what happens if you like the writer but not the artist?

busty

I love Slotts writing but I can't get passed the art in the Spidey book.
For me its more important to like the artist than the writer,I don't know why but I'd rather have a well drawn book and bad writing than vice versa.
In a perfect world both would be great,so I was wondering does anyone else have this conundrum?

BlackUmbrella

If a book doesn't have both, I'm not buying it month to month. No point to it. Although I have bought issues here and there for the eye candy art even when I knew the story was mediocre and I had no interest in reading it.

Greg

@busty, I know what ya mean with Spider-Man. I have been through it with other titles and vice versa with the art and writing. I enjoy Dan Slott's writing but the art has not been doing much for me. Ramos isn't horrible, his style just isn't something that I like a great deal. My son loves it though and thats fine, it's all in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz.

JohnD

agreed, i hate it when the art is not on the level of the writing :(

Miraclemet

I just close my eyes as I read it...

kidding... Its the "which is more important: art or writing" argument that has been part of comic book chat rooms for as long as Al Gore has had the internet up and running.

Me, I can give art more of a pass than the writing. Art has more style lee-way than writing does for me (as in, its not my favorite style, but I can still appreciate it on technical merits). Writing (for the most part ) to me is good or bad,

If the art is not my style but is still doing a good job in story telling (panel layout, design, showing not telling, etc) I'm able to still enjoy the story.

Zhurrie

Normally I can get past it if the art is stylized and just not my bag, but if it is mainstream-ish art and just not good or there are shortcuts, etc. then I'm entirely out even if it is the best story. Wolverine and the X-men with the terrible re-use of the stock photo skies or G.I. Combat and the terribly integrated 3D models that are so stiff and wooden and stick out like a sore thumb... I just can't support that in any way. Even some indie books are starting to go this route and it is a surefire drop for me instantly.

There are too many good books out there to *settle* for anything anymore IMO. I'd rather read back-issues than bad new ones.

Krescan

I'm with you on this one, but not with you on ASM.

I'm really enjoying the art and the story with it right now, maybe it's just speaks more to me and @greg 's son

I have picked up books that I've heard were very good (ie daredevil from a few years back) opened it up and then put it right back on the shelf. A friend of mine and myself will still, when giving out recommendations to each other, say "yeah it's not bad but there's some daredevil art going on so beware."

I'll even go one further and have put down a Batman book (I want to say it's Arkham or something) because of the lettering. It was like a journal in a believable hand writing but it was bad handwriting and I just couldn't keep going with it. Even though it's probably a very good story.

Zhurrie

@Krescan hehe, you mentioned the two books I love most for the art :) David Mack's DD is sublime for me (I'm a big fan of his art) and Arkham Asylum is my absolute #1 Batman book. It definitely is subjective and there is no right or wrong, you seem to like traditional comic book art while I really love the abstract/experimental stuff. That's why I'm glad there is such a broad spectrum available!

WetRats

If it's just generic, lackluster art, I'll tolerate it.

If it's an artist whose work I loathe, such as Greg "Pornface" Land, I don't care who's writing, I ain't buying it.

ChrisBeckett

I follow writers more than artists, and Alan Moore is "my guy."

That said, even though I own this series:



I still have yet to actually read it, and know that I never will.

chris

ThreadKiller

This is an ongoing problem for me, as a Marvel Zombie who doesn't like John Romita Jr. artwork.

I usually tolerate it on proven books I am excited about (Avengers, Spidey, AVX), but he scares me away from things like Kick Ass...I don't care who the writer is.

Krescan

@Zhurrie is that the right Batman title? I remember it being like Dr. Arkham's journal or somebodies. I didn't mind the art, you can get a little wild in Batman especially if you've got one of his super crazies as the bad guy. But the lettering I was almost getting a headache from it. and it was a little wordy if I remember correctly. if you'll do a recording of you reading it and i can just look at the pictures i'll give it another shot haha

but you'll have to enjoy DD without me I just can't do it

Zhurrie

@Krescan, I'm pretty sure since you mentioned the text being hard to read. Here is a shot from it:



It is written by Grant Morrison and a little wordy I guess but nothing too crazy. It is very abstract though. I absolutely love it and after re-reading a bunch of Batman trades it is without a doubt my favorite.

David Mack's watercolors captivate me entirely. His style is unique and watching him live is even more amazing, and I work in watercolors. He actually is not the best for comics though as his work is beautiful but often misses the mark of conveying the feel/emotion of the writing since he sticks to his palette and style regardless of what is at hand. He's an artist you would have to write directly for and really incorporate the writing into the art, not the other way around. I still think there are some of the best panels of any comic in his DD work though.

JohnathanConstantine

Quick comment. If you love the writer then you'll put up with it. If you like the writer then you won't.

As long as the art is serviceable and carries along the story I have no problem. If it is bad to the point where it is distracting, then drop it.

Just be thankful it isn't bad art and bad writing.

EarthGBilly

Quick comment. If you love the writer then you'll put up with it. If you like the writer then you won't.

As long as the art is serviceable and carries along the story I have no problem. If it is bad to the point where it is distracting, then drop it.

Just be thankful it isn't bad art and bad writing.

