What’s the Deal With All the Crappy Comics
Friday, June 16th, 2006While I was at work yesterday looking at comic book art I found out that there was a new series of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe out. I was so excited - I got the “deluxe” edition (i.e. the second series) and it was great. A new edition has been long overdue and I thought it would be a good way for me to find out what’s been going on in comics all these years. So I rushed over to RX Comics right after work (it’s 2 blocks away) and I saw several issues. I could have done better art than that. Seriously. What a turnoff. I was so disappointed. What looks like happened is that some art by original good artists have been retooled. Check out what Alan Davis writes on his forum:
The OHMU editor told me that he believed I deserved to be credited with any work which has been ‘resourced’ (traced or composed) from an image I had originally drawn. While I appreciate the good intention behind this gesture, as I explained in the posting on my website ‘Credit where Credit’s due?’, I don’t regard any image that does not utilise the original line work as my work– And I have asked not to be credited for the ’swiped’ images in future. The Cerise image was drawn by Chris Marrinan and Audwynn Newman but mistakenly credited to me.
What an outrage! Unbelievable. Then I see they’ve collected the old deluxe edition into TPB volumes - only without the colour? Huh?!? I left the comic store, dejected and bewildered. I am really amazed that people like Stewie can sift through the mountains of crap at the comic store to come home with some goodies. My hat is off to you. And thank god for that ’cause I look stupid in hats.
Here’s some nice, clean, solid comic book art by Alan Davis:
