JMS in new Wizard magazine
The Reverend Jacob Corbin
issue of WIZARD magazine, "the guide to comics," lists JMS as one of six
comics creators who are likely to be the big-name stars of the next few
years. The article mentions his talent in multiple media as well as the
large audience he brings with him from B5. RISING STARS earns props
here and elsewhere in the issue for the quality of its writing, namely
its "engaging dialogue, mortal heroes and intriguing storylines."
One rather funny twist: everyone in the article is described as "the
next [so-and-so]." JMS gets to be "the next Kevin Smith." I must admit
to some befuddlement....for better or for worse, I'm having trouble
seeing JMS writing about maniac potheads and necrophilia. Talk about
your bizarre juxtapositions.
I also wanted to share another recent discovery for those of you who've
been following RISING STARS. The other day, I picked up a book by
another one of Wizard's six creators, Warren Ellis ("the next Alan
Moore"). The book is called THE AUTHORITY, and I can't recommend it
highly enough. Issue #8 just came out and it's a mindboggler (wait'll
you see what happens to Italy...). It's a completely different approach
from RS, much more manic and bloody, but a good ride for the two fifty.
Just some random thoughts. This is the Reverend signing off....
Paul D. Shocklee
[...]
: One rather funny twist: everyone in the article is described as "the
: next [so-and-so]." JMS gets to be "the next Kevin Smith." I must admit
: to some befuddlement....for better or for worse, I'm having trouble
: seeing JMS writing about maniac potheads and necrophilia. Talk about
: your bizarre juxtapositions.
I don't know. From what I've heard about it, I can imagine JMS writing
Kevin Smith's new movie, DOGMA.
--
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Paul Shocklee - physics grad student - Princeton University |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| "Periods of tranquility are seldom prolific of creative achievement. |
| Mankind has to be stirred up." -- Alfred North Whitehead |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
MJB
The funny thing is, I hadn't looked at a comic book in about 25 years when
I decided I wanted the B5 comics and went out to find them (it was a few
months after #11 was out). Well, I ended up getting some free back issues
of other comics so I read them. So, thanks to JMS, I'm reading comics.
Well, now I'm reading Rising Stars (of course), but I've been reading the
Ellis books too (Planetary & The Authority -- you have to read them both).
I even found the back issues of "Stormwatch" vol 2 (all by Ellis and they
lead into The Authority & Planetary). I also love Quantum & Woody
(Christopher Priest is one of the BEST comic writers right now).
If you like Rising Stars you may want to check out the old Valiant
Harbinger books (esp. issues 1-10 -- after that they get real uneven,
Valiant fired Jim Shooter and killed the vision they had).
It's very interesting to see how JMS handles the story of kids with
"superpowers ?". I'm enjoying it so far.
Mike
The Reverend Jacob Corbin <webm...@afriendlysbooks.com> wrote:
> This might be of tangential interest to some of you guys...the newest
> issue of WIZARD magazine, "the guide to comics," lists JMS as one of six
> comics creators who are likely to be the big-name stars of the next few
> years. The article mentions his talent in multiple media as well as the
> large audience he brings with him from B5. RISING STARS earns props
> here and elsewhere in the issue for the quality of its writing, namely
> its "engaging dialogue, mortal heroes and intriguing storylines."
>
> One rather funny twist: everyone in the article is described as "the
> next [so-and-so]." JMS gets to be "the next Kevin Smith." I must admit
> to some befuddlement....for better or for worse, I'm having trouble
> seeing JMS writing about maniac potheads and necrophilia. Talk about
> your bizarre juxtapositions.
>
The Nuclear Marine
MJB wrote:
>
> The funny thing is, I hadn't looked at a comic book in about 25 years when
> I decided I wanted the B5 comics and went out to find them (it was a few
> months after #11 was out).
You know. I thing I hate the term comic book about as much Harlon
Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
Even B5 was about multiple genres told in a futuristic fantasy setting
with strong scientific elements woven into the tapestry for a realistic
feel to the setting.
It is the same reaction when a rather obnoxious episode of Leeza with
the topic about a graphical story (my term for a comic book) detailing
Jeffrey Dahmer. The host and audience couldn't get passed the idea this
medium was only for kids so to use it to tell the tale of a cannibal was
horrendous.
Archie is a comic book. Richie Rich is a comic book. Sandman is a work
of art. The Watchmen is a exploration of society itself. Rising Stars
isn't even done yet. Preacher is pschopathic fun.
Imagine if we held that only cartoons could be made for Disney or must
be like the Saturday mourning fair? We would not have Light Years,
Akira, Princess Mononoke, Heavy Metal, Simpsons, the Real Ghostbusters
and others.
===============
I am Kosh of Borg. You have always been assimilated.
