Congrats to ADDTF for one solid year of reading comics naked.

Also, welcome back ADD and In Sequence.

Did I miss anyone?

 


I very rarely buy new comics anymore. I know I should, but the history of comics is so much larger than most people give it credit for, and that history is considered so disposable, that you can always find classic material in used bookstores. And you don't have to break the bank for it.

So I picked up a new comic today. Catwoman Secret Files. The simple reason I could say for giving in is that it is mostly drawn by new Catwoman artist and Barbelith member Cameron Stewart and I'm just showing my support. The real reason is a little harder to explain.

"I felt restricted by the set in cement layout-but came to like it, for forcing me to rely all the more on each panel's interiors, much like the unchanging frame of the motion picture or TV screen-it's what one frames within it that counts, and not the size and shape of that frame." - Alex Toth.

It's not that Stewart doesn't change the panel size to fit his needs. But in his first story in the comic, he starts with a 9-panel grid, then switches to an 8-panel for the remaining seven pages, occasionally enlarging panels for emphasis, but always within the grid. While some would argue that this restricts his ability to tell the story, and they may be right, what it adds is a rhythm. When those big panels show up, they create an emphasis all the more striking for it's contrast to the panels previous. This might not sound like a whole lot of fun, but it adds a tempo to the acting happening within the panels without distracting from it. It's a more subdued story that serves to flesh out the secondary character of Slam Bradley, and the artwork suits it perfectly.

It's all so perfectly old-school. Each page is almost like a Sunday adventure strip by Cainiff or Robbins. Hell, it's been awhile since I've seen the use of 14 panels in a mainstream title.



The other reason I couldn't stop flipping through the book as I repeatedly passed by it in the shop was because the cover, monochromatic colour and panel layout also reminded me somewhat of the work of Pablo Ferro, specifically the title sequence to the Thomas Crown Affair. Catwoman has 60s cool written all over it. Surprising, isn't it? It's the type of book that you used to pick up at the convenience store and know that it wouldn't disappoint. You're not taking a chance with it. You're guaranteed solid, clear storytelling and a good read on a sunny Sunday afternoon
posted by Steven at 11:34 AM

 


Over on Shane Glines'site, Pixar employee and artist supreme Ronnie del Carmen has written a lovely little piece on his meeting with Hayao Miyazaki, the acclaimed director of My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and the recently released Spirted Away, among others. Del Carmen's story completely reminds me of the few times I've bumped into a living legend, most recently Joe Kubert. Just change the names and almost anybody can relate the same thing. There's something almost magical about Pixar, arguably the current best feature animation studio in the West, fawning over someone who can walk down the street without being recognized by most anybody. It's when you meet someone who has it so together that you can't even envision touching their heights. Though it doesn't hurt to try.



On a related note, I was surprised to find out that Shane Glines considers Jack Kirby to be the "greatest comic book artist of all time." "King" Kirby is cited so much already, and Shane has such a deep appreciation for the history of cartooning, that you would think someone else would top the list. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. He adds that John K. (of Ren and Stimpy fame) is also a big Kirby fanatic.



People more intelligent than me have explored Kirby's appeal, and I'm sure I'l take a stab at it some day, but I was reminded of all this when my brother revealed to me that he hated Kirby. Lordy, how many times have I heard that. Like many people, it took me awhile to warm up to Kirby's work. As a kid you're so impressed by fancy, realistic rendering that you pass over the dynamic, at times ugly, exploration of the form that Kirby was capable of. After my own Kirby obsession started, my friends would often make fun of me for liking such craggy artwork. One day I popped in the tribute episode of Prisoners of Gravity and there wasn't a dry eye left in the house. From then on I've had to duke it out with my pals for any Kirby comics we come across. I think there are certain stages in appreciation for any artform, and in comics it's the realization that artwork which was once tossed aside in favour of something with more flash is now a good, solid primer in the true meaning of the form. It needn't be Kirby, either. I know many people who have good reason to not enjoy his work. But almost every intelligent comic reader I know has had to dig that much deeper into Herge, Schulz, Herriman, and/or many other masters of the field to find the wonder that comics hold.
posted by Steven at 11:29 AM

 
"Thou must now attend my every word! Empty thy minds of all earthly thought...as I lead thee...in spirit...far beyond this lonely mortal vale!"
-Thor #143

I have been a member of the Barbelith Underground message board for a few years now. One of it's many off-shoots was the Barbelith Collective, a kind of official blog service that allowed long-standing members to report on the world's happenings. Like many such projects, problems arose, and head honco Tom Coates has decided to shut it down. One of the Collective members, Jack Fear, has written a response to the shut-down, detailing which steps could be taken to ensuring a Collective that actually works out. One of these ideas is to turn the blogs into topic-specific, individually controlled news services. Tighten the screws a little. Guarantee at least a weekly update.

This brings us up to the point of my decision to revive the long dormant Flat Earth livejournal. I am going to take action and devote at least one weekly installment of news, opinions and ideas about the world of comics specifically, with a smattering of animation, illustration and the odd personal tidbits thrown in for good measure. I can't say that I'm the best qualified to partake in something like this seeing as my taste in comics is not really in line with most of the posters on Barbleith. Also I find writing and computer usage to be difficult, but I think it's definitely worth getting involved in something like this. And I don't know whether this will have any bearing or be integrated into Barbleith at all, but it's probably a safer bet to test out a new idea before getting Tom to put his time and resources into it.

I'll leave it at that for now. Now that we have the preamble out of the way, tomorrow you can expect the first entry in what will hopefully be a long and fun-filled journey.

Excelsior!
posted by Steven at 11:25 AM