I mentioned this in the "Angel: AtF" third printing thread but it seems (borderline) own post worthy, dunno if it'd be better merged with another thread or whatever. Mods, do your Fu as necessary ;).

Saje | November 29, 20:34 CET

Ok, this is an example of the 'messiness' that I feel, and I completely admit it could be due to my lack of comic knowledge/experience(though by now, I've built up quite a bit being married to a bonafide geek).

The second panel with Gunn initially looks like he's looking through broken glass. Upon closer inspection, it could be a spider web. Regardless, you wonder what he's looking at, as he's clearly looking right at the 'camera' meaningfully. Then the next panel shows he's looking at the fish. Except, the webbing is not in front of the fish, like you would assume from the previous panel, it is behind him(or at least behind his face, where you assume Gunn would be looking. And is he in vamp face or just scowly?

And then he kisses the fish. I'm really against fish/vamp romances, but that's just me.

BTW, are these really pencils? They look inked.

Rogue Slayer | November 29, 21:08 CET

They're also both not from issue 2. One is from issue 3.

Also, the second panel isn't supposed to be a Betta George POV. If it was, it would be a (no joke) fish eye lens kinda deal.

[ edited by Brian Lynch on 2007-11-29 18:27 ]

Brian Lynch | November 29, 21:26 CET

Looks like Angel's getting ready to kick some ass. Very nice.

Dan Corson | November 29, 21:40 CET

Also, the second panel isn't supposed to be a Betta George POV.
I do get that from the panel after that, it just seems that Gunn is looking at something specifically behind the webbing(ok, is it webbing or like energy thingies?) Or is that just us seeing him from behind the webbing? Just seems like an odd directorial choice, is all. Unless there is something looking at Gunn from behind the webbing that we don't see in just this one page, which is totally possible and I'll await the issue to find out. As it is unfair to judge a series on one issue, it is even more unfair to judge an issue on one page! (Or one panel, as the case may be.)

It's just...I love this world so much, and when things hit a wrong note for me, they stand out more than they normally would when I read, say, She-Hulk or Fables. Cuz I have a history with these peeps, and I want it to all feel right and look right and sound right. And since everyone's definition of 'right' is so different, there's no pleasing everyone. (And I realize I'm verging on being my hubby with his 'But what about that whole time Rogue and Gambit lost their powers and lived together??? Are we just ignoring that?!' by getting so involved and being overly commenty.)

And yes, my husband has complained that I nit-pick too much, and I'm sure it has to do with my mother or love or breastmilk or something.

Rogue Slayer | November 29, 22:10 CET

I hope there is plenty of Spike in issue 2, I want to see some Spike! I have been waiting and waiting.....

luvspike | November 29, 22:35 CET

They're also both not from issue 2. One is from issue 3.

Yeah, I very utterly didn't put that "#2" there (i'll sometimes use it for brevity but the '#' for 'number' is not standard British usage). Someone's mod-fu is less strong than usual ;).

Both pages are verr, verr nice I reckon though I don't really get the point of the inset in the Angel page (presumably that'll make more sense in context). I'm interested to hear from those that maybe aren't totally into Franco Urru's art what they think of the "unadulterated" pencils ?

ETA: Aha, SAS editor strikes again. And the balance of fu is restored ;).

[ edited by Saje on 2007-11-29 19:37 ]

Saje | November 29, 22:36 CET

OK....mod? fu? This is a language I do not speak.

5X5B | November 29, 23:23 CET

"Mod" as in moderator. Or possibly Mod Squad.

And "fu" as in....well, fu.

;-)

pat32082 | November 29, 23:42 CET

"Also, the second panel isn't supposed to be a Betta George POV. If it was, it would be a (no joke) fish eye lens kinda deal."

Hahaha, nice man.

NekoDono | November 30, 00:31 CET

Haha...Thanks, Pat.

As far as the panels go, they don't enthrall me just yet, since I have no idea what's happening in them. I mean, Angel crashes through things pretty often, don't ya think? But, I guess I'm happy to be seeing more of Betta George. He's quickly becoming my favorite character. I've even considered officially renaming my little red and blue betta (currently called Nina) after him! And no, Nina wasn't named after the werewolf, but the soul singer.

5X5B | November 30, 01:05 CET

Your understanding-made-up-words-fu is not strong 5X5B ;-).

Saje | November 30, 01:46 CET

Saje,
As one of those that wasn't terribly into the first issue art I like these much better.

Rogue Slayer, I read the Gunn sequence as him looking through the broken glass in the first panel, then having moved closer, into the room itself in the second, which is why the broken glass, or weird energy stuff is behind him, and finally coming right up to the fish in the third.

barboo | November 30, 02:49 CET

Saje...I'm with barboo. Urru's art looks much better--comprehensible, even--in simple pencil-and-ink.

UnpluggedCrazy | November 30, 03:17 CET

These look inky to me, too. Still, I very, very like. Now if we get a little brightening of the colors in this issue on top of these excellent likenesses -- which are going a long way toward melting my initial Urru resistance -- I'll be major with the happiness. (I was judging him more on the colors, which isn't completely fair. I'd still like to see some actual pencil sketches/drawings sometime, though, just to get a genuine feel for the essence of his lines.)

And fierce, fangy Angel kicking ass gives me warm vampire fuzzies. It's been too long, my dear!

Wiseblood | November 30, 03:17 CET

Rogue Slayer, I read the Gunn sequence as him looking through the broken glass in the first panel, then having moved closer, into the room itself in the second, which is why the broken glass, or weird energy stuff is behind him, and finally coming right up to the fish in the third.

Ok, I might be misunderstanding your understanding...I don't see any glass/energy stuff behind Gunn. Or do you mean behind the fish? Or do you mean Gunn is walking in behind the fish and that's why we see what he is looking at as 'behind' the webby/glass/energy stuff?

Wow, now I've confused myself.

I'd still like to see some actual pencil sketches/drawings sometime, though, just to get a genuine feel for the essence of his lines.)


Yeah, I think sometimes we unfairly 'damn' an artist, when coloring and inking can radically change a piece.

Rogue Slayer | November 30, 03:28 CET

You're right, the stuff is behind the fish not Gunn. I wasn't looking at the panel as I was thinking. And actually now it looks like it's part of the fish. So yeah, it looks like that first panel is from the POV of someone behind the fish. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

barboo | November 30, 07:24 CET

Oh and Saje, great tags. Gotta watch out for those fragile doors.

barboo | November 30, 07:31 CET

They are the silent killer in our homes ! Actually, that might be carbon monoxide. But doors ? Also bad.

And fair point, should've said "nearly unadulterated pencils" because those drawings have very clearly been inked (i'm assuming Urru does his own inks though - no-one else is credited - so we're still seeing it as he intended).

I actually haven't bought the trade of 'Asylum' cos i've got the singles, wonder if there're any sketches in there ?

Saje | November 30, 11:16 CET