Random, Ill-Formed Comic Thoughts Machine Go!
- My theory on the whole Archie changing-its-art-style kerfuffle: it's New Coke all over again. They'll do a few stories in this new style, get a lot of coverage, and then announce they're bringing back the classic style to applause and accolades. I also wonder at how the "realistic" style would work in the digest form that currently allows them to mix and match stories from the last five decades with very little discrepancy, but Sims, being the sort of guy that reads Sabrina, says that particular title regularly uses a title page to say a witch sent her back to the 8th grade or something. So, that's probably what they'll do if it continues, which I don't think will happen.
- One of the reasons I really liked Cooke's take on The Spirit seems to be something that some people have picked up on, taking it as a negative: he doesn't ape Eisner at all. He takes this character, this perfectly formed sliver of creation, and puts it in his world. I find that a lot more invigorating than doing a "Gus Van Sant remakes Psycho" sort of approach.
- I actually saw a "Comics Are Still For Kids!" headline the other day, but completely forgot to bookmark the article. I am kicking myself rather hard for that. However, here's a "we need to fill column inches" article about a young comics creator in Nebraska.
- Speaking of my leaky memory, I've not seen any discussion about the new comics-based Wiki that cropped up. No, I'm not contributing to it, but I'm sure somebody out there has the time...
- I don't know how to take the last paragraph in this slightly-bizarre, poorly written review1 of New York Press review of the first season Justice League Unlimited on DVD.
It's said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and the future of this comics-based world stands on a knife's edge. References are made to an alternate reality, where Superman kills Lex Luthor and the newly anointed "Justice Lords" set themselves up as godlike rulers of humanity. As the episodes progress, this alternate reality begins to look more like an inescapable destiny. One that many a comic geek would like to call home.
I've yet to meet these fascist comic nerds, but with the conservative streak that some display, maybe the desire to be crushed under Superman's boot is out there.
1Seriously, there's some editing needed on this bad boy. Check out the first sentence: Essentially a continuation of "Justice League," "Justice League: Unlimited" is a continuation of the earlier series that features DC Comics' premier super-squad but with some important differences like a wider range of characters and a subtle format change that encourages increased continuity and mostly does away with the two-part episode configuration that characterized the earlier seasons.
