Source 7: One Way To reduce Piracy: Improve the LCS Experience: by Ryan Haupt
-Haupt believes that government intervention is not needed to stop online piracy. Retailers must strive to improve their stores and advertising in order to attract potential customers.
-Haupt compares comic book shops and retailers to front line soldiers that represent the bulk of the industry. He believes that comic shops has built up stigma as a smelly haven for snobbish nerds and this is what prevents the average person from entering the comic shop
-Citing one experience of finding a tater tot on a shelve of trades, Haupt shows that these sanitation rules can make or break a comic book shop.
-Large chain bookstores are not to blame for the comic shops declining success as bookstores do not sell bulk amounts of comics and do not treat them with the same respect as the comic shop.
-A simple hello when a customer walks in and a retailer that is willing to help customers find the best material for them can make a bigger difference that SOPA ever would, according to Haupt.
Source 8: SOPA and the Comic Book Industry: By Brett of Graphic Policy
-The blog states that the blacklisting method that SOPA proposes to end online piracy can be worked around due to the use of such devices as a Firefox-Plug in. The blog also notes this method's ineffectiveness in such undemocratic countries as Iran and China.
-The Blog notes an interesting dilemma, that websites could no longer be held accountable for causing seizures as innocent websites could be targeted and such down. This issue holds personal significance for me as I had a seizure myself and would not want that to happen to others.
-The blog also notes that SOPA gives internet service providers power to shut down websites that are "health risks to the public". The unlimited jurisdiction that this act gives can allow for innocent websites to be shut down in the wrong hands.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Research Paper Sources 4-6(Pages 24-26)
For this next installment of research, I have decided to examine a number of shorter sources, but ones that still provide valuable information in order to make an informed decision about SOPA's effects on the comic book industry.
Source 4: An open letter to Washington from Artists and Creators: Written by Neil Gaiman and others
-Gaiman and his collaborators acknowledge the threat that online piracy causes to their creations and thank
Washington for trying to solve the problem.
-The group notes the benefits of an unrestricted internet, allowing creators to interact with fans around the world using such sites as Facebook and Twitter.
-The group fears that SOPA's policies, though crafted with good intentions, can be misused to stifle creativity and digital distribution. They propose that the effects that SOPA would have on Piracy would be outweighed by these negative impacts on creators.
-The group believes that the internet would be caught in the crossfire between SOPA and creators.
Source 5: Open Letter to Marvel Comics regarding SOPA, and a call to Readers and Creators: By Ales Kot
-Kot states that SOPA is simply unconstitutional because of its infringing on the 1st amendment rights to free speech.
-With SOPA's passage, the government can block these websites without due process of law. According to Kot, this act is driven entirely by the profit of eliminating online piracy.
-Marvel's endorsement of SOPA has led Kot to stop buying all Marvel products out of principle.
Source 6: PIPA and SOPA-Good but flawed idea-Over Reaction by 'internet' users: By user nhalden
-nhalden points out comic fandom's hypocrisy in that it accepts copyright laws but does not accept the passage of SOPA. Also, comic fans seem to be ok with the act of piracy of works for their own personal gain. This is exactly what SOPA is trying to prevent.
-nhalden does cite that although Youtube is a website that makes piracy very easy, its administrators do a good job of taking down copyrighted material before a problem is caused.
-SOPA's jurisdiction extends to actions with "malicious intent, constructive competition, and profit motive" and thus would not apply to simple fan art or sketches or a site such as Facebook
-nhalden believes that the theories of SOPA's complete censoring of the internet fall with the extreme 99.999% of what could actually happen. He encourages comic fandom to take a more realistic approach to this act. He points out the bills flaws but agrees with its stance to end piracy.
Source 4: An open letter to Washington from Artists and Creators: Written by Neil Gaiman and others
-Gaiman and his collaborators acknowledge the threat that online piracy causes to their creations and thank
Washington for trying to solve the problem.
-The group notes the benefits of an unrestricted internet, allowing creators to interact with fans around the world using such sites as Facebook and Twitter.
-The group fears that SOPA's policies, though crafted with good intentions, can be misused to stifle creativity and digital distribution. They propose that the effects that SOPA would have on Piracy would be outweighed by these negative impacts on creators.
-The group believes that the internet would be caught in the crossfire between SOPA and creators.
Source 5: Open Letter to Marvel Comics regarding SOPA, and a call to Readers and Creators: By Ales Kot
-Kot states that SOPA is simply unconstitutional because of its infringing on the 1st amendment rights to free speech.
-With SOPA's passage, the government can block these websites without due process of law. According to Kot, this act is driven entirely by the profit of eliminating online piracy.
-Marvel's endorsement of SOPA has led Kot to stop buying all Marvel products out of principle.
