CV's Roundtable User Discussion 003 - Art vs Writing
By sora_thekey 9 Comments
Hello and welcome back to Comic Vine's "Roundtable User Discussion". If this is your first time reading this, let me explain a bit of how this works. A couple of CV users, like you, virtually met up to talk comic books. That conversation has been posted here for you guys to see, read and enjoy. After you read our conversation be sure to comment below where you can submit your own opinions after reading ours. Also, if this is the first roundtable you read be sure to go back and read the comic book-related discussions we had in the past. (Here and Here).
Gambler: Whats good CV? Gambler here. Part time nerd, Fulltime self-absorbed delusional.
The Dark Huntress: Dark Huntress. Officionado of everything Birds of Prey, Supergirl, Outsiders and X-Men related and a Vine addict. Also go by Courtney, that's pretty common knowledge.
Welcome Gambler and... Courtney! (I actually didn't know that)Huntress, I am reading the latest Whiskey Media blog post right now... and you've been showcased as top commenter this year:
The Dark Huntress: Whaaaaaaaaaat?Awesome! <_< god I have no life.
Gambler: Congrats. Top Commentator for the Year....impressive.
The Dark Huntress: Impressive or sad?
Haha. Well, now that we all know each other lets begin with a question I made in the last Roundtable: What was the last comic book, graphic novel or web comic you guys read?
The Dark Huntress: OMG yes. Age of X (which I take full credit for getting you to read, by the way) is absolutely amazing.
Gambler: Hahahaha whaaa? I was a full two issues ahead of you gurl :P
The Dark Huntress: I have no idea what you're talking about. Plays innocent.
I haven't read that issue yet! No spoilers please! Anyways, Courtney makes a very interesting note, that segways perfectly into the topic of discussion of this Roundtable!
The Dark Huntress: Cry for Justice was written by James Robinson with art by Mauro Cascioli.
Gambler: I'm not being lazy, but I'm going to post the link to the issue page. I encourage this because our (Comicvine) users do an amazing job at accurately filling out the information. Here you can see the Creators behind the issue.
The Dark Huntress: Well yes, you are lazy. But that doesn't negate your other point.
The Dark Huntress: SPOILER WARNING for those how haven't read it. I have issues with needless death. There was so much death and destruction in this and that's understandable when there's mass chaos going on and cities being destroyed.
But the death of Lian Harper was needless and stupid, IMO as was Roy's loss of limb. I feel like it was used as a device to have the Green Arrow family go down this really really dark path and that it was horribly executed..no pun intended. Speedy was supposed to be with Lian and she wasn't, which is part of what lead to Lian's death. That's out of character for me and just a little too convenient. That's my biggest gripe with it. I also hate the derailment that it led to for Roy, but that's another issue entirely.
Follow up question then, did you buy the trade before reading the book?
The Dark Huntress: Yes. I generally stick to trades of series that I like or have read a lot of. It's a really long list and I've been collecting the Justice League trades from the current volume. Cry for Justice was next in the storyline so I bought that as well. I knew what happened in it (which is one of the perils of buying trades and being part of a comic book website) and I'd seen some of the art and was interested in reading it and forming my own opinion.
So you bought the trade without reading it first. Didn't like it but thought the art was beautiful.
Gambler, what did you think of Chapter 3 of Age of X, art and story-wise?
So you favor the writing over the art, even though you like it.
In my case I mentioned Joe the Barbarian. At first I didn't think too much of the art, but the story is so out of this world (pun intended) that the art matched perfectly complementing Morrison's great writing.
In the manner of the "Music and Lyrics"movie, Which do you think is more important: art or writing?
Gambler: Art over Writing any day. This is why I dont read Vertigo titles. I cant stand the art. Sometimes there are exceptions (The Dark Knight Returns) is one. Hate the art but the story is so good that I can overlook it.
Really? You both favor art over writing?
I am going to be the black sheep here and disagree. I prefer writing over art. What were to happen if you read an awful book with amazing art. Would it still be a book worth buying for the art alone?
Gambler: Our very own Devils Advocate huh ;)
The Dark Huntress: Gambler and I tend to have similar taste in comics.
But yes, I prefer the art over the writing in most cases. If I'm looking at horrible art it completely takes away from the story for me. Comics are not just words, they rely heavily on art to tell the story, to describe things that text can't. I think the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words" fits well here. And if that picture is horrible, it definitely takes away from it for me. If I wanted to just look at the words, I'd buy the novel adaptation.
That being said, if something is written bad enough, I'll drop it as well, but art really is a bigger factor for me.
If a book with your favorite writer or character was spotlighted with bad art, would you not read it either way?
The Dark Huntress: It would really depend on how faithfully the character was being written and who was writing it.
Emma Frost is one of my favorite characters and Morrison did an exquisite job writing her when not many (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, FRACTION!) seem to be able to do so correctly. However, Frank Quitely's art..well it blew. But I kept reading anyways. So there are exceptions.
The Dark Huntress: You mean Gail hasn't just started writing more appearances of her to get you to leave her alone? ;)
Gambler: She loves my Twitter attention :)
The Dark Huntress: Isn't that what all stalkers say? xD
Gambler: You should have left that out of quotes ;) pussy lol
The Dark Huntress: Goes to tell on him for calling her names.