Jms at B5
>Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
>
I dunno...*I* always thought I was writing a comic book....
jms
(jms...@aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
GreyWulph
I agree. I don't think the problem is with the term comic book, just the
publics misconceptions and predetermined beliefs about them.
Charles W.
Jms at B5 wrote:
> >You know. I thing I hate the term comic book about as much Harlon
> >Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
This is good because I NEVER Considered Harlon a science fiction writer
either.
> >
>
> I dunno...*I* always thought I was writing a comic book....
>
> jms
>
> (jms...@aol.com)
MJB
Sorry, I don't get all hung up over labels. I started reading
comics again because some are written as layered stories
at an adult level (and adult doesn't mean there's lots of cursing
and blood -- though some comic writers seem to think that).
I didn't realize that till the B5 comics came out and I started reading
them and others. You can call 'em comics or graphic novels, whatever
blows your skirt up.
The Nuclear Marine <nuke-...@home.com> wrote:
>
>
> MJB wrote:
> >
> > The funny thing is, I hadn't looked at a comic book in about 25 years when
> > I decided I wanted the B5 comics and went out to find them (it was a few
> > months after #11 was out).
>
> You know. I thing I hate the term comic book about as much Harlon
> Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
>
The Reverend Jacob Corbin
The Nuclear Marine wrote:
> You know. I thing I hate the term comic book about as much Harlon
> Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
>
> Even B5 was about multiple genres told in a futuristic fantasy setting
> with strong scientific elements woven into the tapestry for a realistic
> feel to the setting.
But regardless of what it was *about*, B5 was still a TeeVee Show. Just
like calling something a "comic book" simply means that you're referring to a
dozen or two sheets of newsprint stapled together and folded in half. There was
a thread about this last week in rec.arts.comics.misc, and my opinion stands:
referring to comics as "graphic novels" is a grade-A-guaranteed way for a person
to make themselves sound like a poncey "Village Voice" asshole.
Jacob
Daryl Nash
The term "comic book" used to bug me until I tried to come up with a better term for
them, and all the other options sounded just as bad or worse. After all, even
"graphic novels" only works for a certain percentage of comics. What about a story
that's self-contained in 20-some-odd pages? A "graphic short story"?
Daryl
The Reverend Jacob Corbin
> The funny thing is, I hadn't looked at a comic book in about 25 years when
> I decided I wanted the B5 comics and went out to find them (it was a few
> months after #11 was out). Well, I ended up getting some free back issues
> of other comics so I read them. So, thanks to JMS, I'm reading comics.
>
> Well, now I'm reading Rising Stars (of course), but I've been reading the
> Ellis books too (Planetary & The Authority -- you have to read them both).
> I even found the back issues of "Stormwatch" vol 2 (all by Ellis and they
> lead into The Authority & Planetary). I also love Quantum & Woody
> (Christopher Priest is one of the BEST comic writers right now).
I wasn't sure about it at first, but I've grown to really appreciate
PLANETARY. It's got an embarrassment of riches: the "snowflake" effect, the
Fourth Man, and of course Elijah Snow, who is IMO Warren's second-best
character. If JMS ever gets another TV series off the ground, he ought to
bring this guy in as a staff writer.
har...@interlog.com
>Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
Well, technically, "comic" does mean "funny". Now you've
got me thinking: In my 1000 or so comics that I had collected
around the mid 1970's (ranging in print date from about
1959-1978), not one of them is explicitly funny! Superman, Flash,
Green Lantern, Action, Justice League, World's Finest..... well,
I do remember this one about Superman having to eat tons of food
to retain his energy - that was pretty funny until I developed
wicked hypoglycemia and can totally relate.
As for "science fiction", you're not talking about the ridiculous
thing that some anal types kvetch over where they abhor the
short form "sci fi"?
f-erenc
Mikel Midnight
[ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ]
[ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ]
In article <3826843F...@interlog.com>, <har...@interlog.com>
wrote:
> As for "science fiction", you're not talking about the ridiculous
> thing that some anal types kvetch over where they abhor the
> short form "sci fi"?
I prefer the term "spec fic" myself. ;)
--
_______________________________________________________________________________
"She always had a terrific sense of humor" Mikel Midnight
(Valerie Solonas, as described by her mother)
blak...@best.com
__________________________________________________http://www.best.com/~blaklion
Dan S.
The Reverend Jacob Corbin <webm...@afriendlysbooks.com> wrote:
>like calling something a "comic book" simply means that you're
>referring to a dozen or two sheets of newsprint stapled together and
>folded in half. There was a thread about this last week in
>rec.arts.comics.misc, and my opinion stands: referring to comics as
>"graphic novels" is a grade-A-guaranteed way for a person
>to make themselves sound like a poncey "Village Voice" asshole.
