Pacino's Comic Column

[Pacino86845]

The Goon, Madman, Cerebus, The Maxx (ok, not really independent, but hey), Bone, Eightball... anyone follow(ed) any of these titles? Any other titles in the same vein? Opinions? Have the creators sold out? Whatever's on your mind. I've been recently tracking Mike Allred stuff and am pretty much of the opinion that his work is snazzy. I just read The Goon #14 yesterday, and though I love the series, I found the issue to be a bit light, maybe because it was divided into 3 separate short stories. Am of the opinion that Eric Powell's artwork is evolving beautifully, and his writing has remained solid throughout.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

i'm a big fan of Daniel Clowes work (<i>Eightball</i>), and i thought the <i>Ghost World</i> movie (taken from <i>Eightball)</i> was fanfarkintastic. totally loved it. i hope he keeps selling out and making tons of indie money...

the other titles you mentioned i am aware of, but haven't really read too much of to say... they're more like indie superhero books, whereas <i>Eightball</i> started out as a series of absurdist comedy vignettes... and now have become more like absurdist tragi-comic novellas...

btw, Clowes' <i>Art School Confidential</i> should be coming out soon, and the short comic story it was based on was HILRIOUS. (similar to the art class scenes in <i>Ghost World</i>, and just as hilarious).

i'd love to see an <i>ACME Novelty Library</i> film, but only if it's animated... i think a project like that could become a classic...

oh, and i will have a spontaneous orgasm if a <i>Love and Rockets</i> movie gets greenlit. if Jessica Alba could act, she could be a perfect Hopey...

[Adam Balm]

they're more like indie superhero books, whereas <i>Eightball</i> started out as a series of absurdist comedy vignettes... and now have become more like absurdist tragi-comic novellas...

Although Eightball #23 was a superhero indie book and probably one of the best of the year. Eightball is just amazing.

i'd love to see an <i>ACME Novelty Library</i> film, but only if it's animated... i think a project like that could become a classic...

I agree. A Jimmy Corrigan movie. Chris Ware went to the same comic shop in Omaha that I did and for this reason and others he'll always be my own personal god.

Also, don't forget to mention Optic Nerve. It's probably the best short fiction being written right now, in comics or prose.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

Although Eightball #23 was a superhero indie book and probably one of the best of the year. Eightball is just amazing.

i agree. i think that may be my favorite issue of Clowes' new-ish style -- that is, comics as short novellas. #23 could actaully make a good film too, but i don't want to push it.

I agree. A Jimmy Corrigan movie. Chris Ware went to the same comic shop in Omaha that I did and for this reason and others he'll always be my own personal god.

definately! the Jimmy Corrigan stuff is really <i>really</i> depressing though. if they were to make a film, i'd like to see it broken up between the main Corrigan story, with elements of Rusty Brown, and short vignettes with Cat and Mouse, the Superman guy, and the lonely robot...
i think it easily could be done... hello indie money people? send some to Mr. Ware, please, thanks!

Also, don't forget to mention Optic Nerve. It's probably the best short fiction being written right now, in comics or prose.

yeah, Tomine is great. i loved the <i>Summer Blonde</i> story...

another guy that's really good, even if his "comics rockstar" thing is deeply corny is Paul Pope. his artwork is effing fantastic... but he seems a little too focused on wanting to seem "hip". like, "the Jim Morrison of comics" angle? lame. to me that signifies pretensious and drunk, not arty and cool. still, i'd love to see more work from that guy.

[Pacino86845]

Yeah, Jimmy Corrigan was cool, I bought the trade paperback for my gf earlier this year. She liked it very much, but I was glad that I didn't own it because it may have inspired suicidal tendencies in me. I actually don't know much about Eightball, I think I only have/read 4-5 issues... but I'm keeping an eye out for them when I go to comic shops (which is not too often).

Funny thing happened yesterday to my "The Goon" #14. I had a friend over for dinner yesterday and he asks me what it is. I tell him it's a comic, etc etc. He replies, "That's nice," and puts it down on the table. Then he pulls out a small pouch of blow and starts cutting lines on The Goon #14. Then he asks me if I have any bills because he forgot his wallet at home. All I had was some American money, a 1 dollar and 10 dollar bill. He rolls them up and proceeds to snort through the money. He then tells me he's buying my American money from me. I ask, "I'm going to the States in a couple of weeks. Can't I just keep the money?" To which he replies "No." I figured he was joking, but when he left later I realized that he did indeed take the money. And that's how my The Goon #14 was inaugurated with cocaine.

The End.

[Man-in-the-Box]

How weird is that? The exact same thing happened to me the last time my mom came over.

[Pacino86845]

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Niiiiiiiice....

[Pacino86845]

Thanks Dino, for a the love, eh?

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

He replies, "That's nice," and puts it down on the table. Then he pulls out a small pouch of blow and starts cutting lines on The Goon #14. Then he asks me if I have any bills because he forgot his wallet at home. All I had was some American money, a 1 dollar and 10 dollar bill. He rolls them up and proceeds to snort through the money. He then tells me he's buying my American money from me. I ask, "I'm going to the States in a couple of weeks. Can't I just keep the money?" To which he replies "No." I figured he was joking, but when he left later I realized that he did indeed take the money. And that's how my The Goon #14 was inaugurated with cocaine. The End.

geez, why not just use a CD case like normal people!

So, in effect, he charged you $11 to share lines with him? Whatever happened to charity?

[Pacino86845]

For the record, I did not partake in the snorting, so in effect he charged me $11 for his sniffing coke off The Goon #14.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

For the record, I did not partake in the snorting, so in effect he charged me $11 for his sniffing coke off The Goon #14.

man oh man, sounds like you need some new friends!

[burlivesleftnut]

Sounds like a class act.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

[Pacino86845]

And one more time:

[Pacino86845]

Sorry about retitling this thread, I don't mean to appear pretentious. As I keep reading comics, however, I realize I do delve into the mainstream quite a lot, so the former title "Independent Gone Mainstream" seems less apt.

On to more exciting things, I read Vol.2 of Busiek and Nord's run on Conan, entitled "The God in the Dust Bowl." Does anyone have any thoughts on this latest Conan series (Vol. 1 was "The Frost Giant's Daughter")? I'm not familiar with the original Howard stories, but the creators of this series seem to try to stick to the source as much as possible. I find the art quite lovely, definitely inspired from Frazetta.

I enjoy the apparent simplicity of these parables, which nevertheless carry a strong underlying message about modern society. There's an essay at the end of the TPB that discusses how Howard's Conan was the world's determined "savage," who's come to take over the depraved society of the "civilized," that this is a cycle that repeats itself.

I think I finally get what the title of the film "Barbarian Invasions" referes to. Well, thems is my two cents about Conan.

[Pacino86845]

I just read The Goon #15, and I thought that it was terrific from beginning to end, including the weirdest "tribute" letters column I've seen, featuring letters from comic creators including Kurt Busiek and Steve Niles, as well as letters from Frank Darabont and Bruce Campbell all expressing how much of a sleazeball Eric Powell is. Hilarious.

The formerly unnamed priest steps aside for this issue as the main villain, and we get a short story involving a secondary character getting in trouble with some gypsies. And I love me some gypsies.

This was one of the funniest issues yet, and I simply adore how Powell's artwork has been evolving throughout this series.

The first Goon graphic novel's been published in France in 2005, and it's up for an Angoulême this year for "Best First Graphic Novel."