("Making a living"? On indie monthlies? Hahahaha, etc.)

"Maybe in the 20th anniversery absolute deluxe edition you can include some of them?"

The answer's in the question If we *ever* somehow get to the stage of doing a 20th anniversary Absolute edition of WASTELAND, I promise right here and now that it will include everything.

"Oh, will the trades be full size like the Queen & Country trades or the smaller size such as Spooked and Julius?"

Full size. We might consider doing a digest version *as well*, but not at the cost of a full-size version.

I only just got into them, so I'm working my way through them - might slow down a bit if they are slow, I got the first three in the space of a week and a half.

Those guys own Australian comedy.
And I mean that seriously - everything they do (except maybe Funky Squad) is both a critical and commercial success - be it scripted tv comedy, a discussion tv show, a theatre sports program or the two films they've made.
Hell, my flatmate just brought a DVD boxset of a show they made over ten years ago - still gold.
(and bizarrely, it feels timely).

On the other hand, 7B #3 was the weakest issue of the series yet. I'm hoping the last 2 issues can turn it around, but I've been having some pretty big issues with the pacing of the series in general thus far.

She-Hulk ISN'T hilarious. It's funny, but it's not meant to be a sitcom kind of book, and that's why it's pretty good. When the humor does go into sitcom territory, it's not that good, but usually it just gives us situations and the humor springs from that. But it's not laugh-out-loud funny like, to use your example, Arrested Development was (and I watched it, so don't blame me!).

Picking on the Yanks now, are we? I don't watch either version of The Office, so I can't speak to that. And the only Aussie humor I have any experience with is old D-Generation radio show tapes. Now THAT was funny!

I know - it's not as if they haven't perfected the binding process.
I was shocked it happened on somthing from Dark Horse - in my experience they're quality control is pretty damn good.
Maybe it was just a faulty copy - when I get some time off work (AFTER x-mas) and burn through my pile of trades and get back to it, hopefully it will just be a pleasent reading experience.
I think even if I don't love the first trade to bits I'll pick up the next one - I flicked through a recent issue and like the current artist a lot more (although the first artist isn't bad at all).
Hell, I didn't care for the first arc in Fables at all, yet picked up the 2nd one to see what the fuss was about, and fell in love.
I'm giving that way.

"For me, the first series of She-Hulk is pretty essential, because the second series pretty much follows along from it. And it’s just as good as this series has been."
Okay.
For some reason I'm really skeptical about the series. I've no love for the character, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy the series.
I guess it being a comedy in a law firm I keep getting an David E Kelly vibe from it (and I've already taken that trip before).
Also, although America has produced some damn good comedies/comedians, every time I hear of somthing that's hilarious, I get cautious. The first review by an American saying the US Office was better than the british one, I put down to national pride - but now that it seems to be the consensus(and Arrested Development got cancelled), I've come to the conclusion that Americans like their comedy, as they like everything else, mediocre.
(That's right, I went there).

Oh by the way, I think you should, if you haven't already, check out the GrimJack reprints from IDW. Very, very good stuff.
Great stories, and they waste no time or panel telling them.

Only if you buy a few thousand copies yourself, Funky"

Damn you cynical old hands!
It's like you're saying a text book based on a sci-fi series not from the (ironically called) 'big two' doesn't have a chance!
What happened to the days just after the 90's when everyone thought they'd make Image founders kind of money, and would release more sourcebooks/pin up books than they did issues of their series?

"It’s an extra bonus for those loyal readers, along with the issue covers and letters pages.

Nothing in the WALKING THE DUST pieces is strictly necessary to enjoy the comic story, but for readers who are into the series enough to buy the monthlies, it’s a cool way of delving a bit deeper into the world."

I can see where your're coming from, wanting to make a living and all by getting a return on the monthlies, however being the kinda guy who only buys trades*, I'm a little dissapointed.
I really like worlds that are fleshed out - and feel as though they don't just exist for the story - and I like having somthing more to read after the story proper.
I'm sure the book does flesh the world out, but I imagine as the comic tells the story, and you want as much story as possible per issue, that the text pieces add quite a lot to the texture of the world.
I guess you see it as rewarding the readers of the singles, and I feel as if it's punishing the readers of the trade.
But hey, the grass is always greener, and I'll still be picking it up.
Maybe in the 20th anniversery absolute deluxe edition you can include some of them?

