Cool News
Check Out These Pages From Titan's Very Awesome ALIEN: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY Reissuance!! Goodwin and Simonson Greatness!!
I've come across many new publications this year - bought a few, been sent a few, wanted a few that I never nabbed, etc. Of all the wonderful, wonderful books I've looked at in 2012, easily the coolest thing I've seen is this nice little ditty fro Titan Books.
Described thusly by the publisher...
Two of comics’ greatest talents joined forces in 1979 to bring Ridley Scott’s epic Alien motion picture to the comic book page. Out of print for over thirty years, this brand new edition (released in time to coincide with Scott’s latest opus Prometheus) has been meticulously restored from original artwork in Walt Simonson’s studio — presenting for the very first time the definitive artist’s edition of the greatest sci-fi horror ever produced.
...ALIEN: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY is spread over 64 very nicely re-produced pages, and finally returns this graphic 'Album' to the hands of Geeks after an absence of several decades.
The title's original (Heavy Metal presented) 1979 run became the first graphic novel to make the New York Times bestseller list, and I'm told this new issuance has been 'been meticulously restored from original artwork in Walt Simonson’s studio' and is considered a definitive 'artists edition.'
It looks pretty great - its provocative, imaginative, and colorful storytelling skillfully walks a delicate tightrope between comfortably familiar (we do, after all, know the tale of ALIEN by this point) while remaining an utterly unique and fresh interpretation of Ridley Scott's progenitor material. It's kind of amazing.
Titan sent over a few pages of this bock for your esteemed consideration - note that all of the images on this page are EMBIGGENABLE!
ALIEN: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY is now available as a graphic novel paperback HERE.
An amped up, fancier version will be available late next month (ish)...
This oversized hardcover edition, meticulously restored from original artwork in Walt Simonson’s studio, presents for the first time the definitive edition of the classic SF movie. It collects Alien: The Illustrated Story b/w comic strip, scanned from from the artist’s original art boards, plus an in-depth interview with Simonson, the original script pages, color tryouts and sketches.
....and is already up for pre-order HERE. Very cool stuff from a historical perspective, or for folks who are simply as crazy for ALIEN as I am.
___________
Glen Oliver
Readers Talkback
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not bad at all!! I may have to buy this one.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 9:56 a.m. CST
This is kinda cool but also... Walt Simonson is a lazy artist
by Autodidact
I grew up reading comics in the 80s and 90s, and seeing Walt Simonson's name on a comic was always a disappointment for me. People used to call his style "dynamic" and "energetic"... I call it "lazy", "sloppy" and "sketchy". Could never understand why artists like he and Klaus Janson ever got so much respect. I guess it used to really pay to be distinctive. I draw. A lot. I've drawn comics. I know what it takes. Those guys just sucked.
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But none of you guys cared to tell me? Oh wait nobody could, cause I was still the only one in here!
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and in fact read parts of it it a few weeks ago. Can't ditch comic books. I just can't.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
Brian Bolland is still the most impressive ink I know of.
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
@roderich: Ditto here - I have the 1979 "Heavy Metal" magazine previews & I love the artwork...
by obijuanmartinez
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
I would love to know of a challenger though. Any suggestions?
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:03 a.m. CST
Simonson's art here looks like a guy without his glasses on too much caffeine doing a terrible job of imitating Moebius
by Autodidact
Just PUKE!
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I was to young to Watch film so I got the books...
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:09 a.m. CST
ultra I like ART THIBERT, or ART ADAMS inking his own work
by Autodidact
Those are probably my two favourite comic book inkers named Art.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:09 a.m. CST
Darrow is a favorite. Where the fuck is my samurai cowboy?!!
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:11 a.m. CST
Oops.. I did not mean Art Thibert at all. I meant TRAVIS CHAREST
by Autodidact
And I don't think he specializes in inks... but when he inks his own stuff I could just look at it all day.
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u win first!
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if so does it suck?
