All comics look the same to Augie

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

I see all the books Image puts out. I see a lot of black and white independent self-published things.

Too many damned comics all look like each other. They're heavily Photoshopped, with the photo ref obvious. They're static. They have the same three or four free fonts from Comicraft or Blambot inside ill-fitting balloons with horrible tails.

Honestly, I'm getting sick of it.

Thanks, I just had to get that out of my system. Happier news coming in my next post, I promise.

-Augie

[the goddamn batman]

They have the same three or four free fonts from Comicraft or Blambot inside ill-fitting balloons with horrible tails.

Honestly, I'm getting sick of it.


Now, I'm not saying I disagree, but what are self publishers, and Image creators supposed to do?

Image does not provide lettering. It also pays on the back end, so paying someone isn't always an option, and the guy or gal who will work for pay on the back end, might not be any better than doing it yourself until you see some money.

Self publishing obviously doesn't provide lettering so...

what are upstart guys and gals supposed to do?

Learning how to make a proper balloon would be a good start but, beyond that... what do you suggest?

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Well, there are dozens of pay fonts by Comicraft and Blambot also available for relatively low cost. Comicraft has half-off sales regularly. Their next one should be happening on New Years or Christmas, as I recall.

I just know that if I wanted my book to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, I'd invest in the $50 or $100 to get a font that wasn't the same exact one as the other dozen books next to mine -- and I'd have an art style different from those books, all of which are just setting the contrast up high on some pictures they dragged into Photoshop to trace over.

-Augie

[Aaron King]

I mostly agree. Warren Ellis did some talk with this in Come In Alone and it's sadly sadly true. And all the half-screen Civil War covers aren't helping any.

[the goddamn batman]

Well, there are dozens of pay fonts by Comicraft and Blambot also available for relatively low cost. Comicraft has half-off sales regularly.

Very true. In all honesty, I'm the upstart who's just curious what people like and don't like. So, these conversations on the technical aspects of comics are great.

I just know that if I wanted my book to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, I'd invest in the $50 or $100 to get a font that wasn't the same exact one as the other dozen books next to mine -- and I'd have an art style different from those books

You make an interesting point here. People want their books to stand out (as thats how you get sales) but, so many people seem to be looking for that 'look of a pro book' or the 'pro level of quality'. They don't seem to understand that quality doesn't mean it has to look the same. It just needs to be well done.

As if that generic font and free ballons are the look of a professional book. (though, I do have all the blambot free stuff.)

Considering the wide array of tutorials on lettering and balloon creation that are available on the internet, there is no excuse for bad lettering.

all of which are just setting the contrast up high on some pictures they dragged into Photoshop to trace over.

-Augie

but, Augie, backgrounds are hard.:rolleyes: (though, they are)

I really appreciate that someone else thinks different is a good thing. I'm always looking at different books for inspiration instead of trying to imitate that 'classic' comic shit that we've all seen so many times before.

In the end, are the creators really too blame, or is Image (with Image books)? Image will accept a book, but require new lettering and/or coloring... so, if Image approves it, wouldn't that rest on Image mor than the creator?


Also, would bad lettering keep you from buying a book with good art that looked interesting? Or would you accept that this new guy or gal has talent and is worth supporting despite shit lettering? Would you let them know you liked their stuff, but the lettering was ass?


I'd love to find a good letterer who would work for backend pay (when I have a story)... all this comic related web 2.0 stuff should make that easier than it was. And hopefully we'll see some changes in this area.

[the goddamn batman]

You know, Augie, after your most recent column (and the continual mention of "Marvel, DC, and the rest") it's really no wonder that all comics look the same to you.

Honeslty, who fucking cares about Civil War? Who cares about IC?

I guess to me it feels like you read mainly (or at least just mention) mainstream books... so no wonder they all look the same.

Perhaps I'm wrong, and my memory is failing me, but I don't feel like the comics you ever talk about come from the companies willing to take a risk.


and sure, a lot of the Image cats use similar fonts and balloons. But, these guys have a hard time selling a book in the first place, can you imagine if they actually did something really different? Supposing the mainstream crowd read it in the first place.

So, what now? You know, there are books out there doing different things, yet, I've never seen you mention a single issue of Popbot.:rolleyes:

[Sleeper]

I don't read a lot of Image (FELL, NIGHTLY NEWS, CASANOVA), what from I've seen, they haven't been too similar in style to each other. Independents, like Way's BYE-BYE HARVEY (using Comic Sans) are bland to each other though. Not all the time, but I can see a wave of similarities in sameness for a few.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Pipeline is governed by one main interesting - me. I write about what interests me at the current moment. That's all there is to it. Right now, that seems to be a lot of Marvel comics. At one point, I reviewed a half dozen Will Eisner trades in a month. I used to do regular Duck comic reviews.

I also don't get the chance or have the time to write reviews for everything I read, as you've guessed. But, mostly, I don't have time to read everything. Lots of stuff passes by my desk, though, including the total output of Image and Dark Horse. Trust me -- they all start looking alike after awhile. And I plan on showing that in the coming months, but it'll take some time to gather the evidence.

