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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 15, 2018 14:21:15 GMT -5
but I really enjoy the German interpretation of some other the mythological figures one sees all over the place. Have you ever watched Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen? It's possibly my favorite fantasy film of all time. Fair warning, it's extremely old, extremely black and white, extremely silent, and extremely long. I believe the full version runs about 5 hours, but it's worth it with part two being far stronger than part one. I used to show it to my high school Mythology class and, at first they would endure it because it was a movie during the school day, but eventually nearly all of them adored it. A 5 hour silent film. They adored it. Wow!!! Props top you for doing that, shax! Most teachers would just stop at the "too long - too old - silent to boot" aspect, but thanks to you those kids were exposed to a very important piece of cinema, of mythology and of the world's literature!!! I'm ready to bet that most of them will remember that for the rest of their lives.  |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 15, 2018 14:26:56 GMT -5
Have you ever watched Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen? It's possibly my favorite fantasy film of all time. Fair warning, it's extremely old, extremely black and white, extremely silent, and extremely long. I believe the full version runs about 5 hours, but it's worth it with part two being far stronger than part one. I used to show it to my high school Mythology class and, at first they would endure it because it was a movie during the school day, but eventually nearly all of them adored it. A 5 hour silent film. They adored it. Wow!!! Props top you for doing that, shax! Most teachers would just stop at the "too long - too old - silent to boot" aspect, but thanks to you those kids were exposed to a very important piece of cinema, of mythology and of the world's literature!!! I'm ready to bet that most of them will remember that for the rest of their lives. Thank you kindly, sir. Honestly, I wanted to delve into the commonality/differences between Germanic and Nordic mythology, and this was the text most readily available. That I adore silent German film-making and feel more people should be exposed to it was only a secondary consideration. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2018 22:59:20 GMT -5
My number 11 (or two, depending on which way we are travelling) is Jim Steranko's adaptation of the movie Outland, for Heavy Metal.  That one fell victim to my final cull, so many thanks for making sure it’s still featured!!! Amazing work by Steranko. Yeah, this was one of the last to cut to trim my list down to twelve, and those last 2 cuts were agonizing to make. Another choice today was the last cut before these 2, so I am glad to see these make someone's list. -M |
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Post by MDG on Dec 16, 2018 17:15:52 GMT -5
11. Hell on EarthRobert Loren Fleming, Keith Giffen, William Wray, Greg Theakston, DC, 1985
After the Superman reboot, DC assigned Julie Schwartz to produce a series of graphic adaptations of stories by famous science fiction writers. This was the first, and, of the ones I read, best.
Part of the reason is that I like Bloch, but also, I was a really big fan of Giffen, and this is him at his Giffenest. Partly because of that, it comes off less than a standard comic adaptation and more experimental.
At a comic show, Robert Loren Fleming said they had to work from second-generation Xeroxes of a reprint of the story in Man from UNCLE Digest, and he and Giffen were both disappointed with the end of the story. So they changed it (just like in the movies!). And it works—it feels more Blochian than what he said the original ending was.
 
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 16, 2018 20:33:38 GMT -5
I have it and have never read it but mean to.
Your entry intrigues me.
Giffen can be wild and crazy but is usually worth the experience (mostly).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2018 0:00:50 GMT -5
11. Hell on EarthRobert Loren Fleming, Keith Giffen, William Wray, Greg Theakston, DC, 1985 After the Superman reboot, DC assigned Julie Schwartz to produce a series of graphic adaptations of stories by famous science fiction writers. This was the first, and, of the ones I read, best. Part of the reason is that I like Bloch, but also, I was a really big fan of Giffen, and this is him at his Giffenest. Partly because of that, it comes off less than a standard comic adaptation and more experimental.
