Comic Book Resources

Colorforms are fun!

(Spellcheck doesn’t recognize “Colorforms” either. Or Spellcheck.)

Pretty suck overall, but I like sad little Mary Marvel.

Aww boo hoo. Since when did hating everything become so chic? I guess I’m just out of the internet fan loop.

Who said it was chic? I thought it was just funny. To quote a buddy, “Whoa, I think that cover actually went all the way around and hit “Awesome” from the other direction. It made me laugh with delight. The weird Batman sword costume thing is just icing on the crap cake.”

It’s so bad it’s funny! Little Max Lord with the head twisted. Sad Superman! Sad Mary Marvel! Sad everyone! Ha!

I think I have to agree with Jeff on this one. It seems like everything that the Big Two do and announce on the internet is just a free pass for people to complain about. It seems to be the cool thing to just bitch as soon as soon as you see something and then continue to bitch when people call you out on it. The worst part is that the same people continue to by up the products they supposedly hate.

I’m not meaning to trash on you Joe, I just think that Jeff brought up a good point. The “internet comic book fan community” is quickly becoming the “internet sling crap at it before you’ve seen more than a preview page community.”

You can’t deny that’s horribly drawn and really retardulous, though. People criticize too easily, but that’s an awful picture.

Poor widdle sad Superman!

And I’m hardly negative about comics. I frickin LOVE ‘em! And there’s great ones to read all the time!

Just not this!

it reminds me of a crazy role playing game module cover.

that said, i am pretty sure the point was to get people talking, stimulate questions, yadda-yadda.

for that is has been quite effective.

and it is far better than the last page of infinite crisis.

Yeah! Mission accomplished, DC! Discussion threads all over the internet entitled “To What Degree Does This Suck?”

Hey, I’m not complaining. I just think it looks boring.

And as long as most superhero comics utterly fail to capture my interest, I have more money for excellent comics like Usagi Yojimbo, Scott Pilgrim, and Casanova. So what’s to complain about?

The backwards head is funny.

“Since when did hating everything become so chic?”

What makes you think that has anything to do with it? Maybe someone just hates something because THEY DON’T LIKE IT.

I’m tired of people complaining that folks aren’t happy enough. Get off my back, stepford.

Hey, maybe some of you out there collapsed under the pressure of all the shlock the Big Two have been foisting on you, but if I see something that’s crap, I’m going to call them on it. I love comics too damn much not to.

Sweet thundering Jebus on a pogo stick, I hate comics.

At least, the ones that suck.

Hey, if I snuff it in a huge conflict, I absolutely encourage you all to stand around doing nothing, crying over your own problems, ignoring your dead girlfriend’s corpse down there (that is Jade, right?). Oh, and totally don’t, like, bury me or cover me with a sheet or anything.

Hey, maybe this is going to be cool. Maybe this is just a promo piece and not representative of any actual scene in the storyline. Maybe not. I bagged out of the crossovers after Countdown, so who knows.

Yeah, it’s just yet another version of the “you’re just saying that because _____” argument that I hate with the passion of a million suns.

If you think Joe is wrong, and the picture is good, feel free to tell him so. But if you DON’T think the picture is good, then it is absurd to complain about Joe saying the picture is bad.

Making the silly argument even more foolish is that Joe posted NOT A HALF HOUR EARLIER about how much love there was for Mouse Guard.

Not a HALF HOUR EARLIER he’s posting about a great comic, but then he posts about some crappy looking promo from DC, and suddenly, he’s “just saying that because hating everything is chic.”

Please, folks, if you don’t want to read people ever saying something negative about bad comic books, do not read this site.

Perhaps because of the generally pervasive “too kewl for school” attitude that gloms around so much of the internet fanboy world? Hating things is chic.

You can’t deny that’s horribly drawn and really retardulous, though.

Yes, I can. I, in fact, see no horribility or retardification at all…

“Hey, if I snuff it in a huge conflict, I absolutely encourage you all to stand around doing nothing, crying over your own problems, ignoring your dead girlfriend’s corpse down there (that is Jade, right?). Oh, and totally don’t, like, bury me or cover me with a sheet or anything.”