Source 6: PIPA and SOPA-Good but flawed idea-Over Reaction by 'internet' users: By user nhalden
-nhalden points out comic fandom's hypocrisy in that it accepts copyright laws but does not accept the passage of SOPA. Also, comic fans seem to be ok with the act of piracy of works for their own personal gain. This is exactly what SOPA is trying to prevent.
-nhalden does cite that although Youtube is a website that makes piracy very easy, its administrators do a good job of taking down copyrighted material before a problem is caused.
-SOPA's jurisdiction extends to actions with "malicious intent, constructive competition, and profit motive" and thus would not apply to simple fan art or sketches or a site such as Facebook
-nhalden believes that the theories of SOPA's complete censoring of the internet fall with the extreme 99.999% of what could actually happen. He encourages comic fandom to take a more realistic approach to this act. He points out the bills flaws but agrees with its stance to end piracy.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Research Paper Source 3(Pages-13-23)
In my continual effort to relate SOPA's potential effects on the comic book industry to previous disputes between companies and creators, I will be analyzing Static Shock artist Scott McDaniel's response to collaborator John Rozum's claims that I analyzed last week. Needless to say, McDaniel was not happy with this perceived attack on him and his work and retorted back with an extremely in-depth analysis of the situation. This explanation takes a look at specific parts of Static Shock, providing script material, character designs, and much more. However, while these aspects are enlightening and fascinating to the comic book fan, they do not hold relevance for the audience and thus I will only be examining McDaniel's overview of the situation.
-McDaniel attempts to defend his credibility to the reader, citing his childhood love of comics and his passion for drawing comics.
-McDaniel affirms the Editor's role in the production of comics as having the power to hire/fire creators and accept/reject stories and ideas. The role of an editor can be compared to the role that SOPA would have overseeing the entire industry.
-The overall downtrend of the economy has impacted the comic industry and McDaniel's family life, leading to a gap between assignments he was handed(a gap that may exist with SOPA's passage). DC's New 52 relaunch has also increased competition between creators and the need to stand out.
-Just like Rozum, McDaniel was also pressured by the death of Static's creator, Dwayne McDuffie, to put out the best possible material in order to honor both the character and his creator. Fans of Static also had preexisting expectations for the series, some of which McDaniel could not hope to achieve. Static, along with Batwing, being a minority character with his own ongoing series also put racial pressures onto the book.
-McDaniel's fears about the book's success was confirmed by a poll engineered by Comic Book Resources based on initial opinions of the New 52 books. Having prior experience in Statistics, McDaniel was able to express this poll in the form of a spreadsheet. According to the data, Static Shock was the 46th most expected title out of the 52. Combined with the general trend of comic sales leveling off after issue 1, Static Shock was practically destined for cancellation. These expectations by fans and trends of the industry can sometimes doom a book before editorial intervention.
-These factors provided McDaniel's justification for what Rozum claims are "shocking moments" simply because readers needed to become latched on the book in order for its survival in the rough market.
-McDaniel attempts to defend his credibility to the reader, citing his childhood love of comics and his passion for drawing comics.
-McDaniel affirms the Editor's role in the production of comics as having the power to hire/fire creators and accept/reject stories and ideas. The role of an editor can be compared to the role that SOPA would have overseeing the entire industry.
-The overall downtrend of the economy has impacted the comic industry and McDaniel's family life, leading to a gap between assignments he was handed(a gap that may exist with SOPA's passage). DC's New 52 relaunch has also increased competition between creators and the need to stand out.
-Just like Rozum, McDaniel was also pressured by the death of Static's creator, Dwayne McDuffie, to put out the best possible material in order to honor both the character and his creator. Fans of Static also had preexisting expectations for the series, some of which McDaniel could not hope to achieve. Static, along with Batwing, being a minority character with his own ongoing series also put racial pressures onto the book.
-McDaniel's fears about the book's success was confirmed by a poll engineered by Comic Book Resources based on initial opinions of the New 52 books. Having prior experience in Statistics, McDaniel was able to express this poll in the form of a spreadsheet. According to the data, Static Shock was the 46th most expected title out of the 52. Combined with the general trend of comic sales leveling off after issue 1, Static Shock was practically destined for cancellation. These expectations by fans and trends of the industry can sometimes doom a book before editorial intervention.
-These factors provided McDaniel's justification for what Rozum claims are "shocking moments" simply because readers needed to become latched on the book in order for its survival in the rough market.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Research Paper Source 2(Pages 7-12)
Why I Quit Static Shock: By John Rozum
In considering SOPA's effects on the comic book industry, I realized that this potential battle between government/comic publishers and creators can be likened to a lot of other editorial/creator disputes in the comics stories themselves. By studying what exactly happened in these clashes, one can learn from these mistakes so that when SOPA comes down on the comic book industry, the effects are not as hazardous. The following source is an explanation by writer John Rozum as to why the DC-New 52 comic Static Shock failed both commercially and creatively.
