marcushill73
02-17-2007, 10:10 PM
I love Image Comics. I bought everything that was published in 1992 and had a ball. At that time, the idea of creators owning their characters was something that I had never considered. Today, I would argue, thanks to Image Comics creator-owned properties or commonplace.
I fell off the Image bandwagon a while back for several reasons. To your surprise, delays were never an issue for me. What was (and still is) a concern for me is creators farming out their properties to other writers and artists.
When Image Comics was founded, it was based on the principal that creators would have creative control of their characters, and use them how they wanted to. If someone wanted to leave the Image Comics "sandbox", they were free to take their property elsewhere (I won't go in Extreme Studios as an example here)
Over time, I became increasingly disillusioned and disappointed with the founding members of Image Comics. Jim Lee created a zillion characters and books and had other creators work for hire on these. Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios was no different. Spawn, the flagship title for Image, saw creator Todd McFarlane play of a creative role over time. Jim Valentino and Whilce Portacio went AWOL. Erik Larsen was left, continuing work on Savage Dragon.
The Image Comics dream had ended. The militant creators had become that which they had originally opposed: Marvel Comics and DC.
Only recently have I come back 'round to Image Comics. A recent iFanboy podcast identified there is no longer the Image Comics Universe that was once obvious, with creators' characters interacting with each other in a shared universe. Today's Image Comics looks considerably different to what it did 15 years ago, I would argue better for readers. At Image Comics, there is now a variety of books published, not just superhero books. Because of this, there exists little or no connection between respective creators' properties. Image Comics is as good now as it has ever been!
Listed below are some of my favorite Image Comics being published. IN alphabetical order:
Godland by Joe Casey and Thomas Scioli. An obvious tribute to Kirby and Lee's Fantastic Four. This is an all 'round good fun book. It's provides that kind of whackiness that only Kirby could create in titles like his Fourth World titles.
Invincible by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley. Superhero books the way the should be: FUN! I haven't enjoyed superhero books this much since reading Ditko and Lee's run on Amazing Spider-Man. Well written supporting cast, who read as real people you care about. Ironically, fight scenes are often a two-page spread and that might be it for this issue. The single best superhero being written today!
Nat Turner by Kyle Baker. A four issue mini-series that is being collected into two bookshelf format books. The first of these two books was published through Kyle Baker Publishing. The second and concluding issue will be published through Image Comics. Baker illustrates almost exclusively without words the tale of Nat Turner, leader of slave uprising as he is taken from his mother in Africa to work on slave plantation. The inside cover of the first book shows how slaves were treated like animals and how the were organized and chained within slave ships. As a non-American, a tru eye opener.
Rocketo by Frank Espinosa. Beautifully written and illustrated title. Reads like a Tin-Tin story with sweeping landscapes and imaginative characters. Book is printed length-wise, so it allows for sweeping landscape shots. Recommended for readers of Hellboy or Goon.
Savage Dragon by Erik Larsen. For me, the undisputed "king" of Image Comics. Larsen is still doing what he set out to do in 1992, and truly loves what he does. He puts his heart and soul into this book, and is always respectful of his reading audience. The book itself is jam-packed with story, back-up features, pin-ups and letter pages. NO advertisements. I cannot speak highly enough of this book, however it would not be easy for a new reader to jump on board.
Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Before reading this title, I had never read horror stories or anything like it. There is no other book out there now that is as good as this. This book truly scares me, showing what people are capable of doing when placed within situations. It gives me nightmares.
I would love to hear from other readers about titles they are reading, and any recommendations you can make. Feel free to agree / disagree with anything I have written.
Make mine Image!
Cheers,
Marcus
I fell off the Image bandwagon a while back for several reasons. To your surprise, delays were never an issue for me. What was (and still is) a concern for me is creators farming out their properties to other writers and artists.
When Image Comics was founded, it was based on the principal that creators would have creative control of their characters, and use them how they wanted to. If someone wanted to leave the Image Comics "sandbox", they were free to take their property elsewhere (I won't go in Extreme Studios as an example here)
Over time, I became increasingly disillusioned and disappointed with the founding members of Image Comics. Jim Lee created a zillion characters and books and had other creators work for hire on these. Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios was no different. Spawn, the flagship title for Image, saw creator Todd McFarlane play of a creative role over time. Jim Valentino and Whilce Portacio went AWOL. Erik Larsen was left, continuing work on Savage Dragon.
The Image Comics dream had ended. The militant creators had become that which they had originally opposed: Marvel Comics and DC.
Only recently have I come back 'round to Image Comics. A recent iFanboy podcast identified there is no longer the Image Comics Universe that was once obvious, with creators' characters interacting with each other in a shared universe. Today's Image Comics looks considerably different to what it did 15 years ago, I would argue better for readers. At Image Comics, there is now a variety of books published, not just superhero books. Because of this, there exists little or no connection between respective creators' properties. Image Comics is as good now as it has ever been!
Listed below are some of my favorite Image Comics being published. IN alphabetical order:
Godland by Joe Casey and Thomas Scioli. An obvious tribute to Kirby and Lee's Fantastic Four. This is an all 'round good fun book. It's provides that kind of whackiness that only Kirby could create in titles like his Fourth World titles.
Invincible by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley. Superhero books the way the should be: FUN! I haven't enjoyed superhero books this much since reading Ditko and Lee's run on Amazing Spider-Man. Well written supporting cast, who read as real people you care about. Ironically, fight scenes are often a two-page spread and that might be it for this issue. The single best superhero being written today!
Nat Turner by Kyle Baker. A four issue mini-series that is being collected into two bookshelf format books. The first of these two books was published through Kyle Baker Publishing. The second and concluding issue will be published through Image Comics. Baker illustrates almost exclusively without words the tale of Nat Turner, leader of slave uprising as he is taken from his mother in Africa to work on slave plantation. The inside cover of the first book shows how slaves were treated like animals and how the were organized and chained within slave ships. As a non-American, a tru eye opener.
Rocketo by Frank Espinosa. Beautifully written and illustrated title. Reads like a Tin-Tin story with sweeping landscapes and imaginative characters. Book is printed length-wise, so it allows for sweeping landscape shots. Recommended for readers of Hellboy or Goon.
Savage Dragon by Erik Larsen. For me, the undisputed "king" of Image Comics. Larsen is still doing what he set out to do in 1992, and truly loves what he does. He puts his heart and soul into this book, and is always respectful of his reading audience. The book itself is jam-packed with story, back-up features, pin-ups and letter pages. NO advertisements. I cannot speak highly enough of this book, however it would not be easy for a new reader to jump on board.
Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Before reading this title, I had never read horror stories or anything like it. There is no other book out there now that is as good as this. This book truly scares me, showing what people are capable of doing when placed within situations. It gives me nightmares.
I would love to hear from other readers about titles they are reading, and any recommendations you can make. Feel free to agree / disagree with anything I have written.
Make mine Image!
Cheers,
Marcus