Why can't they just hire a good artist? They've got good artists on their cheesecake books (Sheena, Red Sonja, etc), and I'd even settle for Alex Cox, who did their recent John Carter: The End mini series. Dynamite is their own worst enemy sometimes.
I liked Alex Cox’s work quite a bit. I think he’s got a lot of potential, and he’ll move on to bigger and better things eventually.
The problem with Dynamite is they don’t offer very high page rates for interior work. Maybe if they didn’t pay 15 different top artists to do variant covers for every issue they put out, they could put that money towards hiring better interior artists. Occasionally they'll luck out and get someone good who is early in their career and just hasn't caught on yet, and even more rarely they'll get a good penciler for a project they think will sell better than their average book. But for the most part they get what they pay for.
I made a mistake I'd like to correct. I misspoke earlier about John Carter: The End. Alex Cox co-wrote with Brian Wood. The interior art was a guy named Hayden Sherman whom I've never heard of. His work reminds me a little of Larry Stroman's work back in the 90's. Just add some Art Thibert inks and I'd have been even more delighted.
I would agree that, at least to judge from what I've read, Dynamite just doesn't deliver (or, it sounds like, spend) on their licensed properties the way Dark Horse and IDW do.
Carlos Gomez is another good artist working for Dynamite. He's currently doing interiors for Dynamite's latest Red Sonja series (by writer Amy Chu) and he has a style that's very reminiscent of Alan Davis (whose work I adore).
See several interior pages of this same issue can be perused here. Gomez hasn't done anything professionally that I've ever heard of, but you can tell he's hoping to work for Marvel one day by browsing his DeviantArt portfolio. I think he has a promising career ahead. Dynamite should be thankful they can get this level of talent to work for their rates.
I made a mistake I'd like to correct. I misspoke earlier about John Carter: The End. Alex Cox co-wrote with Brian Wood. The interior art was a guy named Hayden Sherman whom I've never heard of. His work reminds me a little of Larry Stroman's work back in the 90's. Just add some Art Thibert inks and I'd have been even more delighted.
I didn’t even notice, I just remembered liking what I saw. I still have the last two issues to read. He has a very European style, for lack of a better term. Reminds me of Sergio Toppi more than anyone else.
On the other hand, here's Jason Masters' work on Dynamite's James Bond Volume 2: Eidolon. I just found it boring and not dynamic enough. Makes me wonder what Ellis is writing in the margins, if anything.
On the other hand, here's Jason Masters' work on Dynamite's James Bond Volume 2: Eidolon. I just found it boring and not dynamic enough. Makes me wonder what Ellis is writing in the margins, if anything.
An inker who knows what they’re doing and better, more dramatic coloring would make all the difference. Where have I heard (said) that before?
Why can't they just hire a good artist? They've got good artists on their cheesecake books (Sheena, Red Sonja, etc), and I'd even settle for Alex Cox, who did their recent John Carter: The End mini series. Dynamite is their own worst enemy sometimes.
I liked Alex Cox’s work quite a bit. I think he’s got a lot of potential, and he’ll move on to bigger and better things eventually.
The problem with Dynamite is they don’t offer very high page rates for interior work. Maybe if they didn’t pay 15 different top artists to do variant covers for every issue they put out, they could put that money towards hiring better interior artists. Occasionally they'll luck out and get someone good who is early in their career and just hasn't caught on yet, and even more rarely they'll get a good penciler for a project they think will sell better than their average book. But for the most part they get what they pay for.
I made a mistake I'd like to correct. I misspoke earlier about John Carter: The End. Alex Cox co-wrote with Brian Wood. The interior art was a guy named Hayden Sherman whom I've never heard of. His work reminds me a little of Larry Stroman's work back in the 90's. Just add some Art Thibert inks and I'd have been even more delighted.
And if you are old and confused like me, this is CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox, not Repo Man film director Alex Cox, who has also done a smattering of comics writing in his time.
And if you are old and confused like me, this is CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox, not Repo Man film director Alex Cox, who has also done a smattering of comics writing in his time.