-Rozum states that he initially decided to stay quiet about Static Shock, but loyal Static fans were beginning to unfairly blame Rozum for the title's failure and swore to not buy titles with his name on it.
-Just like any other comic fan, Rozum has an attachment to the stories of Static Shock in the Milestone imprint by creator Dwayne McDuffie. Rozum intended to produce a story worthy of the character and his creator.
-According to Rozum, he was benched by series editor Harvey Richards and artist Scott McDaniel. McDaniel quickly became the head writer of the series, though he had never written before in his life. Rozum's role in the series's development was to essentially transfer McDaniel's plots into dialogue.
-Richards and McDaniel were more concerned with keeping the title in a reasonable sales level than telling a good story. This led to an emphasis on "shocking moments", such as Static's arm getting cut off in issue 1 and the reveal that his sister had a clone of herself, over the development of the main character and supporting cast.
-Rozum notes the stress that this collaboration with Richards and McDaniel caused him. When the two men began to leave him out of the plotting of the series, Rozum decided that enough was enough and walked off the book.
-Rozum believes that keeping his name on the book would unfairly draw fans who are attracted to Rozum's past works, such as the former ongoing series Xombi.
-Rozum distances the actions of Richards and McDaniel from DC Entertainment in general and notes his positive experiences with the company.
-Contrary to internet rumors, Static Shock did not get cancelled because it starred a minority character or a C-list hero. The book failed because of the quality of the stories and editorial mandates that Rozum had no control over.
In considering SOPA's effects on the comic book industry, I realized that this potential battle between government/comic publishers and creators can be likened to a lot of other editorial/creator disputes in the comics stories themselves. By studying what exactly happened in these clashes, one can learn from these mistakes so that when SOPA comes down on the comic book industry, the effects are not as hazardous. The following source is an explanation by writer John Rozum as to why the DC-New 52 comic Static Shock failed both commercially and creatively.
-Rozum states that he initially decided to stay quiet about Static Shock, but loyal Static fans were beginning to unfairly blame Rozum for the title's failure and swore to not buy titles with his name on it.
-Just like any other comic fan, Rozum has an attachment to the stories of Static Shock in the Milestone imprint by creator Dwayne McDuffie. Rozum intended to produce a story worthy of the character and his creator.
-According to Rozum, he was benched by series editor Harvey Richards and artist Scott McDaniel. McDaniel quickly became the head writer of the series, though he had never written before in his life. Rozum's role in the series's development was to essentially transfer McDaniel's plots into dialogue.
-Richards and McDaniel were more concerned with keeping the title in a reasonable sales level than telling a good story. This led to an emphasis on "shocking moments", such as Static's arm getting cut off in issue 1 and the reveal that his sister had a clone of herself, over the development of the main character and supporting cast.
-Rozum notes the stress that this collaboration with Richards and McDaniel caused him. When the two men began to leave him out of the plotting of the series, Rozum decided that enough was enough and walked off the book.
-Rozum believes that keeping his name on the book would unfairly draw fans who are attracted to Rozum's past works, such as the former ongoing series Xombi.
-Rozum distances the actions of Richards and McDaniel from DC Entertainment in general and notes his positive experiences with the company.
-Contrary to internet rumors, Static Shock did not get cancelled because it starred a minority character or a C-list hero. The book failed because of the quality of the stories and editorial mandates that Rozum had no control over.
Research paper source 1(Pages 1-6)
Comics Alliance: The Dangers of SOPA, The Stop Online Piracy Act, to Comic Books and You
By Aaron Colter
--Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that are outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
-SOPA's aim to force advertisers to deny service to websites that violate its policies would, in addition to forcing companies like Google to overhaul their policies, constrain opportunities for up-and-coming talents from displaying their work.
-Though lawmakers and business conglomerates assure Americans that these regulations will not effect daily life, Colter notes the underlying political agenda behind SOPA's supporters and questions who the public can believe in this debate.
-Colter notes that to comics publishers and retailers, the risk of online piracy directly threatens their business and as such, support SOPA's passage.
-Both comics writer Steve Niles and publisher Oni Press note SOPA gives unregulated power that can be used to suppress creators and their stories.
-Colter notes that so far, most comics blogs do not support SOPA's passage while comic publishers do indeed support it.
By Aaron Colter
--Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that are outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
-SOPA's aim to force advertisers to deny service to websites that violate its policies would, in addition to forcing companies like Google to overhaul their policies, constrain opportunities for up-and-coming talents from displaying their work.
-Though lawmakers and business conglomerates assure Americans that these regulations will not effect daily life, Colter notes the underlying political agenda behind SOPA's supporters and questions who the public can believe in this debate.
-Colter notes that to comics publishers and retailers, the risk of online piracy directly threatens their business and as such, support SOPA's passage.
-Both comics writer Steve Niles and publisher Oni Press note SOPA gives unregulated power that can be used to suppress creators and their stories.
