|
|
Post by batlaw on Jan 31, 2016 19:27:12 GMT -5
I'm completely bewildered by Luis cks popularity. I missed the memo where it was decided he was the funniest guy in America but apparently it went out to everyone. I sure don't get it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Warmonger on Jan 31, 2016 20:02:18 GMT -5
I'm completely bewildered by Luis cks popularity. I missed the memo where it was decided he was the funniest guy in America but apparently it went out to everyone. I sure don't get it. Different strokes for different folks I'll personally never understand how people find shows like Big Bang Theory or How I Met Your Mother so hilarious. Meanwhile a show like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has never gotten close to the recognition that it deserves. I'd stack the first 5 seasons of that show up against any TV comedy in history. It's basically a cruder, funnier version of Seinfeld. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2016 20:14:36 GMT -5
I can understand someone having a preference for a previous generation of comics...but were all comics fun back then too? As much as I like classic comics, there are some that I never had any interest in. Surely there's something contemporary that is of some interest...isn't there? |
|
|
|
Post by Nowhere Man on Jan 31, 2016 20:32:26 GMT -5
I can understand someone having a preference for a previous generation of comics...but were all comics fun back then too? As much as I like classic comics, there are some that I never had any interest in. Surely there's something contemporary that is of some interest...isn't there? Saga continues to be fun for me. King Robot's first appearance was the first time I literally "LOL" from reading a comic in a long, long time. Silver Surfer by Slott and Allred is fun, but I'm a few issues behind. I was irritated that it had a Secret Wars tie-in, not to mention that it's already been relaunched... |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2016 0:17:52 GMT -5
By that time the Superman series was a generation old classic and the Batman movies had changed popular culture. They could have licensed the rights out with less generous terms to Fox. License them for three movies. License them for ten years. Something other than the open ended "Maybe forever" they went with though. They could have always renewed the license later. And they knew how licenses worked, they were paying for plenty of comic licenses before that. They went straight with their biggest properties too. Weren't even trying to license out Scarlet Witch and Dr. Strange. Marvel had zero leverage in that deal, Fox was offering them a lifeline when they were about to be dissolved by the bankruptcy court, buh-bye Marvel no more company all its assets auctioned off to the highest bidder. Fox could have played harder ball and waited and gotten the rights lock, stock, and barrel at auction and owned the characters outright, but they cut a deal with Marvel that allowed them to survive and emerge form bankruptcy. If Marvel had tried to play hardball in the deal and it fell through, they were done, stick a fork in them, so no, they really couldn't have worked out a better deal, they had zero leverage to do so. As for the Superman movies, Richard Pryor and Quest for Peace ended any goodwill Superman movies had had in the public eye form I and II, and Shumacher had made the Bat-movies a laughing stock again, so the public perception had turned against super-hero movies until Fox's X-Men revived interest and showed it was possible to make a serious film in the genre the public would like again. -M Millions of people still loved the Superman AND Batman movies. Far more than those who still loved Superman and Batman comics. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2016 0:19:17 GMT -5
I can understand someone having a preference for a previous generation of comics...but were all comics fun back then too? As much as I like classic comics, there are some that I never had any interest in. Surely there's something contemporary that is of some interest...isn't there? Plenty of stuff for me. I think Hip Hop Family Tree is the current comic I get most excited about. |
|
|
|
Post by Spike-X on Feb 1, 2016 1:44:06 GMT -5
Saga continues to be fun for me. King Robot's first appearance was the first time I literally "LOL" from reading a comic in a long, long time. Saga is so great. It's a must-have day of release purchase for me every time a new tpb comes out. Silver Surfer by Slott and Allred is fun, but I'm a few issues behind. I was irritated that it had a Secret Wars tie-in, not to mention that it's already been relaunched... It's barely a tie-in, and it's a really nice story. And so what if it's been relaunched? It's still the same characters, premise, creative team... There's still a lot of fun to be had in comics, if that's what you're genuinely interested in. Plenty to bitch and moan about too, if that's the way you prefer to go. Like most anything else in life, you tend to find what you're looking for. |
|
|
|
Post by Dizzy D on Feb 1, 2016 4:27:28 GMT -5
