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rivendellroseSo, most people know, I think, that I've been binging hardcore on the Hellboy comics, lately. I went off on a huuuuge kick after I got the last few I'd been missing at Christmas, and the one Abe Sapien trade, and then today while we were out on an errand to pick up a bit of furniture we bought off ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zinjadu, well, we were right in front of one of the comic stores anyway, so I just zipped in and bought two of the BPRD trades that I didn't have yet.
They are, shall we say, somewhat of a mixed bag.
First off, let me say that I got sucked into these comics in part because I fell in love with Mike Mignola's art. So dark and angular, stylized but very expressive. I love his work, seriously. So you can imagine I've been a bit ticked off as, the further I go in reading both Hellboy and BPRD, the less of Mignola's work I actually get. Add to that the fact that a large part of the reason I took so long to get at all invested in graphic novels is that I'm extremely picky about the art that I like. For instance, as much as I want to love them, I pretty much can't bring myself to tolerate the main artist for the Sandman comics - Yoshitaka Amano, however, I do like very much, and wish I could find more of his stuff for Sandman. Anyway, it turns out that I really like the fellow who's taken up the mantle on Hellboy, so that's a good thing... and despite my fears, I actually adored the artist who did the Abe Sapien trade. Nice work, guys, seriously. The latter in particular bears only tangential resemblance to Mignola's work, but the atmosphere remains, and there's a new depth and shade to the art that I like very much.
A few of the BPRD artists, however... have been another story entirely.
I've been looking forward to "Garden of Souls" for a long time. I'm a sucker for anything that focuses on Abe, and even though I'd already gone and spoiled myself for his backstory, I was eager to actually see and read about it. Turns out, I don't like the style of the artist who drew the whole damned thing. He's okay... and I'm sure I'm going to offend a ton of people by saying this, so I apologize in advance, but he's just not at all my cup of tea. I miss Mignola, or at least the guy who did the Abe Sapien standalone trade. This guy... his faces just make me twitch. Plus, he ticked me off in the end notes by saying that some of his original monster designs had looked "too Lovecraftian for the Hellboy universe," which... um... what? Seriously, what? Anyway. Me being picky.
So, for my own future reference, here's the breakdown of who I do and do not like in terms of the artists for these collections, along with a few notes on the stories:
Guy Davis (Garden of Souls, Dark Waters): Bleh. Also, incidentally, the first time I went "Bleh!" over blood and gore in a Hellboy story. Good job, sir, for noticing how just earlier today I was saying that I probably would have kept up on "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" if it hadn't a) had an artist I didn't particularly like, and b) been a bit more disturbing and gory than I like my comics, and how much I loved the Hellboy series and expanded universe for being creepy without being out and out blood-and-guts-gory... and then immediately making me eat my words. Thaaaanks. I liked him a bit more in "Dark Waters," possibly because I wasn't expecting anything fantastic, but, again, was not excessively impressed by the story.
Michael Avon Oeming (The Soul of Venice): Eeeeehhhh, maybe. Of all the artists other than the guy now doing Hellboy (I swear, I would get up and look at my copy to get his name, but.. I'm lazy), this guy is keeping closest to Mignola's style, but... it's just not quite working for him. Not bad, not great - entirely in the "tolerable" realm, but nothing to write home about. The story was about the same - cute, but nothing too brilliant.
Scott Kolins & Dave Stewart (Night Train): Again, okay, but not great. I really have something against the way this guy draws Liz, but I can't quite put a finger on it. It does not help that I was not especially fond of the storyline.
Adam Pollina (There's Something Under My Bed): Weird, but incredibly charming once I got used to the strangeness. It's possible I was swayed entirely by the story (which I liked very much), and that it focused a lot on Abe, who, of course, I love. Some of his expressions in here genuinely made me giggle. Although one of his poses made me go "bwuh? o_O" and rather wonder what the hell the artist was thinking, so, you know... not perfect.
Cameron Stewart (Another Day at the Office): Nice. Nothing that totally made me go "yes, I love this guy!" but nothing that irritated me, either. Hard to tell with such a short piece, but I think I could really like this guy. His style looks a bit familiar, too, which... given how few comics I've actually read, is a bit shocking. I might have to look him up later, see what else he's done. It doesn't hurt that this is the only story in the collection written by Mignola. All of a sudden the dialogue all had that peculiar ring to it that I've grown used to.
So, all in all, not a bad run... although I will be flipping more carefully through artists when I'm buying future trades in the BPRD run.
To bed with me, now - we're re-starting the exercise regime tomorrow, and I'd rather not fall asleep on the elliptical. Or, you know, at my desk. :P
zinjadu, well, we were right in front of one of the comic stores anyway, so I just zipped in and bought two of the BPRD trades that I didn't have yet. They are, shall we say, somewhat of a mixed bag.
First off, let me say that I got sucked into these comics in part because I fell in love with Mike Mignola's art. So dark and angular, stylized but very expressive. I love his work, seriously. So you can imagine I've been a bit ticked off as, the further I go in reading both Hellboy and BPRD, the less of Mignola's work I actually get. Add to that the fact that a large part of the reason I took so long to get at all invested in graphic novels is that I'm extremely picky about the art that I like. For instance, as much as I want to love them, I pretty much can't bring myself to tolerate the main artist for the Sandman comics - Yoshitaka Amano, however, I do like very much, and wish I could find more of his stuff for Sandman. Anyway, it turns out that I really like the fellow who's taken up the mantle on Hellboy, so that's a good thing... and despite my fears, I actually adored the artist who did the Abe Sapien trade. Nice work, guys, seriously. The latter in particular bears only tangential resemblance to Mignola's work, but the atmosphere remains, and there's a new depth and shade to the art that I like very much.