-Colter notes that so far, most comics blogs do not support SOPA's passage while comic publishers do indeed support it.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Comics Reaction to SOPA Part 3
For our last feature on comics reaction to SOPA, we will look at a blogpost by Brett on Graphic Policy based on his reactions to Marvel Entertainment and Disney both supporting SOPA
-The blog states that the blacklisting method that SOPA proposes to end online piracy can be worked around due to the use of such devices as a Firefox-Plug in. The blog also notes this method's ineffectiveness in such undemocratic countries as Iran and China.
-The Blog notes an interesting dilemma, that websites could no longer be held accountable for causing seizures as innocent websites could be targeted and such down. This issue holds personal significance for me as I had a seizure myself and would not want that to happen to others.
-The blog also notes that SOPA gives internet service providers power to shut down websites that are "health risks to the public". The unlimited jurisdiction that this act gives can allow for innocent websites to be shut down in the wrong hands.
Examining specifically the comics world reaction to SOPA allows for a more specific and practical analysis on SOPA's effects instead of an analysis of just the act itself.
-The blog states that the blacklisting method that SOPA proposes to end online piracy can be worked around due to the use of such devices as a Firefox-Plug in. The blog also notes this method's ineffectiveness in such undemocratic countries as Iran and China.
-The Blog notes an interesting dilemma, that websites could no longer be held accountable for causing seizures as innocent websites could be targeted and such down. This issue holds personal significance for me as I had a seizure myself and would not want that to happen to others.
-The blog also notes that SOPA gives internet service providers power to shut down websites that are "health risks to the public". The unlimited jurisdiction that this act gives can allow for innocent websites to be shut down in the wrong hands.
Examining specifically the comics world reaction to SOPA allows for a more specific and practical analysis on SOPA's effects instead of an analysis of just the act itself.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Comics reaction to SOPA- Part 2
For this week's look at the controversial SOPA, or Stop Online Piracy Act, we will look once again at an article posted on Comics Alliance titled "The Dangers of SOPA, The Stop Online Piracy Act, to Comic Books and You" by columnist Aaron Colter.
-Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
Both Colter's and Shand's articles show the long reaching effects SOPA would have to not just business and websites, but ordinary citizens. In order to take a position on SOPA, one must go directly to the source, look at the act itself, and see how it would effect industries in the long term.
-Colter believes that this bill is an attempt by the U.S. Government to prevent citizens from accessing sites that outside of U.S. jurisdiction. Instead of attacking the sites head on, the government is trying to prevent the citizens from getting to the sites.
-With one of the provisions in SOPA intended to stop payment services from processing money to pirated sites and material, credit services such as Paypal, VISA, or Mastercard could be shut down on a national level. This would affect many comics readers who use these methods to pay for their products.
-With a greater emphasis on stopping piracy at the search bar, companies such as Google would be forced to almost completely overhaul their search engine in an attempt to disassociate itself with piracy and pirated products.
-Colter notes comics previous history with censorship problems, such as the Comics Code Authority label, and believes that since the comics industry was not directly targeted, the industry has not come together on a stance yet. However, these provisions to the internet would effect the entire comics industry in the long run.
Both Colter's and Shand's articles show the long reaching effects SOPA would have to not just business and websites, but ordinary citizens. In order to take a position on SOPA, one must go directly to the source, look at the act itself, and see how it would effect industries in the long term.
Comics reaction to SOPA- Part 1
The next installment on this blog will begin to look at the Stop Online Piracy ACT, or SOPA for short, and how the comics world is reacting to it. This first post will look at up and coming writer Patrick Shand and his opinion on the subject.
-Shand acknowledges the argument that the average uninformed citizen would have: that the only reason people care about SOPA is that they do not want to lose the endless source of entertainment that is the internet. However, Shand shows that this is not the case as the act would basically make the work he and millions of others have done to present their thoughts to the world through the internet would be lost.
-Shand acknowledges the problem of Piracy that SOPA is trying to prevent. He illustrates this using the example of a comic he contributed to, The Grimm Fairy Tales: Holiday Edition 2011, and how it is easier to find a pirated version of the comic than anything else.
-Shand points out that social media sites such as Tumblr, Facebook, and many others would be shut down immediately by this act to prevent piracy.
-Shand also points out that although piracy can occur, the internet allows the average citizen to be informed about the world around them.
This controversy caused by SOPA is relevant to my life and the lives of others because the internet has become such a standard part of society. We have become so accustomed to the internet that a radical change of how it functions could radically alter our society as well. Further research can be obtained by looking at the opinions of more people and the actual components of the act itself.
-Shand acknowledges the argument that the average uninformed citizen would have: that the only reason people care about SOPA is that they do not want to lose the endless source of entertainment that is the internet. However, Shand shows that this is not the case as the act would basically make the work he and millions of others have done to present their thoughts to the world through the internet would be lost.