At a comic show, Robert Loren Fleming said they had to work from second-generation Xeroxes of a reprint of the story in Man from UNCLE Digest, and he and Giffen were both disappointed with the end of the story. So they changed it (just like in the movies!). And it works—it feels more Blochian than what he said the original ending was. I read this and Marshall Rogers adaptation of Ellison's Demon with a Glass Hand in the days leading up to this event, and I quite liked both (for me Demon got the slight edge over Hell On Earth, but then I like Rogers a little more than Giffen), but neither was able to edge on other older favorites already on the list. Glad to see it get some love. -M |
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Post by brutalis on Dec 17, 2018 7:58:40 GMT -5
11. Classics Illustrated #19: Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Michael Ploog. May 1990 from book of same by Samuel Clemens aka Mark TwainPloog brings to visual life in superb form the world of Tom and Huck. Incredible and amazing to look at and every page draws you deeper into the story. An entirely different fantasy world from the pencil of Ploog for readers to delve into. There is such a depth of detail, expressions and colors here that it makes your head swim with all of it's vibrant visualization. Growing up I had the book version and read it just about every summer when school let out. This comic book version brought to life Clemen's work in a way that reflects the time it is set in and helps you to fully understand why the book is a classic. There is a a life and feeling you don't often find in translating a book to comic pages and if all you have ever seen of Ploog art is his Marvel horror, then you will be truly surprised and stunned. This is one to savor and hold onto... |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 17, 2018 19:10:21 GMT -5
Random thoughts on Day Two.
Andy Panda - I haven't read any of these comics. But I have a connection because my Mom loved Andy Panda comics as a little girl. And she used to tell me about that all the time. Not that she kept any of her old comics. Sigh.
2001: A Space Odyssey - I need to get around to reading this. Some of these days. There's a book by Sequart entitled "The Weirdest Sci-Fi Comic Ever Made: Understanding Jack Kirby's 2001: A Space Odyssey" that I've had for a while that looks at this series.
Muppet Show Annual No.3 - I don't get Muppets. I just don't get them.
Meet Corliss Archer - Phil brings in another golden oldie from the Fillmore East.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, vol. II - I'm a huge fan of the League. And one of the books will show up again later.
The MAD magazine TV and movie parodies - Realisitically this should be on my list. I just kind of bumped it for another Mad feature...and I didn't want EC to dominate my list too much. Mine would have extended to the end of the 70s though.
WCW Comic- Much like Muppets...I don't get wrestling.
The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones - I've read sporadic issues of this series. It's pretty spiffy. I should read it all.
Jonny Quest #1 - This book is amazing. And honestly it likely could be on my list. But I haven't read all the issues and it's been eons. Another one I need to get too.
The Hobbit #1-3 - I want to think that I've read this. But it would have been eons ago. So many comics...etc.
Ring of the Nibelung by P. Craig Russel - So many adaptations of Wagner. I don't think I've read this one. I'm sure I should.
Savage Sword of Conan - I don't have any REH on my list. But a ton of his stuff got consideration. Partly it's because I want to re-read a lot of it. Partly because I knew it would show up a LOT.
Jim Steranko's adaptation of the movie Outland, for Heavy Metal - I've seen pages of this. But never read it. High Noon in space.
Casey at the Bat from Mad Magazine, 1953. That's good stuff. I said before I could fill my entire list just from Mad Magazine.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - I've never read this. I did buy the Raiders adaptation.
Conan the Barbarian - See what I said about Savage Sword.
Walt Disney's Donald Duck & the Golden Helmet - Barks and Donald will show up again.
Serenity #1 - 3 - I've not read any of the Firefly/Serenity funnybooks. That show was excellent though.
Avengers # 239 - I'd pretty well stopped reading Marvel by this point.
The Phantom DC Comics 1989/90 - I bought this book when it was coming out. I remember it being pretty good. I don't think I've read it since though.
Star Trek: Star Fleet Academy - I think I addressed Star Trek before.
Hell on Earth - I know I've read this, but it's been years. The entire DC SF graphic novel line was a great experiment I wish had worked out better.
Classics Illustrated #19: Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Michael Ploog - Was this the one that was initially done by First and later reprinted by another company? I remember the Ploog Tom Sawyer. That's another line that I wish had been more successful.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2018 5:04:53 GMT -5
Day 2
Andy Panda-I am familiar with the property, but don't think I have ever read any of the comics.
Kirby's 2001-I considered the treasury edition for my list, but I haven't made it all the way through the 10 issue series yet.
Muppets-love the show, never read any of the comics
Meet Corliss Archer-hello how do you do, I don't think we've met before...
LOEG II-I preferred the first mini to the second, but this is still good stuff, but not something I considered for my list.
MAD-think I said something about Mad on day 1.
WCW-I liked WWF wresting up until I was about 11, but haven't followed wrestling since, and am kind of meh on the whole thing.
Further Adventures of Indiana Jones-was on my initial brainstorm list of possibilities, but kept getting moved down as I thought of other things I wanted to include. Good stuff though.
