Comments for The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Comment on Bristol show does not impress everyone by Terry Hooper

Terry Hooper — Fri, 25 May 2012 19:20:18 +0000

This was the first year that the Expo did not have Mike Allwood as organiser. The new organisers have some lessons to learn but I do think certain people are moaning for the sake of it. Steve Tanner of Time Bomb Comics launched his new title Kronos City at the expo and made it clear he did better this year than 2010/2011 combined! Several other publishers were doing really well and some were selling out of books (Cinebooks the 9th Art are always selling out of books so I’m not includinmg them!).
Several of the usual dealers in old comics were not there but Nostalgia Comics seemed to be doing okay and had reasonably priced comics. Others were so highly priced it was unbelievable.
I think combining the talks venue with a dealer room might draw more people to it.
I was posting schedule of events for a month before the event and even announced that Denny O’Neill could not attend due to ill health. Even so, there was a printed schedule at the event but people just were not looking and some moaning about no goody bag.
Bristol Expo has always been one of the most popular UK events and even with the proliferation of new events I am sure it will remain so. Give the new organisers a chance.

Comment on Valerian & Laureline – The Land Without Stars. by Richard

Richard — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:54:48 +0000

Patric; Nope, not decided to dislike it, but not finding it the masterpiece it’s often described as. And as Martin says in the comments, and many others have said in the past, the series is meant to really pick up soon. I’ll keep reading, with an open mind.

Comment on Valerian & Laureline – The Land Without Stars. by Patric Nilsson

Patric Nilsson — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:03:31 +0000

You’re also judging it like it was a completely new product, a bit unfair. Of course, some attitudes will seem old-fashioned now, more than thirty years later. When the reality is that Valerian was progressive when it came out. I simply think that you’ve already decided not to like this series.

Comment on Spirou and Fantasio… reporters and adventurers by Martin Wisse

Martin Wisse — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:15:34 +0000

Tome and Janry are quite good as well though and probably slightly easier to get into for a modern audience.

One of the things I love about Franquin, his incredible sense of time and place might actually work against him now, as it is so clear his stories are largely set in fifties and sixties Belgium which might come across as a bit dated.

Incidently, when Fantasio points at that group of layabouts, the mysterious guy in the hat, scarf, glasses and pipe is of course monsieur Dupuis himself, the publisher of Spirou…

Comment on Valerian & Laureline – The Land Without Stars. by Martin Wisse

Martin Wisse — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:08:39 +0000

No, you’re right, the early volumes of Valerian aren’t that good and now somewhat dated. It’s only with the fifth volume, The Birds of the Master that the series really starts to find its voice.

Comment on Don Depresso meets the Happiness Fairy by Simon

Simon — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:35:28 +0000

Thanks for the shout-out for the site and its artists, Joe!

Better, Drawn is ALWAYS looking for comics from anyone with experience of long-term mental or physical illness. We want to challenge stigma attached to illness and give a space for people to tell stories. Maybe you suffer yourself, or care for someone else who does. So whether you’re a technically gifted comic artist, or someone who can just about manage stick men, it doesn’t matter: if you have a story to tell, we’ll post your work.

http://www.betterdrawn.com

Simon

Comment on Spirou and Fantasio… reporters and adventurers by Richard

Richard — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:32:51 +0000

Hmmm… I did say arguably….?
Actually, re-reading it, that’s a little sloppy on my part… more like “given that I have no real reference and am enjoying these adventures… ”
It’s far too blanket a statement – hopefully cinebook will look to reprint more of the early works so I can compare.

Comment on From our continental correspondent – Schrauwen in Space by Jason

Jason — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:27:38 +0000

Published in English by Fantagraphics. Not D&Q.

Comment on Grendel Teaser by Joe

Joe — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:19:03 +0000

Ohh, good to know, hope you get the whole short made, we’d love to see it!

Comment on Spirou and Fantasio… reporters and adventurers by Iggipop

Iggipop — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:05:12 +0000

“this version being arguably the best…”
What???? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Try again. This version is fun but did you ever heard the name FRANQUIN?
On your knees. Franquin is a god, one of the best cartoonists ever, equal to Herge, and his Spirou is “the Spirou”. Anyone writing or drawing Spirou after him is just following him and trying to keep the level.