Thursday, March 05, 2009

MASTER STORYTELLER: BILLY TAN

*click on image to enlarge*

The above comic pages are from NEW AVENGERS #50, with art by Billy Tan. If you click/enlarge the image you will notice he reuses art and panels..... alot.... on the same page.
(non-reused panels grayscaled for your convenience)

Really? Do Marvel artists still get paid by the page? If so, they just got taken by Tan.

Oh, and this issue cost 5-bucks.

Price aside (for now), I feel ripped off. Granted, its an extra-sized issue; 37 pages of New Avengers material, so I understand a price boost. However, multiple artists contributed to the book - Tan doing 27, with 7 of those pages consisting of rehashed panel work.

This issue really left a bad taste in my mouth. This is some of the worst sequential art storytelling I've seen in awhile. Dare I say "lazy" and "unimaginative"? I dare. Now, I understand the pacing intent of scenes, but come on.... use different angles, or varying close-ups... something to mix it up to best serve the storytelling?

This, added to the book's new regular price tag of $4 an issue has me dropping it immediately. And if you'd like a free copy of New Avengers #50, email me. It's yours. I don't want this garbage in my collection.
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UPDATE: Copy gone.

16 comments:

Unkiedev said...

I saw that and was really glad I don't buy comics as much anymore...plus that second page with Ms. Marvel "presenting" was a bit distasteful.

A real low point for Marvel. All the sadness you can buy for 5 bucks.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Jim! I'll take it off your hands if it's still available. $5 is ridiculous. I just emailed you.

Unless you were joking.

Jim said...

Richard, it's yours! I've replied to your email. Happy reading!

Anonymous said...

That's ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

the comic is ridiculous. not your review. I agree with the review. :)

Anonymous said...

oh ma it tooken already??? if u got an extra digital copy plz send it to me lol .... sigh i never get freebies lol

Anonymous said...

its gone already... sigh oh well so how is dark reign so far and i hope u enjoyed what i sent u

Anonymous said...

That 3rd page, is Mockinbird f**king Ms Marvel from behind?

Unknown said...

CBR files, I'm just saying. (looks around nervously)

Unkiedev said...

The point isn't where Jim got the page files. They were offered on CBR as a free preview, so they're around. the point is that the art is cheap for a five dollar book.

You are missing the forest through the trees, Armando.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the review, but I also say that a great part of this is Bendis, his scripts are of this type:
Panel 1: All heroes watching TV
Text : - Why?
Panel 2: Same panel 1
Text : - Why not?
Panel 3: Same panel 1 and 2 but Captain is smiling.
Text : - This channel is good.

Anonymous said...

Why is the posting of those pages an issue? It's not like Jim poste the entire 37 pages of the comic.

Bendis and Tan were sloppy on this issue.

Anonymous said...

PLEASE STOP WRITING AND DRAWING COMICS AS IF THEY WERE STORY BOARDS FOR TV!!!!!...comics are NOT TV, They should not read like TV episodes, They should not be PRESENTED as if they were TV episodes, and They should not be drawn as if the reader was " looking through the camera",....seriously,..STOP IT. Stop ruining comics.

Unknown said...

Unkiedev,

You totally missed what I was saying. CBR files and in, don't spend $4 a pop per issue. CBR files are free if you know where to get them. Not that I'm condoning it.

Bubbashelby said...

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

Utter shite.

Unbelievable.


(whew. It took a lot out of me writing all that creative content. I'll bill you later.)

allen etter said...

crap...to think that I try and teach my students to be original with every drawing they do...then this crap comes out and is sold for what we call money...i just shat in my pants.

Good call jimsmash!