Comments on: John Seavey's Storytelling Engines: Ghost Rider http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/ Comic Book Resources Presents... Comics Should Be Good! Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:32:54 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Greg Hatcher http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55605 Greg Hatcher Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:08:21 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55605 <blockquote>I’ll give one hint–it’s a Marvel Essential, not a DC Showcase Presents.</blockquote> I can think of several candidates. It's what screenwriters call "Gilligan syndrome" -- solve the problem set up in the premise and the series is over. The most obvious possibilities I can see on my Essentials shelf are Killraven and Godzilla, though you also can make a good case for Werewolf by Night, Tomb of Dracula, and the Hulk all being saddled with the same thing. Watching writers struggle with that problem on the Hulk is one of the reasons that title has been so weird over the years.

I’ll give one hint–it’s a Marvel Essential, not a DC Showcase Presents.

I can think of several candidates. It's what screenwriters call "Gilligan syndrome" -- solve the problem set up in the premise and the series is over. The most obvious possibilities I can see on my Essentials shelf are Killraven and Godzilla, though you also can make a good case for Werewolf by Night, Tomb of Dracula, and the Hulk all being saddled with the same thing. Watching writers struggle with that problem on the Hulk is one of the reasons that title has been so weird over the years.

]]> By: John Seavey http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55581 John Seavey Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:14:46 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55581 I'd assume that he's after his father, Fu Manchu...but by setting up the defeat of a single enemy as his goal, you either set the series up as a finite one (he defeats Fu Manchu, and goes home), set him up as doomed to futility (Fu Manchu always gets away), or else have to later find something for him to do once he's defeated his father...ie, find a new status quo once the false one's completed. Incidentally, anyone want to take guesses as to what column will cover the "false status quo" in detail? I'll give one hint--it's a Marvel Essential, not a DC Showcase Presents. I'd assume that he's after his father, Fu Manchu...but by setting up the defeat of a single enemy as his goal, you either set the series up as a finite one (he defeats Fu Manchu, and goes home), set him up as doomed to futility (Fu Manchu always gets away), or else have to later find something for him to do once he's defeated his father...ie, find a new status quo once the false one's completed.

Incidentally, anyone want to take guesses as to what column will cover the "false status quo" in detail? I'll give one hint--it's a Marvel Essential, not a DC Showcase Presents.

]]> By: Omar Karindu http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55384 Omar Karindu Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:58:51 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55384 What was Shang-Chi's false status quo? What was Shang-Chi's false status quo?

]]> By: Brian Cronin http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55375 Brian Cronin Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:35:39 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55375 But with <></> instead of ()(/)! But with <> instead of ()(/)!

]]> By: Bill Reed http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55372 Bill Reed Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:13:45 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55372 It's (blockquote). Yeah, at it's core, the Ghost Rider concept is solid, but it's all the weird convolutions added on that disinterest me. But that's the 90's for you. Me, I'd settle for a well-written series about a hard-travelin' hero with a flaming skull. Who bikekicks dudes in the face with his Hellcycle. It's (blockquote).

Yeah, at it's core, the Ghost Rider concept is solid, but it's all the weird convolutions added on that disinterest me. But that's the 90's for you.

Me, I'd settle for a well-written series about a hard-travelin' hero with a flaming skull. Who bikekicks dudes in the face with his Hellcycle.

]]> By: Ian Astheimer http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55365 Ian Astheimer Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:51:37 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55365 Ha ha. Damn. Okay. Try that again. Is it (quote)blahblah(/quote) with the parentheses replaced by greater than/less than signs? Ha ha. Damn. Okay.

Try that again.

Is it (quote)blahblah(/quote) with the parentheses replaced by greater than/less than signs?

]]> By: Ian Astheimer http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55364 Ian Astheimer Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:50:12 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55364 <i>Blackheart, son of the Devil, or the Orb? Tough choice.</i> The Orb. Every time. (By the way, how do you quote text in word balloons, as seen elsewhere on the site? Is it blahblah?) Blackheart, son of the Devil, or the Orb? Tough choice.

The Orb. Every time.

(By the way, how do you quote text in word balloons, as seen elsewhere on the site? Is it blahblah?)

]]> By: DCD http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/comment-page-1/#comment-55314 DCD Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:58:47 +0000 http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/21/john-seaveys-storytelling-engines-ghost-rider/#comment-55314 False Status Quo = Shang Chi Syndrome False Status Quo = Shang Chi Syndrome

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