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:26 a.m. CST
I made my own comic of it back then: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/98025/1980%206th%20grade%20ALIEN%20comic.pdf.zip
by ufoclub1977
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:35 a.m. CST
Simonson and Klaus Janson are anything but lazy. FUCKING HELL
by Margot Tenenbaum
They just have a more expressionistic style than a George Perez or Brian Bolland. It's not like Janson's trying for that super-concrete Bolland line, gets two pages in and says "Fuck it!". Do you also believe that Bill Sienkiewicz accidentally dumped his inkwell on his entire New Mutants run? Simonson didn't really click until the 80s. On ALIEN, he looks like a second rate Howard Chaykin clone. Over-rendered line work, stiff action and by-the-numbers storytelling. That red blob at the top of the third page is supposed to be the chestburster scene for Pete's sake. INEXPLICABLE RORSCHACH BLOOD BLOTS WHY NOT. I've encountered the original printing of this book many times over the years but I've never purchased it because it looks nothing like ALIEN to me. I've always been surprised that Heavy Metal was the publisher because it looks more like Marvel Comics ripping off Heavy Metal.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:37 a.m. CST
ALIEN 3 and ALIEN Resurrection were adapted by Dark Horse.
by Margot Tenenbaum
There are no adaptations for ALIENS or Prometheus.
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Nice job! I had many comic renditions myself when I was a kid. I wish I still had them. I did a couple of Terminator stories that we kind of "Stargate" like. I had Kyle jumping through time before he ever went to the 80's. He was trying to stop Terminators in the 20's and 40's during WWII. I kinda wish I had tried to get them out somewhere.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:42 a.m. CST
Simonson is great! This was a much better adaptation than any of Marvel's efforts.
by yeah i'm a jerk!
I bought this book when I was a kid. It was a hell of a lot more faithful to the movie than any of the Marvel adaptations that were done in that same period. You guys bashing on Simonson, just don't get it. Simonson's run on Thor is still the best run since Kirby's. I love his stuff. Now if you want to bash on someone, how about we talk about Rob Liefeld. Worst comics artist ever!
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:43 a.m. CST
I own an original copy I bought in the mid 90s for like 5 bucks...
by irishraidersfan
It's mint too - great interpretation of the story :)
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:46 a.m. CST
My own artistic flirtation (on Super-8 film) was a work made in 1981 called "Take That You Dirty Japs"...
by obijuanmartinez
...it was a 2-D feature on the Battle of Midway. Tres non-PC, to be sure...
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Just cos he doesn't cross hatch everything to within an inch of its life - doesn't mean he's lazy. If you can tell a story with a few lines, then why not? I had a similar argument recently with a friend, who hated the art in The Dark Knight Returns.
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I have an original copy and the pages you have posted there don't look any different from the one I've got right here. Is that perhaps just clever language by the publisher meant to sell the book? Perhaps they're referring to Walt's original artwork which has been sitting in his studio for the last 33 years.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:54 a.m. CST
Marvel's adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back is one of my favorite comics of all time.
by Margot Tenenbaum
Al Williamson rules. Bret Blevins did a great adaptation of The Dark Crystal for Marvel. Most of the rest of the Marvel Super Special adaptations are Vince Coletta-scale nightmares. I am specifically thinking of their Red Sonja movie comic and John Buscema's Labyrinth hackwork.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:54 a.m. CST
Tenenbaum, you kidding? Simonson/Janson have more expression in their art than Bolland? Maybe in their LINE. I own a lot of Simonson's run on THOR. I own about 100 comics with his art inside. There's a moderately fine line between Walt Simonson and Frank
by Autodidact
There is a fusion between writing and art in TDKR that gives a full representation of Miller's voice. It's all very calculated and cannot be called sloppy. SIN CITY comics started this way and by the end Miller's art had become sloppy and lazy, brought into full evidence by the clownshit that he provided as art on TDKRA in 2000. Simonson's stuff always looks like he's been awake for 48 hours and is drawing with a gun to his head. Janson's art looks like he's fighting off seizures.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 10:57 a.m. CST
Looks like Frank Miller to me. What a copycat! Although I like the style.