-Shand acknowledges the problem of Piracy that SOPA is trying to prevent. He illustrates this using the example of a comic he contributed to, The Grimm Fairy Tales: Holiday Edition 2011, and how it is easier to find a pirated version of the comic than anything else.
-Shand points out that social media sites such as Tumblr, Facebook, and many others would be shut down immediately by this act to prevent piracy.
-Shand also points out that although piracy can occur, the internet allows the average citizen to be informed about the world around them.
This controversy caused by SOPA is relevant to my life and the lives of others because the internet has become such a standard part of society. We have become so accustomed to the internet that a radical change of how it functions could radically alter our society as well. Further research can be obtained by looking at the opinions of more people and the actual components of the act itself.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
A Comic Book Blog Synthesis
To sum up our look at A Comic Book Blog, we are going to look at how the blog feels about DC's New 52 relaunch and promotion as a whole and how that influences their opinion on the comics industry.
The second post that we looked at last month shows that the Blog feels that the New 52 is just another sales gimmick and that DC is not living up to the promises they made of this new line. Though there are a lot of new and innovative books coming from this relaunch, namely in the Edge and Dark categories, a lot of the books in the New 52 fall prey to the same problems DC had pre-relaunch. For example, in the Blog's review of Batwing #4, they note that the recapping of the title character's origin story felt like "filler" and that it felt like DC was once again writing the story to sell a 6 issue trade paperback. While there are a number of comics that tell stories in less than 5 issues, such as Mister Terrific, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Suicide Squad and Detective Comics, a majority of DC's so called "flagship" titles tell stories in 6 or even 7 issues. These include such big names as Justice League, Action Comics, Batman, and Batman and Robin, among others. Also, DC still relies on an overabundance of sexual and violent themes to provide shock value. Whether it's Catwoman jumping out of a building half nude or Green Lantern shooting a villain's head off, these kind of scenes make one wonder if DC is still relying on these tropes as a crutch. It is now the beginning of the 5'th month of the New 52, and while sales are still up from last year, a lot of the more obscure books are not doing so well and creative team change ups occur all over the line. Marvel has just taken back the lead spot as the top comic publisher in December, a spot DC has held since September. It will be interesting to see where the New 52 develops from here.
The second post that we looked at last month shows that the Blog feels that the New 52 is just another sales gimmick and that DC is not living up to the promises they made of this new line. Though there are a lot of new and innovative books coming from this relaunch, namely in the Edge and Dark categories, a lot of the books in the New 52 fall prey to the same problems DC had pre-relaunch. For example, in the Blog's review of Batwing #4, they note that the recapping of the title character's origin story felt like "filler" and that it felt like DC was once again writing the story to sell a 6 issue trade paperback. While there are a number of comics that tell stories in less than 5 issues, such as Mister Terrific, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Suicide Squad and Detective Comics, a majority of DC's so called "flagship" titles tell stories in 6 or even 7 issues. These include such big names as Justice League, Action Comics, Batman, and Batman and Robin, among others. Also, DC still relies on an overabundance of sexual and violent themes to provide shock value. Whether it's Catwoman jumping out of a building half nude or Green Lantern shooting a villain's head off, these kind of scenes make one wonder if DC is still relying on these tropes as a crutch. It is now the beginning of the 5'th month of the New 52, and while sales are still up from last year, a lot of the more obscure books are not doing so well and creative team change ups occur all over the line. Marvel has just taken back the lead spot as the top comic publisher in December, a spot DC has held since September. It will be interesting to see where the New 52 develops from here.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
A Comic Book Blog Week 3- Batwing #4 Review
This week, in our look at A Comic Book Blog, we will examine the Blog's review of Batwing #4. For those who do not know, Batwing is a title written by Judd Winick and drawn by Ben Oliver(though this issue in particular has Chriscross drawing) about a Batman type character in Africa fighting against the rule of African warlords. This issue promises the origin of Batwing. Lets see what the blog had to say about it.
-The Blog states that the origin in question was predictable, another in the long line of a loved one dying making the hero take on their role.
-Spending nearly the whole issue on this origin has, in the Blog's opinion, caused the story to "lose steam" and slow plot development to a halt.
-The Blog believes this issue was created just to make Winick's story arc 6 issues to sell in a trade paperback collection, something that DC has promised less of with the New 52
-The Blog states that the origin in question was predictable, another in the long line of a loved one dying making the hero take on their role.
-Spending nearly the whole issue on this origin has, in the Blog's opinion, caused the story to "lose steam" and slow plot development to a halt.
-The Blog believes this issue was created just to make Winick's story arc 6 issues to sell in a trade paperback collection, something that DC has promised less of with the New 52
Sunday, December 4, 2011
A Comic Book Blog- Week 2
For week 2, we are going to examine a post on A Comic Book Blog that was posted on November 29'th, 2011 on their overall opinion of DC's New 52 reboot now that all of the issue 1's have been released.
