More books art chores need to be handled the way Winick's Titans and New Avengers are

[Tanjint]

I love that Churchill/Benitez have been alternating on Titans and Cheung/Tan on New Avengers. I've often thought in these later years of ridiculous delays that it'd be smart to line up the A list slow ass talent to make sweet looking books come out on time.

New Avengers original inception tried this with Finch, McNiven, Cho etc. but giving the artists whole arcs proved to still be full of delays. Alternating issue by issue like this is both fun and effective.

-T

[Beast]

I disagree with you.

Alternating pencilers for storyarcs I can live with. However bring in a fill-in artist in the middle of a storyarc simply to get the books out on time I hate. It ruins the flow of the book, and really should be avoided whenever possible. It's especially annoying when it's done in the middle of issues, like with Titans. The only way two pencilers works on a book is like with X-Men: Legacy, when the other artist is handling flashback stuff, etc. That's the only time I really like seeing more than one artist per issue.

And considering all the complaints over what DC did with Infinate Crisis by having three different fill-in artists, it was three I think, work on the issues in order to prevent delays, I'm happy Marvel would prefer there were delays with the storylines rather than just using a bunch of fill-in artists in order to get the job done on time. My opinion..., I think of comics like food. Would you rather have a well cooked and seasoned gourmet meal that takes a little extra time, or grab some greasy fast food.

[Jack Zodiac]

I agree with you.

Marvel and DC could both stand to prepare their monthlies better. Disasters like Action Comics and Ultimate Hulk vs. Wolverine are pitiful, moreso in DC's case by letting a monthly flagship title slump so badly. I can understand some books taking a while to come out, a month here or there really isn't all that bad, but several months of delays for barely worthwhile art is pretty ridiculous. And it's sad that we've moved on to an age where the art takes precedent over the writing. Don't get me wrong, I love great comic art as much as anyone else (who likes great comic art and not garbage-art that certainly isn't worth waiting for), but comics are a dichotomy of creativity- writing and art- and when one impedes the progress of the other, it really dampens the story.

That said, I disagree with you that putting Benitez and Churchill on Titans was a good idea. A-list talent working together to keep a book monthly is an idea I can get behind, though, which is why DC should've given J.H. Willaims III and J.G. Jones split duties on Final Crisis. It would be superb looking and timely then.

[titanfan]

For me, it depends on how long the delays are. If we're talking "Wonder Woman relaunch" delays, then by all means get a new artist. If it's just a couple of weeks--well then we can wait that long.

[Tanjint]

I disagree with you.

Alternating pencilers for storyarcs I can live with. However bring in a fill-in artist in the middle of a storyarc simply to get the books out on time I hate. It ruins the flow of the book, and really should be avoided whenever possible. It's especially annoying when it's done in the middle of issues, like with Titans. The only way two pencilers works on a book is like with X-Men: Legacy, when the other artist is handling flashback stuff, etc. That's the only time I really like seeing more than one artist per issue.

.

I don't think we disagree.

I am only advocating alternating pencilers for storyarcs. NOT fill-in artists.

The approach of Titans and currently New Avengers prevents delays.


-T

[Beast]

I don't think we disagree.

I am only advocating alternating pencilers for storyarcs. NOT fill-in artists.

The approach of Titans and currently New Avengers prevents delays.


-T
You realize that Titans isn't alternating pencilers for storyarcs, right?

[Vintage Crime]

I've seen quite a few complaints lately about the addition of a new artist on Final Crisis and others complain about 3 artists on Infinite Crisis. I recently read Infinite Crisis and enjoyed the story. I wasn't following DC at the time so I didn't know there were multiple artists until I read about it online after finishing the story.

When I read the nitpicking I just shake my head. It is truly sad that a story can be disregarded simply because the same artist didn't draw everything. So what. Someone's delicate sensibilities prevents them from enjoying a book because more than one artist drew it? TWO artists? This is an aesthetic disaster!

Art is great, really but we're talking about $3 comic books here not million dollar, European masterpiece works of art or fine dining. Relax. Take it easy. Comic books should be fun. They're a quick read. After a difficult day, you can lay down and read to take your mind off of more serious things. That's my personal opinion, but I think quite a few posters just want something to complain about no matter how small the detail.

[Infra-Man]

Art is great, really but we're talking about $3 comic books here not million dollar, European masterpiece works of art or fine dining. Relax. Take it easy. Comic books should be fun. They're a quick read. After a difficult day, you can lay down and read to take your mind off of more serious things. That's my personal opinion, but I think quite a few posters just want something to complain about no matter how small the detail.

I don't really think of the art issue in terms of that false dichotomy (i.e., comic books vs. European fine art). I just like aesthetic consistency when reading a comic book. I usually find it jarring when multiple artists work on a single book, particularly if they lay out their panels differently or have dissimilar styles. I don't mind artists trading off chores between issues, though. That's fine by me.

If I remember right, there were five artists on the last couple of issues of Infinite Crisis, and as much as I like each of those artists individually, the varied art styles from page to page took me out of the story (which I really wasn't digging much at that point anyways).

I do agree with Tanjint about having rotating art teams of some sort to avoid any significant delays. Justice Society has Dale Eaglesham and Fernando Pasarin trading off on art, which makes for solid comics with timely shipping. I don't know what's planned on Action Comics right now, but maybe having one or two done-in-one issues after each arc will allow Gray Frank to do great stuff and keep the book on schedule.

[carabas]

For me, it depends on how long the delays are. If we're talking "Wonder Woman relaunch" delays, then by all means get a new artist. If it's just a couple of weeks--well then we can wait that long.The ^roblem there was not the Dodsons. It was that Heinberg simply couldn't be bothered to do the scripts.

[Tanjint]

You realize that Titans isn't alternating pencilers for storyarcs, right?

Hm, I thought the book was

#1 Benitez
2 Churchill
3 Benitez and back and forth etc. but I just went and looked as the issues and it was

1 Churchill
2 Benitez
3 Benitez

so I guess they're not conventionally alternating....this is one of those books I don't read the solicits for so whatever happens with it every month I'm surprised. I just pick it up for my sister since I don't like Winick and she loves everything Titans since that cartoon and me and my friends introducing her to the Johns run but I still read it because I love Nightwing and the art is gorgeous. That said...what is the artistic plan for the book?

and regardless my point about such an approach remains.

-T

[Will.S]

I'm not particularly a fan of Churchill or Benitez's so their pairing on any book wouldn't work for me either way.

The only comic that I've seen do this the best is Captain America with Epting and Mike Perkins but I've also seen some real good consistency with Thor and Iron Man as well. On the DC side, I'm not as sure about this outside of the JSA example someone gave.

[gwor]

It is truly sad that a story can be disregarded simply because the same artist didn't draw everything.

I personally feel that an artist who cannot fulfill his artistic committment is unprofessional. And that bugs me, because there are plenty of reliable artists out there looking for work (ex pros as well as very talented kids).

If you know you can't deliver a book in a given period of time, don't take the contract. Simple, right?