That was beautiful. I nearly wept.

Perhaps because of the generally pervasive “too kewl for school” attitude that gloms around so much of the internet fanboy world? Hating things is chic.

Nothing to do with this topic.

Yes, I can. I, in fact, see no horribility or retardification at all…

Seriously? The Colorforms stiff figures blatantly pasted on? The silliness of sad superheroes? That’s nice art to you?

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Mary Marvel.

Green Lantern: Oh shit! Is that my ex? Alright, Kyle. Stay calm. Pretend you don’t see her…

Black Canary: I wonder if anyone else smells that. Jesus Christ, Diana. I didn’t know the cabbage soup diet was so big on Themysicira.

Flash: Ahhh! Slippy! Falling!

This is what the DC heroes would look like if they grew up in the world of the Smallville tv seres: everyone crying all the time.

It’s about time Batman started wearing a dress. Who did hthink he was fooloing?

Nothing to do with this topic.

Except for the question about why someone would think hating things is chic, which was, as a quick scoll up revealed (yes, I had to double check, because I forgot) was in this topic. Not saying it’s your attitude specifically, just that it’s all over the place. Remember, I regularly read diatribes by people who think calling the company “Has-blow” is witty, insightful and contributing to the dialogue.

And as for the art, the only thing exceedingly Colorformy is the colors, not the forms. It’s that strange halo around the characters that suggests the sun is setting immediately between them and the city in the background. As far as an abstract representation (of story) goes, it’s fine. Most of the people standing there are actually interacting with the Planet of the Apes’ Forbidden Zone pretty naturally - I just don’t know what Big Barda is supposed to be looking at. Or why she’s there at all…

Most of the characters have no actual physical relation to the background, yo. They literally look pasted on. The physicality of the entire piece is off.

That is a truly hideous drawing. And DC’s using that as a promotional image? Da fug?

So how did Elseworlds Batman end up in this universe?

Green Arrow and Doctor Midnite are totally checking out Black Canary’s rack.

CRY, you big blue pussy! Cry like the alien pussy you are! Boo hoo hoo, you pussy.

Superman does not cry. Superman may, occasionally, FAKE crying to get an extreme close-up look at Wonder Woman’s knockers. This is because of Kryptonian super-intelligence.

Superman does not cry. Superman may, occasionally, FAKE crying to get an extreme close-up look at Wonder Woman’s knockers. This is because of Kryptonian super-intelligence.

Pffh. Superman is no I-Ching.

Because I have no idea how to quote someone on here even though I’m sure I’ve seen it explained at least once before, yo go re said, “Perhaps because of the generally pervasive ‘too kewl for school’ attitude that gloms around so much of the internet fanboy world? Hating things is chic.”

I hate the word kewl, but only because I don’t think it’s been used besides a “I’m trying to be ironic or mocking by saying it” way in a long time. Hating things just to hate them is chic, but that has nothing to do with comics or this blog entry that I saw.

Yo go re also said, “Yes, I can. I, in fact, see no horribility or retardification at all.”

I think you’re just saying that to disagree with Joe. At least, I hope so because while I love comics, many of them from DC, that is not a good image. I explain why I think so in a thread Joe created about this on CBR’s Community board, but it’s too long to put here. The only thing I disagree with Joe about is the “dumb costumes” comment. Unless he meant Superman continuing to wear red briefs, but that’s something I’ve wanted to change probably since I first started reading comics. And very likely was in no way what Joe meant.

“Yes, I can. I, in fact, see no horribility or retardification at all…”

Artist: Hey guys, I got it! The best way to symbolically illustrate someone with a broken neck is to twist their head around backwards! That’s what people with broken necks ALWAYS look like!

It’s a DC superhero comic. Of course it sucks,

Frankly, I’m just tired of the “Big Event” comics. If they occurred less often, it would mean more when the heroes finally got together to square off against a big menace. However, for the past 2-3 years, Marvel and DC have had wall-to-wall “Big Events.”

