Comic Book Resources

One day, I’m sure, one of these will at the very least make me smile.

I don’t get it.

I am guessing that he is upset that he could not change the fact that Brad Meltzer won an Eisner.

Aww, come on. That’s pretty funny.

Has anyone ever read a Brad Meltzer novel?
Wow, just wow.

Okay,

That was hilarious. The only thing funnier would have been if it included multiple character narration vastly in excess of the actual dialogue.

Mark, I’m not sure if you’re implying that Brad Meltzer’s novels are good or bad with your comment but from the page and a half I read in the back of that JLA issue that reprinted the start of his new one I can tell you that regardless of how much people may or may not enjoy them they are horribly written.

We actually just read this IN a comic book store and everyone laughed their ass off. That said, we are all sneering and pretentious snobs. Based on the last two of these I’m pretty sure this strip is being written for me.

The Eisners are nowhere near a reliable barometer for what the industry thinks. If you want that, listen to the Harveys.

Maybe if one of the characters were obsessed with lasagna, more of you would find the strip funny.

Or I know? How about the guy comic critic is a soldier in the army who’s always goofing off and taking naps, and the girl critic is a general’s secretary who’s always being sexually harassed?

Assertions of it being funny and snark from some of the comments aside, I still don’t get it.

Can someone who finds it funny tell me why it’s funny? I have no context here.

Maybe if one of the characters were obsessed with lasagna, more of you would find the strip funny.

As I have said before, I would settle for something resembling a punchline. Although Garfield sure does hate Mondays!

I’ll bite. What don’t you get? Do you know who Brad Meltzer is? Do you know what the Eisner’s are? Do you understand why a comic fan would be upset that Brad Meltzer got an Eisner? It seems pretty straightforward to me.

I’ve liked the earlier strips, but I have to admit that I didn’t find this one to be very funny. I don’t think the joke was set up very well, the more I have to be explained what the joke is, the less funny I find it. Although on a second view, I did like the change on the characters faces in the third panel. But hey, humor’s totally and completly subjective, and there’s always another strip tomorrow (or next week as it were).

I’m not understanding why a comics fan would be upset that Meltzer got an Eisner. Part of the problem is that I’m not reading many comics anymore, and a lot of the authors who are reviled (other than Claremont) I have no idea why. I’m enjoying the comic here as a whole, but this seems to be the weakest of the bunch.

Why aren’t they having hot sweaty geek sex? BOOO!

I read Book of Fate and it was probably the worst book I have chosen to read in the last 8 years.

Heh, I might have to check out Book of Fate next time at the library. I’m morbidly curious to see if it can top The Book of the Dead (which I got for free at NYCC,) as one of the most clumsily written, inept thrillers I’ve ever read.

I listened to The Millionaires and it was definitely ok.

I think you could stand to be a bit more vicious, Sean. The strip’s not bad, but it seems to be holding back. In fact, the last few I’ve read seem like they want to make fun of people, but avoid saying anything that might hurt their feelings. And I think that’s why the jokes aren’t landing quite right. They’re not quite one thing or the other, and they lose impact because of it. Pick a direction and go all the way.

Those are my two cents. Take it how you will. I thought you deserved to get some constructive criticism, at least. Junk like the comments above doesn’t help anybody.

“Why aren’t they having hot sweaty geek sex? BOOO!”

Because while geek sex is surely sweaty, it’s rarely hot.

Also, they’re cartoons and that’s gross.

This one was funny.

“One day, I’m sure, one of these will at the very least make me smile.”

I too have been giving this strip every chance, but - after nine weeks - I’m now pretty sure it’s never going to happen.

I appreciate that, Dan. And it’s a fair cop; I probably have scaled back on a few of the meaner jabs.

I probably have scaled back on a few of the meaner jabs.

Shucks, I thought that was Brandon’s influence. He is generally regarded as “the nice one” of the CBR mod squad.

