tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post5994885165181480975..comments2024-02-22T02:31:34.108+00:00Comments on Too Busy Thinking About My Comics: Mystery In Space #1: Readers Roulette No. 2Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-80820708663493567902012-05-16T19:39:52.001+01:002012-05-16T19:39:52.001+01:00Hello Martin:- Thank you for your plug too! Eggnes...Hello Martin:- Thank you for your plug too! Eggness is always appreciated.Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246781681702128600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-15383452508527240202012-05-16T16:08:40.223+01:002012-05-16T16:08:40.223+01:00Hi Colin, just passing through to thank Edo for th...Hi Colin, just passing through to thank Edo for the response. Shuffling back to my corner now ...<br /><br />... and thanks for the plug!Martin Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09574149543260175962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-21132403310551686132012-05-15T22:09:35.633+01:002012-05-15T22:09:35.633+01:00Hello Edo:- No problemo. That which doesn't br...Hello Edo:- No problemo. That which doesn't break us merely makes us more anxious to hunt out better comics ....Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246781681702128600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-14576149228642259052012-05-15T15:34:34.385+01:002012-05-15T15:34:34.385+01:00Martin, no I haven't read it myself; I suggest...Martin, no I haven't read it myself; I suggested it because it seemed like something I would like, and I wanted to read Colin's always interesting thoughts on it. At this point, though, having read his, and now your, rather negative review, I'm not sure I'll ever get around to reading it. So once again, Colin, I apologize for my own small contribution to your suffering ... ;)Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-87804658661047622092012-05-15T14:01:54.459+01:002012-05-15T14:01:54.459+01:00Hello Martin:- thank you. And you're right tha...Hello Martin:- thank you. And you're right that pulpy fun would've been one to go. I too would much rather get my meaning in the subtext. These stories were often overloaded with so much STUFF of varying kinds that it was hard to find the story at hand.<br /><br />I did read Breeching. With so few words, I had to pick my targets, and settle on the stories which I thought were most representative and/or interesting. I found Breeching to be cliched, boring and, as you say, dumb-minded by its close too. It was so dreadfully poor .... dear me, but how can an editor not lend a hand and tighten that up? As odd an idea as it is, that would never have got published in the 70s churn-em-out DC mystery books. And they were often - if not always - wall-to-wall mediocrity.<br /><br />Martin's review of the issue, which I did enjoy and even commented upon, can be found at:<br /><br />http://dangermart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/mystery-in-space-1-review.htmlColin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246781681702128600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-61088538749117490902012-05-14T23:43:56.321+01:002012-05-14T23:43:56.321+01:00Hi Colin, pithy and precise, perfect!
Unlike the ...Hi Colin, pithy and precise, perfect!<br /><br />Unlike the comic. Maybe the editors should simply suggest the writers come up with pulpy fun, rather than - as seems to have been the case - Heartfelt Ideas. And them who knows, we may get entertaining tosh with smart subtext.<br /><br />Did you read Breeching? <br /><br />@Edo, if I may - I can't tell, having suggested this comic, did you read it yourself? Would you let Colin suffer alone?Martin Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09574149543260175962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-14407978607079393232012-05-14T11:13:09.517+01:002012-05-14T11:13:09.517+01:00Hello Edo:- I fear that its me who owes you the ap...Hello Edo:- I fear that its me who owes you the apology. I haven't felt comfortable about writing these negative reviews, but in 500 words, its impossible to be anything other straight-forward and I really didn't think they were up to scratch. BUT I enjoyed the process of reading books I wouldn't otherwise hunt down and trying to frame a response. It was TERRIFIC practise and I'm SO grateful to you and those other kind folks who recommended them. I hope you'd consider recommending a book or two if you're ever passing this way again and a Reader's Roulette is underway. There's plenty of examples on the blog of books recommended which I ended up admiring: Orc Stain comes to mind as an example I've written about this year. So for me, it's win-win. Every book's interesting to come across.<br /><br />Nnedi Okorafor is obviously a fine and gifted writer. But her story wasn't much of a comics short in its own write, and Kaluta's art, though gorgeous on a panel-to-panel basis, made a challenging story all the more confusing. Perhaps Vertigo wanted some variety by offering such a difficult text, though my feeling is that perhaps a stronger editorial hand might have helped tighten the story and render it more reader-friendly.<br /><br />Scooby-Doo? What a fantastic challenge that'll be. I've no experience with the property and none in writing about such comics. That's exactly what I need :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246781681702128600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-67542926688586758012012-05-14T10:47:13.820+01:002012-05-14T10:47:13.820+01:00Man, since I suggested two of the three titles for...Man, since I suggested two of the three titles for your Reader's Roulette, both of which you pointedly did not enjoy, I'm feeling a bit bad.<br />I'm actually surprised that you found so little worthwhile here, given the talent involved. And I didn't even realize this book included a piece by Nnedi Okorafor - I absolutely love her novels, and would otherwise probably buy any comic written by her and illustrated by Kaluta sight unseen.<br />Anyway, hope you fared better with Scooby Doo...Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-25579976225216862292012-05-14T08:32:41.185+01:002012-05-14T08:32:41.185+01:00Hello Joe:- As endless writers have said, it's...Hello Joe:- As endless writers have said, it's harder to write a short story than an endless soap-opera superhero book. I do wonder what the brief for the stories in MIS was. Many of them, for example, had so much story in them and so little character that it would have taken a master to make them work.Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246781681702128600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-90669743204995605422012-05-14T04:45:21.012+01:002012-05-14T04:45:21.012+01:00"The short story is an incredibly demanding f..."The short story is an incredibly demanding form, and anything other than excellence will soon get found out."<br /><br />Oh, Lord, this is so true. Every time I try to write a 4 to 8 page story it ends up being about 20 pages.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04857537495427793076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-29372215433264017292012-05-13T21:02:07.383+01:002012-05-13T21:02:07.383+01:00Hello Dina:- Mr Sook's cover is the absolute h...Hello Dina:- Mr Sook's cover is the absolute high-light of the piece, you're absolutely right.Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15246781681702128600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5618879740460069575.post-20439866476181912842012-05-13T20:40:28.348+01:002012-05-13T20:40:28.348+01:00That is a beautiful cover, though.
DinaThat is a beautiful cover, though.<br />DinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com