Superman vs Nuperman....

Has DC's Didio got it wrong again?

Since DC Comics decision to reboot Superman with a replacement costume for the iconic look associated with the character since its origin in 1938 controversy has broken out among superman fans on the issue. On the DC Superman message board the current leading thread is arousing sharp discussion on the nays and yays:

  http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000269627&tstart=0

(This link will expire in early March 2012 as DC have decided to shut down their message board in favour of a new twittery-frittery site at that time with, possibly, as little information has been given to posters so far, only corporate cheer-leading allowed. We shall see).



SHOOTER disses "New 52"

 Jim Shooter who worked at both Marvel and DC had this to say on his blog about the reboot in general:

"All righty, then….

Great idea for a “precise entry point.” Start in the middle, explain nothing.

Why? Because the DC brain trust believes that we, the “existing readers” don’t care? Or, because they feel sure they’ve got us no matter what, and that the “new readers” they hope to attract don’t care? Or, because no one at DC cares? Or, because it’s too hard to think it all through and figure things out?

Continuity and consistency take a great deal of work. My most recent experience working at DC Comics is three years out of date, but DC Comics is still a DiDiocracy, it would appear. The DiDiots rise to the top, and no one wants to work too hard.

If this “initiative” bogs down or fails, well, so what? DC gets a substantial sales spike and goes along better than before, at least for a while. DiDio, Lee, Harras, Johns and the rest keep their phoney-baloney jobs, collect fat paychecks and big bonuses a little longer.

And in a couple of years, when things get hopelessly tangled up again and sales slide, no problem. Do a new New 52. Do it till it’s as worn out as the ol’ Crisis trick.

DC is like Lucy and we’re like Charlie Brown. DC keeps yanking the football away and we keep yelling Aaugh! and landing hard. They’re very sure we’ll keep coming back and try to kick the ball again. And, knowing some of the perps fairly well, I can assure you they’re pretty smug about it.

So far, they’re right.The Lucy strategy will work until Marvel or some emerging contender does it the right way. Starts with a powerful concept, a creative vision. Puts in the work and the effort. Thinks it through. Produces good stories, well told. Builds something meaningful that fires peoples’ imaginations and invites them in the way, oh, say, Harry Potter did.

Lucky for your “brain trust” that Marvel is almost as rudderless. It will probably take a market/distribution paradigm shift that opens new opportunities for a new player to arise, either an upstart or a deep-pocketed entertainment industry contender.

Not bloody likely soon. DC can probably pull off two or three more New 52’s before any threats emerge.

On the other hand, there seemed to be no credible threats to DC on the horizon in 1961….

If and when a threat does emerge, the DC DiDiocracy and the old Lucy trick are going to seem as tired, pathetic and dated as DC Comics did in the sixties, when Marvel arose to take the lead.

There are some entertaining books among the New 52 and some with good things about them. There are many talented people among the creators working on the New 52, some trained and skilled, some less so.

Churchill said, “No one can guarantee success in war, but only deserve it.” That works for comics and most other endeavors, too. I hope success comes to the New 52 and creators thereof who deserve it".

PLANETRONIX, EARTH

February 11, 2012.

"Smallville" TV series transfers to comics...

New "Smallville" digital comic announced by DC Comics:

DC Entertainment announced today that a new digital on-line comic will present the previous TV series as "Smallville Season 11" next April and will be followed by a print edition in May 2012.

 The comic will be written by Brian Q. Miller, who was the executive story editor and writer for the television series. In the announcement, Miller exclaims:

“Six months after Clark Kent donned the cape and took to the skies to save Earth from Apokolips… enter Season 11! New allies abound!  New enemies afoot!  And old friends return where they’re least expected!”

According to the announcement, the characters confirmed to join Clark in ‘Smallvile Season 11’ are: Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Chloe Sullivan-Queen(Missus Green Arrow), Lois Lane, Lex Luthor and General Lane. The artwork will apparently resemble the actors who played these characters in the TV series, notably Tom Welling, who played Superman/Clark Kent and has a broad fan following.

  

‘Smallville Season 11′ cover #1 by CatStaggs:

Artist Gary Frank (Superman Secret Origin) will undertake the print edition. Frank's tendency to draw a Superman facially resembling Christopher Reeves as big screen movie Superman, 1978-84, will be tested
in this outing, no doubt.

Miller enthuses:“Pere and colorist Chris Beckett have done a fantastic job of capturing the look of the show and the players, and Gary and Cat are knocking it out of the park on covers,” Miller enthuses. “I couldn’t be more excited to help give seasoned viewers and new readers an all-access pass to Clark’s first year in the cape.”

Unofficial, non-DC, image of Welling in a version of the supersuit derived from that produced for Bryan Singer's 2006 movie.

As depicted above, the supersuit in this comic is a further derivation from above and resembles the costume
now in use in the "New 52" "Action Comics" which is minus the tradional red trunks of the classical Superman image.

Superman vs Nuperman; below left, the image as presented in the "New 52" DC comics, sans traditional red trunks, and right a restored red trunks image. This image, btw, detested by DC editorial as they deleted a thread carrying a link to it from their Superman Message Board just before Christmas last.


