Calvin's Canadian Cave of Coolness: Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Friday, June 22, 2012

Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

8 comments:

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...: Theres a reason the "Atop the Fourth Wall" song has that line "Broadsky, you're not the smartest! Liefeld, you're not an artist!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poI5dBNien0

Seriously, there is so much dumb on Rob's resume, its unfathomable.; June 22, 2012 at 10:46 PM
Kal said...: 20 years later and you can't see any development in his work. It's like he just stopped being able to draw. Kirby's stuff all looks the same because HE COULDN'T GET ANY BETTER - for someone who claims to be a student of Kirby like Leifeld does, you think that lesson would have sunk in. Again, another example about what is wrong with DC comics today. Trying to recreate an age (the 90s) with the same creators that make it crappy to begin with is another recipe for fail.; June 23, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Erik Johnson Illustrator said...: Its funny you should tie Liefeld's 90s work into the DC Reboot. After I read the first seven issues of the Justice League reboot, I immediately dug up copies of "Youngblood" online and read through them just to remind myself that there were much worse comics out there.; June 23, 2012 at 10:03 AM
Kal said...: But not many worse. They really don't hold up after all these years do they? Once they were the only comics that anyone wanted and it ruined the comic industry in the long run.; June 23, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Erik Johnson Illustrator said...: With the early Youngblood issues, the problem was the characters just stood around and talked about how they just stood around. Then there were a lot of references to things that we didn't see happen, but were supposedly going to occur in future books via flashback that were never made.

I can tell Rob wanted to create a "universe" of his own, but didn't really have any basics worked out before he started and flew by the seat of his pants when it came to developing it. Probably a result of spreading himself too thin on directing so many of his studios' book. I can believe he was a student of Kirby judging by how often he tried to play "Stan Lee" behind the scenes.; June 23, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Kal said...: He did some work with Kirby late in his life and I can admire him trying to help Kirby if he would have actually absorbed something from the experience. Have you read any of his Patriot stuff, basically Captain America - or the really horrible Heroes Reborn stuff. Read how he thought Captain America could be FIXED. Good lord, the hubris.; June 23, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Erik Johnson Illustrator said...: I read a little of his Patriot stuff but it was so long ago I barely remember it.

As for "Reborn" I read the stuff that Jim Lee did on the Fantastic Four which I remember being decent. I read the first Heroes Reborn Avengers issue and all I can remember is a lot of cheesy dialogue that sounded like it was lifted straight from the '60s.

As for Rob and Captain America, I'll always remember that awful pin up were Cap's pecks are three times the size of his head. Ouch.

Industry giants like Kirby, Eisner and Frazetta used exaggerated anatomy to be sure, but it was to emphasis strong heroic upper body strength or sensuously long legs. They knew the rules well enough to know when they could take expectable breaks from reality.; June 23, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Kal said...: You said it all...there are RULES. Mathematical rules that can be proven with math. You can only trick the human eye and brain so much.; June 23, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Calvin's Canadian Cave Of Cool Manifesto

I forever stand vigilant to protect this planet from the myriad of forces that are always against us. Be it the octopus, zombies, aliens or the robots my team of human agents, and our feline allies, circle the globe in a never ending struggle for human freedom.

I learn all I can on every subject that interests me. I especially enjoy ancient history because in the past there are valuable lessons to be found. Also, if I ever get my time machine to work properly, it would be good to know a bit about possible destinations and what to expect when I get there.

I greatly appreciate beautiful design. Be it manufactured or found naturally I am fascinated by the process of invention. I am attracted to the unique, the strange, the haunted. I like to share what I find on this blog.

And not let us forget the 'Cephalopod Menace' who, if allowed to, would wrap their tentacles around all that is good and pure in this life and crush it until it remained no more. They are creatures of pure spite. Hate is all they know. Death is all they do. They are our most ruthless and determined enemy.

So we fight. Selena has the celebrity contacts, the cat is ruthless and without pity, Roosevelt's ghost has the experience and I do the wetwork.

Fighting for the future of the planet doesn't have to be a chore, however. We can take the time to appreciate all that is cool in this world even as we cut the octopus into bite sized chunks.

This is the reason there has always been and must forever be, a Cave of Cool. Be sure to wipe your feet before you enter.