by Santiago Charboneau
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I still have this as well, those pages look exactly like they do in my copy. But since it's been out of print for so long, it's a nice item for Alien fans. I always thought it was well done, even if the full-grown alien (particularly in that first panel w/ Brett) is drawn much too large. I realize that was for effect...but it's still way too big, damn thing's practically 20 feet tall. Simonson was always a favorite artist of mine, too. I never found his work lazy at all.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11 a.m. CST
"Wha' choo talkin' 'bout, Dallas?" Simonsen seems to think Yaphet Kotto was in Diff'rent Strokes?
by Octavian
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:03 a.m. CST
Yes, I would say that Klaus Janson and Walt Simonson draw more expressionistcally than the naturalistic Brian Bolland.
by Margot Tenenbaum
Am I speaking some ancient dialect you cannot process?
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:10 a.m. CST
margot is correct. I've always been a fan of the steady hand of Bolland, Darrow, Rude, Craig Russel
by UltraTron
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i remember being in the book shop in LA,lookin out the window and seeing THE LIFE OF BRIAN(movie) billboard . OOOOH flashback
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:10 a.m. CST
Nobody ever achieved the perfect balance of expressionist and detail better than möbius
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:12 a.m. CST
I brainfarted and between reading your comment and starting my reply your meaning changed to "more expressive characters"
by Autodidact
My bad. Yes, their style is expressionistic where Bolland's is naturalistic. Their art is also lazy within that style whereas Bolland's best stuff shows a lot of planning, extra labour, and meticulous attention to detail. Not that such things are important in and of themselves. But when I look at Simonson's or Janson's art, it simply looks unfinished to me. Like a decent thumbnail or plot to work from, but not something that should be printed and sold to the public.
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...somewhere in my loft. I so have to dig that out :D Walt Simonson is an amazing artist, one of the greats of the eighties. I loved his work on X Factor and Thor. Nice to see this little gem getting a new release.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:19 a.m. CST
Yes ultratron. Mobius had an expressive style he used with great control. Did you know he started drawings with an eye or core detail and drew out from there?
by Autodidact
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:21 a.m. CST
Simonson and Janson, like Liefeld, didn't seem to believe in erasers. Yes they're talented. Extremely.
by Autodidact
Having a lot of talent and turning out sloppy work that looks like you don't care is one definition of laziness.
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I occasionally flip through it and discard sketches that look lazy or unfinished. Not one of the panels above would even make it through the self-editing of my own mindless doodle collection.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:27 a.m. CST
I got this in yesterday, and have the original version...
by Buck_Futt
... from when it first came out. I still can't believe my mom allowed 10-year-old me to buy it in the first place. The new edition is fantastic. It's definitely better reproduced and printed than the '79 original (although I like the original cover a lot better). Walt rules, and Archie wasn't just the nicest guy in comics, he was a fine writer as well. Frank Miller calls it the most successful comic adaptation of a movie ever, and with due respect to Al Williamson's Empire Strikes Back (also written by Goodwin, if my memory serves), I'm hard-pressed to disagree.
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Actually, Simonson's work here, "The Empire Strikes Back" graphic novel and the "Blade Runner" graphic novel were exemplary (you guys are apparently spoiled rotten by today's computer-assisted comic art!); he didn't really get "sloppy" until the "Return Of The Jedi" graphic novel, which was just awful. If you want to see a piss-poor comic adaptation, go back to the Marvel "Star Wars" comic, where they let their B-squad make it as ugly as possible. (see also: "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom")
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:28 a.m. CST
And I see that comic drones still don't get Simonson. Their loss.
by Buck_Futt
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Whenever I saw Goodwin's and Simonson's name on a Marvel adaptation, I always assumed they were trying to impress the studio, and up until "Return of the Jedi", they cranked out amazing work.
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Then I grew up and realized that all art doesn't have to look like John Byrne's. Simonson is one of the great stylists in comic art history; it's to his CREDIT that his work doesn't look like it came out of a computer. Not that there's anything wrong per se with Byrne or Bolland or other "realistic" artists, but insisting that all comics look like they were drawn like commercial illustrations shows all the artistic appreciation of a fry cook.
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. . . I really needed to laugh so hard I spit food on my monitor . . .