Joe Quesada likes to tell the story of the aspiring artist who drew every panel like it was the biggest, most exciting, dramatic moment in comics. So Quesada engages in a thought experiment with the kid, where he gives the kid certain scenarios involving the Joker, and challenges the artist to tell how he would illustrate the scene. Quesada starts small and increasingly escalates the stakes. The artist bites, making everything new scene cooler and more bombastic than the last. Finally, Quesada says, “Then the Joker detonates a nuclear bomb.” The artist is stumped, because he’s painted himself into a creative corner. If every event is the most important, earth-shaking, most awesome thing ever, it kind of loses it’s impact, doesn’t it?

I wish Quesada would tell Dan Didio that story, and then take his own advice.

By the way, why can’t mainstream superhero comics just be fun anymore?

The only thing missing is Pantha’s head rolling past Flash’s leg.

I think the costumes and poses look great, though. They have that iconic “tell you a little about the character-drawn by Jose Louis Garcia-end up on a Slurpee Cup” look. But they are colorform for sure. Barda looks big and awesome like she should, but where is Ollie’s hat?

Is this from a comic? With a story? At first I thought it was meant to be a primer on Infinite Crisis in poster form, but then there’s Batman in pirate drag. Da fug?

The only thing missing from that picture is Charlton Heston.

Given the odd assortment and postioning of characters, I’m guessing they were going for a Sopranos-esque “symbolic teaser” type of image, as opposed to a truly dynamic spread. I don’t think the negative comments acting like this is going to actually appear (or already did) mid-story in some upcoming book make a lot of sense…well, at least not yet. If you don’t like the art, that’s your call.

As far as the online comics community is concerned, the sites I enjoy the most are the ones that celebrate what they enjoy about comics (past, present, Big Two, indie, spandex, non-spandex) and may turn me on to something I didn’t know about or revisit a series I enjoyed, as opposed to those that seem to revel in bitching about what’s wrong. Not saying there’s no room for criticism, but The Snark can get tired very quickly IMO.

I think the costumes and poses look great, though.

Really? What about Superman’s leg? That looks really awkward to me. And Flash definitely looks like he’s slipping. And Kyle looks like a doofus, as always.

It’s hard to look heroic when you’re weeping in cleavage. But Superman can.

Look.
I’m a professional illustrator and please allow me to give my 2cents on this one.

It’s not “fine art” or anything, and, truthfully, I’m NOT a big fan of DC characters (or characterization), BUT with the exception of ION (Kyle Raynor) and WONDER GIRL (is she back in that costume again? Cool.)..everyone else is positioned fairly naturally within their respective places on the Planet of the Apes” backdrop.

And THOSE TWO have a little “glowing effect” around them, to indicate some power is keeping them “levitated”, and not actually touching any surface.

GREEN ARROW looks a little off, (his left foot should be tilted more towards the surface he’s standing on, or his entire leg should be bent away from it with the knee facing us and the sole of his boot resting firmly against the “ground”), but he IS holding on to a spire to counter-balance himself (even though he doesn’t appear to be using any strength to do so. Not correct, but I’ll give it a pass.

FLASH looks a little bit between “slipping” and “gradually letting himself down” from the point where he is holding the spire. For anyone else, it’d be fine.
But this is FLASH. He shouldn’t be in a position like that for long enough for this “picture” to be taken.

SUPERMAN is so OBVIOUSLY faking, because he’s holding his right leg up via conscious effort.
There’s nothing to support it.
It’s POSITIONING is physically accurate, IF he had it resting on something.
(But he gets to rest his head in the Wondrous Woman and stare into her “Paradise Valley”. Also, he’s trying to slide his hand up her thigh. But she’s having none of that.)

MARY MARVEL & WONDER WOMAN are beautifully drawn and are the ONLY soft and expressive bits to the piece.
Kudo’s on those two.

Yes, it’s “Colorforms”, but the positioning of most of the characters is fairly consistent with where they are standing/sitting.

