Home Literature Stories Movies Games Comics Blogs News Discussion Forum Art Gallery
  Science Fiction and Fantasy News
SFFWorld News 10/31/09 (10-31)
MERLIN Book Signing at Forbidden Planet UK (10-22)
Coming Soon TEMPEST RISING (10-09)
How Victorious is the Victorious Parasol? (10-07)

Official sffworld Reviews
Wolfbreed by S. Andrew Swann (11-02 - Book)
Diving into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (11-02 - Book)
Isis by Douglas Clegg (10-26 - Book)
Salamander by Nick Kyme (10-19 - Book)

Site Index

    Bookmark and Share

Page 2 of 4

SFFWorld Best Reads 2007 (Part II)


By Mark Yon / Hobbit (2007-12-22)


1 comments /

 

3. Comics (and Manga)

 

Hobbit: Seems to continue to grow. Strengths and weaknesses this year?

 

Robert: Unfortunately, since starting Fantasy Book Critic, I havent had as much time to read comic books but theres still been some good ones coming out in the past year like Stephen Kings Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born and the first three issues of GRRMs The Sworn Sword adaptation. I also liked what Charlie Huston did on Moon Knight, Ghost Rider has always been a favorite, the Anita Blake comics are fun, Ive been enjoying Iron and the Maiden, and Im really impressed with everything that Virgin Comics is putting out. Oh, and I almost forgot Paul Dinis Madame Mirage and Garth Ennis The Boys!

 

As far as weaknesses, I think its the same as alwaysthe typecasting and not being taken seriously as literature, though I think the industry is making strides in that area.

 

Strengthswell, this is more of a trend, but you see a lot more authors taking a stab at writing comic books, which is great in my opinion, and I think youre going to keep seeing more and more of it in the near future. Also, it seems like actual publishers are getting more involved in the comic book industry, at least with graphic novels. I mean Del Rey already has a manga imprint and they recently announced that deal with Marvel Comics for an original Wolverine/X-Men manga and that other deal with Dabel Brothers Publishing, which are working with some big names like George R. R. Martin, Dean Koontz and Jim Butcher.

 

Plus, Random House has a couple of other exciting graphic novels coming out next year from Terry Brooks and another one from Dean Koontz. Then theres Hachette Book Group USA who recently released the graphic novel Shooting War and they also started a manga imprint. Meanwhile, Fox Atomic Comics has teamed up with HarperCollins, and Virgin whos already gotten into the comic book industry, is now also trying their hand at publishing. Finally, Tor Books recently announced their new manga imprint in a partnership with Seven Seas.

 

Overall, I think its a really smart and exciting move. After all, speculative fiction literature can be pretty visual, at least in the readers mind, so I think its only natural to see popular SF/fantasy novels adapted into comic book format. That said, Id like to see the comic book/publishing industry work even closer together, not just in adapting books, but creating original stories and Im confident that theres much that could be done that would benefit both sides. The skys the limit!

 

Adam: Didnt really keep up to date with comics this year.

 

Aidan: The Dark Tower adaptation was brilliant and The Dabel Brothers continue to bring excellent adaptations of some of my favourite series. I cant see this trend going anywhere but up over the next few years.

 

Terry Brooks is releasing a graphic novel next year, The Dark Wraith of Shannara, and I think that really shows how serious the industry is in promoting the medium of story telling. When an old, veteran writer like Brooks jumps on the bandwagon, and Del Rey fully backs him, you know its going to be big.

 

Rob Bedford: The biggest thing in comics last year was The Dark Tower graphic novel published by Marvel Comics, scripted by comics legend Peter David, with fantastic art by Jae Lee.  As a fan of Kings opus, I enjoyed this series issue-by-issue.

 

The Big 2 (Marvel and DC) continue to dominate the shelves of comic book stores with mega-crossover events.  Marvels big Hulk crossover sold boatloads and seemed to receive a positive response from readers.  DCs Countdown series and crossovers not so much.  It is selling, but it doesnt seem to have the same buzz as the prior years 52.

 

Relating specifically to Fantasy and Science Fiction, the Dabel Brothers bounced from Marvel to Random House and continued to adapt popular works of fantasy authors (George R. R. Martin & Laurell K. Hamilton).  Im particularly looking forward to their adaptation of Jim Butchers Dresden Files.

 

Thankfully Mike Mignola is continuing to churn out Hellboy stories.  Image Comics and Dark Horse comics are doing interesting things in Science Fiction and fantasy. Rick Remeder, Steve Niles, and Robert Kirkman are all doing some cool stuff Space Opera, Vampires and Zombies.

 

Graeme: Im only really reading The Walking Dead (regularly) and that has been consistently excellent from day one. Ive just started getting into Manga (mostly through Yen Press although I am reading Death Note online as well) but that has been very hit and miss in content. Theres enough there though to make me give Manga the benefit of the doubt and keep reading, With the Light (Keiko Tobe) in particular was an excellent read.

 

Mark: Not really read much in the way of comics this year, though Yen Press are producing some very interesting graphic novels. Keiko Tobes With the Light was a phenomenal book in that it challenged my preconceptions of the graphic novel.

 

(continued)

 

Latest

Wolfbreed by S. Andrew Swann
11-02 - Book Review
Diving into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
11-02 - Book Review
SFFWorld News 10/31/09
10-31 - News
Isis by Douglas Clegg
10-26 - Book Review
Isis by Douglas Clegg
10-26 - Book Review
Isis by Douglas Clegg
10-26 - Book Review
Isis by Douglas Clegg
10-26 - Book Review
MERLIN Book Signing at Forbidden Planet UK
10-22 - News
Salamander by Nick Kyme
10-19 - Book Review
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
10-12 - Book Review
Triumff: Her Majesty's Hero by Dan Abnett
10-11 - Book Review
Coming Soon – TEMPEST RISING
10-09 - News
Something that is not a packaging device.
10-09 - News
How Victorious is the Victorious Parasol?
10-07 - News
The odd neighbors of a first-time homeowner
10-07 - News
Silly Fantasies
10-06 - News
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
10-05 - Book Review
X-Isle by Steve Augarde
10-04 - Book Review
In Their Own Words: K.J. Parker on The Company
10-02 - News
“It Somehow Always Involved an Assassin with Extraordinary Powers And A Love of Espressos”
10-02 - News
The Drowning City by Amanda Downum
10-01 - Book Review
Antarctica by Kim Stanley Robinson
09-28 - News
Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper
09-28 - News
Bellwether by Connie Willis
09-28 - News
The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling
09-28 - News
Brightness Reef by David Brin
09-28 - News
Chaos and Order by Stephen R. Donaldson
09-28 - News
Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg by Robert Silverberg
09-28 - News
A Dark and Hungry God Arises by Stephen R. Donaldson
09-28 - News
The Black Raven by Katharine Kerr
09-28 - News

New Forum Posts




About - Advertising - Contact us - RSS - For Authors & Publishers - Contribute / Submit - Privacy Policy - Community Login
Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. The contents of this webpage are copyright © 1997-2009 sffworld.com. All Rights Reserved.