boyajian@akov68.DEC (JERRY BOYAJIAN) (10/08/85)
> From: lll-crg!petrick (jim petrick) > In article <691@decwrl.UUCP> boyajian@akov68.DEC (JERRY BOYAJIAN) writes: >>...But I found the writing to be >>totally incoherent. Only in brief snatches could I even hazard a guess as to >>what was going on. In the comic issues that have appeared so far, some of them >>exhibit this same problem, while others read remarkably well. > > Oh well, to each his own. I found the writing refreshing. > Imagine, a story line you have to think about for once. This is not a > comic for casual perusal. You have to pay attention! The artwork got me > started on this series, but the wild story line has kept me hooked. I don't mind having to think when I read a comic book, or to have to pay attention. Among the comics where thinking and paying attention is a necessity are: (1) Alan Moore's "V for Vendetta" in WARRIOR, and some of his SWAMP THING's; (2) Doug Moench's AZTEC ACE; (3) Howie Chaykin's AMERICAN FLAGG!; (4) Dave Sim's CEREBUS THE AARDVARK; (5) Colleen Doran's A DISTANT SOIL; (6) Bill Messner-Loebs' JOURNEY; [and to a lesser degree] (7) Mike Baron's NEXUS; and (8) J. M. Dematteis' MOONSHADOW. And as a blast from the past, Frank Miller's RONIN. The thing that all of the above have in common is that they become clear when you apply your brains to reading them. No matter how much effort I put into STARSTRUCK, it remains incoherent (and I've weathered through many an obscure novelist). > BTW, I haven't seen any reviews of MAGE. I don't go for many of > the mainstream comics anymore -- MAGE is anything but that. Fantastic > artwork, intriguing characters and a storyline that has me going down to > the local comics store weekly to see if the next issue's out yet (even > though I know it's only published once every two months). I agree with every point. I'll admit that I was put off of it at first because I didn't like the art, and didn't buy it until issue #4. It was due to a lot of rave opinions here in net.comics and elsewhere that got me to try it. I'll also admit that it took a few issues to warm up to (basicly until I figured out what the hell was going on). But I'm a confirmed MAGE fan now. I haven't reviewed it lately (I did review #'s 4, 5, and 6) because, as I've said many times before, I only review those comics that I feel I have something to say about. I generally avoid simple gosh!wow!thisisgreat!buyit! reviews. I suppose there is something to be said, though, for the occasional confidence vote of mentioning those good comics that I don't normally review. What I think I might do instead, though, is maybe on an every 2-or-3-month basis, just send in a list of what I consider to be worthy comics. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Acton-Nagog, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA