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Post by MDG on Dec 18, 2018 12:25:31 GMT -5
7. Image of the Beast Last Gasp, 1973 This is an adaptation of Phillip Jose Farmer’s novel about… I can’t even start. The GCD synopsis says “Nude female on bed with snake-like creature with the head of a man,” but while this is a central image, it’s only part of this story of interdimensional creatures on earth. I have no idea if this adaptation was in any way authorized (there were a couple of printings, so even if it wasn’t, it doesn’t seem like Farmer minded), and it’s not entirely successful—there’s a lot of story to fit into 36 comic pages—but you get the feeling Boxell had to do it. The book is full of horrible, yet compelling, images that cry out to be visualized, and it’s a pretty sure bet that it would never become a movie. (I try to discount the sequel Blown--the two books are often published together--which unlike having a character based on Forry Ackerman as in Image of the Beast, has the actual FJA as a character. Unh-unh.)
Tim Boxell (often signing his name “Grisly”) was in many of the horror undergrounds and has since moved into the movie business.
 {More Art!}  
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 18, 2018 12:29:47 GMT -5
7. Superman vs. Muhammad Ali
Publisher - DC
Year - 1978
Writer- Denny O'neil
Artists- Neal Adams/Dick Giordano/Terry Austin
 This oversized treasury had it all. Top hero? Check. Most recognizable athlete in the world? Check. Top Comic book artist? Check. The story itself was a spectacular involving an invasion that could be averted if earth’s top fighter could defeat the alien’s top fighter. I guess it was a version of the Gamemaster’s gambling for the right to live plot , but it was entertaining enough. Superman has to beat Ali without his powers and loses. ( What did you expect?). Ali then has to fight this alien that looks 15 feet tall and 600 pounds - you gotta love comics. (Spoiler alert: earth survives.) This ones for you Slam_Bradley ! 
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 12:42:44 GMT -5
On the Sixth Day of Christmas, Santa said to me…want to hear a story... Murder Mysteries GN by P. Craig Russell; published by Dark Horse, 2002  adapted from the short story and radio play by Neil Gaiman  In a time before the creation of the universe, there was the Silver City, Heaven if you will, and angels dwelt there fulfilling the purpose given to them by the Name, until one was murdered, and the Angel of Vengeance must discover who did this foul deed and enact the Name’s vengeance. This is that story, but all told, of course, by a homeless man sitting with an Englishman on a bench in LA, as payment for bumming a cigarette, yet there is so much more to the situation than there seems to be. As much as I admire Neil Gaiman as a comic writer, and as much as I love his novels, I’ve always felt that his greatest strength was as a short story writer (whether in prose or in comics), and this is one of my top 3 short stories he has written. Russell’s adaptation is spot on; and as always, his artwork is glorious and his visual storytelling magnificent. Gaiman’s story is one told on multiple levels, in the Silver City before time and in L.A. in a time not too distant from the present, and revolved not around one murder, but four, and contains a few twists and turns in the telling. It would be hard to show a page of art here without having spoilers to some of the twists, and since it is a mystery tale, I don't want to give anything away. But Russell’s adaptation captures this story perfectly and takes you on a ride through all those twists and turns that is a visual and narrative delight. -M |
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Post by DubipR on Dec 18, 2018 12:48:49 GMT -5
#7- PHILLIP MARLOWE: THE LITTLE SISTERWritten & Drawn by: Michael Lark  Who doesn't love the aspect of noir novels and films? Raymond Chandler's novel adapted here by Michael Lark is one of the true hidden gems of noir comics in the last 25 years. You can praise Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips all you want but Lark is the quintessential noir artist of the late 20th/early 21st century. What's great about this Chandler novel is his disdain for certain aspects of Los Angeles, particularly his work in Hollywood. A great inside-baseball novel as only Chandler can write about the dark side of the City of Angels. Lark, with the help of Dean Motter's editorial makes this so much more enjoyable. If you get a chance, I do recommend the 1969 film Marlowe with James Garner as a companion piece to this reading. 