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I confess, I don't remember a thing about the Jedi adaptation. I can't even picture the covers. Maybe that was for good reason...
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:41 a.m. CST
That red blob at the top of the third page is supposed to be the chestburster scene for Pete's sake.
by Sometimes_My_Arms_Bend_Back
Actually Margot, the chestburster scene is given a nice two page spread, the image shown here is the page immediately after. I only remember because the chestburster scene was the bloodiest image I'd ever seen in a comic book when I was a kid. I was actually a little disappointed when I finally saw that scene in the film as it wasn't quite as bloody as the comic! But you're right, those blood splats are really badly drawn.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:50 a.m. CST
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2011/04/thor00.jpg
by Autodidact
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2011/04/thor00.jpg
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Still have my mint condition ORIGINAL copy too.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 12:38 p.m. CST
Walt, lazy?!? His stint on Thor proved more than otherwise.
by Stalkeye
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Do you like Bryan Hitch? I'd say he's one of the best in the business at the moment. Loved Bolland's work particularly Judge Dredd and The Killing Joke. Shame he only does covers these days and nothing sequential, he doesn't have to with the money he commands - but that means he's a bit lazy doesn't it? Even if he is one of the most meticulous comic artists - beautiful line work.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 12:39 p.m. CST
goodwin deserves props alone for creating both Cobra and Cobra Command.
by Stalkeye
facto!
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Can you imagine how awesome Alien would have been with Gary Coleman as Parker?
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Sept. 5, 2012, 12:41 p.m. CST
Have the original edition, here. I see why they had to ditch the original cover — it states *Heavy Metal presents*.
by justmyluck
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Simonson actually did a run on the post-movie "Star Wars" comics, which was generally awesome after the original guy, Carmine Infantino, royally fucked it up with some of the worst comic art ever. In fact, I used to avoid collecting anything that Infantino did, because the artwork was off-putting to me.</p><p> A lot of people also don't understand that it's not only the artist (penciller), but also the inker that determines how "finished" the artwork actually looks in a comic ... at least, that's how it used to go. Some of these guys, like Byrne, got infinitely better when they started inking their own work.
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when I was a kid growing up in the 70's/80's - but now I quite like it.
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Yeah, I think Simonson rushed that panel a bit...
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Sept. 5, 2012, 1:05 p.m. CST
I always did love that Hyperspace bubble enveloping the Nostromo, though.
by Eric Brown
I'll give him props for that.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 1:10 p.m. CST
Sorry to join the chorus of negativity, but that art is exactly the opposite of what it should be.
by Gabe Athouse
Awful.
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The original edition is still on my shelf, in good condition too.
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Always thought this adaptation was pretty much the gold standard for movies into comics, still love my copy and flip through it with fair regularity. Surprised to see people hating on it...but ok, this is AICN after all. Everything's gotta be hated to a degree. Sorry, forgot where I was for a sec, carry on.
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You wanna talk expressive styles.. that's more like it.
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This particular comic is one of the finest graphic novelizations of a movie ever made. Anyone with a modicum of taste or has outgrown convulsive fits of Stendahl's Syndrome brought on by the musclebound, mulleted centaurs of Boris Vallejo knows this.
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...are those pics from the new edition? If so, they don't look different in the slightest compared to the original which I still have in my collection. Still, I'll probably get this just for the extra material.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 2:09 p.m. CST
Sienkewicz used to tell people at cons that he'd shortened his name...
by Buck_Futt
... from "Bill Sienkewicz Mellencamp" to make it easier to pronounce.
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You people may not like his style and thats fair, but I'll let you in on a secret...it the comic-art collecting community ( these are people that might know about these things ) He's kinda a big deal and a legitimate talent. His second Thor run is the best that books EVER been, better than Kirby. Everyone has their favorite artist, (I love Sienkiewicz but Adam Hughes bores me) but you should respect the greats and Simonson is one. If you try that people might think you know something. dafanboy made me actually LOL......
