The All New Comics Thread 2017+ Edition

[madhair60]

Genuinely or ironically?

In my opinion, very genuinely. Lots of distinctive art styles, when Beano/Dandy were more homogenous than ever.

Also, Bumpkin Billionaires should have been a real sitcom.

[madhair60]

Tom Paterson doing gorgeous two-pagers for Captain Crucial/Watford Gapp, etc. Lew Stringer on Tom Thug/Vampire Brats. J. Edward Oliver on Cliff Hanger and Vid Kid. All joyous. Plus loads of Terry Bave, Sid Burgon new stuff and reprints. Love it mate.

[kidsick5000]

Tom Paterson doing gorgeous two-pagers for Captain Crucial/Watford Gapp, etc. Lew Stringer on Tom Thug/Vampire Brats. J. Edward Oliver on Cliff Hanger and Vid Kid. All joyous. Plus loads of Terry Bave, Sid Burgon new stuff and reprints. Love it mate.

You have given me new purpose in life

[Mister Six]

Joe the Barbarian feels like Grant Morrison pulling a Mark Millar - ie. knocking out a Hollywood pitch in comic form without caring overmuch about how good it is. I felt the same way about Happy! but at least here there's rather more charm and a few great ideas and lines, even if lacks Morrison's usual frenetic conceptual craziness and thematic depth.

Joe is a young diabetic whose soldier dad has died in Afghanistan and whose mother is struggling to keep a roof over their heads. While home alone one stormy night, Joe lets his blood sugar fall too low and begins to lapse into a hallucinatory coma in which his house turns into a fantastical land populated by living toys and sinister monsters. It's Labyrinth meets Toy Story meets Home Alone, basically.

As he struggles to make it to the fridge where his life-saving cans of soda are, Joe imagines himself (or is it real? Ahhh) going on a quest to save the land from eternal darkness. Sean Murphy's gorgeous, intricate art is the real selling point here, but there are still some decent jokes and ideas too. It's crying out for Jane Goldman to come and rework it into a rollicking family film, mind you.

[Artie Fufkin]

Joe the Barbarian feels like Grant Morrison pulling a Mark Millar - ie. knocking out a Hollywood pitch in comic form without caring overmuch about how good it is. I felt the same way about Happy! but at least here there's rather more charm and a few great ideas and lines, even if lacks Morrison's usual frenetic conceptual craziness and thematic depth.

Joe is a young diabetic whose soldier dad has died in Afghanistan and whose mother is struggling to keep a roof over their heads. While home alone one stormy night, Joe lets his blood sugar fall too low and begins to lapse into a hallucinatory coma in which his house turns into a fantastical land populated by living toys and sinister monsters. It's Labyrinth meets Toy Story meets Home Alone, basically.

As he struggles to make it to the fridge where his life-saving cans of soda are, Joe imagines himself (or is it real? Ahhh) going on a quest to save the land from eternal darkness. Sean Murphy's gorgeous, intricate art is the real selling point here, but there are still some decent jokes and ideas too. It's crying out for Jane Goldman to come and rework it into a rollicking family film, mind you.

Loved the artwork, but struggled with the story. Had some great ideas in it, however. So may give it another read. Agree that it would probably make a great film.

EDit - Does this sound like I'm just being a tit? Apologies if it does.

[Mister Six]

Well you're agreeing with me so I hope not, otherwise that would make me a tit too!

[Artie Fufkin]

True, dat.
Anyhoo, I re-read the first 2 issues last night, and coming at it from a Labyrinth kinda way really helped. I loved it, in fact.

[kidsick5000]

Joe the Barbarian feels like Grant Morrison pulling a Mark Millar - ie. knocking out a Hollywood pitch in comic form without caring overmuch about how good it is.

I can't begrudge comic creators doing this. (Hopes I don't have said otherwise before)
When you look at things like the Marvel movies (and this is not saying anything about the craft and quality put into those) but if you create something genre changing/the accepted take on a character it must be galling in some way top only get a credit mention and possibly a ticket to the premiere.

So why not make your own IP and stick those ideas in a near-workable pitch.

I reckon there's going to be an issue with outlets for IPs soon. You might get a windfall payout, but who knows who'll get to watch it.
There's about to be a streaming battle that I don't think everyone will survive.

[Mister Six]

On the other hand it's a bit galling to spend $15 on a miniseries in monthly installments only to find that it was shat out as a money-making long game.

I've got more patience for Morrison doing it than Millar, since the latter has basically turned his entire career into just that whereas Morrison still puts out quality, thoughtful work (and is talented enough that even Joe the Barbarian is charming and funny).

[Kelvin]

The issue itself is fun, still let down by Ryan and Yaz being rubbish but otherwise it's a nice, low key but enjoyable story.

Well, they've only had 20 stories to work out what they're for. You can't expect miracles. 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Taken to reading the old Mad comics from issue #1, only on issue 3 so far and it's already pretty rewarding. Will probably have more to say when they really hit their stride

[kidsick5000]

On the other hand it's a bit galling to spend $15 on a miniseries in monthly installments only to find that it was shat out as a money-making long game.

Have there been many of the really bad ones though? I know Millar was guilty in the early days – Nemesis comes to mind where the last issue felt like an exposition dump of utter nonsense – but which are the most blatant?

[Mister Six]

Have there been many of the really bad ones though? I know Millar was guilty in the early days – Nemesis comes to mind where the last issue felt like an exposition dump of utter nonsense – but which are the most blatant?