-The Blog's position is overwhelmingly negative, saying that the New 52 does not match up to what DC high ups said it would be.
- The Blog qualifies these statements, acknowledging the books that do meet these standards, while using the books that do not as evidence against DC.
-The Blog brings up the point that DC has rebooted little to none in the Batman, Green Lantern, and Legion of Superheroes line of books, requiring readers to know of past occurrences, such as the death of Earth Man in the last Legion arc before the reboot.
-The Blog challenges DC's definition of an icon, citing that the current Robin, Damian Wayne, is the least iconic of all the Robins, and that the new look of characters Harley Quinn and Amanda Waller in the Suicide Squad comic look nothing like their "iconic" interpretations.
- The Blog also notes the abundant use of sex, such as the scene between Catwoman and Batman in Catwoman #1, and graphic violence, such as the bloody cliffhanger of Batwing #1.
-The Blog's position is overwhelmingly negative, saying that the New 52 does not match up to what DC high ups said it would be.
- The Blog qualifies these statements, acknowledging the books that do meet these standards, while using the books that do not as evidence against DC.
-The Blog brings up the point that DC has rebooted little to none in the Batman, Green Lantern, and Legion of Superheroes line of books, requiring readers to know of past occurrences, such as the death of Earth Man in the last Legion arc before the reboot.
-The Blog challenges DC's definition of an icon, citing that the current Robin, Damian Wayne, is the least iconic of all the Robins, and that the new look of characters Harley Quinn and Amanda Waller in the Suicide Squad comic look nothing like their "iconic" interpretations.
- The Blog also notes the abundant use of sex, such as the scene between Catwoman and Batman in Catwoman #1, and graphic violence, such as the bloody cliffhanger of Batwing #1.
A Comic Book Blog-Week 1
For this next couple weeks, this blog will be spotlighting the postings of the blog known as A Comic Book Blog. For this first installment, we will be focusing on the Comic Book Blog's criticism and interpretation of the new costume of Darkseid, one of the biggest villains in DC Comics, designed by Jim Lee for the new Justice League book(image will be linked to). This was posted on A Comic Book Blog on November 14, 2011
-The Blog believes that the images and feel that made Darkseid a great villain to begin with when he was created by seminal comic book creator Jack Kirby are still present.
-Even though he is a bit more colorful than previous interpretation, Darkseid is still big and foreboding and someone who could pose a threat to the League.
-Some of the new designs and insignia's shown on this design may or may not foreshadows future re-designs of the Fourth World concepts that Darkseid came from.
-The Blog believes that the images and feel that made Darkseid a great villain to begin with when he was created by seminal comic book creator Jack Kirby are still present.
-Even though he is a bit more colorful than previous interpretation, Darkseid is still big and foreboding and someone who could pose a threat to the League.
-Some of the new designs and insignia's shown on this design may or may not foreshadows future re-designs of the Fourth World concepts that Darkseid came from.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
DC Entertainment vs. Barnes and Noble synthesis
- For 4 weeks, this blog has been reporting on the ongoing battle between DC Entertainment and Barnes and Noble over DC's granting exclusive digital rights to Amazon's Kindle Fire. Now it is time to express my opinion. Although I see B&N's logic behind this move, I believe it will only serve to hamper both B&N and DC Entertainment. I can respect Barnes and Noble's commitment to their customers and feeling like they have a responsibility to them to provide all forms of a book. But with DC's New 52 Promotion, there is almost no better time to capitalize on comic books. Without some of DC's flagship titles such as Watchmen and the Dark Knight Returns, there is less opportunity for a new or casual reader too see some of the stories that influenced the current interpretation of the characters they love reading about. For example, if a reader is reading Superman's new origin in Action Comics and wants to read other interpretations that have been done, they will only be able to find those influential comics online or in comic book stores, which are more sparse than Barnes and Noble stores. However, while DC Entertainment and B&N can survive this deal, the creators are the ones who are suffering the most. This is especially the case for non- superhero comics, such as those by Neil Gaiman and Fábio Moon. Some of these creators depend on the availability of their works to keep themselves on the grid and known. This decision has become so corporate that the voice of the creators themselves cannot be heard amidst all the squabbling.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
DC Entertainment vs. Barnes and Noble part 4: "They are the ones caught in the crossfire"
Up until this point, this blog has only touched upon the big picture of the DC Entertainment vs. Barnes and Noble issue. The Executives of DC Entertainment, Barnes and Noble, and Books A' Million all think that their side is right and they are doing what is right for their business and customers. However, one side that often gets overlooked are the creators of the books themselves. They are the ones that will suffer the most from this disagreement. Michael Civina, of the Washington Post's comic division Comic Riffs, interviewed two very influential creators in the comics industry and here is what they had to say.
