Comics
Batman hits the Hut
Jun 23rd
Don’t know why this cracked me up. But it did.
Source: The superlatively good Batman #700.
Lovin' me some Batwoman
Jul 7th
DAZ Studio, no postwork.
Hell yeah. Detective Comics 854 rocks. That’s all I’m sayin’.
I has Veeples
Feb 2nd
Veeples are rapidly becoming my favourite plaything in DAZ Studio. They’re essentially nothing much at all, just very simple plush-toy like figures with few moving parts (the head, arms and legs rotate, and that’s about it), cost all of $7.50 to buy and for that you get a simple male and female figure. Nothing much at all, really.
Except they’re pure render gold. For a start, their creator JHoagland has released loads of superhero textures for them, for free. By loads, I mean pretty much every A-list character from both Marvel and DC including the key X-Men, Superman, several costumes for Batman and Robin and most of the Justice League. Oh, and these guys.
Veeple Watchmen!
The set includes both Nite Owls, Dr Manhattan, both Silk Spectres, Ozymandias, Comedian and of course Rorschach. For free. Woot!
While Veeples work very well using a realistic render setting (which gives them a very plush-toy style), they really come into their own using DAZ Studio’s Cartoon render setting. For example, here’s a lovely plush Batman.
And here’s Wolverine, Cartoon-style.
What’s so great about them is their limitations. You’re left to convey the “story” of the image using only minimal movements and camera angles. That’s a darned fine challenge!
Insert Superman / Wonder Woman innuendo here
Want to see more? OK then!
Iron Man. Protector of the Earth……
….gets what he deserves!
Expect to see a lot of these around the Lair. Oh yeh!
I love me my Veeples!
Not falling, but flying
Jan 24th
Part two of my webcomic, Sin20: The Life and Death of Callen Oncedark has finally begun!
Check out the first three pages over here on the Microlite20 Forums or read it from the start, complete with stats and notes for the Microlite20 RPG. I’m holding back on Shan’nel’s details for now, other than to say she’s a kickass Drow Thief-Acrobat. Beyond that, I ain’t tellin’.
Stay tuned!
Subterranean Bright Young Thing
Dec 6th
(Disclaimer: this entire post is really just an excuse to use that title. Honest.)
There are a handful of comics that consistently make it to the top of my pile each and every month. They’re the ones that, quite simply, get it right. Whatever “it” is, of course, and I’m still figuring that one out. Anyhow. Here’s three, from the top.
Terra
There’s no other way to say this; Terra is a terrific comic hiding behind a huge pair of breasts. I mean that in the best possible way – they’re nice breasts, but it’s the character and storyline that keeps me coming back. We’re up to issue 3 in the series, and the comic is pacing along beautifully developing a mythos and backstory as it goes along. We’re seeing Terra’s (beautifully drawn) subterranean homeland, and get the impression that an entire interwoven set of cultures and societies have been developed by the writers. It’s a deep, engrosing setting that makes this comic better than 90% of DC’s other titles (and 100% of Marvel’s output).
Then there’s that diamond guy………..
Justice Society of America
My Green Lantern would beat up your Green Lantern. So there.
This is, by far, my favourite comic, ever. While some have complained that the pace of the current storyline is too slow, I think they’ve got it just right. The steady pacing gives it more of an epic feel with each character being given a chance to shine. And boy, are there a lot of characters! The JSA is home to more heroes than you can shake a stick with, and I love ‘em all.
First and foremost, the Justice Society sees itself as just that – a Society. It’s a place where new heroes learn from the old guard what it means to be a hero, and boy do they have some teachers. There’s Alan Scott, the original (and best!) Green Lantern, Jay Garrick, the original (and best!) Flash, the Superman of Kingdom Come (an ageing, more experienced, slightly darker and better Superman), Ted Grant aka Wildcat, Power Girl of Earth-2, Sandman, Hourman, Liberty Belle, Doc Mid-Nite and Starman. Phew. And that’s just the old guard.
Then there’s the youngsters – we’ve got Citizen Steel, Wildcat II, Cyclone, Damage, Judomaster, Jakeem Thunder, Lance, Mister America and Stargirl. I’m sure I’ve missed a few along the way too. It’s a dizzying array of characters but sharp writing and interplay keeps tham all hanging together. The characterizations are nothing short of brilliant with each hero’s unique outlook and personality shining through.
It’s like the Justice League and Legion of Super-Heroes all rolled into one, done right.
‘Nuff said, right?
Seriously, I can’t praise about this comic enough.
The Authority
I recently re-read Marvel’s Secret Invasion series (finally concluded with this month’s issue 8, and not a moment too soon) to try to work out why it just doesn’t work. There’s several reasons, not least the poor quality of writing overall. But a big one for me was that we knew that, after the dust had settled, fuck all would change. The Skrulls would be defeated, maybe one hero would die (the Wasp, as it happened. Anyone mourning? Thought not) and Tony Stark would end up in danger of hitting the bottle at the end. In other words pretty much the same as any other storyline to come out of Marvel in the last 25 years. Ho hum.
