Post by G on Jul 13, 2011 6:49:54 GMT -5
Another rant of mine is comics is saying too much to say nothing. I am constantly reading passages that take awhile to read and just seems like it could have been said in a couple of sentences. Unfortunately a lot of words get thrown in to make it sound more compelling and what generally happens is a dizzying affect. Take for instance the following passage from a book I read. This is a direct quote.
This takes place over 3 pages with 3 pictures. Never mind that all the other terms, places or events take place within the confines of this story. We basically get a 50 cent explanation of a character in a 5 cent story. To put it mildly, it felt like filler.
I have to say this is just one of many examples I have read over the last 2 years. I can be reading a story and be lead off on a path just like this. Some disjointed path to explain something with as many sentences as possible involving so many events that do not take place in this issue that I will NEVER understand what the fuck is being talked about unless I continue to buy on for the next 10 issues. Nevertheless, I somehow need to know these terribly long winded passages where lots is said, few pictures give much insight to what is being said and pages go by and I am closer to the end without feeling like anything happened in the comic. I feel like this is a common filler practice. Just keep talking in a blah, blah, blah dialogue until you reach the end of the comic.
I've also read comics that we totally told in narrative like this from page 1 until nearly the last page. No dialogue. Just narration. At the end of the comic I get maybe 2 pages of dialogue from the actual characters. 1 event happens. Issue over.
A lot said, little or nothing happens. At the most I'm usually treated to about 3-4 scenes.
In contrast, I picked up an Avengers #162 last night. I was told a summary of events in about 4 panels. I had tons of dialogue between characters and the story unfolded with about 12 scenes taking place within the confines of the covers. I left feeling like a lot had happened. Like something was happening every 2-3 pages. Something was taking place. I never had no long drawn out blah, blah, blah of confusing words just boring me and making me wish I read a different comic.
To put it honestly, I feel like the above has happened to me way too often lately and I have empty comics that only progressed me as far as 2-3 scenes could. I have found the comics who start me on a blah, blah, blah path tend to keep me there in subsequent issues. I've done accepted it in previous issues. We can get 5 issues into it and can finally start to feel like 1 issue has taken place....if that. I realize rather quickly I am being strung along. There is no reason to stay. Nothing is happening. Or at least nothing is happening quickly. I'm just reading comics full of filler. There is no writing talent here. I feel like I've been scammed. I leave it alone and look for something else and find I am being treated like this from a lot of comics. The few who don't do this to me are easily the standouts.
The bar of what is good has been set very low.
The minimum requirements seem like a tall order. Therefore in the end, I cannot continue the purchase. Meanwhile the comic lives on.
In another place and time you lived as Corum. Prince Corum Jhaelen Irsei, Prince in the Scarlet Robe, last of the inhuman Vadhagh. Sworn to protect the human race which had succeeded them. Corum of the silver hand. Who drove all gods and devils from his world and sought to return home to lay down his weary head, his war long past over. Corum who would learn that the battles might have ended, but that the war was far from won. In still another world you lived as Dorian Hawkmoon, the Duke of Koln. Hawkmoon, Hero of the battle of Londra, where the company of the Runestaff finally defeated the beast lords of Granbretan. Hawkmoon, who thinks that the world might finally know peace for the first time since the tragic millennium, now that law has been restored. Hawkmoon, who will learn that chaos still lurks in the shadows, and that peace is a fragile prize, easily broken. In yet another world of the multiverse you live as Eric Beck. Eric Beck who believes himself a common man whose dreams are intruding into his waking life as madness. Eric Beck, who dreams of other lives, and wakes to find that he cannot recall which is real and which is imagined. Eric Beck who at great cost will learn that, in an infinite multiverse, everything is real.
This takes place over 3 pages with 3 pictures. Never mind that all the other terms, places or events take place within the confines of this story. We basically get a 50 cent explanation of a character in a 5 cent story. To put it mildly, it felt like filler.
I have to say this is just one of many examples I have read over the last 2 years. I can be reading a story and be lead off on a path just like this. Some disjointed path to explain something with as many sentences as possible involving so many events that do not take place in this issue that I will NEVER understand what the fuck is being talked about unless I continue to buy on for the next 10 issues. Nevertheless, I somehow need to know these terribly long winded passages where lots is said, few pictures give much insight to what is being said and pages go by and I am closer to the end without feeling like anything happened in the comic. I feel like this is a common filler practice. Just keep talking in a blah, blah, blah dialogue until you reach the end of the comic.
I've also read comics that we totally told in narrative like this from page 1 until nearly the last page. No dialogue. Just narration. At the end of the comic I get maybe 2 pages of dialogue from the actual characters. 1 event happens. Issue over.
A lot said, little or nothing happens. At the most I'm usually treated to about 3-4 scenes.
In contrast, I picked up an Avengers #162 last night. I was told a summary of events in about 4 panels. I had tons of dialogue between characters and the story unfolded with about 12 scenes taking place within the confines of the covers. I left feeling like a lot had happened. Like something was happening every 2-3 pages. Something was taking place. I never had no long drawn out blah, blah, blah of confusing words just boring me and making me wish I read a different comic.
To put it honestly, I feel like the above has happened to me way too often lately and I have empty comics that only progressed me as far as 2-3 scenes could. I have found the comics who start me on a blah, blah, blah path tend to keep me there in subsequent issues. I've done accepted it in previous issues. We can get 5 issues into it and can finally start to feel like 1 issue has taken place....if that. I realize rather quickly I am being strung along. There is no reason to stay. Nothing is happening. Or at least nothing is happening quickly. I'm just reading comics full of filler. There is no writing talent here. I feel like I've been scammed. I leave it alone and look for something else and find I am being treated like this from a lot of comics. The few who don't do this to me are easily the standouts.
The bar of what is good has been set very low.
The minimum requirements seem like a tall order. Therefore in the end, I cannot continue the purchase. Meanwhile the comic lives on.