-Neil Gaiman, acclaimed creator of the Sandman series from Vertigo(DC's mature readers division), feels that Barnes and Noble's decision is very strange as the loss of DC's digital output would not bring the company down. He also feels slighted as a creator as about 12% of the titles that were removed were written by him.
-David Lloyd, artist of comic book turned major motion picture V for Vendetta, feels that Barnes and Noble refusing to sell physical copies of the books is hypocritical to their purpose of giving customers all choices.
-Fábio Moon, Brazilian artist of Vertigo comic Daytripper, believes that non super-hero comics like his have a harder time attracting readers and thus have more of a need for big bookstores in addition to direct comic shops in order to survive.
-Neil Gaiman, acclaimed creator of the Sandman series from Vertigo(DC's mature readers division), feels that Barnes and Noble's decision is very strange as the loss of DC's digital output would not bring the company down. He also feels slighted as a creator as about 12% of the titles that were removed were written by him.
-David Lloyd, artist of comic book turned major motion picture V for Vendetta, feels that Barnes and Noble refusing to sell physical copies of the books is hypocritical to their purpose of giving customers all choices.
-Fábio Moon, Brazilian artist of Vertigo comic Daytripper, believes that non super-hero comics like his have a harder time attracting readers and thus have more of a need for big bookstores in addition to direct comic shops in order to survive.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
DC Entertainment vs. Barnes and Noble Part 3: Not the only one
In addition to Barnes and Noble's pulling 100 DC comics graphic novels off the shelves, now 2'nd biggest chain Books A' Million has now also pulled them as well and Publishers Weekly has the story. Here is what information they obtained from BAM officials.
-The Exclusive deal that DC made with the Kindle Fire creates an unfair advantage to them in the market
- Books A' Million stands by Barnes and Noble's position that they will not sell something in the stores that cannot be distributed in other ways
-Books A' Million has signed a deal with Barnes and Noble to exclusively sell their Nook reader so this may have had an impact on their decision
-The Exclusive deal that DC made with the Kindle Fire creates an unfair advantage to them in the market
- Books A' Million stands by Barnes and Noble's position that they will not sell something in the stores that cannot be distributed in other ways
-Books A' Million has signed a deal with Barnes and Noble to exclusively sell their Nook reader so this may have had an impact on their decision
Sunday, October 16, 2011
DC Entertainment Vs. Barnes and Noble part 2
Last week, I talked about a comic blogger, Bleeding Cool's Rich Johnston's response to Barnes and Noble pulling 100 DC Entertainment graphic novels off the shelves in retaliation to an exclusive deal signed to the Amazon Kindle Fire for these graphic novels. Another comics website, Comic Book Resources, also covered the story, but they actually got some statements from Barnes and Noble representatives. Here's what they had to say.
-If Barnes and Noble does not receive access to books in every format available to customer, then they refuse to sell the physical copies in their stores.
-Barnes and Noble is still selling copies of the books on Barnes and Noble.com and can be specially ordered
-Barnes and Noble claims that this is standard procedure for any publisher that does this, not just DC Entertainment.
-If Barnes and Noble does not receive access to books in every format available to customer, then they refuse to sell the physical copies in their stores.
-Barnes and Noble is still selling copies of the books on Barnes and Noble.com and can be specially ordered
-Barnes and Noble claims that this is standard procedure for any publisher that does this, not just DC Entertainment.
Monday, October 10, 2011
DC Entertainment vs. Barnes and Noble
Last week, DC Entertainment announced plans to sign an exclusive deal to put 100 graphic novels such as Watchmen, the Dark Knight Returns, V for Vendetta, and more on to the new Amazon Kindle Fire. Barnes and Noble, who also carries these graphic novels, felt cheated that they could not give their customers the digital experience as well on rival device the Nook. As a result, Barnes and Noble pulled all 100 of these graphic novels from their shelves and won't even allow them in their stores. The only way these books can be ordered through Barnes and Noble is on their website. Among the first to report was comics journalist Rich Johnston on his Bleeding Cool blog and this is what he had to say:
-With chief competitor Borders now out of the picture and Barnes and Noble refusing to carry these graphic novels, there is no common and fast way to get these books other than specialty comic book stores and online.
-Barnes and Noble does not have as much of a chance of attracting the crowd that is brought in by DC's New 52 promotion as they still carry a portion of those #1 issues.
- A majority of the Graphic Novels that are not being taken away by Barnes and Noble are ones that have been plagued with editorial controversy and ones that are not well received by readers such as Superman: Grounded and Countdown to Final Crisis
-With chief competitor Borders now out of the picture and Barnes and Noble refusing to carry these graphic novels, there is no common and fast way to get these books other than specialty comic book stores and online.
-Barnes and Noble does not have as much of a chance of attracting the crowd that is brought in by DC's New 52 promotion as they still carry a portion of those #1 issues.