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Lets see some of your art then. I'd like to check it out. I'm a big fan of Walts, but I agree that he's not entirely consistent in terms of quality. But when he's in the zone, his art is pretty damn impressive. Certain issues of Thor, X-Factor and Robocop Vs Terminator come to mind. Cam Kennedy is like a more refined Simonson. When you mentioned Janson, I was shocked, only because I confused him with Kennedy for a second. But I agree about Klaus Janson to an extent. Very expressive, but at times it boarders on sloppy. I wouldn't group either in with Liefeld though, that's just blindness on your part.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 3:23 p.m. CST
I hate Cam Kennedy too. Maybe that style is just not for me.
by Autodidact
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Should be ultra clean like Boland. I adore Boland, but if every artist was a squeeky clean and bold as him, things would get boring quick. Adam Hughes and Boland are clinical but they lack a certain heart and energy in their work. I've always been drawn to artists like Mike Zeck, Erik Larsen, Derek Robertson and lately Doug Braithwaite. Still fairly clean but with grit and texture...and dynamics! Also good character, gesture and expression (maybe Larsen is a little stiff)
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He was probably one of the most unappreciated talents of the early 90's. Just sayin'
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...posted a massive reply to the haters there. Then I panned back up the page, taking in the unreasoning hostility of the clueless and figured it was utterly pointless. True artists NEVER call ANY artist crap. We're always learning.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 4:02 p.m. CST
IN SPACE, THE FIX THE EXPAND ALL BUTTON CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM
by Nasty In The Pasty
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Sept. 5, 2012, 4:09 p.m. CST
I was always big into Darrow. Far as I know I'm the only one that's ever gone
by UltraTron
into exacting detail on this site how blown away I was in the theater seeing the matrix the first time and realizing from the billboards that Darrow was art directing the movie. I began to see the whole film as a Darrow graphic novel which it is. Then in matrix 2 when Darrow industries is seen on the street lamps I was most exuberant in the nerdiest of ways. The entire matrix trilogy is meticulously drawn by Darrow from the tech to the explosions themselves(freeway chase explosions are the way he draws them in hard boiled). It was like when Mignola had his style lifted by Disney for Atlantis only 3 movies. So Darrow wins. Anyone know of other good movies meticulously art directed by comic artists?
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I too saw MATRIX as a Darrowfest, being a major fan of HARD BOILED and going into the movie for the first time I knew he was associated with it. Many of the objects in the film look like Darrow designed them himself. And as you say it felt like he art directed the entire thing, right down to the way things exploded.One of the most Darrow shots was the one looking up at the chopper as the chaingun shells rained down onto the camera.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 4:35 p.m. CST
The Spirit was Miller applying his Sin City style to The Spirit. It didn't tribute Eisner
by Autodidact
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I tried to watch it on NETFLIX the other day after not being able to sit through it on blu-ray a couple years ago. Couldn't do it. That movie sucks.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 4:58 p.m. CST
Yeah remember seeing parts of it. Guess it sucks so bad I never felt the need to see more.
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 5 p.m. CST
Shit I was watching Gorp on Netflix and I remember it more than the spirit
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 5:04 p.m. CST
Gonna watch Kung Fu Hustle tonight. Then finish Blade. Then original king kong till I pass out. I know how to live ya know?
by UltraTron
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Sept. 5, 2012, 5:28 p.m. CST
octavian -- yeah, I also see a bit of the Gary Coleman in this comic book version of Parker
by lv_426
Overall I am liking the art for this though. The best Alien(s) comic book artist is Denis Beauvais, who did awesome airbrushed style art in Aliens: Book II for Dark Horse in the early 90's (aka: Aliens: Nightmare Asylum). http://www.denbeauvais.com/Content/Aliens_DenBeauvais.jpg As for this Heavy Metal ALIEN comic adaptation, I think this might be one of the only Alien and Aliens related comic books I've never gotten my hands on.