And double-shame on me, because I actually know Alex. Not well enough to remember his last name, obviously. I only see him once or twice a year, but I met him long before he joined the CBLDF.
Why can't they just hire a good artist? They've got good artists on their cheesecake books (Sheena, Red Sonja, etc), and I'd even settle for Alex Cox, who did their recent John Carter: The End mini series. Dynamite is their own worst enemy sometimes.
I liked Alex Cox’s work quite a bit. I think he’s got a lot of potential, and he’ll move on to bigger and better things eventually.
The problem with Dynamite is they don’t offer very high page rates for interior work. Maybe if they didn’t pay 15 different top artists to do variant covers for every issue they put out, they could put that money towards hiring better interior artists. Occasionally they'll luck out and get someone good who is early in their career and just hasn't caught on yet, and even more rarely they'll get a good penciler for a project they think will sell better than their average book. But for the most part they get what they pay for.
I made a mistake I'd like to correct. I misspoke earlier about John Carter: The End. Alex Cox co-wrote with Brian Wood. The interior art was a guy named Hayden Sherman whom I've never heard of. His work reminds me a little of Larry Stroman's work back in the 90's. Just add some Art Thibert inks and I'd have been even more delighted.
That reminds me a bit of Matteo Scalera in Black Science...
On the other hand, here's Jason Masters' work on Dynamite's James Bond Volume 2: Eidolon. I just found it boring and not dynamic enough. Makes me wonder what Ellis is writing in the margins, if anything.
Why can't they just hire a good artist? They've got good artists on their cheesecake books (Sheena, Red Sonja, etc), and I'd even settle for Alex Cox, who did their recent John Carter: The End mini series. Dynamite is their own worst enemy sometimes.
I liked Alex Cox’s work quite a bit. I think he’s got a lot of potential, and he’ll move on to bigger and better things eventually.
The problem with Dynamite is they don’t offer very high page rates for interior work. Maybe if they didn’t pay 15 different top artists to do variant covers for every issue they put out, they could put that money towards hiring better interior artists. Occasionally they'll luck out and get someone good who is early in their career and just hasn't caught on yet, and even more rarely they'll get a good penciler for a project they think will sell better than their average book. But for the most part they get what they pay for.
I made a mistake I'd like to correct. I misspoke earlier about John Carter: The End. Alex Cox co-wrote with Brian Wood. The interior art was a guy named Hayden Sherman whom I've never heard of. His work reminds me a little of Larry Stroman's work back in the 90's. Just add some Art Thibert inks and I'd have been even more delighted.
That reminds me a bit of Matteo Scalera in Black Science...
Scalera was heavily influenced by Alberto Breccia and Jorge Zaffino. Zaffino, in turn, was heavily influenced by Sergio Toppi.
On the other hand, here's Jason Masters' work on Dynamite's James Bond Volume 2: Eidolon. I just found it boring and not dynamic enough. Makes me wonder what Ellis is writing in the margins, if anything.
His suit looks like it's plastic with those light blue highlights.
On the other hand, here's Jason Masters' work on Dynamite's James Bond Volume 2: Eidolon. I just found it boring and not dynamic enough. Makes me wonder what Ellis is writing in the margins, if anything.
That page really smacks of "take a picture, trace it, BAM, done."
I recently binged NEXUS, in omnibus form, 1-5... which started out incredible, and then sort of became steadily good, and by the last one sort of mediocred-out. I have one more volume (6) of the original series (80 issues) to go, but I don't know if I will buy that one. It seems the original Nexus returns, but I think I may be done with it.
Anyone ride out the entire series? Should I continue?
His suit looks like it's plastic with those light blue highlights.
His whole body, hair and all, looks plastic. He's using three color values for the suit, three color values for the skintones... and the values are too far apart with no blending so that they are contrasting rather than complementing. And most of the highlights are placed really weirdly, in places where there shouldn’t be any highlights even if the surface was reflective. (Which is even odder because the truly reflective objects in the room—the mirror and the two metallic lamps—have no highlights, they have just the two values of light and shadow.