Shadow Strikes-I only have a couple of issues of this series, and they are good, I just never got around to getting more of the run.
Jonny Quest was in my top 12 for a while, then I thought of another dozen of so must include adaptations and it got edged out. I do dearly love the series so glad it is getting some love here.
PCR's The Ring of Nibelung-it came down to the Ring or Parsifal for me, and I knew the Ring would get some love, so I went with Parsifal.
Savage Sword of Conan-I could have made a list of 12 Conan adaptations, but I made the arbitrary decision to only give 1 spot to Conan so I could showcase some other stuff I love, so SSOC didn't make my list.
Outland was one of my final cuts from my 12. It was still in the top 12 on the next to last draft of the list. It came down to Outland or the Goodwin/Simonson Alien for that spot.
Casey at Bat from Mad-see previous comments about Mad.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom-that's the one Marvel Indy adaptation I don't have.
Conan the Barbarian-see my comments on Savage Sword.
Donald Duck and the Golden Helmet-I have't read enough Disney Ducks comics. I like the ones I read, just never got around to getting any really.
Serenity-my wife is a big fan of the show and movie and I have seen and liked most of them (and played a few very entertaining sessions of the Serenity tabletop RPG at conventions), but I have not read any of the comics.
Avengers 239-it was a fun but ultimately forgettable issue that was part of assistant editor's month for me. If you were reading the series monthly (and I was just getting back into doing so, it felt like a Dreaded Deadline Doom inventory fill in issue of the 70s.
DC's Phantom-I really liked this series (and the 4 issue mini with Orlando art that preceded it) but I didn't have any Phantom on my lists.
PCR's Ring redux, see above.
StarTrek: Star Fleet Academy-I think I talked about Trek comics yesterday. Never read these.
Hell on Earth-see my post about it above.
Tom Sawyer by Ploog-was on my initial brainstorm list of possibilities but there was too much other stuff for it to get serious consideration for my list. Great adaptation though.
-M
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Post by Jeddak on Dec 26, 2018 16:35:19 GMT -5
Day 2 Mike Shayne Private Eye Dell, 1961  I've always liked this character. He's not as important in the genre as Mike Hammer or Sam Spade, but the early books (by creator Davis Dresser) were good stuff, blending the tough-guy action with more traditional detecting (including the scene where the detective reveals the killer to a roomful of assembled suspects). And the guy went through changes. He got married, then his wife died. Having trouble coping with her death, Shayne ends up tearing up his Miami pi license, ready to move to New York City. Circumstances land him in New Orleans instead, where he spent several books. Later books (and the magazine stories) devolved into more generic pi stories. But when I found there was a comic version, I had to check it out, though I wasn't expecting much. But I was surprised, as this series adapts some of the early novels. The third issue does Heads You Lose, dealing with Shayne's loss after his wife's death. Drugs, adultery - it made for a more adult series than I expected from Dell in the early '60s. I suspect somebody there may have been trying to tap into the then-growing paperback market. It didn't work (adapting a novel in one issue made for some wordy comics, and artwork that was used more for illustration than storytelling). But I respect the fidelity to the source material. |
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Post by Mister Spaceman on Dec 28, 2018 20:21:06 GMT -5
Star Wars #'s 1-44 (Marvel Comics, 1977-1981) Not surprisingly, this one has made more than a few other lists here and for good reason. The first six issues offer a solid adaptation by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin of the first film. As with my First Day pick of Planet of the Apes, my initial interest in this comic was as a means to at least partly relive the pleasure of seeing the movie in the theater. But what really sold me on sticking around after that point was the introduction of the Archie Goodwin/Carmine Infantino team beginning with #11 (and I was particularly enthusiastic about Terry Austin's inks and was always a little disappointed that he only did a few issues). I absolutely loved how these comics maintained the pulpy sci-fi spirit of the film while also feeling very much like their own thing. And the beautiful denouement to it all (for me) was the brilliant adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back by Goodwin, Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon in #'s 39-44. For reasons I don't recall, I stopped reading this title after that and about twenty years ago I gave all of these comics to a nephew. But in the last year I purchased the Omnibus collection and was happy to see that these space yarns are still as entertaining to me today as they were, well, a long time ago in what now seems like a galaxy far, far away. May the force be with you! 
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