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 18, 2018 13:22:34 GMT -5
7. Glenn Scarpelli in Hollywood
7. Fables #1-75(Vertigo, 2002-2008) I know some people ended up cutting Fables as they didn't think it qualified, given the rule about not using stories based on fairy tales and myths. However, I'm pretty confident with this choice, because the driving force behind the first half of the series — the fantastic super-arc that runs through #1-75 — isn't a character from fairy tale or myth, but rather a literary figure. To explain, though, I need to spoil the biggest surprise twist in the series, so the rest of this will be hidden behind spoilers. The premise of Fables is simple, and familiar to anyone who has seen the show Once Upon a Time, which was directly and blatantly stolen from Fables. All the various fairy tale and mythical figures are forced to flee from their enchanted realms when a tyrannical dictator conquers their worlds one by one. They flee to Earth and hide among us. But always, there is the threat of the mysterious Adversary, who still strives to destroy them — and the hope that one day, they can retake their homelands. Throughout the first half of the arc, the characters deal with spies, culminating in a full on invasion of New York aimed to kill them all. Eventually, Boy Blue goes on a mission to infiltrate the conquered fairy lands and assassinate the Adversary. He seemingly succeeds, cutting off the Emperor's head, only to discover the shocking truth. The Adversary is actually just a huge, magically animated puppet. Because the real Adversary... is Geppetto.  Geppetto, of course, was created for the 1883 children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Geppetto and Pinocchio aren't the only literary figures in Fables — many of the characters from the Oz novels are also key figures — but it's Geppetto who drives the storyline for the first 75 issues of Fables. Once his identity is revealed, the series becomes about defeating Geppetto, and rescuing his son, Pinocchio. Geppetto believes that he is on the side of right, replacing corrupt governments with benevolent dictatorships by killing off the leaders and substituting puppet doppelgangers. It's an ultimate fairyland fable of fascism, with undesirables erased and literally replaced with pliant conformists. Finally, in #75, the good guys win, and Geppetto is forced to renounce his ways.  Geppetto remains a main character fr the rest of the series, but the good stuff really ends with #75, as does his place at the center of the tale. Plus, that's our 10 year cutoff anyway, so it seemed like the perfect place to end.
Your logic is perfect.
My three daughters are crazy about Fables.
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 18, 2018 13:34:48 GMT -5
7. Glenn Scarpelli in Hollywood
What did Scarpelli ever do to you... |
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 18, 2018 13:38:47 GMT -5
#7In 1975, Marvel launched a new magazine, part of their attempt to compete with Warren on the magazine stand. This one wasn't yet another superhero in black & white or a horror property with no code restrictions. This one had literary aspirations and would adapt great works of science fiction, leading off with Day of the Triffids. Roy Thomas was the editor and one of the leading contributors. this entry is about issue #3..  In this issue was Roy Thomas and Alex Nino's adaptation of Harlan Ellison's Hugo and Nebula-winning short story, "Repent Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman.  The story features a dystopian future where society is rigidly ordered and monitored by the Ticktockman. Being late results in time being removed from your lifespan. Everything is is chained to timetables. Into this rigid society comes Everett C Marm, who disguises himself as Harlequin, from the comedia del arte, who launches a whimsical rebellion against the Ticktockman, through such gestures as hurling jelly beans across a factory floor. Marm's girlfriend, Pretty Alice, routinely chastises him for being late and betrays him to the Ticktockman . Thomas and Nino do a fantastic job adapting the story; though, true to form, Ellison wasn't happy with it. He felt that the art (as much as he loved Nino's work) was too anarchic, through the entire story and that it failed to convey the drudgery of the rigid society. It's a valid criticism; but, damn, that art by Nino is beautiful.....   As a former teacher, Roy was in his element, when working with literature, especially science fiction and fantasy. However, the truly unheralded work of Alex nino needs comment. Nino was part of the Filipino art community who were hired by DC to provide artwork for various titles, including things like their Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptations. Nino was one of the best of the bunch (and they were all accomplished artists), a true artistic marvel. He captures the chaos that Harlequin seeks to add to this society, as his page layouts tumble over the paper and he throws quick impressions of scenes at you. Ellison was a big fan; but, he is correct that the dynamic flow of things doesn't really convey the staid world of this future. And yet, you really don't care when you read it. Ellison created a masterpiece and Thomas and nino give it their considerable all and it is inspiring.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,199 
