dan writes:
It depends on what run you're reading.
I totally agree with this assessment. However, I took the question to mean warts and all as an entire series which stood out for you as your favorite.
X-men totally took a dive which is about the time I stopped buying comic books. One of the spiderman titles was still solid at the time, but another had turn to fluff.
So I'm just asking myself if I had to have a whole series which would I want? Which stayed with me as having some impact? I still stand by my choices.
dan writes:
Why's that? Sandman was a monthly, serialized comic like X-Men for almost ten years. Swamp Thing for even longer.
I consider Sandman and Swamp Thing to be comic books. Personally I just never cared for Swamp Thing. It just never seemed to go anywhere, like it couldn't get any footing in all the muck. Maybe it just didn't meet the expectations I had for something called "swamp thing."
Sandman I simply haven't read. I guess I have to now.
I realize they were both made into Graphic Novels but I'll explain what I meant by that in a bit.
As for the other genres I'd say love and rockets was a comic book series but Hate and Eightball were cartoons.
Why? Because of the style. That is it.
To me a series is a series no matter what the subject and style. A Graphic Novel is a one shot story line (even if originally presented in parts) and could be any subject or style but so far have been serious or dark in nature.
Again according to my definition, Comic style or subjects try to capture some realism about human shapes. Cartoons are not bound by and generally try to elude realism in form.
I actually don't want to have different standards for the different forms, but I recognize there will be some difference in what characteristics are most important to judge for each form.
Sorry you didn't like Watchmen, but that's why art is totally subjective. The mutiple storylines using essentially different media within one book was not only innovative, but I found interesting. I was not excited by From Hell. It just didn't seem as layered. Or maybe it just wasn't as original in concept (yeah yeah I know Watchmen came from an Outer Limits episode, but still...).
I am with you on Schultz. I was trying to make the point that it was quite important, and yes it was a totally dark anti-hero he had created for children. It's just that visually and in written word it was not as overt and so seemingly "tame" by today's standards. Heck, I'd say most people looking at Chris Ware would find it tame on the surface.
On popeye, there are a few collections out and around on eBay I think. Maybe you can even find them at some local comic book stores. Once I get a firm place to live I am going to hunt them all down. You can pick up some weaker collections though at Borders and Barnes and Nobles. Every once in a while another gets put out.
The problem with most Popeye collections is that it focuses on Popeye, instead of its creator Segar. That's when you end up with all the dreck that followed. If you are looking for a good collection, make sure it doesn't go later than 1939.
I think there is one collection of Segar's work which will be the focus of my hot pursuit. I'm assuming that will also include all of his thimble theater stuff.
The best collection I had tried to focus on Segar and a number of the series which led to Popeye, plus some of the longest running Popeye storylines he had.
I agree with the pantheon of talent you placed Joe Matt, though personally I never got into Chester or Seth. Bagge was cooler.
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holmes
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