Gambler: I hate rotating artists. I never really pay attention to writers honestly, they can come and go. But I really hate when they switch artists in and out. Birds of Prey was ridiculous. I understand sh!t happens and life throws some unexpected things out there and the show must go on, but every other page? That was fuggazy.
The Dark Huntress: Not current on BoP, so I'll sound off on Second Coming.
I think that if it's done randomly and oddly that it can take away from the storytelling and break the flow of things That didn't really happen with Second Coming though, it was very coherent and some of the styles were similar so it meshed together quite well. Plus Mike Choi is probably my absolute favorite artist. I'm such a fan of his work.
Who doesn't love Choi!
I actually dropped Uncanny because I couldn't take the art anymore. I like Fraction's writing, but I don't think X-Men suited him. He does a great job with Iron Man and Thor though.
Gambler: Really? I honestly dont know much about Land. I hear/read all the haters going off about how he traces and what have you, but I've never minded his art. Could be worse...alot worse.
The Dark Huntress: I can sympathize with you on the Greg Land thing. When I was first getting into comics and didn't actually understand that continuity of things, I was looking at trades that featured Jean and Emma. I came across Phoenix: Endsong and it was Greg Land's art that swayed me into buying it. He was my favorite for a whileeee.
To be honest, I still like it a lot. One of my favorite Jean images is the one where she is crying as she is going in to the White Hot Room in her White Phoenix outfit.
The problem now is that I seem to be reading Endsong over and over again as he uses those same iconic poses from that book into the "new" stuff he does but before this discussion becomes Greg Land oriented, let me quickly change the subject, Is there a book you guys read/bought only because of the writing?
The Dark Huntress: Yes. Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men. I was not keen on Cassaday at all at first but grew to really enjoy his art throughout the series.
Same here. I read it because I love Kitty Pryde so much. Then dropped it after... well y'know!
The Dark Huntress: I bought it because I'm a Whedon and Emma Frost fangirl. I was not disappointed, and yeah, sucks about Kitty. Especially her lack of use since she's been back.
Gambler: David Petersen's Mouse Guard Winter 1152 (although technically I didn't originally purchase it. I won the first issue and was hooked)
What about the other way around. Is there a book you would recommend solely on art?
The Dark Huntress: Anything that Mike Choi does. I'd say X-Force, but Crain's art isn't a big seller with everybody.
The Dark Huntress: Ah yes, Hush as well. The art in that is amazing. Story is impeccable as well, but it's awesome eye candy.
Gambler: Ha! "as well." Wanna throw another "as well" in there? I think you could fit one more in that post ;)
The Dark Huntress: Screw you....on the other hand....no. ;)
Gambler: Ah yes, David Finch. He's in my top five.
I am surprised that neither of you mentioned a book where the art complimented the writing. If you think about it, in the end, the art is the complimentary packet since the plot is worked on first.
The Dark Huntress: Hush is definitely one of those plots, IMO. The story is amazing and the art suits the dark mood and mystery feel to it.
And Crain's style complimented the X-Force books quite well.
The Dark Huntress: Here Comes Tomorrow. How I love you and hate you at the same time.
Writing compliments art? but without the writing the artist doesn't know what to draw.
Silent issues are scripted too. So there is writing involved.
Gambler: I don't think we're saying that silent issues are unscripted (as part of the creating process) but the final product is void of writing. For me, I'm not looking at a silent issue thinking how well scripted it most have been before hand. All I'm looking at is the art and whether or not it appeals to me. The writers contribution never even enters my mind. Art was what drew me to comics in the first place. Sometimes I still just look at the art and then later on I'll go back and read the issue. All depends.
Do you guys buy comic book artist's art books?
Gambler: Niiiioce. Adam Hughes is certified badass lol
The Dark Huntress: Adam Hughes is a boss. ^_^
Oh my god! We have been talking art and Marko Djurdjevic and Alex Ross came up just now! Hahah Fail!
The Dark Huntress: I have a thing for painted and digital art. Most of my favorite artists tend to use those mediums.
Gambler: They're not even in my top five. Respect their work, but I have other personal favorites.
Gambler: I agree with you on that Court.
I understand what you mean, but both artist seem to have that epic-effect when doing covers. I simply like them! :)
The Dark Huntress: Oh their covers are amazing, no doubt. Their styles just don't suit interiors well. I find that with a lot of artists who paint or use digital art, though. Adi Granov and Danny Luvisi, for example.
Well this has been a very "disagreeable" discussion amongst us. By that I mean Courtney and Gambler teamed up against me! I think it's time to bring this to a close so that the people reading can agree to disagree.
Gambler: Hahaha yeah well thats how we roll son ;P
Healthy disagreements can be productive. No one wants to read how we agree on everything.
Would you guys like to say your farewells?
The Dark Huntress: Shakes head at Gambler. You did that on purpose.
I had a great discussion, was happy to be a part of this.
Icarus...?
Be sure to come back for future Roundtable Discussions and let us know what you thought of this topic. I am Geo/sora_thekey signing off.
Somebody let me in on the joke... Why do you confuse me with Icarus?
...Guys?
-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @sora_thekey