A comic book convention in Columbia, MO! I was so busy promoting the show on my twitter that I neglected to do so on my tumblr as well! I will be there both Saturday and Sunday and will be participating in my VERY FIRST COMIC BOOK PANEL on Saturday from 4:30-5:30 about how to get started on making comics!
http://www.dodecacon.iccwnetwork.com/
So swing by the Kemper Arena, buy a mini comic and maybe even a balloon sketch by yours truly! Hope to see you there!
Because there seems to be no escaping it from anywhere online. So I want to say my piece. I want to preface this by saying this is not meant to be an informative article or even an enlightening commentary. There’s plenty of people who are doing a better job of that than I ever could, most notably here: http://www.comicsbeat.com/2012/04/25/the-creators-position-viewed-through-the-lens-of-alan-moore/
This is strictly for me. I doubt I will sway anyone’s opinion on the matter but I want people to at least understand where I’m coming from.
Watchmen is not my favorite Alan Moore comic book.
From Hell is without a doubt my favorite of his work. Watchmen actually wouldn’t even make my top 3 of his books. It’s certainly not the worst (I’m looking at you, Violator mini-series) but in terms of overall stories I can go back and enjoy it’s not one that I read on a yearly basis like I do From Hell or Top Ten.
And yet I find myself, along with the rest of the Internet, talking about Watchmen more than any of these other books. Hell, I’ve probably spent more time talking about Watchmen than any other comic book ever. And even though it is not my favorite comic book or even my favorite Alan Moore comic book, I find myself coming to it’s defense on a regular basis.
People are allowed to not like Watchmen, much in the same way they’re allowed not to like Citizen Kane, or Moby Dick, or a van Gogh painting. Taste is subjective, and what’s enjoyable for one person isn’t going to be enjoyable for the next.
That being said, the thing that gets my dander raised is that there seems to be (and honestly has been for the last five to ten years) a concentrated effort by some to discredit Watchmen, or try to devalue it’s place as a masterpiece. This always causes me to question the motive behind these efforts. A lot of time it seems that many only say this because they find it to be an empowering statement. In any case, it almost always angers me because, like it or not, Watchmen is a masterpiece. It’s one of the very few genuine masterpieces that exists in comic book form. It’s why we’re talking about it right now, 25 years later, and why we’ll probably still talk about it another 25 years from now.
Watchmen is not a masterpiece because of how it treats the superhero genre. It is not a masterpiece because there’s sex and violence in a mainstream comic book. It is not a masterpiece for it’s plot, or it’s characters, or the twist ending, or any of the other things people tend to focus on.
Watchmen is a masterpiece because Moore and Dave Gibbons crafted something that was entirely and solely a comic book.
That seems like a obvious statement, I know. But if you look at the book and the way Moore and Gibbons really took advantage of the art form, how panels are self-referential to other panels in the book, the mirror images, the cutting and splicing of imagery throughout the whole series…these are things that cannot be done as effectively in any other medium. This is not just a screenplay written to be illustrated. This is a comic book. So much time and thought and craft was poured into this book by everyone involved. So much more than most other books, and, honestly? It shows. Everyone’s always quick to name a handful of books that they feel are better than Watchmen. And maybe those books are more enjoyable to read. But that does not make them better. Hell, I enjoy Evil Dead 2 more than any of the Godfather movies, but I’m not about to say that Evil Dead 2 is more important than the Godfather. Well, maybe Godfather 3…
But I digress.
I’m not going to go into Alan Moore himself, or the new books, or even creator rights in relation to this book. At this point it’s just spinning wheels in mud, with none of us actually getting anywhere and pretty much everyone getting dirty. I’m sure some of what Moore says has had a heavy influence on people’s opinions of his work nowadays. That’s a whole other post, I’m sure.
You do not have to enjoy or even like Watchmen.
But to say that Watchmen isn’t important to the art form of comic books does nothing but disservice.
Finally got around to inking my Shepard. Think it turned out pretty good!
Shepard drawing I did for a friend that took me way too long to finish.
Sorry, couldn’t resist. Chapter 1 will be complete next week and available to buy at Emerald City Comic Con.
Kind of a meta moment as I actually meet Commander Shepard mere hours before I beat Mass Effect 2. Does that count as meta? I dunno. Still very cool. (Taken after watching Comic Con Episode IV, A Fan’s Hope at True/False last Saturday).
Villain sketch: Doctor HoTep, Mummy Mad Scientist
Some character sketches for a story about a girl who finds out her grandpa was a pulp hero in the 50s and decides to follow in his footsteps. Haven’t decided if I want to go “classic” or “contemporary” with the look. The hair is supposed to be a wig.
Any feedback is appreciated!
Drew an elf. Tried to get away from the Peter Jackson/Dragon Age style and more of a “traditional” style.