Nemesis, Kick-Ass, Wanted, Kingsman, the one with the son of Satan (Chosen?) all spring to mind. All listless fluff that take a decent elevator pitch and spin it out to not much effect, probably with a bit of shock value (usually rape) to get the internet talking, all needing someone like Jane Goldman to come along and strip out the adolescent posturing, add some character and charm, and spin the straw into gold.

I mean, fuck it, it's working for him, but it's a bit grim.

[kidsick5000]

Wanted is an interesting case. Still the same shock tactics – this is also the same man who called his short-lived comic magazine CLINT in the hope of a bad typeface and unwitting kerning would spell something rude (*tee hee*) – but a much fuller story.
Yet he played chess with it. Let a knight be taken in order to get a higher standing in the game (and this was before Iron Man and Marvel were a big deal).
He gave it over to the studio and let them strip it of his story, keeping only a skeleton of reference.
But he played the game. Promo'd it on his website and forum. Defended the changes. Got his foot in.

I expect Netflix will be approaching a number of comics creators now. With Disney+ coming, they need some new draws to make up for the dearth of Marvel films

[chveik]

apparently there's going to be a Black Hammer tv series

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/movies/black-hammer-comic-book.html

[Monsieur Verdoux]

been reading loads of Archie comics as light reading while i'm ill and they're charming, they kind of ran out of decent stories in the 70s though

[madhair60]

been reading loads of Archie comics as light reading while i'm ill and they're charming, they kind of ran out of decent stories in the 70s though

those comics are so fucking weird. They're like The Beano but with constant nubile young women in swimsuits

[madhair60]

Walking Dead #192 christ's sake

[Monsieur Verdoux]

those comics are so fucking weird. They're like The Beano but with constant nubile young women in swimsuits

oh yeah the artists are unbelievably pervy. women always sticking their chests out etc.

[madhair60]

its hot I like it

also i identify more with Jughead than any other fictional character, Jughead is absolutely based

[studpuppet]

those comics are so fucking weird.

Try watching Riverdale on Netflix - one of my daughters watched it and it took me half of the first episode to realise, "Hey, I know these people!"

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Jughead is an absolute king, just eating and not giving a fuck, god tier shit. much better than Archie who is just a stupid fucking cunt

[Hemulen]

I really enjoyed Mark Waid's recent-ish Archie reboot (having never previously read any Archie whatsoever). Unlike Riverdale, it did a good job of transposing the characters into a vaguely 21st century world without losing the innocence and whimsy that I expect is a big part of the original's charm. Shame it only lasted 32 issues.

[kidsick5000]

Walking Dead #192 christ's sake

I'll bite. Why? What's happened?

[madhair60]

I'll bite. Why? What's happened?

Massive spoiler: Rick fucking dies

[kidsick5000]

been reading loads of Archie comics as light reading while i'm ill and they're charming, they kind of ran out of decent stories in the 70s though

Archie comics have a lot of variety though. They traditional version is a constant big seller with numbers some Superhero titles will envy. Possibly, iirc because the comics are available more readily outside of the comic shops.
There seems to be a lighter touch and willingness to experiment editorially.
So now there are spin-offs with Archie as a werewolf, Zombie Archie, Vampironica, crossovers with Red Sonja and Vampirella (very weird).
The Netflix developments have only made them bigger.

oh yeah the artists are unbelievably pervy. women always sticking their chests out etc.

There's also that. See the Adam Hughes Betty And Veronica mini series.
And of course the Red Sonja and Vampirella spin-off.
Lot's of artists champing at the bit to draw pillow fights, cheerleader routines and impromptu dips in the creek

[kidsick5000]

Massive spoiler: Rick fucking dies

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Archie comics have a lot of variety though. They traditional version is a constant big seller with numbers some Superhero titles will envy. Possibly, iirc because the comics are available more readily outside of the comic shops.
There seems to be a lighter touch and willingness to experiment editorially.
So now there are spin-offs with Archie as a werewolf, Zombie Archie, Vampironica, crossovers with Red Sonja and Vampirella (very weird).
The Netflix developments have only made them bigger.

yeah i've been going through a lot of them chronologically and they really ran out of steam in the 80s and 90s, really shit, except for the Love Showdown which was at least a bit novel, but there's a massive upswing in quality in about 2008-2009, and now as you say there's loads of variety in storytelling, art style, etc. seems to be a second peak period at the moment. actually shed a tear at bits of 'The Married Life', a fucking Archie comic made me shed a tear. fuck me

[Monsieur Verdoux]

got a bundle on comixology that has 'Afterlife of Archie', 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina', the 2015 reboot v1 and the comic based in the continuity of the Riverdale tv series (which I haven't seen). dipping into all tjhat shit and will report back

[Monsieur Verdoux]

There's also that. See the Adam Hughes Betty And Veronica mini series.
And of course the Red Sonja and Vampirella spin-off.
Lot's of artists champing at the bit to draw pillow fights, cheerleader routines and impromptu dips in the creek

of course you've got Dan DeCarlo, who established the house art style somewhat after it started, basically being a pin ups guy

LINKS ARE SOMEWHAT NSFW:

https://secureservercdn.net/ip-ac.mwp2.iad2.godaddy.com/4f8.02e.godaddywp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Dan-Decarlo.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ef/58/a6/ef58a66bfc7f8a9ee299df44f62312e8.jpg