But if you don't like what I'm talking about right now, I'm sorry about that. Come back in a month or so, and things might shift back around for you.

But, now, some quick answers:

Honeslty, who fucking cares about Civil War? Who cares about IC?

Judging by Diamond's statistics, a few hundred thousand people making up nearly 90% of the direct market. And that's the audience for a website like this one - the kind of regular readers you find in the direct market. Like I said above, I write about what I like to talk about. But I've seen the numbers fluctuate wildly with the topic. My writeup on Carl Barks after he died was one of the least-read columns I've ever written. Painfully low. It depressed me to see those numbers, but I don't regret writing it for a minute.

But when I include an X-title in the writeup on the front page? Or Civil War? My hits double.

So who cares? An awful lot of people.

and sure, a lot of the Image cats use similar fonts and balloons. But, these guys have a hard time selling a book in the first place, can you imagine if they actually did something really different?

Former Comic Book Idol contestant Jonathan Hickman's NETWORK NEWS series does something very different and is critically acclaimed across the internet.

So, what now? You know, there are books out there doing different things, yet, I've never seen you mention a single issue of Popbot.:rolleyes:

I have no love for Ashley Woods' art, so don't worry about POPBOT ever showing up in Pipeline.

You might see USAGI YOJIMBO, though. Or TRUE STORY SWEAR TO GOD. Or THE KILLER. Or THE SPIRIT. Or DICK TRACY. Or the EC ARCHIVES. Or MAKESHIFT MIRACLE. Or THE WORLD OF QUEST.

Though, honestly, I haven't done that many reviews in recent months. I've talked a lot about letters columns and WIZARD and books about comics and way too much about PREVIEWS. Plus, there's always a certain amount of review in the podcast.

So, yeah, Pipeline has always sort of snuck in the independent or non-Big Two book reviews in between those reviews. It's an effective way of bringing people in and then hitting them over the head with something completely different that they might like.

-Augie

[the goddamn batman]

I have no love for Ashley Woods' art, so don't worry about POPBOT ever showing up in Pipeline.


Well, then I guess I'm done here.

Enjoy the war.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

I've just now warmed to Ben Templesmith's art with FELL, so I'm getting closer, I think. =)

-Augie

[the goddamn batman]

It just seems strange that you'd have no love for one of the few guys who's actually doing something different.

His books are published at odd sizes... which is different.

His sories are very different. Popbot is a very individual comic that words fail to describe. Lore has huge sections of text without pictures. Nobody does that. D'AIRAIN AVENTURE is going to be an anthology style book. How many guys do an anthology style book... by themself?

He's putting out art books with people who most of the comic world have no idea even exist... despite their insane amounts of talent.

Next you'll say you don't like Kent Williams or Bill Sienkievicz.;)

I'm glad you've warmed to Ben, though. He's fantastic. Check out his Wormwood book.

[pmpknface]

Ashely Wood is ok. Bill Sienkiewicz is my fav all time, but I tried 2 issues of Popbot and I gave up. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Maybe I tried 3 issues, I forget. But (to me) it made no sense and he art, although abstract, was still too non-defined. Not only can't you figure out what is goign on sequentially, you can barely tell what you are looking at in each panel! Drove me nuts...

Oh, and I may get the Wormwood tpb (in this month's Previews!)

Now, back on topic...

Sometime I can see how a company's titles get a similar feel when I lok at them all in Previews. IDW and DDP seem that way more to me than Image. Even the Wildstorm stuff that shares a universe is in that category too. Marvel's CW books look the same, but that's the point. At least Marvel if further away from the poster covers on 3-4 years ago. Whew! ;)

[torippu]

At least Marvel if further away from the poster covers on 3-4 years ago. Whew! ;)
Amen! I absolutely hated the poster covers.

Years from now, I'm not going to be able to place the content of the book with the cover and that's going to be sad. I know that there were some good books behind those covers, but it won't mean the same to me as when I look at a McFarlane/Larsen Amazing Spider-man cover and immediately remember what story was hidden behind that cover.

[pmpknface]

That went out w/ the Jemas era. He did a lot of good, but that always pissed me off...

[Rob on the Job]

...Too many damned comics all look like each other. They're heavily Photoshopped, with the photo ref obvious. They're static. They have the same three or four free fonts from Comicraft or Blambot inside ill-fitting balloons with horrible tails. Honestly, I'm getting sick of it. ...

Thank you for noting the Emperor is sans clothes.

[the goddamn batman]

Ashely Wood is ok. Bill Sienkiewicz is my fav all time, but I tried 2 issues of Popbot and I gave up. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Maybe I tried 3 issues, I forget. But (to me) it made no sense and he art, although abstract, was still too non-defined. Not only can't you figure out what is goign on sequentially, you can barely tell what you are looking at in each panel! Drove me nuts...

Oh, and I may get the Wormwood tpb (in this month's Previews!)


Agreed about Bill. I think Ash would agree too. Bill is just an amazing talent. It's too bad his comic output is minimal these days. Even his Moby Dick book is amazing.

Pick up Wormwood, it's really a great book.

As for Popbot. People always say they can't figure out what's going on. I've never had that problem. Also, I find that it picks up around # 3 & 4. But, whatever.