Roquefort Raider
CCF Mod Squad
Modus omnibus in rebus
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jul 22, 2023 20:21:33 GMT -5
I agree about Adams, But I think one should be both a good writer AND a good artist, not just one of the two.
Look at last years winner, Barry Smith. Or Junto Ito the year before that.
No need to list here all the great writer/artist in comics through the years, who could both write AND draw. Well, that's just it... Beaton can do both. You don't like that page, obviously, but her artwork in that book didn't strike me as lacking in any way; not any more than Spiegelmann's, Hugo Pratt's or Eddie Campbell's would. On a different note... I didn't know that Barry Windsor-Smith had won last year. Having just re-read Monsters today, I can only applaud the decision. |
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Post by commond on Jul 22, 2023 20:39:36 GMT -5
For what it's worth, I found this discussion about Beaton's style to be fairly interesting -- linkIt's worth noting that this wasn't the first award she's received. She has won several awards in the past, including being voted Best Cartoonist by her peers in the 2012 Harvey Awards. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jul 22, 2023 21:14:06 GMT -5
There's been a trend in cartooning toward a simple line. I've encountered it in a lot of the books I've read in the Eisners thread. I'm not a huge fan of it myself, but you tend to get used to it if the story is interesting. Ducks also won an Eisner for Best Graphic Memoir. I haven't read it, nor will I, because I have no interest in memoirs whatsoever... but I know people do, and lots of people have said how good the story is, so that seems totally reasonable. I do expect any sort of 'artist' award to be better than using that sort of basic figures and a grid though. |
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Post by kirby101 on Jul 22, 2023 22:48:58 GMT -5
For what it's worth, I found this discussion about Beaton's style to be fairly interesting -- linkIt's worth noting that this wasn't the first award she's received. She has won several awards in the past, including being voted Best Cartoonist by her peers in the 2012 Harvey Awards. Interesting discussion, especially the comments. The author basically says he likes rushed, naive, simplistic, child like drawings. Well that is fine, but it also doesn't say it's done by an artist with any skill. I get that she did a web comic people liked, and this book is probably well written, but I will never agree that this art is worthy of such an award. |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jul 23, 2023 4:55:40 GMT -5
Illustration Art is a really interesting blog. And sometimes the comment threads get really heated - with 100+ comments, although the participants tend to keep it pretty civil. As to the topic at hand, I really like Beaton's webcomic, Hark, A Vagrant (I even reviewed the trade collection here a few years ago) and am very interested in reading Ducks, although I wonder if her very 'rudimentary' cartooning style is best suited to a non-humorous memoir-type story - the sample posted by kirby101 does little to convince me that it is. |
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Post by kirby101 on Jul 23, 2023 8:11:42 GMT -5
EdoBosnar, do you have a link to that blog?
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Post by sunofdarkchild on Jul 23, 2023 8:56:53 GMT -5
I'm of the opinion that if they had to make a TV show about a group of teens trying to solve the murder of Bruce Wayne and protect Gotham in Batman's absence, the main character should have been Stephanie Brown and Turner Hayes shouldn't exist. A story focusing on the 'failed sidekick' who Batman rejected trying to prove herself to his memory and wondering if he was right to reject her would be far better than a story focusing on a made-up adopted son with no personality or distinguishing traits. I've put my money where my mouth is in the 'Original Fiction and Art' section. |
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Post by MDG on Jul 23, 2023 9:19:13 GMT -5
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jul 23, 2023 11:32:13 GMT -5
EdoBosnar, do you have a link to that blog? MDG beat me to it, but yeah, it's the blog that commond linked above. |
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Post by Rob Allen on Jul 23, 2023 12:26:08 GMT -5
Here are a few pages from Ducks that don't use a simple grid:    |
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Post by kirby101 on Jul 23, 2023 13:16:48 GMT -5
Those are not bad. Much better than the people only panels.
I have looked further, and saw a few of the other pages, and while I would not praise the art, it works for the subject and is better than the pages I saw few.
I retract my criticism of the Eisner. I don't know how good this GN is, but many say it is great, so whether I would like it or not is immaterial.
Mea culpa on my such to judgement.
Obviously, bad art is a sore point for me.
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Post by Duragizer on Jul 23, 2023 21:11:35 GMT -5
Bulky Batman isn't my Batman.
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Post by badwolf on Jul 24, 2023 7:14:33 GMT -5
The Eisners were announced at the SDCC. The winner of the best Writer/Artist was Kate Beaton, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands. Now I have not read this book, so I don't know how well written it is, but to win Writer/Artist, shouldn't the person be able to draw beyong a 5th grade level? Has the Eisners jumped the shark? Because this is just bad art.  I'm not even sure what is going on here. The characters are dressed the same. Do they work together? Is this a training session? |
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Post by kirby101 on Jul 24, 2023 7:50:12 GMT -5
The Eisners were announced at the SDCC. The winner of the best Writer/Artist was Kate Beaton, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands. Now I have not read this book, so I don't know how well written it is, but to win Writer/Artist, shouldn't the person be able to draw beyong a 5th grade level? Has the Eisners jumped the shark? Because this is just bad art. I'm not even sure what is going on here. The characters are dressed the same. Do they work together? Is this a training session? |
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Post by tonebone on Jul 24, 2023 10:11:47 GMT -5
Maybe, but I guarantee they aren't considered a comic legend because of that crude, child-like art. I am aware of the art movement that elevated unskilled artists beyond what their art should have. I always argued there is a vast difference between untrained artist who show ability, like folk artist or outside artists and artist who simply can't draw. This falls into the latter group for me. I haven't read the book, but I don't think its crude. It's effective cartooning, with clear actions and expressions (see panel 8). Also, the perspectives in panels 5, 6, and 7 are well done and not easy to pull off. I agree with the validity of this kind of art, as a means of storytelling. I mean, Cynicalman is one of my favorite comics, and some really creative storytelling. However, I think Matt Feazell would tell you, when it comes to an award FOR ART specifically, he would not be in the running. It's really absurd that the art shown above won over some other truly incredible artists. I think what you are seeing is politics at work. The Eisners have been overtly political in its nominations and winners for a decade, now. |
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