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Post by Confessor on Dec 18, 2018 14:14:03 GMT -5
Oz #1-20/Dark Oz #1-5/Land of Oz #1-9
+ six one-shots & two 3-issue mini-series (Caliber/Arrow, 1994-2000) Script: Stuart Kerr/Ralph Griffith (Gary Bishop & Bill Bryan on Land of Oz) Artwork: Bill Bryan (Tim Holtrop on a few issues)  There's just something about Frank L. Baum's Oz that lends itself particularly well to comic books, I think. The Marvel/DC treasury edition of The Wizard of Oz and Marvel's folllow-up The Land of Oz almost made my list, while Eric Shanower and Skottie Young's Oz comics from Marvel would've too, had they been eligible. That said, I generally hate so-called "mature" or "modern" updates on classic literature...it's just something that really grinds my gears. There are a few exceptions though, and one of those exceptions would be Stuart Kerr and Ralph Griffith's Oz comics from the mid-to-late 1990s. These were initially published by Caliber Press, a small, independent publisher that produced rather odd black and white comics (at least, that's my impression of Caliber based on the titles I saw at the time). The series then moved over to Arrow Comics, where it was completed. The story follows a group of three 20-somethings and their dog, who have all been transported to Oz by opening an antique book that they found at a yard sale. However, the land of Oz that they find themselves in is not the innocent fantasy land of Baum's books. The Nome King and the witch Mombi have spread their evil across the land, while the Emerald City decays and the Yellow Brick Road lies in ruins. The Scarecrow has been turned evil by devilish enchantment, the Tin Man and Lion have both disappeared, and marauding gangs of Winkies, Witches, and Winged Monkeys roam across the countryside, bedeviling our young heroes. You get the picture: this is " dark Oz"™. Luckily, our trio of heroes and their canine companion soon fall in with Jack Pumpkinhead, General Jinjur, Wogglebug and the rest of "The Freedom Fighters of Oz", as they set about trying to defeat Mombi and the Nome King, with help from the now located Tin Man and Lion, and the reformed Scarecrow. Of course, the comic goes off into plenty of other directions after the initial story arc, but the tropes of the series remain the same throughout: this isn't your Aunt Jemima's Oz and you're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. The thing about the various Caliber and Arrow Oz comics is that, looking at them critically, I'm not sure I could honestly say that they're very good. They're often written in a rather immature, "oh-so-edgy" way, with needless violence and fairly poor scripting. Bill Bryan's artwork is...yeah, not great. Actually, it's pretty terrible; it's scribbly, poorly inked, with wonky anatomy aplenty, and has the reek of amateurism about it. And yet...this series really has something. The scrappy artwork suits the vibe of the story rather well, and it's a real page turner of a comic, in spite of its creative shortcomings. It's kinda like the comic book equivalent of a lo-fi punk record: it's not pretty, but man, is it ever exciting! Somebody really should turn this version of Oz into a movie.
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 18, 2018 14:19:05 GMT -5
That's a scary cover. Even scarier than  |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 18, 2018 14:38:45 GMT -5
I’ve been a fan of Star Trek from Day One. Not unqualifiedly, mind you: I was never a fan of Voyager or Enterprise, and I find most episodes of the original series unwatchable these days. I didn't imagine it would be possible for me to think any higher of you, Kurt, but it just happened. Aw, come on guys... sure, Shatner is terrible, but you can't tell me that episodes like 'City on the Edge of Forever' and 'Piece of the Action' are absolute classics of television! |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 18, 2018 14:40:36 GMT -5
7. Glenn Scarpelli in Hollywood
7. Fables #1-75(Vertigo, 2002-2008) I know some people ended up cutting Fables as they didn't think it qualified, given the rule about not using stories based on fairy tales and myths. However, I'm pretty confident with this choice, because the driving force behind the first half of the series — the fantastic super-arc that runs through #1-75 — isn't a character from fairy tale or myth, but rather a literary figure. To explain, though, I need to spoil the biggest surprise twist in the series, so the rest of this will be hidden behind spoilers. The premise of Fables is simple, and familiar to anyone who has seen the show Once Upon a Time, which was directly and blatantly stolen from Fables. All the various fairy tale and mythical figures are forced to flee from their enchanted realms when a tyrannical dictator conquers their worlds one by one. They flee to Earth and hide among us. But always, there is the threat of the mysterious Adversary, who still strives to destroy them — and the hope that one day, they can retake their homelands. Throughout the first half of the arc, the characters deal with spies, culminating in a full on invasion of New York aimed to kill them