If the guys who wrote The Authority had written Secret Invasion, the Skrulls would have won. Now THAT would be a series worth reading!
And that, essentially, is what The Authority is. The heroes lost and the world is totally screwed. It’s post-apocalyptic superheroes (a geekgasming concept if there ever was one) where every single surving hero has been changed (physically, emotionally or mentally) by what’s happened. They’re fighting just to exist, but their core decency and heroism keeps on shining through regardless. It helps that it’s also chock full of sharp, original heroes like Hawksmoor and The Midnighter (who would kick Batman’s ass, and in a recent miniseries killed the Joker without so much as a first thought, never mind a second one).
Want more proof it’s utter brilliance? Dan Abnett is one of the writers. If he wrote the frickin’ phone book, it would be worth reading.
Ok. That’s my top of the pile. What’s yours?
Comics and the human condition
Nov 28th
It’s long been recognised that comicbooks reflect the psyche of the age. Where movie scriptwriters have their hands bound by the will and political machinations of the Illuminati-style studio owners (I’m exaggerating slightly here), the comicbook writer has an unprecedented level of freedom. The stories they tell say much about the state of the word that surrounds us.
Just take a look at the comics that have come from Marvel and DC in recent years. We’ve had the death of America’s freedom (represented by none other that Captain America himself) as a result of the Rule of Law and politically mandated paranoia. We’ve seen Spider-man willingly re-writing history, the destruction of the X-Men Mansion – itself a symbol of tolerance, freedom and acceptance of folks not like us.
All the way through the comics we’re seeing a desire to reboot. Batman is “dead”, and likely to be replaced with a new face under the mask. It’s far from the first time that Bruce Wayne’s demise has been used as a metaphor for change – just check out the classic Dark Knight graphic novel, and think on the spirit of the age that birthed it. It’s no coincidence that the classic comics of the Reagan age – Dark Knight and Watchmen – have been retold for the Now. Back then, the story in the Dark Knight was clear-cut with Superman (and a simulated heart attack) “killing” Batman, leading for the freedom-fighting Batman and his allies to take the fight underground. The moral was simple; you can’t kill freedom. Compare that with the death of Captain America; nowadays, it seems, you can. It happened.
Over to Batman RIP which came to a close in Batman 681. The story is a muddy one full of lies and counter-lies where we’re left none the wiser about what’s the truth. The Black Glove claims to be Bruce Wayne’s father, a darker, much more sinister guy than we’ve been led to believe for the past decades. Whether it’s good writing or not (here’s a hint: it’s not), the story itself says much about where the US stands in history. In the tale, the web of lies dares to hint that the Big Evil is none other than the very core of Batman’s being. It’s not a huge leap to recognise there’s a metaphor in there for the Big Evil at the core of the current US Government, with freedoms and liberties being destroyed on epic proportions. The US President should stand – like Bruce’s father – as an inviolate figure, unquestionably good. This story, like Bush, tarnishes that image and brings in into question. In comparison, the other villains in the tale (themselves metaphors for the terrorists of the world) are seen as dangerous but ineffectual and incompetent puppets of the Black Glove. Draw your own conclusions there.
With the end of the story arc, we’re left in anticipation of what’s to come. There’s a new face under the mask and hopefully the lies are a thing of the past. We can look forward to a new era. In the Real Word, that’s entirely up to Obama. One thing is for sure though.
The comicbook writers will be watching.
Comicbook maker Photoshop Action
Nov 26th
I liked the comicbook effect so much, I’ve turned it into a Photoshop Action. Just download it here and drop it into your \Presets\Photoshop Actions folder in your Photoshop directory. Start Photoshop and load Greywulf.atn from the Actions pallette – Comicbookify is right there. Load an image and hit Play.
Here’s a few more samples.
It works with real photos too! Give it a try, and post your results in the comments.
Enjoy.
Shine a Green Lantern on your PC today
Oct 11th
I’ve a lot of love for the Green Lantern Corps. The idea that each member has (largely – there’s exceptions) the same powers and abilities, yet each be unique in their outlook, personality and presence is an appealing one. When written by talented folks, each Green Lantern is different even though they are a united force with similar abilities.
It’s much the same in D&D. Your Paladin, Fighter, Rogue or Wizard shouldn’t be defined by their Powers and stats, but how you play them. As with the members of the Green Lantern Corps, what makes your character special isn’t their at-will, per encounter or daily Powers (nice though they are), but what personality you instill them with. Two Fighters could have identical character stats, but if one is a laughing swashbuckler and the other a grim-featured warrior, each one becomes something special. It’s not what you play, but how you play that matters.
And that, I guess, is what the Green Lanterns are all about.
DAZ Studio, no postwork