> Jacob
What was the topic of this discussion? I'd like to find it on
rec.arts.comics.mis if I could and not have to wade through all the
topics.
Thanks,
Dan S.
---------------------------------------
"They're coming to take me away Ha-Ha!"
Napoleon XIV
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
GreyWulph
>>Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
>
>Well, technically, "comic" does mean "funny".
And technically park means to to stop your car, but we drive on a parkway. And
drive means to have the car in motion but we park in a driveway. So with that
logic if we call something a comic book, by rights it should be serious :-)
I do agree though that the term comic book colors peoples expectations of what
the book is and what it contains. I think the only way comics are ever going to
gain mainstream acceptance as a form of entertainment for adults is if best
selling novels are also done in graphic novel form and sold on the shelves
right next to the text version. Then people might begin to accept and enjoy
that medium and actually go looking for comics that are original and not based
on novels. Comics seem to have a very difficult time in attracting new readers
and I think the only way to get those new readers is to bait them in with those
adaptations and then hopefully expose them to a new form they then find they
enjoy.
The Reverend Jacob Corbin
"Dan S." wrote:
> In article <38261DE6...@afriendlysbooks.com>,
> The Reverend Jacob Corbin <webm...@afriendlysbooks.com> wrote:
>
> >like calling something a "comic book" simply means that you're
> >referring to a dozen or two sheets of newsprint stapled together and
> >folded in half. There was a thread about this last week in
> >rec.arts.comics.misc, and my opinion stands: referring to comics as
> >"graphic novels" is a grade-A-guaranteed way for a person
> >to make themselves sound like a poncey "Village Voice" asshole.
>
> > Jacob
>
> What was the topic of this discussion? I'd like to find it on
> rec.arts.comics.mis if I could and not have to wade through all the
> topics.
Try "Re: salon.com article on From Hell, Watchmen".
You're welcome,
Reverend Jake
The Nuclear Marine
your wife switched up e-mail identifiers?)<-----reason for late reply
Well to tell the truth I was giving my opinion, which with 5 dollars
will get you a cup of joe at Starbucks. Just a personality quirk for me
because I have dealt with people who have preconception that they apply
to all "comic books". I (just me, not demanding it of others or
throwing a fit if they don't) call them graphical stories as if I say
graphic Penthouse Comix springs to their perverse minds :^)
I don't think such stories started out as comic books anyway but the
term soon became the generic desription. Besides, I can't hook people
onto Sandman very easily by calling it a comic book.
Jms at B5 wrote:
>
> >You know. I thing^hk I hate the term comic book about as much Harlon
> >Ellison hates being termed a science fiction writer.
> >
>
> I dunno...*I* always thought I was writing a comic book....
>
> jms
>
> (jms...@aol.com)
> B5 Official Fan Club at:
> http://www.thestation.com
======================
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!"
"...now mama, put that rock down...."
The Reverend Jacob Corbin
> The term "comic book" used to bug me until I tried to come up with a better term for
> them, and all the other options sounded just as bad or worse. After all, even
> "graphic novels" only works for a certain percentage of comics. What about a story
> that's self-contained in 20-some-odd pages? A "graphic short story"?
Exactly. And frankly, I think the term is seriously overused; most of the books it's
applied to have absolutely nothing in common, structurally speaking, with a novel.
F'rinstance, while WATCHMEN and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS may be graphic novels, anthology
stuff like STRAY BULLETS or TWO-FISTED SCIENCE certainly isn't.
But my main problem with the term is that it strikes me as a condescending, politically
correct euphemism (though, yes, I'm aware it predates the advent of PC). I read comic
books, comics, or comix. I don't read stuff that sounds like it was prechewed and
predigested to make it acceptable to some beret-wearing, black-turtlenecked arbiter of
taste. Blecch.
Reverend Jake
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/shirley/272/
Justin Bacon
<webm...@afriendlysbooks.com> writes:
>Daryl Nash wrote:
>
>> The term "comic book" used to bug me until I tried to come up with a better
>term for
>> them, and all the other options sounded just as bad or worse. After all,
>even
>> "graphic novels" only works for a certain percentage of comics. What about
>a story
>> that's self-contained in 20-some-odd pages? A "graphic short story"?
>
>Exactly. And frankly, I think the term is seriously overused; most of the
>books it's
>applied to have absolutely nothing in common, structurally speaking, with a
>novel.
>F'rinstance, while WATCHMEN and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS may be graphic
>novels, anthology
>stuff like STRAY BULLETS or TWO-FISTED SCIENCE certainly isn't.
Agreed. Personally I'm beginning to think that we should just refer to the
medium as "manga" -- regardless of whether it was produced in Japan or not.
Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com