Yeah, this.

I find I can forgive less-than-stellar art for an amazing story, and just wish it was drawn by someone different.

If the story is only so so and I don't like the art, I'm out.

If the art is amazing but the story is lousy... well, then I just look for images on the net to use as wallpaper on my computer, hoping the art isn't blocked by word balloons of lousy script.

demonbear

echoed...

short answer is, you just have to plow through it. the art has to be serviceable at least, but i've found that if the art isn't really to your taste (or is downright universally liefeld-like awful), then it diminishes the experience quite a bit.

Krescan

@Zhurrie I don't think that's the one I'm thinking of. I'll have to check, pretty sure I borrowed the one I'm talking about but it was mostly Journal entries and stuff like that. Though I admit that lettering looks difficult to get through

in a world where every movie that was remotely decent is going to be remade i'm surprised no one has ever tried to re-do the art of a comic yet

Mr_Cosmic

I'll never forget:

1) Nick Fury's Howling Commandos by Giffen and the horrible art of Eduardo Francisco.

2) New Invaders by Allen Jacobsen with dreadful art by C. P. Smith.

Two of the worst drawn books I've ever read.

Zhurrie

@Krescan not to go OT but as for films, comic films could be done in cel-shaded 3D and look damn amazing. I saw a demo from a special effects studio once a few years back and it blew my mind... then no film has ever been made that way. It isn't a 3D film but created with 3D cel-shaded technology/engines (a lot of videogames are done this way like Jet Set Radio, No More Heroes, and XIII) and really would be the coolest superhero film ever. Rotoscoping could be cool too (sort of like how they did The Polar Express or A Scanner Darkly) but I think a cel-shaded comic film would be the ticket.

Definitely let me know what Batman book you are thinking of... I've been trying to think of what else it could be. I thought maybe The Chalice one? But I think that has normal lettering just crazy mixed-media art.

jaydee74

It depends. I might sound greedy but I want good writing AND good art. When it comes to art I don't particularly enjoy, it depends on how much I am enjoying the story. I have read comics that had art I didn't care for but the story itself was engaging enough that I almost forgave the art. (Almost) With a bad story and good art though, I flip through the pages and don't pay attention to the story which is important to me so I guess I'm a bit more about the story than the art but I think both are ultimately important.

EarthGBilly

I'll never forget:

1) Nick Fury's Howling Commandos by Giffen and the horrible art of Eduardo Francisco.

2) New Invaders by Allen Jacobsen with dreadful art by C. P. Smith.

Two of the worst drawn books I've ever read.

Yeah, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos still ranks as the worst in art for me. Seldom is the art so bad that I can't figure out who is supposed to be talking, but that one left me mystified multiple times.

random73

What Happens?

whatever YOU want to happen. Its your four bucks. buy it or don't.

warpangel

I find if I read a comic with bad art but great writing, I'll finish it satisfied.
If I read a comic with great art but bad writing, I'll finish it thinking, 'meh'. The story has to come first, the art I can pretty much forgive.

chrisruggia

@warpangel, that describes my experience exactly. Drawing and looking at drawings are two of the greatest pleasures in life for me, but if the story is weak I still feel like I've kind of wasted my time with it.

A great story will absolutely transcend art that I don't like, but it almost never happens because it's the immediate impact of the art that sells me the book, whereas the story is a slow build through the book. So great writing alone never has a chance unless I've already seen a bunch of reviews that convince me.

demonbear

@hauberk i liked Eduardo Risso's art on 100B! maybe it's not stylized as others out there, but he's real solid and comes up with refreshing angles and takes on different scenes. to each his own, i guess.

Torchsong

Without art, it isn't a comic, it's prose.

So having said that (and this is coming as a writer), if the artist isn't good, I'll lose interest quickly if not drop the book outright (or never pick it up at all), and that's regardless of the writer.

DoctorDoom

@Krescan, I'm pretty sure since you mentioned the text being hard to read. Here is a shot from it:



It is written by Grant Morrison and a little wordy I guess but nothing too crazy. It is very abstract though. I absolutely love it and after re-reading a bunch of Batman trades it is without a doubt my favorite.

David Mack's watercolors captivate me entirely. His style is unique and watching him live is even more amazing, and I work in watercolors. He actually is not the best for comics though as his work is beautiful but often misses the mark of conveying the feel/emotion of the writing since he sticks to his palette and style regardless of what is at hand. He's an artist you would have to write directly for and really incorporate the writing into the art, not the other way around. I still think there are some of the best panels of any comic in his DD work though.

I have yet to make it through that book. I know I really should, but I just can't.

hauberk

Depends on just how visceral my reaction is. I don't much care for the art on 100 Bullets, but I find the story compelling enough to get through it (Same was true with Carla Speed McNeil's issues of Queen and Country). On the other hand, I'll drop a book as soon as JRJR gets assigned to it regardless of storyline, writer or favorite character.

warpangel

Animal Man for instance is a book that I would consider really well written, but does not have 'great' art. But the art does not put me off buying the book,

JohnathanConstantine

I guess you can say of the fundamental core of the story is there then it doesm't really matter about any other shortcomings. If the basics of the story aren't there then any bad art will seem monumentally worse.