 Superman, classic image, for comparison:

Classic image by Gary Frank (Secret Origin)

Henry Cavill with classic look:

(more will be added to this post)

PLANETRONIX, EARTH,

February 9, 2012

In Praise of Murphy Anderson

As Superman is my favourite comic book character, Murphy Anderson is my favourite comic book Artist. I believe he is the Leonardo Da Vinci of American comic book art. His graceful, dignified, and anatomically correct depictions of action heroes are unequalled over many decades. There are some artists who come close to his ideal and they will get a mention in due course. Some samples here of the genius of Murphy Anderson. The book, which cover is shown here, is well worth getting and I'm sure is available on Amazon or E-bay. It has a great collection of Anderson art and a luxury color section in the middle.

 His collaboration with Curt Swan on Superman throughout the 70's defined the character for that era. Although this was his best known work, he worked on many other characters in the DC roster and particularly notable was his depiction of Adam Strange in "Mystery in Space", which again defined that character's appearance for DC fans everywhere.

 Anderson also did two stints on the "Buck Rogers" newspaper strip in 1948-49 and again in 1958. His "Buck Rogers" look brought a quality image to the strip which won wide praise;

Note the similarities between the respective outfits of "Buck" and "Adam"

 A color drawing of "Buck Rogers" by Anderson.

 "Buck Rogers" newspaper strip art by Anderson.



A Swan/Anderson worksheet for DC Comics: Curt Swan pencilled and Murphy Anderson inked the pages during their long collaboration at DC. Note that "cut & paste" really was that in those days.

A color drawing of "Adam Strange" by Murphy Anderson:

PLANETRONIX,

EARTH, 30/01/2012.

(more will be added to this post)

First SUPERMAN Book I owned

This was the first Superman book I owned. It wasn’t the original DC American full color edition but, a black/white reprint published in Great Britain in a series from 1950-56 of Superman reprints. Only the covers were color printed until 1956, when the inside pages began to appear in color. The series finished soon after but, copies were still on sale later than that.. I got it in a newspaper shop across the road from the local cinema where, incidentally the first Superman serial movie starring Kirk Alyn as Superman was showing. This was a neat tie-in and helped to maintain interest until the next movie chapter the following week. The book cost me 6d, six pence in sterling money, and was more expensive than the visit to the cinema which, at that time (late 1950's) was only 4d, four pence. That exhausted my week’s pocket money which meant I had NOTHING to spend until the following week, very severe financial restriction for a schoolkid.

The book had two Superman stories; “ The Man Who Out-Supered Superman” (12 pages) and “ High Man On a Flagpole” (13 pages). Men climbing up flagpoles were a phenomenon in the 1950’s. The rest were locally British produced items; “ Atomical Tom" The Boy Inventor (Atomical Tom The Boy Inventor) Story, 1 page,  Hurricane Hardy and the Metal Man (Hurricane Hardy) Story, 7 pages , Lemmy Loo Story, 1 page,  Splinter. The Superman art was by Wayne Boring inked by Stan Kaye. The cover was from DC Superman #46, May-June 1946 and I’m presuming the stories were from the same but, I can’t be sure as what was on the covers didn’t always relate to the stories inside. I can’t remember much of any of it.

I had the book for a few weeks but, in those days comics would easily disappear without explanation. My brothers could have taken it and swapped it for something else or even “loaned” it out, “loans” which never came back. Adults regarded comics as disposable litter and I could find it had been used to light the open fire or to mop up spills of various kinds. I didn’t have a proper collection until the 1970’s which I eventually extended with quantities of back issues gleaned from anywhere I happened to travel to which had a newsagent.

American comics were available, but, in the strangest fashion. After WW2 when commercial shipping eventually resumed, ships from the USA travelling to Britain used large quantities of comic books “returns” from newsagents (remember, Superman et al were selling in millions then) with covers torn off as ship’s “ballast” if they hadn’t a full cargo. On arrival they were just dumped on the quayside and were taken by anybody working or visiting there on the day. Liverpool, which had close connections with Ireland, was a place where these could be found and eventually turned up in Dublin. They weren’t just handed out, but some ended up in “second-hand” book shops being sold for 2d or 3d an item. We were glad to get them. It wasn’t until the 60’s that the American books returned to normal retail outlets.

 

 Kirk Alyn, the first movie Superman, as he appeared in the 1948

Columbia Pictures serial "SUPERMAN"

(More Kirk Alyn pics later on)

 

PLANETRONIX

EARTH 27/01/2012

INTRODUCTION

This is a blog for those who love Comic Book Art either by published artists or fan art by individuals who like to make their own pictures. Mostly it's from internet and some manips I make myself. As most comic characters are copyright by somebody or publishing companies, material presented here is not intended as infringement or  for commercial use of any kind. Material will be removed at owner's request.

 Unpublished Artists who send me material for posting here retain their copyright at all times on the understanding that members and visitors may download same for personal use only.

Comments and discussion welcome. If you send me a text document for discussion I will add it as a post. I will set up members contribution access later.

PLANETRONIX

EARTH, 28/01/2012.