all. Eventually, Boy Blue goes on a mission to infiltrate the conquered fairy lands and assassinate the Adversary. He seemingly succeeds, cutting off the Emperor's head, only to discover the shocking truth. The Adversary is actually just a huge, magically animated puppet. Because the real Adversary... is Geppetto. Geppetto, of course, was created for the 1883 children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Geppetto and Pinocchio aren't the only literary figures in Fables — many of the characters from the Oz novels are also key figures — but it's Geppetto who drives the storyline for the first 75 issues of Fables. Once his identity is revealed, the series becomes about defeating Geppetto, and rescuing his son, Pinocchio. Geppetto believes that he is on the side of right, replacing corrupt governments with benevolent dictatorships by killing off the leaders and substituting puppet doppelgangers. It's an ultimate fairyland fable of fascism, with undesirables erased and literally replaced with pliant conformists. Finally, in #75, the good guys win, and Geppetto is forced to renounce his ways. Geppetto remains a main character fr the rest of the series, but the good stuff really ends with #75, as does his place at the center of the tale. Plus, that's our 10 year cutoff anyway, so it seemed like the perfect place to end. OK, changing my list a bit (I thought this was not allowed...) |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2018 14:45:31 GMT -5
First I've heard of this Oz series. I need it. Free ride in my cab for anyone who gives me a copy. ;-)
Seriously, though, that is a scary cover. And scarecrows, when evil, are always scary.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,865
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Post by shaxper on Dec 18, 2018 14:49:39 GMT -5
I didn't imagine it would be possible for me to think any higher of you, Kurt, but it just happened. Aw, come on guys... sure, Shatner is terrible, but you can't tell me that episodes like 'City on the Edge of Forever' and 'Piece of the Action' are absolute classics of television! Being a classic and being "utterly unwatchable today" are not incompatible qualities. Something can be extremely significant for the time period but age badly. Like Kurt, I still find some episodes of TOS very enjoyable today, but the vast majority are hard to get through, if only because dated lighting, thrifty set design, crude special effects, and poorly paced writing that often glosses over characterization are harder to stomach when compared to what followed. Next Generation ruined much of TOS for me, DS9 ruined much of TNG for me, and I'm still waiting for something to come along that will ruin DS9 for me. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 18, 2018 15:01:44 GMT -5
I still have to try to get to the good part of DS9... when I tried I lost interest during season 2.... TOS, OTOH, still amuses me any time I see it.. some episodes are amusing because they're terrible, I'll admit, but that's OK with me  KillRavenMarvel Comics, 1973 - 1976 Roy Thomas/ALan Davis/Neal Adams/Gerry Conway (mostly) This is may very favorite of the various versions that riff on War of the Worlds... probably because Roy Thomas is the man, and this is some mighty fine Neal Adams art. I love the sprinking of the Marvel Superhero mentality into the Martian invasion story, it just works really well. I'm glad the various attempts to make it 'canon' in the MU never really came to anything.. it works much better as just a stand alone sort of thing.  |
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 18, 2018 15:13:57 GMT -5
Aw, come on guys... sure, Shatner is terrible, but you can't tell me that episodes like 'City on the Edge of Forever' and 'Piece of the Action' are absolute classics of television! Being a classic and being "utterly unwatchable today" are not incompatible qualities. Something can be extremely significant for the time period but age badly. Like Kurt, I still find some episodes of TOS very enjoyable today, but the vast majority are hard to get through, if only because dated lighting, thrifty set design, crude special effects, and poorly paced writing that often glosses over characterization are harder to stomach when compared to what followed. Next Generation ruined much of TOS for me, DS9 ruined much of TNG for me, and I'm still waiting for something to come along that will ruin DS9 for me. See, I'm the opposite; I enjoy original Trek through today and could not really get into Next Gen (apart from a few episodes here and there) and was bored to tears by DS9 and Voyager, though I tapped out pretty quickly on those. Dated look never bothered me, any more than watching the Flash Gordon serials. It felt more realistic, to me, than the later ones. Too much technobabble, to many moments of arguing around a conference table. Old Trek was livelier, to me, more metaphorical in a more engaging fashion, and with more interesting characters. Granted, most didn't get explored much; but, it just pulls me in more than the slicker, later ones. No, when it came to modern Trek, nothing really captured my interest until Babylon 5 came along and gave me what I felt New Trek was missing. |
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