(Note: couldn't access the comics on the portal so I'll blog what I know)
So, I'm pretty sure we all know the fairy tales of Snow White, The Three Little Pigs, etc- but when you are introduced to the world of "Fables" by Bill Willingham it's a whole new look on some timeless characters.
In the present time, the "Fables" (fairy tale folk) like in a community called "Fabletown" in New York City. Those Fables such as monsters or anthropomorphic characters who are unable to blend in live at "The Farm" in upstate New York. The Big Bad Wolf (Bigby) can take on a human form and he serves as the sheriff of the community.
I had seen several of the Fables titles in the bookstore, bu never showed interest or looked at them until I found a popular youtuber doing a playthrough of "The Wolf Among Us" - a game by telltalle games that is based on Fables and where you decided the outcome. The Wolf Among Us has what may be the most unique look to a video game that I have ever seen. Like telltalle's "Walking Dead" games, the Wolf Among Us looks exactly like a drawn and inked colored comic - only 3D. You play as Bigby as you try to solve a murder mystery. Seeing the storyline of the game (I watched the first part of it) the whole concept of Fables has peeked my interest as to where I want to have a look at the comic itself.
The Wolf Among Us trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a_St9DTuO0
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
"It Sucks To Be Weegee" A parody Comic
If you are familiar with the Nintendo character Luigi and any of the characters in Nintendo's games then you'll find "It Sucks to Be Weegee" to be very funny and cute. This is a comic series that I stumbled across by accident.
Luigi, as you may know, is the rather unappreciated and overlooked younger brother to the infamous Super Mario. He's often refereed to as the other Mario or sinply "Green Mario". "It Sucks to be Weegee" is all about Luigi's handicap of just.... being Luigi.
Unlike other webcomics, there is really no set storyline for he entire series. Like a newspaper comic, there is a narrative for each single comic that will leave you feeling sorry for Mario's little brother every time. Not only does the comic focus on Luigi being overlooked and getting the short end of the stick in every situation, the parody also points out some of Nintendo's decisions and other modern topics - including viral internet references. While reading through each one, you'll find many "easter eggs" related to Nintendo games hidden in them.
So, if you're a fan of Nintendo, here is a way to pass some time and get a laugh in.
http://interrobangstudios.com/comics-display.php?strip_id=941
Luigi, as you may know, is the rather unappreciated and overlooked younger brother to the infamous Super Mario. He's often refereed to as the other Mario or sinply "Green Mario". "It Sucks to be Weegee" is all about Luigi's handicap of just.... being Luigi.
Unlike other webcomics, there is really no set storyline for he entire series. Like a newspaper comic, there is a narrative for each single comic that will leave you feeling sorry for Mario's little brother every time. Not only does the comic focus on Luigi being overlooked and getting the short end of the stick in every situation, the parody also points out some of Nintendo's decisions and other modern topics - including viral internet references. While reading through each one, you'll find many "easter eggs" related to Nintendo games hidden in them.
So, if you're a fan of Nintendo, here is a way to pass some time and get a laugh in.
http://interrobangstudios.com/comics-display.php?strip_id=941
Boxer Hockey: A web comic
My friend April told me about a web comic called Boxer Hockey that was pretty funny so I decided to take a look at it. She only gave me a few brief facts about it, so in short I really had no idea as to what I was expecting.
Boxer Hockey is one of those comics that I think was created out random and perhaps a bit of beer. In the story, Boxer Hockey is apparently a major sport where players play in their boxers as indicated in the title. Instead of hockey sticks - any blunt object is used like a 2x4 or even a rock. and instead of a puck, the players hit around a genetically altered frog. The characters are a bit weird and offbeat themselves - kind of matching the game that they play. However, past all the bizarre events and the concept of this comic in general, Boxer Hockey actually has some interesting writing and funny art. Aside from this work, Tyson Hesse, also has some other funny webcomics including some based on the popular Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Overall, Boxer Hockey is a comic that I might start looking more into since it peeked into my humorous interest. There is a reason that it has kept going since 2006.
