A recent Comics Reporter article by Ng Suat Tong on “Writing, Collaboration, and Superheroes” (and a rebuttal to it from Chris Allen Online) got us to thinking: Do modern writers give sufficient instruction to artists? How much of what you see on the page came from the writer, and how much from the artist? Are some artists not carrying out the writer’s suggestions, and is that because the artist had a better idea, because the writer’s instructions were impractical, or because the artist is simply, um, not that good?
To explore these questions, Kumar, Mulele, and Tim chose four scripts from the Comicbook Script Archive site, and read them alongside the finished comics that resulted from them: Punisher Max #39, by Garth Ennis and Leandro Fernandez; Y: the Last Man #18, by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra; Daredevil 28, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev; and (the ringer of the lot) Batman: the Killing Joke, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. Here’s the resulting discussion!
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Chris Bachlo’s art has long had a compelling style to it, and yet it was sometimes very difficult to decipher just what was happening on some of his pages. This was perhaps particularly pronounced in his work on Steam Punk with Joe Kelly, back at the turn of the millennium. But his recent work on such Marvel titles as Amazing Spider-Man and New Avengers has been completely clear and easy to understand. What did he change to clear things up? And, by the way — will Steam Punk ever be completed?!
John Siuntres was one of the first comics podcasters back in 2005, and he’s been interviewing big names in American comics ever since. Tim chats with him about his background, how he got started with Word Balloon, and the state of mainstream comics.
Whether it’s Old Man Logan, Days of Future Past, or Dr. Doom’s recent hallucination of a utopian future, possible futures and alternate time-lines are fun for both creator and reader. Tim and Patrik talk about alternate timelines (is there one where Dark Reign is finally over?), plus un-rebooting books, and the lack of new heroes challenging the old guard for popularity.
While he’s never stopped working, Steve Ditko’s most celebrated work was done decades ago, and he’s slammed the door on many opportunities for further success. If sticking to your principles prevents fame and fortune, is your career a failure or a success? Tim and Paul discuss the Fantagraphics coffee table biography “Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko” by Blake Bell.
“Only want 2 see u laughing in the Dark Reign…” Patrik and Tim compare notes on the new Dark Reign status quo, including some of the funnier moments so far.
Marvel’s 2007 “Omega the Unknown” series by Jonathan Lethem was a “paraphrasing” of a Steve Gerber series from the ’70s. How do the two stack up? What does Lethem’s version have to say about Gerber’s? Tim and Paul compare and contrast the two Omegas.
In case you thought this podcast was getting too high-brow, we dispel that notion with some mainstream fanboy talk! Patrik W joins Tim to talk about Secret Invasion, Cable, Amazing Spider-Man, and more!
Phil Hester gives Tim his take on breaking into the Big Two, the future of comics, Robert Kirkman’s manifesto, and more!