Carlin has been in quite a few movies, so he's known outside the US, certainly not as big as Pryor, Murphy or even a Bill Hicks, but still a face that many people will recognise. I know Louis CK, but that's due to him being in some stuff that was in Comedy Central over here. I guess people who get on the Daily Show are known more abroad (Many Americans will know John Oliver thanks to the Daily Show and Last Week Tonight. Very few will know his comedy partner Andy Zaltzman) Of the British comedians you mention (I don't count as I was raised on the BBC basically even though I'm not British), Rob Brydon might be the one most reknown as he has had small roles in various movies over the years, maybe not by name, but his face might be familiar to people accross the ocean. Jim Davidson is not known outside the UK (thank God!). I don't think I've ever actually heard of Bill Hicks, either. I wish I didn't know Jim Davidson... You haven't heard of Hicks? He was more popular in the UK than the US for a long time. (Not a fan myself though). Could be dependent on the time though, this is early 90s, so if you weren't into the comedy scene at that time, you could have missed it. And to quote Stewart Lee: "I wish I was dead Bill Hicks. I wish I could be judged on two hours of material." |
|
|
|
Post by Reptisaurus! on Feb 1, 2016 13:22:55 GMT -5
Ah. Not quite the same then, as Richard Pryor was internationally famous. I'm not sure it's possible for a stand-up comic to become as famous as Carlin, Pryor or Murphy in their primes. Entertainment options being so myriad nowadays. Though if you watch Netflix, their specials are all over that menu, so I'm surprised you're not at least vaguely aware of them. I'm constantly seeing specials on there featuring people I've never heard of before. Dane Cook was huge not tooo long ago, albeit flash-in-the-pan-y. |
|
|
|
Post by tingramretro on Feb 1, 2016 13:26:57 GMT -5
I'm not sure it's possible for a stand-up comic to become as famous as Carlin, Pryor or Murphy in their primes. Entertainment options being so myriad nowadays. Though if you watch Netflix, their specials are all over that menu, so I'm surprised you're not at least vaguely aware of them. I'm constantly seeing specials on there featuring people I've never heard of before. Dane Cook was huge not tooo long ago, albeit flash-in-the-pan-y. Er...who? |
|
|
|
Post by Reptisaurus! on Feb 1, 2016 13:27:21 GMT -5
I can understand someone having a preference for a previous generation of comics...but were all comics fun back then too? As much as I like classic comics, there are some that I never had any interest in. Surely there's something contemporary that is of some interest...isn't there? But the style of storytelling has changed a lot. Not just the bloody sweariness of the content, but the way stories are told. I can definitely see someone being uncomfortable with the changes. Which is why comic fans tend to be saltier than, say, pop music fans. Taylor Swift and One Direction are not aimed at people my age* and that's obvious. But I can see old time Superman fans picking up a modern Superman comic and being like "Why is this nothing like what I read as a kid? It's still Superman!" And then they go on the internet and complain. * I really like Taylor Swift, though. |
|
|
|
Post by dupersuper on Feb 1, 2016 16:28:08 GMT -5
Superman IV was produced by Canon Films, so it never had a chance. Superman III had some nice moments, and the Superman good/evil duality bit was interesting, but the overt use of Richard Pryor was just wrongheaded. It would be like sticking Bill Burr or Louie C.K. front and center into a modern Captain America or Iron Man movie. Sure, the concept would be hilarious in a way, but there's no way it would make for a good Cap or Iron Man movie. I'll always maintain that the junk yard fight saves 3. Nothing could save 4. |
|
|
|
Post by dupersuper on Feb 1, 2016 16:35:05 GMT -5
You don't know George Carlin?? Cei-U! I summon the smelling salts! Nope. Just looked him up but it didn't ring any bells, so I'm guessing he never made it beyond the boundaries of the US. Comedy actors tend to travel better; the world world knows Steve Martin, for instance, and from our side I'm guessing Rowan Atkinson probably has international appeal. But stand-up tends to be topical, which tends to also mean 'local', so very few stand-ups achieve success in countries other than their own. Have many Americans ever heard of Bob Monkhouse or Jim Davidson, for instance, or (from the current generation) Rob Brydon or Michael Macintyre? I've heard of Rob Brydon (QI, The Brink, Annually Retentive, Would I Lie to You?...), but then I'm Canadian. I'm begining to suspect you're just not a stand up comedy fan (though George Carlin was also in the Bill & Ted movies, a few Kevin Smith movies, Shiningtime Station, Car Wash, Cars, The Prince of Tides...) |
|
|
|
Post by dupersuper on Feb 1, 2016 16:45:52 GMT -5
Some of the fun books I'm currently reading - Superman: American Alien, Unbeatable Suirrel Girl, Silver Surfer, Marvel Man reprints (always been good, but I'd consider it fun since they got to the Gaiman stuff), All New All Different Avengers, Spider-Man 2099, Ms Marvel, Sex Criminals, Saga, Big Trouble in Little China, Doctor Who books, the infrequently published Super Dinosaur, Bitch Planet, Chew, Rat Queens, Lumberjanes, G-Man, the recent Bizarro mini, Justice League America...
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2016 16:50:06 GMT -5
I'm not sure it's possible for a stand-up comic to become as famous as Carlin, Pryor or Murphy in their primes. Entertainment options being so myriad nowadays. Though if you watch Netflix, their specials are all over that menu, so I'm surprised you're not at least vaguely aware of them. I'm constantly seeing specials on there featuring people I've never heard of before. Dane Cook was huge not tooo long ago, albeit flash-in-the-pan-y. Kevin Hart just sold out a football stadium for his most recent show, supposedly the first comedian to ever do that.  |
|