Also, you can't help but feel sorry for the frogs...
http://boxerhockey.fireball20xl.com/?id=1
Boxer Hockey is one of those comics that I think was created out random and perhaps a bit of beer. In the story, Boxer Hockey is apparently a major sport where players play in their boxers as indicated in the title. Instead of hockey sticks - any blunt object is used like a 2x4 or even a rock. and instead of a puck, the players hit around a genetically altered frog. The characters are a bit weird and offbeat themselves - kind of matching the game that they play. However, past all the bizarre events and the concept of this comic in general, Boxer Hockey actually has some interesting writing and funny art. Aside from this work, Tyson Hesse, also has some other funny webcomics including some based on the popular Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Overall, Boxer Hockey is a comic that I might start looking more into since it peeked into my humorous interest. There is a reason that it has kept going since 2006.
Also, you can't help but feel sorry for the frogs...
http://boxerhockey.fireball20xl.com/?id=1
Graphic novel: Shutter Island
Note: I haven't seen the move Shutter island, but this is the graphic novel that is based on the novel that the movie is based on. ( that's a mouthfull)
Shutter Island was a graphic novel that I found in the clearance section of Books a Million. Not only did it have a $3.00 price tag but I just found the art pretty interesting - didn't really care much for the story at the time. By having unique art, it was illustrated in watercolors in a very limited color pallet with the exception of a few flashback scenes that were a more broad spectrum of colors. Since a lot of my sketch-work is limited as far as color, I guess that my my ultimate attraction to it.
After reading through Shutter Island, something that I originally wasn't going to do, I found that it was a worthwhile narrative to immerse in. It's a mystery that leaves you wondering the whole time and has an ending that is the unexpected kind that blows your mind at the finish. The graphic novel is a cool adaptation and worth looking at if you haven't seen the movie.
Shutter Island was a graphic novel that I found in the clearance section of Books a Million. Not only did it have a $3.00 price tag but I just found the art pretty interesting - didn't really care much for the story at the time. By having unique art, it was illustrated in watercolors in a very limited color pallet with the exception of a few flashback scenes that were a more broad spectrum of colors. Since a lot of my sketch-work is limited as far as color, I guess that my my ultimate attraction to it.
After reading through Shutter Island, something that I originally wasn't going to do, I found that it was a worthwhile narrative to immerse in. It's a mystery that leaves you wondering the whole time and has an ending that is the unexpected kind that blows your mind at the finish. The graphic novel is a cool adaptation and worth looking at if you haven't seen the movie.
Graphic Novel: Road Rage
Graphic Novel: Road Rage by Joe Hill, Stephen King, and Richard Matheson.
Road Rage is a mature graphic novel that contains two separate stories, although similar by setting and situation, they have different narratives.
Throttle is the first story in Road Rage and it's written by Joe Hill and Stephen King. Compared to the second story in the book, the look and narrative is quite different. Throttle has a very "traditional" graphic novel and comic book look to it and we are given more context to the characters, as in the story is a bit deeper in comparison to the other in Road Rage. Throttle follows a motorcycle gang in conflict with a very angry truck driver that mercilessly takes out the gang's members. Later in the story we find out that the truck driver is actually the father of a young girl that was killed by one of the gang's members. So in the end, you're kind of rooting for the "bad guy" in the story - even though he dies in the end by the motorcycle gang's doings.
The second story in Road Rage is Duel by Richard Matheseon. Compared to Throttle, Duel's style looks less like a comic and more illustrative with a limited pallet and unique art style. Unlike Throttle, we don't know much about the main character at all and he has no relation to the truck driver (who is never named or seen) that is chasing him. Thus, the story leaves us with questions in the end. Like why was the main character being perused and was there a driver behind the truck or was it just the truck itself.
Looking and comparing the contrasting elements of both stories are kind of interesting.
Road Rage is a mature graphic novel that contains two separate stories, although similar by setting and situation, they have different narratives.
