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Monte Gruhlke
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 03 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 3303
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 9:44am | IP Logged | 1
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Well, I did collect his Batman: Year 100 mini, and while it took me a moment to adjust to Batman being portrayed in this manner, I really enjoyed the energy of the series. His Batman is well-thought out and as dedicated as the one we're generally familiar with.
JB asks: Is he well cast? I believe so; he offers us a take on the Batman mythos that hasn't been done before. This isn't your ninja bat-man, no moody grim grumbler of the night who knows everything. Pope offers us a fresh perspective.
As for the artwork, it is definitely more stylized and different than what is offered in the mainstream today - and it really adds to the frenetic energy of the series.
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Dave Aikins
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 31 July 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 2110
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 9:58am | IP Logged | 2
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The book was one of my favorites of late.
Some interesting ideas and the usual Pope crazy art.
Not everyone's cup of tea, but I dug it!
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Donald Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 03 February 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 3601
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 10:38am | IP Logged | 3
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I got excited when I misread the thread title and thought that someone had discovered some fan art done by Pope John Paul....
Would he have designed a more "Catholic" costume?
Naw, I think he would have been a purist...old school as it were.
Don
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132231
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 10:47am | IP Logged | 4
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Not everyone's cup of tea, but I dug it!
••
This raises an interesting and important point. I think we can all
acknowledge that the American comic book is in serious trouble, with a
greying fanbase and a shrinking market. A wise publisher should do
everything possible to boost sales and increase the audience -- and not
just thru the occasional stunts which, we all know, really only reach
deeper into the pockets of the audience that already exists.
So -- with a traditionally "mass market" character like Batman, should not
the greatest effort be devoted to crafting a package that IS, as far as
humanly possibly, "everyone's cup of tea"?
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Michael Retour
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 27 May 2006
Posts: 932
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 10:52am | IP Logged | 5
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I love Pope's stuff and thought the Batman work he's done has been stellar. I saw some Kirby characters Pope drew and they were great too.
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Sam Karns
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 26 December 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7624
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 10:59am | IP Logged | 6
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Why are the most talented new artists and writers all fixated on strangling all the fun and fantasy out of superhero comics? The sooner these guys find jobs in H'wood, the better.
****
I agree completely.
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Monte Gruhlke
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 03 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 3303
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 11:16am | IP Logged | 7
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Your "cup of tea" question has a lot of merit, JB - but hasn't it
generally been the perspective that the current DC mainstream keeps
"getting it wrong" for years in regards to the Batman? You would think
that everytime that character shows up in a book that it would be DC's
ideal presentation, but unfortunately this 'ideal' has seeming slid so
far south as to give the public an endless stream of grumbly,
know-it-all, ninja, goddam Batmans.
Which is the main reason why I felt Pope's Batman was refreshing.
Now then, is the 'kewl' Batman we have now catering to the masses and
generating sales? If so, then power to DC because they are getting the
$$$ results they're pandering for. On the downside, the characters I
enjoy reading about just become more and more unrecognizable.
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Martin Redmond
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 27 June 2006
Posts: 3882
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 11:48am | IP Logged | 8
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Oh okay, I've changed my guns! I will read this series.
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Chad Carter
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 June 2005
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 11:54am | IP Logged | 9
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So -- with a traditionally "mass market" character like Batman, should not
the greatest effort be devoted to crafting a package that IS, as far as
humanly possibly, "everyone's cup of tea"?
I keep thinking any "flagship" character should draw as many readers as humanly possible, and I still think so.
To that end, I'd gladly prefer to see this take on Batman applied to the Creeper, leaving Batman to be more the "proletariat" of DC's titles.
Only the result of that is more Grant Morrisonization, and Neal Gaiman...the reality is DC isn't run by anyone with any concern for a generalized market.
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Joel Tesch
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Joined: 19 May 2006
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 12:23pm | IP Logged | 10
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Damn, he draws an ugly Batman.
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Dave Aikins
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 31 July 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 2110
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 12:37pm | IP Logged | 11
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"So -- with a traditionally "mass market" character like Batman, should
not the greatest effort be devoted to crafting a package that IS, as far as
humanly possibly, "everyone's cup of tea"?"
Wow, JB, that's a sure way to get everything market tested into a world of
vanilla blandness!
I would more then agree if we were talking about the main, monthly
comic. In fact, I could go on and on about my problems with monthlies
being targeted for my age group (mid-thirties), etc. etc...
As for special projects like this- these are what I buy now. If publishers
didn't occasionally do things like this, I'd be out of comics. It would be so
sad if Marvel and DC didn't dip their feet into what would be commonly
described as "Indy" comics. I love the Bizarro collections. I'm looking
forward to the Omega the Unknown hardcover. I like these things because
I've had 35 years of the same-old stuff and I enjoy the occasional
deviance from the norm.
What I do find funny is that I've known some fantastic "Indy" artists who
think there is a home for them at Marvel & DC. They don't seem to get it
into their heads that these projects are few and far between...
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Wallace Sellars
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Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17667
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| Posted: 05 August 2008 at 1:30pm | IP Logged | 12
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I have to say, I like Pope's work from what I've seen. Reminds me of Guy Davis a lot.
---
I'm a fan of Guy Davis' Sandman Mystery Theater and BPRD work. What about Pope's art reminds you of Davis'?
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Topic Closed)
