Heavy Metal

[Imaginos666]

I've got to agree with Steven's recent assessment of Heavy Metal. I've got a friend who's subscribed to it for years (mostly out of habit) so I've been the beneficiary of a few issues he's handed off when he's had doubles.

If I'd make any suggestion to the current editors of Heavy Metal, it's be this: get stoned and get laid. Maybe not even in that order. The "fantasy" elements of the book are cold and inflexible, while the magazine's sexual content appears to be drawn by a bunch of guys who have seen sex in the movies, but have never had the chance to try it for themselves. It reads like porn for robots (or worse, porn for fans of Rob Liefeld.) I find myself more interested in the ads than the "stories."

[Paul McEnery]

I've got to agree with Steven's recent assessment of Heavy Metal. I've got a friend who's subscribed to it for years (mostly out of habit) so I've been the beneficiary of a few issues he's handed off when he's had doubles.

If I'd make any suggestion to the current editors of Heavy Metal, it's be this: get stoned and get laid. Maybe not even in that order. The "fantasy" elements of the book are cold and inflexible, while the magazine's sexual content appears to be drawn by a bunch of guys who have seen sex in the movies, but have never had the chance to try it for themselves. It reads like porn for robots (or worse, porn for fans of Rob Liefeld.) I find myself more interested in the ads than the "stories."

And yet, this month, it's Jodo and Manara up to bat.

You just never know.

[Steven Grant]

And yet, this month, it's Jodo and Manara up to bat.

Milo's work is as good as ever but Alej's script reads like 17th century Reformation porn...

- Grant

[Imaginos666]

Milo's work is as good as ever but Alej's script reads like 17th century Reformation porn...

- Grant

Yeah, I'm not sure what his fixation is lately on historical soap operas, but I wish he'd get over it.

I really miss the "stoner rock" vibe of the magazine during the 1970s. While it's (probably) not best for the magazine to regress (it's hard to stay cutting edge when you're always looking backward) I can't help but think the older stuff was so much more potent.

Not that it matters. The whole concept of these kinds of magazines began to die in the 1980s. What we have today in Heavy Metal and Mad are the nostalgic ghosts of a previous generation. It's unrealistic to expect something as intangible as a ghost to have a visceral appeal.

[comicsmetal]

I've got to agree with Steven's recent assessment of Heavy Metal. I've got a friend who's subscribed to it for years (mostly out of habit) so I've been the beneficiary of a few issues he's handed off when he's had doubles.

If I'd make any suggestion to the current editors of Heavy Metal, it's be this: get stoned and get laid. Maybe not even in that order. The "fantasy" elements of the book are cold and inflexible, while the magazine's sexual content appears to be drawn by a bunch of guys who have seen sex in the movies, but have never had the chance to try it for themselves. It reads like porn for robots (or worse, porn for fans of Rob Liefeld.) I find myself more interested in the ads than the "stories."

I read heavy metal ,the stories have been crap but some of the art are good.This new issue is not some stories are good but as you said they are like porn.but what is wrong with some porn comics huh.This not a kids comic,it is an adult illustration fantasy magazine.

I have not read any of the older stuff,so I do not Know how better they are then what Heavy metal is today.

[comicsmetal]

Also it makes me laugh when you say to the editors to get laid .Funny thing is Eastmen is married.I bet you should tell the writers of the short stories to get laid.

[Imaginos666]

I read heavy metal ,the stories have been crap but some of the art are good.This new issue is not some stories are good but as you said they are like porn.but what is wrong with some porn comics huh.This not a kids comic,it is an adult illustration fantasy magazine.

I have not read any of the older stuff,so I do not Know how better they are then what Heavy metal is today.


It's not the "porn" part I take exception to. It's the "robot" part. The sexuality of the book sometimes comes across as theoretical. Science fiction requires a lot of suspension of disbelief, but that kind of leap shouldn't be necessary for something as fundamental as f***ing.

And the years I'm referring too were about a decade before "hair metal." Think of guys like Moebius, Richard Corben, Milo Manara, H.R. Giger, Liberatore, Trina Robbins, Angus McKie, Vaughn Bodé (reprints, or course) ... and even writer/artists like Howard Chaykin, Val Mayerik and Walt Simonson.

Heavy Metal just isn't exotic anymore. It doesn't help that Manara seems so hung up on the Borgias, etc.

[Steven Grant]

Yeah, I'm not sure what his fixation is lately on historical soap operas, but I wish he'd get over it.

I don't think Jodo's fixation is so much on historical soap operas as on pissing all over the Catholic Church. Which I traditionally don't mind, but the current thing plays like a 14 year old who just read about the Medicis and PLAYBOY on the same day...