- A majority of the Graphic Novels that are not being taken away by Barnes and Noble are ones that have been plagued with editorial controversy and ones that are not well received by readers such as Superman: Grounded and Countdown to Final Crisis
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Action Comics #2 cover visual rhetoric
The cover to next month's Action Comics #2 has been linked to and this image tells us a lot of things that are going to be changed for this revised Superman.
-The fact that Superman is imprisoned by what looks to be government agents who are pointing guns at him shows that Superman is going to be some sort of fugitive from the law. Before this change, Superman worked alongside the police and was loved by all.
-Superman's heat vision eyes, his gritting teeth, and his general angered demeanor tells us that Superman is going to be a lot "edgier" as some people have put it. He's not going to be the nicest superhero and is going to take more of a Batman approach to crimefighting.
-In this cover, Superman's costume is a simple blue t-shirt with the superman symbol on it, blue jeans, and a simple blue cape. This tell us that at least this incarnation of Superman is from the past instead of the armored look that superman apparently has in the present.
-The fact that Superman is imprisoned by what looks to be government agents who are pointing guns at him shows that Superman is going to be some sort of fugitive from the law. Before this change, Superman worked alongside the police and was loved by all.
-Superman's heat vision eyes, his gritting teeth, and his general angered demeanor tells us that Superman is going to be a lot "edgier" as some people have put it. He's not going to be the nicest superhero and is going to take more of a Batman approach to crimefighting.
-In this cover, Superman's costume is a simple blue t-shirt with the superman symbol on it, blue jeans, and a simple blue cape. This tell us that at least this incarnation of Superman is from the past instead of the armored look that superman apparently has in the present.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
The good, the bad and the average of DC Comics' New 52: Week 2 paraphrasing
Week 2 of DC's the New 52 has passed by and here is what columnist Johnathan Hardick has to say about some of the titles.
Batwoman #1- This book was the best of this week, featuring gorgeous art by J.H. Williams III and a story about children kidnapped possibly by a supernatural force. Highly recommended
Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #1- This book was the shocking hit of this week, unsurprising since it was written by the same writer as Animal Man(last week's shocking hit). This story features a Frankenstein that is based on the indie comic character Hellboy and leads a team of monsters known as the Creature Commandoes. Highly Recommended
Legion Lost #1- This book was a disaster. Writer Fabian Nicieza put a lot into this issue and it was not really clear what was going on. It also did not help that Nicieza failed to point out who any of the characters really were and why we should care about them. Not recommended
Superboy #1- This book takes everything anyone loved about Superboy and throws it out the window. This Superboy is a boring, emotionless, and bland clone and the book is essentially a recycled origin story. Not recommended
Citation: Hardick, Johnathan. "The Good, the Bad and the Average of DC Comics' New 52: Week 2 | Lehighvalleylive.com." Lehigh Valley News, Easton News, Bethlehem News, Allentown News, Phillipsburg News and Lehigh Valley Sports & Weather - Lehighvalleylive.com. The Express-News, 18 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/entertainment-general/index.ssf/2011/09/the_good_the_bad_and_the_avera_1.html>.
Batwoman #1- This book was the best of this week, featuring gorgeous art by J.H. Williams III and a story about children kidnapped possibly by a supernatural force. Highly recommended
Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #1- This book was the shocking hit of this week, unsurprising since it was written by the same writer as Animal Man(last week's shocking hit). This story features a Frankenstein that is based on the indie comic character Hellboy and leads a team of monsters known as the Creature Commandoes. Highly Recommended
Legion Lost #1- This book was a disaster. Writer Fabian Nicieza put a lot into this issue and it was not really clear what was going on. It also did not help that Nicieza failed to point out who any of the characters really were and why we should care about them. Not recommended
Superboy #1- This book takes everything anyone loved about Superboy and throws it out the window. This Superboy is a boring, emotionless, and bland clone and the book is essentially a recycled origin story. Not recommended
Citation: Hardick, Johnathan. "The Good, the Bad and the Average of DC Comics' New 52: Week 2 | Lehighvalleylive.com." Lehigh Valley News, Easton News, Bethlehem News, Allentown News, Phillipsburg News and Lehigh Valley Sports & Weather - Lehighvalleylive.com. The Express-News, 18 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/entertainment-general/index.ssf/2011/09/the_good_the_bad_and_the_avera_1.html>.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
DC- The new 52 overview
On May 31 2011, DC Comics(home to characters such as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern etc..) announced that they would cancel all the comics they were currently publishing and launch 52 new #1 issues in September. This move was made by DC due to their competitor Marvel Comics receiving almost half of the comic book market share and DC receiving only about 20%. This initiative began on August 31'st with the release of Justice League #1 written by Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and drawn by Co-Publisher Jim Lee. Lee has also designed new costumes for all the heroes and some of the heroes(superman most notably) are receiving drastic changes to their personality and stories. The New 52, as DC calls it, is designed to attract new readers and old readers alike to the world of comics.
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