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My cousin said "you'll thank me later." it was my first exposure to the ALIENverse. I think I was about 10 years old. My parents were not impressed. It was an awesome read.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 5:54 p.m. CST
darth_kong -- I also was gonna mention Newt's Tale, which was pretty good actually
by lv_426
The covers by John Bolton are amazing too. As for Alien³, the Dark Horse adaptation wasn't horrible, but not anything that good either. The art for the Alien³ comic doesn't have the texture and personality of the above art for the Alien graphic novel, nor is it as interesting of a tie-in piece as something like Newt's Tale, which was more of a companion/prequel than a straight comic adaptation of Aliens. I haven't delved into the Alien Resurrection comic adaptation though. I think at the time, after seeing Resurrection, I was too shocked from the disappointment to expose myself to anything else related to that film.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 6:18 p.m. CST
Anyone see secet world of ariarty. Think I'll put that in. Anyways I always loved that Eerie comic that was a knockoff of alien over this one.
by UltraTron
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I've always thought that too. The entire trilogy really nails that perfect blend of comic book and cinematic aesthetics. The Matrix films actually do this better than the blatantly obvious comic book adaptations like Sin City or 300, both of which are good, but never quite feel like they really adapt the source into a movie, more like cut and paste it to live action in a certain way. The Matrix Trilogy is underrated IMO. Sure the sequels weren't able to match expectations brought on by the first film, but the shit they still get to this day is a bit extreme. Also, speaking of film to comic book adaptations, The Matrix comics were pretty good. They went the route of not having the films merely rehashed into graphic novel form, but told short side stories in a manner not unlike that of The Animatrix. They even commissioned a cool short story in prose format by Neil Gaiman.
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Its an adaptation of the movie as a comic? Is that it? Seems...pointless?
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Sept. 5, 2012, 7:20 p.m. CST
I'm trying to resist the urge to go into an overblown geeked out conversation about comic artists, very tempting...
by Sean
Though, inspired by the mention of Travis Charest earlier...what is he doing nowadays? He's an incredible artist but I haven't seen anything by him since one of the Wildcats relunches in the early 2000's.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 7:45 p.m. CST
lv_426 - Newt's Tale and the four issues by Denis Beauvais ALIENS series 2, book 2, or whatever, are my FAVE. Yeah, I agree with you on Denis Beauvais...
by Darth_Kong
The 2 issues for Newt's Tale are neat. I thought It was cool how the story was expanded slightly to include some pieces of the colonist's last stand. But yeah, Denis Beauvais did such a good job on expanding the ALIENS universe and I think it was cool from a hardware standpoint. I agree that his stuff was/is the best. Those little airbrush panels he did REALLY pulled you into the ALIENSverse. Still do!
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Funny, I have no digital comics, however, I still am waiting for Darkhorse to release those four issues by Beauvais DIGITALLY. I have the four issues I just want nice clean digital copies so I don't have to touch the hard copies. I really hope Darkhorse Digital does it.
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The graphic novel came out BEFORE the movie in 1979, so I knew the whole story before it was in theaters! After reading the comic I begged my mom to take me to the movie, and she reluctantly agreed. (It was my first "R" movie) My Aunt and Uncle came with us, on the condition that I not reveal any of the plot beforehand. (spoilers!) Me, being a 9 year old little shit, loudly exclaims, "She's the survivor!" as soon as Ripley is on the screen. My Uncle never watched a movie with me again...
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don't ever compare Simonson to Liefield. that just makes you look like you have no grasp of talent. I love Simonson's and Bolland's work. They're two completely different art styles...
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:12 p.m. CST
Interesting note about the Brett scene: the comic is more accurate- you'll note...
by wierdo27
that the tail going in between the legs was edited in the movie to seem like it was going in between Lambert's legs, but it was actually Brett's. When you watch the movie again, take note of the shoes. They do not match.
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Sept. 5, 2012, 11:15 p.m. CST
autodidact- you sound like someone who doesn't know what they're talking about.
by wierdo27
I am sure you could teach Simonson a thing or two (rolls eyes into his skull)
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Interesting note part2... The graphic novel also shows the alien folded up like a box in the airlock corridor... A very freaky image and someone will prob know more of whether Ridley ever shot this sequence. It's as if the creature is trying to imitate the cat box like a chameleon lying in ambush. Nice little throwback to this too in PROMETHEUS where we see Fifield freakishly folded up too!
