Can good writing save bad art ? and vise versa ?

So I was at my local Comic shop today and walked into an interesting conversation. Can good writing keep you interested in a book if you do not like the art ? or on the flip side, Can great art, save a so-so story and keep your interest?

Me personally, I find that really Great Art can save a average story, for example the current run of Venom, I like the story, but I feel the last couple of issues it has been the art keeping me in. (last issue was much better). while the story has been lack luster.

However. I find the flip side harder, Bad art can not save a story I am interested in. example, current Thunderbolts, I love the team, and their interaction, however I find that I would have dropped the title if the artist was not going to be changed in the next 2 issues.

Anyway what do you all think ? and do you have any examples of good art or writing that saved an series for you ?

I agree with the OP. Dark Knight Returns is an "all time" story, but the art ruined it for me. I can't think of an example of the reverse off hand, but I'm sure I've read stories that I've sleep-walked through, but if it had good art & cool fight-scenes, I wouldn't care.

Man...am I the only one that thinks Dark Knight Returns reads like bad fan fiction?

Anyway, I relate this to the way I look at video games. I'll play a game with bad game play if the story is interesting, but I'm less intrigued by a game with amazing mechanics and no convincing reason to be doing the things I'm doing. It's the same with comics. I'll suffer what I consider bad art for the story, but not the other way around.

Art definitely makes up for lackluster story telling, just look at early Image books..........

Good writing , however, can suffer severely from bad art.

But this is coming from someone who picked up the last few issues of Doom 2099 mainly to finish the collection and not for the story and definitely not for the art. I also quit on my favorite comic because (mainly) of the writer (I say "mainly" because finances at the time helped with the decision, but if I enjoyed the writing, I would have kept buying).

There's too many factors for me to give a full answer. In short, I usually struggle to enjoy a comic with bad art regardless of the writing.

Depends.

Let's put it to the test. Have Liefeld draw for Morrison and have Alex Ross draw for Quesada.

Well first off, just to be clear, in comics art can tell a story. Art in general can tell a story. There is a reason why writing is called writing and story is called story instead of writing and story being called writstory. Then I guess it really depends on how good the writing or art is compared to how bad the art or writing is and how a person values each.

@Fenderxx: depends on how bad the art is and how good the writing is. I mean can a jim lee batman save the book if its written by liefeld, probably not.

I'm more of a visual person, but I have to say that bad art can make me like a good story...more than good art can make me like a bad story.

As pretty as the visuals are, if there's no soul or sense behind them, I can't swallow the story at all. Case in point: Brad Meltzer's Justice League. Ed Benes is a gorgeous superhero artist, his Wonder Woman and Red Arrow are two of my favorite interpretations of the characters. But Meltzer's story is ridiculous and stinks. The whole time I was reading the panels, I just kept getting distracted by the questionable plot.

On the other hand, while I don't like bad art, there's probably a higher chance I can swallow it if the story's good enough. Mike Perkins' pencils on Ed Brubaker's Captain America run for example. Doug Mahnke's pencils in Sinestro Corps War. Even Paul Pelletier's work in Aquaman (I don't mind him, but Reis really set the bar way up there).

Of course, even this has some exceptions. Case in point, Igor Kordey's art on Morrison's New X-Men. GODAWFUL. Seriously, I couldn't even care about the story when my eyes were bleeding all over his panels. I've heard that he was rushed and that he's usually a good artist, but those issues were ridiculously bad.

Writing yes, art no.
BB

@Billy Batson said:

Writing yes, art no.
BB

truth.

Short answer? No. Great art will not make up for terrible writing, and vice versa. Great art might compensate for mediocre writing, but even then not for long. And for the other scenario, let me put it to you this way: a book you're reading has a great plot. Then Liefield signs on as the permanent artist. What do you do? Drop the book? I know I would.

Yeah. There is a reason why I still watch naruto after Pein turned road runner :D

@Fenderxx said:

Thunderbolts, I love the team, and their interaction, however I find that I would have dropped the title if the artist was not going to be changed in the next 2 issues.

Oh, thank (insert deity of choice here).

I'm just going to say it, Hawkeye has good story. But worse art than an Archie comic...

I'd rather read a book with a great story and ok art. Then one with great art and an ok story.

But, I do like writing stories and can't draw a straight line so that may have something to do with it.

I agree with the OP. Dark Knight Returns is an "all time" story, but the art ruined it for me. I can't think of an example of the reverse off hand, but I'm sure I've read stories that I've sleep-walked through, but if it had good art & cool fight-scenes, I wouldn't care.

This is GOOD Writing but BAD Art:

This is GOOD Art but with BAD Writing:

So it all depends on the people doing it.

There's nothing like a good story ,which we all can agree on! For me I can't stomach bad art with a good story, but I can take a mediocre story, horrible even, with a great artwork/ beautiful book any day.

At least you can go through a comic book and look at the marvelous illustrations the artist created with a bad plot. You can just ignore the words.

However, with bad art, it's a pain flipping through the pages. I like The Dark Knight Returns, but the art just really turns me off the novel.

Wow, To be honest I expected this topic to be very one sided, but it looks like its almost 50/50,

@Nerd Of A Hero: Those are good examples, and I definitely show my art-bias because just looking at the art before reading the latter is a LOT more appealing to me.

Speaking of bad art (though I'm not making a judgement on the writing), the latest Batman INC's art was VERY unappealing to me. A little sad (IMO) given the events.

I prefer a story with great art and poor story rather then vice versa. Just look at pretty much all of 90s books the art was terriable.

@Army2442 said:

I prefer a story with great art and poor story rather then vice versa. Just look at pretty much all of 90s books the art was terriable.

Yea, I can't read much of anything prior to the mid-90s (and then, it's only stuff like JLA or JSA - fun team books). I like me some detailed, modern (technology) art.