His suit looks like it's plastic with those light blue highlights.
His whole body, hair and all, looks plastic. He's using three color values for the suit, three color values for the skintones... and the values are too far apart with no blending so that they are contrasting rather than complementing. And most of the highlights are placed really weirdly, in places where there shouldn’t be any highlights even if the surface was reflective. (Which is even odder because the truly reflective objects in the room—the mirror and the two metallic lamps—have no highlights, they have just the two values of light and shadow.
I recently binged NEXUS, in omnibus form, 1-5... which started out incredible, and then sort of became steadily good, and by the last one sort of mediocred-out. I have one more volume (6) of the original series (80 issues) to go, but I don't know if I will buy that one. It seems the original Nexus returns, but I think I may be done with it.
Anyone ride out the entire series? Should I continue?
I’ve never read any of those issues. Nothing against the two artists of those issues, but they were no Steve Rude.
Just got caught up on the last year or so of Astro City. It was mostly one- and two-part stories—with a larger story which pops up here and there—from various time periods. It's been a nice mix of characters familiar and new. Reading Astro City is a lot like being a comic book collector back in the ’70s: You read a few books the company is currently putting out, but because of spotty distribution, you might miss a few issues. At the same time you’re buying the reprint books and filling in the gaps in the continuity. In just a 100+ issues, Busiek and friends have built a universe with decades of history. Characters age and die, but can always be revisited. And the series is as good now as it’s ever been. I particularly liked the origin story of the Gentleman, but you can’t go wrong with any of it.
This is not exactly breaking news, but Mister Miracle from King and Gerards continues to be excellent. I thought the second issue was even better than the first.
Sean Izaakse's art on Uncanny Avengers impressed me this week. Definite Alan Davis influence on his faces and poses that I liked.
And Jim Zub's story captures a very Avengers-y tone that you don't see much these days. It's that late 70s / early 80s tone where the camaraderie between the heroes is a big part of the appeal. And as the next issue is a Beast + Wonder Man team-up that's obviously something he's specifically after.
Ha! I posted that issue in the "What comics DIDN'T you like this week" thread! With you on the art, which was beautiful, but I found the dialogue kinda cringe-worthy at times. It's on a short leash with me. Hoping for the best though.
Officially taking "Inhumans: Once and Future Kings" off of double secret G-Man probation. Issue #2 was a big improvement over issue #1.
Speaking of the Inhumans, the Black Bolt series continues to impress.
This is not exactly breaking news, but Mister Miracle from King and Gerards continues to be excellent. I thought the second issue was even better than the first.
I'm not sure about the second issue. I'm going to reread it tonight and get back to you.
This is not exactly breaking news, but Mister Miracle from King and Gerards continues to be excellent. I thought the second issue was even better than the first.
I'm not sure about the second issue. I'm going to reread it tonight and get back to you.
This is not exactly breaking news, but Mister Miracle from King and Gerards continues to be excellent. I thought the second issue was even better than the first.
I'm not sure about the second issue. I'm going to reread it tonight and get back to you.
Unreliable narrators sure can be tricky, huh?
That, and I want to read the Kirby issues the quotes are pulled from to see if there's any significance I'm not remembering. And there's one page where the storytelling was a little jumbled.
My local library got a copy of the Velvet hardcover from Brubaker, Epting, and Breitweiser. I just finished it. What a fantastic book. The hardcover is a beautiful edition too. I might have to pick up my own copy.
Comments
See several interior pages of this same issue can be perused here. Gomez hasn't done anything professionally that I've ever heard of, but you can tell he's hoping to work for Marvel one day by browsing his DeviantArt portfolio. I think he has a promising career ahead. Dynamite should be thankful they can get this level of talent to work for their rates.
Anyone ride out the entire series? Should I continue?
And Jim Zub's story captures a very Avengers-y tone that you don't see much these days. It's that late 70s / early 80s tone where the camaraderie between the heroes is a big part of the appeal. And as the next issue is a Beast + Wonder Man team-up that's obviously something he's specifically after.
Speaking of the Inhumans, the Black Bolt series continues to impress.