Personally, I thought this one was funny, though I can see where some people might have found it a little too ‘inside baseball.’ Although I’m not sure what those people are doing hanging around this blog.

But sure, go ahead and bring the nasty. At least to the level of those delightfully demented action-figure fumetti things your name links to.

Panel 3 totally made me giggle.

I’m not understanding why a comics fan would be upset that Meltzer got an Eisner. Part of the problem is that I’m not reading many comics anymore, and a lot of the authors who are reviled (other than Claremont) I have no idea why. I’m enjoying the comic here as a whole, but this seems to be the weakest of the bunch.

Even without knowing exactly why a fan would be upset about Meltzer winning an Eisner, you should be able to fill in the blanks to make the gag work.

Other than that, it’s a strip about comic fans, made for comic fans - and this one was based around one of the industries big awards, held at it’s biggest, and most covered convention - so I don’t think it’s necessarily Sean and Brandon’s fault if they rely on the reader bringing a little bit of knowledge to the table.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

“Even without knowing exactly why a fan would be upset about Meltzer winning an Eisner, you should be able to fill in the blanks to make the gag work.”

But that requires not being handed everything as the cartoonist buries the joke in overflowing text balloons and exposition. I mean, expecting the reader to interpret the characters’ moods through visual cues, understand the comic impact of timing, and have a working knowledge of common cultural sayings? That’s so amateurish.

Whether or not you think the cartoon is funny (it’s not my cup of tea), the endless dissection of each strip in the comics is relentlessly depressing.

I don’t normally comment on these, but there are so many negative comments that I just wanted to say: I thought it was funny.

Not to try and talk people who don’t like into changing their minds, but just to let the creators know that there are some of us (probably lots of us) who are enjoying this strip, and just don’t generally feel the need to comment. I like the writing and the art, so hopefully you’ll keep it up.

“But that requires not being handed everything as the cartoonist buries the joke in overflowing text balloons and exposition. I mean, expecting the reader to interpret the characters’ moods through visual cues, understand the comic impact of timing, and have a working knowledge of common cultural sayings? That’s so amateurish”

In a way, these comments have become as much of a joke at Meltzer’s expense as the strip itself.

Ok, this one was funny. Mainly cuz I groove on Meltzer hate.

Bully, I agree with you, but how are our comments any different from the others?

I want to start this by saying that I am being sincere in these answers:

Do you know who Brad Meltzer is?
No.

Do you know what the Eisner’s are?
No. I gather they are awards for comic book people.

Do you understand why a comic fan would be upset that Brad Meltzer got an Eisner?
Not explicitly, but I gather he sucks yet still won an award.

I do not read comics (I have read several comic books, just never anything sequential or regular, not even as long as a single story arc outside of the Supreme issues at Wowio). I found this blog through a link some months ago. I read it every day because I like the way Brian Cronin writes. I actually have very little understanding of the comic book industry.

Eldric, I appreciate that you don’t read a lot of comics, I myself haven’t read anything by Brad Meltzer but this, http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/07/28/the-best-single-issue-of-2007/, was only last month. For someone who reads this blog everyday, you obviously don’t read it terribly carefully.

Yeah, I understand people might not know who Meltzer is, I’m less inclined to believe anyone who takes the time to read comic book blogs doesn’t have an inkling of what the Eisners are, but to fault the comic for putting two and two together but not showing their work, and then commenting on it is lame.

Maybe they can start including footnotes to past CSBG posts to help the humor impaired.

Another good one, guys. FWIW, I don’t know how much meaner you really need to get. You’ve called into question the integrity and relevance of the Eisner’s and Meltzer’s talent, if only from the view of a lowly fan.

Wait, Sean Whitmore helps make this? Dammit, I know you can be funnier than this, Sean, some of your posts have been absolutely hilarious! (Hal Jordan punching everyone, ASBAR satire)

“Do you know who Brad Meltzer is?”