A few of the BPRD artists, however... have been another story entirely.
I've been looking forward to "Garden of Souls" for a long time. I'm a sucker for anything that focuses on Abe, and even though I'd already gone and spoiled myself for his backstory, I was eager to actually see and read about it. Turns out, I don't like the style of the artist who drew the whole damned thing. He's okay... and I'm sure I'm going to offend a ton of people by saying this, so I apologize in advance, but he's just not at all my cup of tea. I miss Mignola, or at least the guy who did the Abe Sapien standalone trade. This guy... his faces just make me twitch. Plus, he ticked me off in the end notes by saying that some of his original monster designs had looked "too Lovecraftian for the Hellboy universe," which... um... what? Seriously, what? Anyway. Me being picky.
So, for my own future reference, here's the breakdown of who I do and do not like in terms of the artists for these collections, along with a few notes on the stories:
Guy Davis (Garden of Souls, Dark Waters): Bleh. Also, incidentally, the first time I went "Bleh!" over blood and gore in a Hellboy story. Good job, sir, for noticing how just earlier today I was saying that I probably would have kept up on "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" if it hadn't a) had an artist I didn't particularly like, and b) been a bit more disturbing and gory than I like my comics, and how much I loved the Hellboy series and expanded universe for being creepy without being out and out blood-and-guts-gory... and then immediately making me eat my words. Thaaaanks. I liked him a bit more in "Dark Waters," possibly because I wasn't expecting anything fantastic, but, again, was not excessively impressed by the story.
Michael Avon Oeming (The Soul of Venice): Eeeeehhhh, maybe. Of all the artists other than the guy now doing Hellboy (I swear, I would get up and look at my copy to get his name, but.. I'm lazy), this guy is keeping closest to Mignola's style, but... it's just not quite working for him. Not bad, not great - entirely in the "tolerable" realm, but nothing to write home about. The story was about the same - cute, but nothing too brilliant.
Scott Kolins & Dave Stewart (Night Train): Again, okay, but not great. I really have something against the way this guy draws Liz, but I can't quite put a finger on it. It does not help that I was not especially fond of the storyline.
Adam Pollina (There's Something Under My Bed): Weird, but incredibly charming once I got used to the strangeness. It's possible I was swayed entirely by the story (which I liked very much), and that it focused a lot on Abe, who, of course, I love. Some of his expressions in here genuinely made me giggle. Although one of his poses made me go "bwuh? o_O" and rather wonder what the hell the artist was thinking, so, you know... not perfect.
Cameron Stewart (Another Day at the Office): Nice. Nothing that totally made me go "yes, I love this guy!" but nothing that irritated me, either. Hard to tell with such a short piece, but I think I could really like this guy. His style looks a bit familiar, too, which... given how few comics I've actually read, is a bit shocking. I might have to look him up later, see what else he's done. It doesn't hurt that this is the only story in the collection written by Mignola. All of a sudden the dialogue all had that peculiar ring to it that I've grown used to.
So, all in all, not a bad run... although I will be flipping more carefully through artists when I'm buying future trades in the BPRD run.
To bed with me, now - we're re-starting the exercise regime tomorrow, and I'd rather not fall asleep on the elliptical. Or, you know, at my desk. :P
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-04 06:06 pm (UTC)But now I've decided I really don't like his style that much. The fact that everyone has very long rectangular faces doesn't strike me as particularly flattering (especially to Liz and Kate) and his placement of the eyes (3/4 of the way up the head, instead of at the 1/2 mark) drives me batty. It looks like everyone has really small brains :P
I really liked the guy who did the very first BPRD trade. Crap - the name escapes me at the moment. The 1st one with Johann, when they go underground to rescue Liz. I think the artist's name was Ryan Sook, but I could be wrong. Anyways his stuff was nice - looked very much like Mike's.
But then that might explain why he only did one and why they've kept Guy Davis around so long - Mignola really likes it when people go in an entirely new direction style-wise with his stuff (why he liked HB:Animated but wasn't particularly enthused by the animated adaptation of Screw-On Head, even though that looked just like the comic)
no subject
Date: 2010-01-04 09:33 pm (UTC)I'll have to look up that first one - I'm reading everything all out of order, unfortunately, so the only three BPRD trades I have are the two listed here, and then the 1946 trade (which I haven't read in a while, but I seem to recall it was Mignola's art).
Bleh, maybe I'm too picky - I didn't like the animated, either. It was like it was trying and yet completely failing to look like the comic.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-04 10:08 pm (UTC)It's the first, and I still think one of my faves - has some great lines, and as I said I greatly prefer the art over the current BPRD run.
I really liked the designs in Animated. Well, ok, I really like Abe's design in Animated, which I found a fun mash-up of both his comic and movie look.
Or it could be that I think fingerless biking gloves are sexy, and they gave him a pair... ;)
no subject
Date: 2010-01-04 10:12 pm (UTC)I liked Abe's design, too. It really was like having a little of both designs. ....And yes, now that I think of it, those gloves were awesome. I think a big part of my annoyance with the animated was that we were streaming it from Netflix, and it kept skipping. So I probably didn't give it a fair run. :P
(Seriously, they do the weirdest things with his costume sometimes in the comics! He was wearing what looked like a fur-lined coat in one of the ones I read last night, and a white polo shirt in another... it's like each individual artist wants to try something different.)