Throttle is the first story in Road Rage and it's written by Joe Hill and Stephen King. Compared to the second story in the book, the look and narrative is quite different. Throttle has a very "traditional" graphic novel and comic book look to it and we are given more context to the characters, as in the story is a bit deeper in comparison to the other in Road Rage. Throttle follows a motorcycle gang in conflict with a very angry truck driver that mercilessly takes out the gang's members. Later in the story we find out that the truck driver is actually the father of a young girl that was killed by one of the gang's members. So in the end, you're kind of rooting for the "bad guy" in the story - even though he dies in the end by the motorcycle gang's doings.
The second story in Road Rage is Duel by Richard Matheseon. Compared to Throttle, Duel's style looks less like a comic and more illustrative with a limited pallet and unique art style. Unlike Throttle, we don't know much about the main character at all and he has no relation to the truck driver (who is never named or seen) that is chasing him. Thus, the story leaves us with questions in the end. Like why was the main character being perused and was there a driver behind the truck or was it just the truck itself.
Looking and comparing the contrasting elements of both stories are kind of interesting.
Graphic Novel: The Last Unicorn
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
If I had to pick a graphic novel in the ones that I had seen so far for "most beautiful art" I would probable pick "The Last Unicorn." I'm sure several people are familiar with the old and somewhat corny 1980's animated movie with the same title. Indeed the graphic novel "The Last Unicorn" is the adaptation or the original story and the movie - just better. The characters are the exact ones that we've come to know in the movie and the narrative is the exact same with the exception of a few pages. Compared to the movie, the art in the graphic novel doesn't look as "cheap". In fact it's greatly detailed and atmospheric. It's textured and the style that the characters are done in makes them appear and look more mature than the way that they appear in the movie. The narrative seems to flow better, an overall it just has more of an impact than the movie does. The Last Unicorn is worth a look if you like clean but pretty graphic novels.
If I had to pick a graphic novel in the ones that I had seen so far for "most beautiful art" I would probable pick "The Last Unicorn." I'm sure several people are familiar with the old and somewhat corny 1980's animated movie with the same title. Indeed the graphic novel "The Last Unicorn" is the adaptation or the original story and the movie - just better. The characters are the exact ones that we've come to know in the movie and the narrative is the exact same with the exception of a few pages. Compared to the movie, the art in the graphic novel doesn't look as "cheap". In fact it's greatly detailed and atmospheric. It's textured and the style that the characters are done in makes them appear and look more mature than the way that they appear in the movie. The narrative seems to flow better, an overall it just has more of an impact than the movie does. The Last Unicorn is worth a look if you like clean but pretty graphic novels.
Graphic Novel: Pride of Bagdad
Pride of Bagdad was the first graphic novel that I decided to buy as well as one of the first that I ever came across. I believe that I mentioned it in a previous post here, but I'll elaborate on it a bit more. What attracted me to this graphic novel besides the fact that I liked the style it was drawn in, was the fact that it was a mature (not "Disneyfied") story told in the view of animals. Pride of Bagdad was inspired by a true story. Like Barefoot Gen, it takes place during the time of war - in 2003 at the time of an American bombing raid on Iraq.
The story follows a pride of lions as they "escape" from the Bagdad zoo's rubble just after the bombing. They then struggle to live in the destroyed streets along with an assortment of other animals. Unfortunately, in the end, all of the main characters ( Zill, Ali, Safa, and Noor) are gunned down by some US soldiers.
Overall, pride of Bagdad is a unique take on life during the wartime, illuminating its struggles. It is an interesting work and worth a look if you like to read something different every once in a while.
The story follows a pride of lions as they "escape" from the Bagdad zoo's rubble just after the bombing. They then struggle to live in the destroyed streets along with an assortment of other animals. Unfortunately, in the end, all of the main characters ( Zill, Ali, Safa, and Noor) are gunned down by some US soldiers.
Overall, pride of Bagdad is a unique take on life during the wartime, illuminating its struggles. It is an interesting work and worth a look if you like to read something different every once in a while.
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