Oh, will the trades be full size like the Queen & Country trades or the smaller size such as Spooked and Julius?

Nothing in the WALKING THE DUST pieces is strictly necessary to enjoy the comic story, but for readers who are into the series enough to buy the monthlies, it's a cool way of delving a bit deeper into the world.

For me, the first series of She-Hulk is pretty essential, because the second series pretty much follows along from it. And it's just as good as this series has been.

I've been enjoying Catwoman the entire time Pfeifer has been writing it, even though early in the run I was not as impressed as I am now. For the first year he was doing just enough to keep me buying it, getting a little better each issue, and since the OYL jump he's been doing much better with it. So it might have seemed like I was underwhelmed, but that's because for a while it wasn't amazing, just good solid comics. Recently it's been getting better exponentially.

The only Virgin book I get is 7 Brothers, so I can't help you there.

And yes, I'm sure Beland would agree!

Thanks for the info, winterteeth. Good to see Chase showing up somewhere! Damn, I keep forgetting to go buy Manhunter and at least form an opinion. To the comic shoppe!

Steve - despite my reservations, it's a fun book. It's brutal, but fun. There's no reason for people not to at least check it out!

Why no text pieces, Antony? I'm curious. I assume it has to do with the economics of the whole thing, but that's a shame.

"Maybe they’ll release them as a seperate book when there’s enough? That would surely be agreat idea that would make lots of money for the creators!"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahaha. Ha. Ha.

Only if you buy a few thousand copies yourself, Funky

As far as artists go, Rudolf is around for the long haul, and his work in upcoming installments is just jaw-dropping. Brutality and mayhem on a hilarious scale. The variant was shipped in a 1-in-15 ratio, so some shops will get it and some won't. Funny you mentioned Risso, as Ulises was his start pupil.

Thanks again, and have an awesome holiday!

-Bald Steve

-Should I check out this She Hulk business? I'm intrigued, but it came out when I was boycotting Marvel for their homophobic comments/policies, so I haven't tried it out.
Should I start with the first trade, or is the relaunch a better jumping on point?

- I musn't have been paying attention - I always thought you were underwhelmed with Catwoman. Or maybe that was just me after I read the name Film Freak.

-Wastelands looks good. The combination of hte old PC game Fallout and Stephen Kings early Dark Tower got me into the whole post-apocalyptic world scenario (particuarly desert settings), and I've liked nearly all of what I've read from Antony Johnston, so I can't wait for the trade. Shame he's not putting in the text pages from the book into it. Maybe they'll release them as a seperate book when there's enough? That would surely be agreat idea that would make lots of money for the creators! (I say knowing full well one of them reads this blog/posts here)

-Anyone know if any of the Virgin books are must reads? I saw some of the art from most of them on Newsarama, and though I'm not usually art driven in my choices, it was pretty enough to make me think I'll be picking some of them up in trade.

"It’s very possible I’m just the dumbest person in the world."

That's what Tom Beland says.

I've been buying Ramayan 3392 AD, which is gorgeously illustrated though the writing needs work but seems to be getting a little better as they go along (which seems to be a common complaint about the Virgin Comics releases).

From my understanding, they've been doing large print runs in order to cater primarily to international markets (India in particular) rather than just focusing on the American direct market. I vaguely remember reading that they've reportedly been doing mid-list Marvel/DC numbers in India? For the life of me I don't recall where I read that though.

Hello? There are plenty of us who didn't even touch Infinite Crisis. For reasons including the lame dialogue.

Dan - We let creators off the hook all the time! Of course we criticize, and that's what we should do, but I didn't see anyone not buying Infinite Crisis because of the lame dialogue, which is what I meant by "letting them off the hook." I suppose I should have said "It's not a reason to NOT buy Hard-Boiled Comics," because there is plenty of other stuff to recommend it, even though the dialogue does need to get better.

What's this 'we' stuff? I don't let anybody off the hook for clunky dialogue, especially if they've been in the industry for years.

We should criticize everybody who writes crappily.