenses, they’re most likely given style guides and lots of reference material for their artists to help them stay on model.
With Robotech thus far that seems to be the case - getting the uniforms and the mechs right - but filling them out with characters? Not so much. There was promise with Micronauts, but it was fleeting.
Oh well, there's still always My Little Pony. :)
To Dynamite's credit, that zero issue of Sheena was all sorts of wonderful - but it's Bennett and Moritat, so I kinda figured it would be. Hopefully that team will stick around for a while.
And my guess is that with a lot of IDW’s licenses, they’re most likely given style guides and lots of reference material for their artists to help them stay on model.
With Robotech thus far that seems to be the case - getting the uniforms and the mechs right - but filling them out with characters? Not so much. There was promise with Micronauts, but it was fleeting.
Oh well, there's still always My Little Pony. :)
To Dynamite's credit, that zero issue of Sheena was all sorts of wonderful - but it's Bennett and Moritat, so I kinda figured it would be. Hopefully that team will stick around for a while.
The Ghostbusters comics we're good. I've not kept up with them in a year, but I really liked them a lot.
And my guess is that with a lot of IDW’s licenses, they’re most likely given style guides and lots of reference material for their artists to help them stay on model.
With Robotech thus far that seems to be the case - getting the uniforms and the mechs right - but filling them out with characters? Not so much. There was promise with Micronauts, but it was fleeting.
Oh well, there's still always My Little Pony. :)
To Dynamite's credit, that zero issue of Sheena was all sorts of wonderful - but it's Bennett and Moritat, so I kinda figured it would be. Hopefully that team will stick around for a while.
There may have been style guides on the IDW books that I read to maintain visual consistency but I don't really feel like anything I've read (Rom, Micronauts, Judge Dredd) was visually consistent with previous material and the characterizations were even more off base. As much as I tried to love Micronaughts and Rom, I don't see myself dipping a toe into the IDW pool for a long time.
Dynamite is the same - Game of Thrones killed them for me. Tommy Patterson's art, stylistically wasn't for me but his perspectives just made it painful to see such a marvelous property so abused.
And my guess is that with a lot of IDW’s licenses, they’re most likely given style guides and lots of reference material for their artists to help them stay on model.
With Robotech thus far that seems to be the case - getting the uniforms and the mechs right - but filling them out with characters? Not so much. There was promise with Micronauts, but it was fleeting.
Oh well, there's still always My Little Pony. :)
To Dynamite's credit, that zero issue of Sheena was all sorts of wonderful - but it's Bennett and Moritat, so I kinda figured it would be. Hopefully that team will stick around for a while.
There may have been style guides on the IDW books that I read to maintain visual consistency but I don't really feel like anything I've read (Rom, Micronauts, Judge Dredd) was visually consistent with previous material and the characterizations were even more off base. As much as I tried to love Micronaughts and Rom, I don't see myself dipping a toe into the IDW pool for a long time.
Dynamite is the same - Game of Thrones killed them for me. Tommy Patterson's art, stylistically wasn't for me but his perspectives just made it painful to see such a marvelous property so abused.
Currently I'm not reading any comics from IDW, and John Carter: The End was the first thing I've read from Dynamite in at least three or four years.
Comments
Ward/Kovalev 2 was good, but if you enjoy boxing or want to enjoy boxing find a way to watch this weekend's GGG/Canelo Alvarez match. GGG is beast and Canelo is a very good fighter. Best fight of the summer.
The fight on Saturday has my favorite fighter of the last few years vs. a guy I want to see get knocked out. I'm not sure why I dislike Canelo so much, I just do. This should be a good fight, and worth the money to see it. If I were in college this would be the one I threw a party for.
(or is that Amadeus Cho?)
My favorite movie ever
Looks like Aubrey Sitterson, the writer of IDW's G.I. Joe series acted like the gatekeeper of a national tragedy and is consequently about to be released from IDW. YoJoe.com has said on their Facebook page they will not endorse IDW comics until Sitterson is fired and GeneralsJoes.com are refusing to promote any IDW books unless they part ways with the writer. Take a moment to read those posts, they're quite enlightening since these two parties promote and follow those IDW titles very closely.
To his credit, the writer tried to explain he was talking about out of towners making it all about themselves, and also tried to blame Trump supporters, but no one was really biting on those particular lines of defense.
I think once the firestorm began, others started going back through his social media and quickly saw a pattern of other controversial comments he's made recently, including this gem about employers.
Obviously creators should be able to be controversial, and this guy is entitled to his opinion. And being a New Yorker should naturally give him a bit more perspective on the terrible day than say someone in New Orleans, but people died in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon as well as NYC on 9/11. And furthermore, it was perceived as an attack on the American people, not just New Yorkers. It emotionally affected a majority of Americans and his comment was insensitive to those Americans. As we've often heard, free speech is protected, but it may not protect you from every consequence of that speech.
Initially, IDW put out a response that seemed very supportive of their writer, but today Steven Scott, PR Manager of IDW Entertainment sent out this official statement, which differs in tone considerably, and was set by a committee meeting. This should be considered as official and press outlets were told to disregard the previous message. Next week, IDW Entertainment is due to publish solicitations for a new G.I. Joe relaunched ongoing comic book, Scarlett’s Strike Force written by Sitterson. We'll see how that goes over. I think IDW may have seen things differently until the two major G.I. Joe fan outlets referenced above weighed in. Their responses are even-handed and well written.
If IDW, and the property owners of G.I. Joe decide they no longer wish for him to shepherd their property, I don't think anyone can argument with them with any merit. That's likely to happen long before veterans and patriotic Americans stop making a big deal every September 11th, December 7th, Independence Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
After a few people said the artwork on that cover wasn't very good, he called them homophobic bigots. Not really endearing himself to that particular fandom demo I guess.
I think you need to bring your own pads, so I'm out. Also I'm scared of falling through the ice.
Because lord that Robotech book ain't good. At all.
I generally see good art inside IDW. Am I mistaken?
Oh well, there's still always My Little Pony. :)
To Dynamite's credit, that zero issue of Sheena was all sorts of wonderful - but it's Bennett and Moritat, so I kinda figured it would be. Hopefully that team will stick around for a while.
Dynamite is the same - Game of Thrones killed them for me. Tommy Patterson's art, stylistically wasn't for me but his perspectives just made it painful to see such a marvelous property so abused.