Had a great time talking to Professor Terence Dollard for his PBS show Comic Culture and you can watch it below.
Monday, May 15, 2023
COMIC CULTURE
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Had a great time talking to Professor Terence Dollard for his PBS show Comic Culture and you can watch it below.
Hey Dematteis, remember that time this...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqcJ2dFHNWM
Jack
It is unfortunate that it only seems to count if it is live action and on the big screen, in the world of comic adaptions.
DeleteNow, I do not think Eisner thought that necessarily, or even the majority of creatives...at least consciously. However, the business side often does.
Comics and animation are both mediums that have a lot of respect in other countries, but still lag behind in America. It is improving, but neither is really as reputable.
For creators with very connected stories, especially for writer artists, I think animation makes more sense. The arty is part of the story.
That clip shows The Spirit, but it is true for all of Eisner's work. For works like A Contract With God, or A Life Force would just be two other dramas. Good ones? Probably, but missing something.
The way Eisner drew water and created atmosphere is hard to recreate, and that almost classic Disney way of drawing people stirs .people.
Even the Spirit, as seen in the clip, Eisner's art style gives it an umph that even CGI could not.
The Fourth World is Skinny's Magnum Opus, yet always seem to be forced to be bit players to other characters. Could this era give them a live action movie?
Maybe, but as soon as someone says "boom tube," it becomes a joke. We know this. Just look at Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie series I liked (though I have not seen vol. 3), but let us not pretend it did not turn cosmic Marvel into a series of jokes.
But, we are talking about DC...well, Orion's helmet is pretty cool drawn, but would look goofy in real life. It is not so different from Peacemaker's what did DC do with that character again?
There was talk of Dreadstar TV show at one point. I would rather See it on Adult Swim than on AMC, HBO, Amazon Prime or whatever. Again Starlin's style helps create an atmosphere, especially his designing of aliens. Thanos in the MCU, did not quite look like a starlin creation, and much of that is in how distinct Starlin's faces are. It is hard to convincingly CGI something like that, and still make it look natural.
Make no Mistake, Dreadstar would need a lot of CGI and effects, which means a lot of work smoothing into a singular world. Unlike...say..animation.
continued...
I KNOW, you are about to bring up the DCAU and Harley Quinn. Maybe the DC animated movies...which you yourself have worked on.
DeleteI have only sen a bit of Harley Quinn, but it seems to be more typical adult animated series with DC dressing.
More to the point, all the others are proven quantities. Batman is going to sell, no matter what. Yes, the DC animated movies occasionally go off in lesser known directions, but usually still connected to a known franchise in some way.
It also seems to be marketed to people already, at least somewhat, immersed in the those worlds.
I am talking about the way to use animation as the way to introduce or push a larger understanding of a comic through well done animated movies or series.
A lot of it for indie books, but not only. MAN-Thing, Swamp Thing, Marvel's Tales of the Zombie, Savage Sword of Conan, Deathlok, Starlin;s Warlock saga, the JLI, Denny O'Neil's Question and Grell's Gren Arrow, KIllraven, the 60s Guardians of the Galaxy, DC's (kind of) Forgotten Realms, the JSA (could be a great family animated film). I actually think Sandman would have been better animated than Netflix live action.
An anthology based on Creepy and Eerie comics!
The most frustrating thing...it has already been proven to work. Samurai Jack was partially inspired by Frank Miller's Ronin. He also made Primal for Adult Swim, which I did not see, but looked to be inspired by Devil Dinosaur.
MAybe the Creature Commandos animated movie will change this... if it comes out.
However, if it is turned into a comedy, like Guardians of the Galaxy was, it could still be enjoyable...like Guardians of the Galaxy...but it is not what I am talking about. It is still having to twist it and take a meta look to make it fit, opposed to believing it can be accepted immersed in the same style it was originally, because of the unique medium of animation.
Jack
I love that list of potential animated movies, Jack. I'd watch them all. Heck, I'd write them all!
DeleteAlso...I know this is coming through as Anonymous, but it's me. Site is glitching a little!
Movies, or TV shows. The key is people who want to make something true to the source, and of the highest quality possible.
DeleteIt is a shame animation is in a weird limbo, where is is kind of beloved and respected (your Simpsons, your Pixar) and partially still in the gutter.
Kind of like how comics movies seem to make bank, but if you say the comic was better you may get a look different than if you say the same about the book.
The two mediums really should have gone hand in hand more often.
Jack
Dematteis, I picked up Storm #1, your old acquaintance, Ann Nocenti. It was pretty good... though, I can't say it was shocking shock.
ReplyDeleteIt takes place around the same time as your Magneto book will, and I still think there may have been some coordination, if if you can't remember..
Will this be some kind of oxygen fueled tome? Because I would be willing to put down money she was taking in oxygen at least a little while writing Storm.
Any way, I have some theories about the mindset she was in when writing, and since you two are friends I have to ask... Dematteis, are sucking oxygen when you are writing these issues?
I know, In know, but spare me your addict talk about how you couldn't even be writing it without the occasional oxygen hitting your lungs.
It may be producing good comics, but still, at the cost of being the stereotypical oxygen addicted Italian.
I will buy the comics, but I will also feel guilty for helping reinforce the stereotype.
Jack
P.S. I am sure you are getting sick of being asked this, but in our Captain America $750 story, are we to expect a Bernie Rosenthal appearance?
I won't lie, I am a little curious about that presidential run of hers in 2016.
It's a very short story—four pages—but you will get a single panel of Bernie. So take heart!
DeleteWait...what?
DeleteOh...OH. I get it. It is one panel, but it will have a caption that says to check out the upcoming 13th issue max-series, where we learn about the fate of her presidential campaign...honestly, I saw so many signs for her... and how ultimately Cap was supposed to stump for her, but got caught up fighting BAtroc.
Of course, The Red Skull, or Zemo would have been understandable, but it being BAtroc leads to a Seinfeldian tale,
I get it.
Jack
Hi mr. DeMatteis
ReplyDeleteSorry to send a message here, but I couldn't find a contact.
My name is Cassiano Pinheiro, founder and host of the Brazilian youtube channel "Mundo Gonzo". In every episode, we talk about comics, reviews and do interviews with many talented editors and all kinds of artists.
Mundo Gonzo has already received some widely known Brazilian artists such as Mike Deodato, Ivan Reis... and our audience is very friendly.
I have interviewed mr. Todd McFarlane, Mr. Erik Larsen, mr. Al Gordon, mr. Eduardo Risso, mr. Peter Milligan, mr. Axel Alonso, mr. Terry Moore, mrs. Laura Braga, mr. John Ostrander, mr. Javier Fernandez and mr. Ramon Rosanas this month and, of course, it would be a great honor to receive you, when it's a convenient date on your side.
I would like to send an email with an invitation. What would be the best way to contact you?
As always, I thank you for your time and attention.
Best regards!
Cass Pinheiro
Hi, Cass. Go to the Story Consultation section of the website and use that email address.
DeleteThanks, mr. DeMatteis!!
Delete