Yes

“Do you know what the Eisner’s are?”


Yes, but like most awards (Oscars, Emmys,, etc…) I don’t pay any attention to them.

“Do you understand why a comic fan would be upset that Brad Meltzer got an Eisner?”


Not really. Unless, there are a bunch of comic fans who spend entirely too much time (my opinion) on ranting and raving why they hate ______ (comic writer or artist) on the internet.

No snark here, just honest answers:

Do you know who Brad Meltzer is?
Yes.

Do you know what the Eisner’s are?
Yes.

Do you understand why a comic fan would be upset that Brad Meltzer got an Eisner?
I guess, I didn’t like his run on Justice League.

If that’s the punchline, though, ow. It just was unfunny.

Ted,

I read the blog every day, not the comments. I like Brian’s writing so I read his writing.

All I got from that post was Justice League had the best single issue of 2007.

“Not really. Unless, there are a bunch of comic fans who spend entirely too much time (my opinion) on ranting and raving why they hate ______ (comic writer or artist) on the internet.”

Wait, you don’t understand something, but you have an opinion about it?

A living stereotype.

“Wait, Sean Whitmore helps make this? Dammit, I know you can be funnier than this, Sean, some of your posts have been absolutely hilarious! (Hal Jordan punching everyone, ASBAR satire)”

Somebody never read Brian’s intro pieces.

Sean pretty much does all the writing on the strip. I pitch him ideas for strips time to time, and make suggestions on the wording of things. But I pretty much stick to handling the art and the website.

Plus I find it funny that Brian hasn’t updated it since the 6th strip. It still says “! You can check out the first five strips at the archive”.

Perhaps it is a sly commentary and not a mistake?!?!?

Like maybe I liked the first five and that was it!

Yeah, that’s it! That’s the ticket!

“A living stereotype.”

Apodaca,
Did you actually read what I wrote or did you just want to write something derogatory about me?

What “don’t I understand”? (your words) was
in response to that question: “Do you understand why a comic fan would be upset that Brad Meltzer got an Eisner?” I truthfully answered, not really. I then took a guess that there were a bunch of comic fans spending time ranting and raving about a comic writer or artist that they hate. The (my opinion) was in reference that they spent too much time doing that.

I decide to check out this cartoon (the series of which I’d never seen before) and give a truthful response and I get someone taking shots at what I write.

Teaches me for checking this out in the first place.

I truthfully answered, not really. I then took a guess that there were a bunch of comic fans spending time ranting and raving about a comic writer or artist that they hate. The (my opinion) was in reference that they spent too much time doing that.

Teaches me for checking this out in the first place.

You tried to get a dig in and got called out.

Don’t try fake outrage about it.

Plus I find it funny that Brian hasn’t updated it since the 6th strip. It still says “! You can check out the first five strips at the archive”.

Personally, I like it and hope Brian doesn’t change it.

You tried to get a dig in and got called out.

Don’t try fake outrage about it.

Ah, no Funky Green (?) I actually clicked on this Comics Critic for the first time, read the comments and gave my comment. (I’ve actually gone back and read all the comics in archive since then. None of those made much sense to me either, I guess I don’t read much mainstream comics to know who the most of the names that they’re talking about.)

“Dig in”, a dig in over what? “Called out”? I really don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.

“Dig in”, a dig in over what? “Called out”? I really don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.

Dig in
Whilst admitting you didn’t understand why someone would dislike the writer, you threw in the backhand insult that those that do dislike him spend too much time on the net.

Called Out
Apodaca pointed out that you were saying you were ignorant on the subject, yet still judging those who had an opinion, and he said you were a stereotype.

Fake Outrage
You then tried to act as though Apdoca had gravely insulted you for no reason, when all he did was point out you were judging people for something you admittedly know nothing about.

So I was saying, you threw in a back hand insult about something you apparently know nothing about, and therefore have no right to take umbrage at someone pointing that out.