Why I Write "Strong Female Characters" by Greg Rucka

dent4da08 · 2 days

You know, this is neat and all, but I think George RR Martin takes the cake in terms of the debate of why or how one should write female characters in order to have them portrayed as "strong"

Interviewer: There's one thing that's interesting about your books. I noticed that you write women really well and really different. Where does that come from?

George RR Martin: You know, I've always considered women to be people.

Source

Captainpotato22 · 4 days

The reason it seems like DC is just pulling bullshit out of thin air is because they are. The idea is, basically, that since you (the reader) ostensibly "gets" the concept of superheroes in general, you'll be ok if they throw a ton at you in a short span of time. You understand their purpose (story canon fodder) so you can be sentimental enough without actually knowing anything about the characters to care.

giamgiam · 6 days

Murder_Ballads · 7 days

Does that matter? They're both written by Hickman, and in this situation one of his stories is better than the other story, also his. It's pretty easy to compare the two.

Murder_Ballads · 7 days

If you like "Secret", you should check out "The Manhattan Projects." It's much better, in my opinion.

TheBrilliantMisterB · 7 days

I've seen the pilot. It's pretty decent, actually, although it oddly features the entire first six issues of the book in one hour-long episode.

TheBrilliantMisterB · 7 days

I'm terrified.

Thmcdonald1 · 8 days

Oh, you can feel free to tell me my opinion is wrong and you can argue you with me all night. I don't mind; it's the internet and I was in a debate club back in the day. I like arguing!

I would say that if you look at some of the bigger moments in the story outside of the more personal character ones (as you alluded to earlier), you'll see where he really shines. In the "fight", as it were, against Poseidon and even with Hades, there are these great monster moments that Akins kicks ass in. Just look at his Poseidon -- that is an awesome image in the traditional sense of the word, in that it inspires awe in me at how intricate his version of the character is for this new generation (and here is another angle for you. This scene of Diana fighting Poseidon is also really great, because I think it does a good job of both lampooning certain unmentionable hentai tropes while also offering up a powerful image of Diana kicking some ass. And while his characters can on occasion be a little wonky, as you pointed out, this scene offers some wonderfully emotive characters in a densely illustrated scene (just look at Cerberus' three different faces!). I totally dig it.

Cliff Chiang is great, and Wonder Woman is one of the few DC titles I look forward to reading anymore. I love his art, but I also love how Akins is different (and, as I said earlier, a mix between Quitely and Burnham). I feel your distaste to him, but his issues totally do it for me for scenes like that.

Thmcdonald1 · 8 days

Hahaha, well, taken out of context a lot of those do like kind of awkward, sure. But it never bothered me when I was reading the comic before, and at the very same level that I wish Reeder was still on Batwoman, I'm glad that if Chiang had to take a break he was replaced with someone rather different from his own particular style.

Thmcdonald1 · 9 days

I have indeed, which was why I liked it.

Thmcdonald1 · 9 days

Reeder is such a ridiculously good artist that it's ridiculous they don't let her do her own thing for that reason alone. I just read the first ten issues of "Madame Xanadu" she illustrated from the Matt Wagner Vertigo series, and they're gorgeous. Her backgrounds are so densely lush, her characters emote at such distinctly recognizable levels (without the use of tracing and whatnot, mind you) and she is totally capable of J3-esque layouts if given proper direction, again, as seen in "Xanadu", where she has some great layouts in the final confrontation between Xanadu and the Phantom Stranger where characters are walking upside down and all around the pages -- like J3 did in "Promethea!"

Oh well. It's not like DC is really interested in fostering positive creator relationships anymore.

And, not to derail, but I like Tony Akins' art... haha. It's like a cross between Frank Quitely and Chris Burnham. Doesn't mash with Cliff Chiang's art well, no, but it's still rather good.

Thmcdonald1 · 9 days

McCarthy's ok. I enjoyed his work in "Gates of Gotham" enough, even if the story was kind of dull. However, replacing Amy Reeder was silly. Reeder's art is fantastic and as much as I love J3 and his work, I would rather have had a few issues of the book that weren't so layout heavy just to break it up a bit.

I understand J3 has a vision of the book and all power to him to keep the book as he wants it, but Reeder's work on the book, while certainly having flashes of J3 layouts, was a nice way to prove that the story can match up with the quality of the art, because in all reality the art has always been the selling point.

Not that it's bad to buy a book just for the art, but come on.

roderigo · 9 days

I hope I'm not the only one excited about Quadrophenia on Criterion. Absolutely can not wait for that. Interested to checkout Weekend as well, although I see it's on Netflix InstaWatch so I won't have to really wait.

explodingboy26 · 9 days

So that's how Thor really powers up...

thejesusfinger · 10 days

Just quickly looked at eBay and Amazon. Here's a copy of the original graphic novel for $20 on eBay, a Used - Like New copy for $8 on Amazon and, just for good measure, both issues for $7.50 on Amazon. So, to borrow a phrase, bollocks to your $50.

I mean, I get that it can be disparaging, but it's really not that hard to find the original release and just get the Moebius stuff. If you're buying it for Silver Surfer, then by all means, by it up. But for someone like me, who would only be interested in this to get the artwork by Moebius, I'm fine with quick eBay and Amazon searches.

thejesusfinger · 10 days

I disagree with that, but whatever. I think if Marvel wanted to really release Parable, they would've released Parable, and if they needed "extra content" to pad it out, there is plenty of Moebius stuff to do that with rather than jamming in an additional comic in there to "justify" the price. Buying the current iteration of Parable is like going to the store to buy some apples and being forced to leave with bananas as well even though you don't want bananas.

GreatWhiteRuffalo · 11 days

I can't wait for it. Between this, her issues of Avenging Spider-Man and Ghost, it's going to be a good year for Kelly Sue.

GreatWhiteRuffalo · 11 days

I thought the Osborn miniseries was quite good, and it has had a lasting effect on the Marvel Universe in terms of introducing new characters that are actually used.

Beyond that, though, she's wrote the last Supergirl story pre-relaunch, she co-wrote with Steve Niles a 30 Days of Night story, and she's done a lot of anthology work for Image, IDW and Marvel.

thejesusfinger · 11 days

If this had been a reprint of just Parable, I think it would be worth it. However, since there is other stuff needlessly thrown in there, I would recommend people just search for the old Epic graphic novel.

medioxcore · 12 days

Happy to help.

limecat · 13 days

Running and shouting, I suppose.

TitoDriscollseyJr · 13 days

Right, and now Image actually has a work-for-hire deal for specific properties like that or Haunt, which is still cool because it allows people to bring a creator-owned free-for-all mentality to work-for-hire properties, unlike at places like Marvel or DC where they have to adhere to certain things.

TitoDriscollseyJr · 13 days

Not to be the most unpopular guy not invited to the party, but to be fair it had very little to do with ripping off characters and more to do with Gaiman not being paid royalties he felt he was owed.

TitoDriscollseyJr · 13 days

Dave Sims wrote an essay about the issue in which Todd said he could do whatever the hell he wanted, and he did. Sorry, Tricky Dick.

TitoDriscollseyJr · 13 days

Man, I fucking love this issue. This, to me, is the shining example of why Spawn matters. I know a lot of people dismiss it these days because it basically is just a book that drones on, but back in the day, this book was great.

I actually have this issue framed on my wall, too.

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