Artistically, the main problem is that EVERYTHING is lit incorrectly (the light appears to be coming from upper right - look at Green Arrow’s arm-shadow and most of the spires, etc.. THEN, look at Mary Marvel.
She is lit from the left).
Everyone and everything else has “omni-lighting”. Light coming from all over.

ALSO, EVERYTHING in the pic is IN FOCUS.
Foreground, mid-ground, background, FAR-background are all sharp and clear.

That makes it look even more fake.

So, to summerize:

Overall picture = poor (mostly due to light and focus)

“Stage” = everything is drawn quite nicely. Just too in focus.

FIGURES = good (not great. Some seem off. ALL seem stiff, except MARY & WW).

The DEAD: hilarious. And that is the saddest part of it all.

~P~
P-TOR

I’m not sure why everyone is so upset. I have good information that tells me that the image is just the background for a new licenseing effort from DC. You can check out a comp for the new ad here …

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/79/369552155_d9f3b16de3_o.jpg

I do think Joe is being a little hasty - not about the art style, which is more stiff than I’d like - but about what he assumes to be the content of the story. I absolutely despise stories that are just about superheroes sitting around and moping, whether it’s Sad Avengers or Superhero Rape Crisis 2005 or Justice League of Telling not Showing or whatever. But from one image, you can’t tell if the story is about the moping, or about whatever big event led to it. If it’s just about a big bad event, I have no idea if it’ll be good, and neither does Joe.

“Superhero Rape Crisis 2005″

…tea / monitor interface moment.

as someone with a fine arts degree specialising in figure drawing, my two cents or pennies or whatever:

Kyle and whatshername: Yeah, they’re “levitating” through the ring. But that being the case, was it really such a stretch for the artist to NOT make them look like they’re actually supposed to be standing on the ground? Look at those feet - they’re basically identical to Barda / Scott. When was the last time you EVER saw someone levitating in an otherwise completely “on the ground” standing pose?

Superman: Aside from his thrusting knee..don’t know what they were thinking there….his other leg looks wrong somehow. Maybe the red trunks aren’t helping but his knee looks way too high up the leg.

red robin looks like a cardboard cutout, and again, something looks off with the right leg of the flash. I know its likely an accurate drawing, but maybe the pose he’s in is mangling the image in my brain. the only character that actually looks weighted in the image is batman - all the rest (even mary) look like they could just float out of the image at any time.

as for the dead bodies - oh man. are we really supposed to think all their lower extremities are simply buried by rock, even when Jades left arm just seems to….well…vanish weirdly? its like they couldn’t decide whether to go with rocks or some weird fadeout thing.

As for Maxwell Lord looking like an action man figure with his head twisted round….no. Just……..no.

I don’t know much about Phil Jimenez’ work process, but I think some of those lighting/shading errors might be attributed to the colorist. And I’m no Jimenez fan.

I’ll be interested to see if this sells as well as Infinite Crisis or Civil War. There seems to be a lot of crossover fatigue evident in the comments I’ve read here and elsewhere, but I’m skeptical of this sentiment lasting through the summer. Also, I bet you’ll all be whistling a different tune if, by some bizarre turn of fate, it turns out Grant Morrison is writing this. (I’ll probably be joining you, truth be told.)

You’re a bad man, Fred.

I just came across THIS, and wonder if it was used as “inspiration”:

http://sopranosonlocation.4t.com/season5/Sopranos-Season5F.jpg

Oh, and Paperghost,

Yeah, I would have included in my critique the “standing” feet on the obviously levitating characters, but, sadly almost EVERY levitating superhero is drawn with flat “standing” feet (or the other extreme - pointing straight down like a ballerina).

It’s something that has annoyed me forever.

~P~
P-TOR

At least Marvel had a bad ass pic of Hulk tromping on the Marvel U and dressed like Conan drawn by John Romita Jr.

Barbarian Hulk and JR Jr. That I can get behind.

Am I nuts for not dreading DC’s direction in relation to their WWIII image? In hindsight, the image needs work. Best case, it’s a Colorforms set currently being fiddled with by a Monitor. But I don’t share the pessimism that I’ve found online.

If you want to get madder, though, click here. Take a look to the right of Beetle’s knee.