ghost-angel Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? Originality is not the story being told. There are only, if I remember correctly, eight basic stories to tell. Joseph Campbell covered at least 4 of them with his encompassing work "The Hero's Journey." however... there are an infinite number of ways to tell any of those stories. And that's where all the fun is. It's not what story you're telling, it's how you tell it that counts. Tell it well enough and people will call it good. Unfotrunately there is also another important thing to remember with any creative art: 90% of any given thing is crap, which piece of any given thing occupies the 10% side is up to personal taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manchine Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? ..... That is pretty much it. Even on TV its all been done. Its pretty much the same shows with different characters. (Which is one of the reasons why I love survivor and big brother. You just never know what people are gonna do.) The real question is. What is that character/group gonna do? Which is why we always wanna find out what is gonna happen next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alverant Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? I think with the big companies, it's safer to go with a story that has a success record than try something new and original and take a risk. Consider Hollywood movies as an example. We see so many sequels and remakes not just because we enjoy them (most of the time) but because most of the time a new idea tanks at the box office. Being original means taking a risk that it won't be accepted by the market. It's even worse for comics because they're already a niche market. If you create a niche in a niche market, you won't sell enough copies to continue printing. How many new ideas by Marvel or DC broke the two-year barrier? Even the one-year barrier? It's because they didn't sell enough. And what sells the best, the comics that have been around a long time and have familiar characters (Justice League, Fantastic Four, Spider-man). I remember Marvel had an original title called Clan Destine that lasted a year. They gave Thanos his own title as he explores a new, more heroic, purpose in life. It got cut down mid-story after a year. DC had Power Company which was very original but fell apart before the 2 year mark. New comics that show originality don't last long most of the time so they're not coming out as often. If you want originality in comics, support it! Buy a new title next time you visit the comics shop. Donate a few bucks to a cool web-comic site. Write to the people making it and give them your honest opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? Originality is not the story being told. There are only, if I remember correctly, eight basic stories to tell. Okay, I've got 1) Kirk in danger 2) Kirk in love 3) Enterprise in Danger 4) Kirk fixes broken society 5) Kirk wants revenge What are the others? J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? Okay, I've got 1) Kirk in danger 2) Kirk in love 3) Enterprise in Danger 4) Kirk fixes broken society 5) Kirk wants revenge What are the others? J who's 'kirk' ? frickin hate star trek..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? who's 'kirk' ? God, I'm old....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorsch Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? No just well informed. Anyone who dosent get that is a) being funny dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? Nah, you're not old. I know who kirk is. I just have a particular loathing for star trek. only slightly more loathing than I have for the rest of television in general - I don't own a TV. I haven't watched TV in years. I don't plan on starting again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? I don't care too much for TV myself; I grew up without one, and I guess I was spared the addiction. I am hoping I can do the same for my daughter, but my wife was baby-sat by the boob tube. (Invalid father through her entire childhood). Though since the spine injury, I've noticed an upswing in the amount of time it's on. And, for the record, there's a personal reason that the original Trek is sentimental to me. The sequels were all pretty much Duke-bane..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawangaKid Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? Sure! As far as originality, I really liked the Planetary series by Warren Ellis. It really brought back that whole "sense of wonder" bit. A shame the releases are so slow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? So, here qwe have a thread complaining there's not enough originality in compics. Elsewhere, we have threads declaiming the fact comics address sexuality more than they used to, and that one company is perceived to b"darkening" their tone. If you actually do something different (ie original), someone isn't going to like it. As a result, you don't go for originality on anything that sells, since you might lose more than you gain. The "tried and true" sells, so you don't mess with it. Of course, if something original does sell, you clone it so it's no longer original. If ou want to more clearly see this in action, watch the TV new shows lineups for a few years. One brreakaway success this season (let's call it "Survivor", for lack of an original term) spawns a host of imitators wiuth minor twists for next season. If one of those twists really takes off, expect lots of variations on that in the following season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storn Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? I went to Manmachine's sig link and was able to view all of the pages. Though, I did notice you used the word "your" instead of "you're" such as "your hot". "You're" means "you are" which is what you're wanting here. "Your" shows possession, such as "Your comic is entertainingly funny. Are these your own pics & story line, or do you create the story according to what happens in 'City of Heroes'?" But to answer the thread's question: No. There's potential for it, but it's not happening. (Though Astro City may be the exception.) Even DC's about face/current suckage isn't original, as Marvel has done this type of idiotic thing before. An arguement can be made that Astro City is SO wonderful because it is NO WAY ORIGINAL!!!! Astro City really depends on one knowing the comic book tropes... Superman re-imagining? check. Batman as a religious vampire re-imagining? check. And the list goes on. Now. Are the elements of Astro City combined in a way that someone really hasn't done before? Perhaps. I see a lot of Wild Cards in Astro City.. but that is jumping media (novel - comic book). But for the most part, Busiek has always had a great knack of revisiting ideas and characters and dredging up solid ideas about how to do them in new ways. Planetary is probably the greatest rip-off artist in comics at the moment. Original?!!?1?! No Way In The Slightest is Planetary original! It steals blatantly from literature and pulps of 1880s to 1940s and combines it with 21st century cynicism. It isn't trying to be original. Dracula? Doc Savage thinly disguised? Monster Island straight from Toho? C'mon folks, that ain't original... It is an homage. Btw, I really like Planetary & Astro City. This is not a rant against it. Now, Promethia, love it or hate it, has some pretty original stuff COMBINING in it. Take centuries of mysticism and REALLY explore it, combined it with the Wonder Woman archtype, stick it in a world that Spider Jeruselum would feel right at home. NOne of the elements by themselves is all that original. Combined together.... it is pretty interesting stuff in that I've never read anything quite like it. I loved Clan Destine, btw, huge Alan Davis fan. I thought Leave It To Chance was clever, combining horror and sorcery with a Tin Tin like protagonist and aimed at, but not talked down to, audience of young adults. Last night I read a graphic novel by David Brin, "The Life-eaters". Combining 3rd Reich, Aesir and an alternate WWII storyline that was very, very well done. And freakishly disturbing. Is it original? I'm not sure. It certainly can be lumped in with Hellboy, who touches upon some of the same ideas....but it definitely vibrates at a different frequency than Hellboy... But bottom line, I think originality is over-rated. It is "craft" that can take same ol' tired tropes and breath new life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Re: Is there any originality left in comics? No just well informed. Anyone who dosent get that is a) being funny dead Thanks, V! I was beginning to wonder if it was too subtle........ And here, in a room full of plot-twisters and schemers! As for the topic, I think Storn and others have best summed it up: The character is only a part of the story; the value comes from the telling. That is where originality makes all the difference in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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