I really miss the "stoner rock" vibe of the magazine during the 1970s. While it's (probably) not best for the magazine to regress (it's hard to stay cutting edge when you're always looking backward) I can't help but think the older stuff was so much more potent.

I think by "stoner" you mean "unabashed expression of altered realities." Funny, I just came up with a new quasi-superhero concept the other day that goes completely full tilt that way. Not that I'll ever get anyone to publish it...

Not that it matters. The whole concept of these kinds of magazines began to die in the 1980s. What we have today in Heavy Metal and Mad are the nostalgic ghosts of a previous generation. It's unrealistic to expect something as intangible as a ghost to have a visceral appeal.

Guess that depends if it's a poltergeist...

- Grant

[Steven Grant]

I read heavy metal ,the stories have been crap but some of the art are good.This new issue is not some stories are good but as you said they are like porn.but what is wrong with some porn comics huh.This not a kids comic,it is an adult illustration fantasy magazine.

The stories were rarely all that good, at least of the translated material, because in the early days they almost always severely dumbed down the material for American audiences and stripped out virtually any ideas but sex and violence. (I'd read a lot in the French originals, since at least at that time I could read French... not much call the it in the last couple decades...) Drove me crazy comparing HEAVY METAL to METAL HURLANT. Original American stuff was often better, storywise, but the magazine frowned on that for a long time.

- Grant

[comicsmetal]

The stories were rarely all that good, at least of the translated material, because in the early days they almost always severely dumbed down the material for American audiences and stripped out virtually any ideas but sex and violence. (I'd read a lot in the French originals, since at least at that time I could read French... not much call the it in the last couple decades...) Drove me crazy comparing HEAVY METAL to METAL HURLANT. Original American stuff was often better, storywise, but the magazine frowned on that for a long time.

- Grant
Was it not owned by National Lampoon originally.That company was what a humor mag for Collage students.So of course it will be a bit dumb down.They were trying to sell it to the Collage students.

[Steven Grant]

Was it not owned by National Lampoon originally.That company was what a humor mag for Collage students.So of course it will be a bit dumb down.They were trying to sell it to the Collage students.

It was owned by the company that owned NatLamp, yes. I believe it was called 21st Century Communications.

- Grant

[comicsmetal]

It was owned by the company that owned NatLamp, yes. I believe it was called 21st Century Communications.

- Grant
The funny thing was it was found by accident by the publisher of Natlamp.

from Wiki:
In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French science-fantasy magazine Métal Hurlant which had debuted December 1974. The French title translates literally as "Howling Metal."

When Mogel licensed the American version, he chose to rename it, and Heavy Metal began in the U.S. on April, 1977 as a glossy, full-color monthly.

[comicsmetal]

I highly doubt ,that the magazine going to change because Kevin Eastman is now owner and editor..Every reader of heavy metal has e-mailed him numerous of times and have asked him to change the cover and get rid of the porn ads but he does not listen.

[Inkthinker]

I've just been sorely unimpressed with the quality of the artwork lately. I don't know if it's a matter of page rates or what, but they need to net some better performers.

[comicsmetal]

I've just been sorely unimpressed with the quality of the artwork lately. I don't know if it's a matter of page rates or what, but they need to net some better performers.

This months arts are not bad.The guy who draws Borja is a very good artist.

[Brenz]

I think by "stoner" you mean "unabashed expression of altered realities." Funny, I just came up with a new quasi-superhero concept the other day that goes completely full tilt that way. Not that I'll ever get anyone to publish it...


I wouldn't mind reading that pitch. I've got a couple artists ready for work.

[Acerbus]

Heavy Metal has been well worth my own subscription. I personally find the copious quantities of hentai and porn ads distasteful and obnoxious to have to thumb through between stories, but honestly... it's such a rich, creative magazine.

Yeah, it has stinkers. More than it should, perhaps. But the fact that it is (basically) uncensored and the subject matter has a sort of 'the sky is the limit' feel to it has given rise to some really great concepts, art, and stories. Yes, that same atmosphere allows glorified porn to propagate to a staggering degree, but it also has fostered some really great stories like 'The Regulator', 'John Seaseeker', 'Pherone'... really, too many to list. All of which continue to be published. Sometimes as cover-to-cover graphic novels.

I mean, just think about that for a second. Some issues are literally 5-dollar graphic novels. That's a steal as far as I'm concerned, especially with how consistently high the quality of the art is.

[Crowforge]

What's this about robot porn?
There are a few interesting things usually. Against my will I knda like that reverse time vampire thing. The covers are usually nice or so bad they're even more interesting (oh and thanks for mailing the mag in clear plastic). Anywho, it's not like there's an alternative fior this type of stuff.