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Leatherjack

Started by Colin YNWA, 16 July, 2010, 09:20:00 AM

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Emperor

Quote from: The Corinthian on 19 August, 2010, 10:54:51 PMInteresting, Our Man Smith takes the prose-poetry caption to a kind of logical extreme, so that the text doesn't just counterpoint the image but acts as a kind of synaesthesia, conveying in words images that can't be drawn.

Indeed - I'm leaning towards calling it... Impressionist, as you need to step back to see the bigger picture (why his stories work very well in collected form, and why some of it missing doesn't cause major problems ;) ). I've also noticed that he is happy to not include captions during quieter moments or action sequences (where the over-writers would see an empty space in a panel as a challenge to jam more text in) and then brings them in to add layers mood on top (I'll dig out and example but I am thinking a good one may be in "Deus Ex Machina, Book 1". Impressionistic synaesthesia? I've been struggling to put my finger on it but that is getting close ;)

Interestingly in chat the other night he said it was less technobabble and more poetry and while it might make him wince slightly in the col light of day it is a good analogy as the caption text often comes in short chunks with a certain rhythm to it.
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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john_s

...except that calling it "poetry" rather than "technobabble" makes me sound like a right pretentious wanker!

Just discovered this thread, so thanks for all the kind words...  It's flattering and embarrassing in equal measure!  ;-)

TordelBack


Colin YNWA

Quote from: Emperor on 20 August, 2010, 02:53:53 AM
... as the caption text often comes in short chunks with a certain rhythm to it.

That gets it to me there's a real rhythm to his writing. In the subtle way there is with say Kurt Vonnegut - and no I'm not saying John's as good a writer as Mr Vonnegut so I'll spare both him and myself that embarrassment. There is a real flow to both their writing that means even though you are dealing with fairly complex ideas at times reading them is still a breeze.

O Lucky Stevie!

Quote from: TordelBack on 20 August, 2010, 07:25:03 PM
Technoglossolic?

Give that man a coconut! Suscint to the point of lethality, that's Tordelback.
"We'll send all these nasty words to Aunt Jane. Don't you think that would be fun?"

Emperor

Alrighty, while we have you here a couple of questions for you John. As Vertigo seems off the cards for the moment:


  • Did anything come of your try out for Marvel (X-Men Unlimited #35, fact fans)? As it is in 2002 had you had informal talks with them before and is there a chance you could get your foot in the door there?
  • While Vertigo seems your natural home have your thought about trying elsewhere? As I said above Avatar seems a good home for odder material from Ennis' Crossed to Moore's Courtyard and beyond.

Quote from: john_s on 20 August, 2010, 07:18:10 PM
...except that calling it "poetry" rather than "technobabble" makes me sound like a right pretentious wanker!

Told you he'd wince ;) Although someone else did bring it up first and it is handy analogy, as it isn't really poetry (in the strict sense, as I want to avoid going down the road of defining what is and isn't poetry - not only is my uncle a poet but my mum was an English Literature teacher, so these debates never end well, if they end at all). What it does demonstrate that it is hard to pin down and may not be as instantly accessible as the large lumps of captions the over-writers like to deploy like Tiger tanks, so his work might be an acquired taste which is why it works well at 2000AD where the readership has grown up with his work. Or it might not - we haven't really had much opportunity to test the theory beyond Scarab.
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

Fractal Friction | Tumblr | Google+

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Emperor on 11 August, 2010, 03:32:43 PM
I had a nose through Leatherjack the other and it struck me I should really buy the trade as it really deserves to be read as a whole where you can take it all on as ideas are arriving so fast you need to take it slow to get everything.


And right The Emperor was indeed (oh mighty one return to use with your all seeing tendrals of Internet presence, the leap from Facebook (I believe) will be like returning home after a visit to a wonder filled but exhausting trip to Havana) right. After almost exactly three years as it goes while sat in the car awaiting my daughter to complete her ballet dress rehearsal I said with the trade of Leatherjack and read it in one luxary sitting.

Having read much Paul Auster, having just read Al Ewing's Fictional Man the story touches on ideas used in both and wraps them all in a sci-fi ripping yarn. I can think of no better compliment than to say it stand easily a long side John Smith's other classics.

One day when I'm very bored I'm going to do a list, in the way of High Fidelity and make myself rank New Statemen, Cradlegrave, Leatherjack, Swimming in Blood, Dragonkind in order of utter brilliance... it'll give me an excuse to read them again and probably make my head explode.

Link Prime

This is due a re-read for me too, a very good 2000AD epic.
Although if memory serves it didn't resonate with me as strongly as Firekind did (perhaps due to the superior detail in Marshall's artwork on Firekind).

As an aside, Dale recently hinted that he's thinking about selling the artwork for it (I think the lucky f*cker has all of it!)

Simon Beigh

Quote from: Link Prime on 24 July, 2013, 10:17:22 AM
Dale recently hinted that he's thinking about selling the artwork for it (I think the lucky f*cker has all of it!)

Where do I start queuing?  :D

Yeah, that's my understanding too - Dale has the lot (unless he sold some of it on already...)

Colin YNWA

Quote from: SimeonB on 24 July, 2013, 11:09:27 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 24 July, 2013, 10:17:22 AM
Dale recently hinted that he's thinking about selling the artwork for it (I think the lucky f*cker has all of it!)

Where do I start queuing?  :D


Behind me!

Yeah I was aware that Dale has the art (hope you don't mind that being out there Dale) and I'm waiting with batted breathe for it to be released into the wilds as there's a number of pages I'd dearly love to get my hands on!

I, Cosh

Hang on. Are we talking about Leatherjack or Firekind here?
We never really die.

Colin YNWA

Art for Leatherjack.

I believe that Paul Marshal has held onto the Dragonkind stuff. One day he'll retire and be forced to sell his precious goods to survive and like a vulture I'll be hovering around that too!

Greg M.

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 24 July, 2013, 09:28:21 PM
I believe that Paul Marshal has held onto the Dragonkind stuff.

That's usually my cue to say - "Apart from this one piece":


Colin YNWA

Wow, what's that from? Is that the postcard and or slot it had on the montage cover?

Colin YNWA