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prometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheusprometheus
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the simonson dark horse presents art is super tight as well
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Sept. 6, 2012, 3:14 a.m. CST
darth_kong -- yeah, it sucks that Dark Horse never had Denis Beauvais do anymore of the Aliens comics
by lv_426
I loved the storyline for Books 1, 2, and Earth War. Although Earth War was a let down on the art. It wasn't an appropriate art style, especially since Earth War was the final chapter of a sort of Aliens comic book trilogy. The covers by John Bolton were great though. He really captures the Giger aesthetic very well, but at the same time is adding his own touch to it. As for my personal favorites of the Dark Horse Aliens comics: 1) Book 2 2) Book 1 3) Earth War (story) 4) Aliens Tribes (illustrated novelette) 5) Newt's Tale 6) Aliens Genocide 7) Aliens vs. Predator (book 1) 8) Aliens Apocalypse: The Destroying Angels 9) Aliens Labyrinth I wish Dark Horse or another publisher would get some Aliens comics going again with the ambitious type of storytelling the first three books had. As cool as the Dark Horse ones were, I wouldn't mind a new Aliens comic starting up that just uses the film canon and starts its own side story with new characters. The Alien canon is kind of a mess anyways, and the later Dark Horse Aliens stuff got a bit too far out there at times.
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Hi work in 2000AD and Batman was perfection.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:03 a.m. CST
My feelings on Simonson's art are just my opinion. Acting like I don't know what I'm talking about because I have an unpopular opinion is just silly.
by Autodidact
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:05 a.m. CST
I defy you to show the art at the top of this page to anyone who doesn't know they're SUPPOSED to think Simonson is a legendary comics artist.
by Autodidact
They would not be impressed at all.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:07 a.m. CST
I didn't compare Liefeld's and Simonson's art except to say they both have the same level of care about accuracy, detail, and finish
by Autodidact
in that neither of them appears to give a shit. What I said exactly was that neither of them appears to own an eraser. That doesn't mean I look at their art and think it's on the same level. Simonson IS OBVIOUSLY A GREAT ARTIST. He can be LAZY though! Just like Liefeld.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:08 a.m. CST
.. I believe Rob Liefeld could be a great artist. I think that's part of what's so fascinating about him.
by Autodidact
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:09 a.m. CST
... it seems like he can't slow down and control his talent, like his own talent is something he doesn't understand and can't really control (Liefeld)
by Autodidact
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Plenty of artists criticize other artists. You are an artist if you make art. What you say about others' art has little bearing on it.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:16 a.m. CST
I mean, Simonson's run on THOR is great, but here's a challenge for you
by Autodidact
Find me one drawing from the entire run that is clearly and meticulously drawn. You can't. The entire thing looks like it was drawn for speed. You call it an expressive style I call it a time-saving style that allows you to plow through pages and pencil multiple books each month...
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Throw him on the pile with the other guys who have an "expressive" style that is lazy, ugly, and apparently I'm an asshole for not finding it worth paying money for.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:18 a.m. CST
Throw the guys who draw SWEET TOOTH and UNWRITTEN on there too
by Autodidact
Hell I don't even like the art style in CHEW.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 7:21 a.m. CST
.. like, I bet Liefeld could TOTALLY DRAW FEET if he just practiced a little bit. But in 20+ years as a highly prominent professional comics artist, he has never bothered to take a few hours to draw some feet
by Autodidact
In a way you have to respect his determination to remain a permanently stunted artist.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 10:27 a.m. CST
All this just reminds me what a terrible disapoitment was "Prometheus".
by albert comin
Haven't been this disapointed with a movie since "Indiana Jones And the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull".
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Sept. 6, 2012, 11:55 a.m. CST
Had the giant Star Wars movie comic back in the day...
by Darth Macchio
And by giant I mean over-sized compared to a normal comic book. There were two of them which 'comic-book-ized' up the full length Star Wars movie. Plus, they were based on a version of the script that was just prior to production - it had Luke meeting with Wedge and friends on Tatooine prior to even seeing a Jawa. Likely worth a lot of money today to collectors too...sigh.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 2:36 p.m. CST
@darth macchio About $20 on eBay (or $200, if you like that better)...
by Buck_Futt
They must have printed millions of those damn things. Pretty much everybody I knew owned copies of them by the end of that summer.
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here is my list: 1. Neal Adams 2. Mike Grell 3. Jack King Kriby 4. Jim Starlin 5. Steve Steranko 6. Barry WIndsor smith 7. Jim Lee 8. Mark Texeira and i wouldnt know where to put Simonson - i agree with most posters, his style is hurried and insipid.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 10:16 p.m. CST
This is a little late in the thread but here's a rough top 3 all-time favourite
by Autodidact
1. Art Adams 2. Geoff Darrow 3. Bryan Hitch As you can see I like a lot of fine detail with clean lines. I like art that makes me stare and search through the panels. Darrow would be #1 but he hasn't really worked on a lot of stuff that's actually worth reading. X-Men Annuals #9 and #10 are two of my absolute favourite comics of all time, along with the LONGSHOT miniseries. Adams was just so different from other artists at the time. I pick Hitch for #3 just because of Authority and Ultimates. I think his art was largely responsible for the huge impact of both those books. Hitch was the ultimate answer to the type of laziness that took over comics in the 90s. Your list is a lot of guys who have a focus on anatomy with rough linework. Kirby, Steranko, and Lee being the exceptions. I used to really dig Mark Texeira. Ghost Rider was a good series in the early 90s. He was one of the best artists for Wolverine back then, too. Windsor-Smith is another guy with an expressive style that I really like. Simonson's is just ugly to me. So sue me!
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Dude, it's only been just over 3. Good to see it back, though. This was what got me to go see the movie immediately, after breezing through some it in a bookstore. Needless to say, the book was mine after seeing the movie.
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Sept. 6, 2012, 10:59 p.m. CST
Man I just googled some Windsor Smith stuff and it's a lot more polished than I remember. Gorgeous.
by Autodidact
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i like well drawn figures, yeah. I remember some of those artists like Adams or Starlin got me into working out, coz i wanted to look like a superhero the way these guys drew them i somehow left off George Perez, who was also excellent, and in my top 10. He really knew how to draw beautiful women, like Mike Grell (who drew them in amazing poses). Starlin couldnt draw women's faces to sav his life though.
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I got an old Avengers done by windsor-smith, the first appearance of Ultron-6 i think. when i flipped the page and saw ultron, coming off the page, it was some amazing work. he was cloning Kirby for that issue, but using some amazing angles
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as if his workload was just too big or he had some other place to be instead of at the drawing board
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Sept. 7, 2012, 7:29 a.m. CST
@ schizoid.. maybe he's not lazy. But he puts less work in than I like to see.
by Autodidact
As mentioned, I draw. I pencil and I ink. I understand how all this stuff works. Simonson's style simply *requires less effort* than almost any other style in professional comic books. I will admit that using an less demanding style doesn't necessarily make you a lazy artist. Maybe that's the style that flows through you. So be it. Doesn't mean I have to find it worthy of praise.
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Sept. 7, 2012, 7:31 a.m. CST
For the record let me state that I find almost ALL comic book art to be complete garbage
by Autodidact
I'm fucking embarassed to be looking at the art in most of the comics I pick up.
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He's probably #3 and Hitch would be #4
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Sept. 7, 2012, 8:10 a.m. CST
.. a few comments up should have been @harry_cox, not @schizoid
by Autodidact
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Sept. 7, 2012, 4:26 p.m. CST
You know I do feel like a bit of an ass for hating on Walt Simonson.
by Autodidact
I. Am an assface.
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Dec. 18, 2012, 1:37 p.m. CST
This is an upsurdly-late update, but after the book actually came out...
by Buck_Futt
... I checked the "chestburster page" reproduced above, remembering audodidact's griping about the blood spatters. AD had a point... but not about Simonson's art. The top ~10% of that page (in the graphic above, not in the book) is a Photoshopped dupe, taking the real top of the page and mirror-imaging the splatters to make the image taller. No idea why somebody did that, but that's what it is. So yeah, that page looks like ass here... but it's not what Walt drew.
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