Comments on: Stagger Lee leads Glyph Comic Awards

By: G. Rand

G. Rand — Mon, 21 May 2007 23:51:33 +0000

That second paragraph should begin, “As far as The American Way…”

Duh.

By: G. Rand

G. Rand — Mon, 21 May 2007 23:47:39 +0000

I think the very nature of the awards (their being for Black creators and Black characters/themes) will continue to expose an ever-widening field of work in varied genres. There seems to be many more Black comic writers and artists in general than there are regularly appearing Black superhero features to bestow all these accolades on.

As far as , its topics being some of those rarely covered in superhero comic books wasn’t enough to make it interesting and entertaining to me. It didn’t engage me as much as Ridley’s prose novels Stray Dogs and The Drift, and his works written for the screen.

It may have had something to do with the art; I think the fictional period piece would have been better served with more photo-realistic art. I really didn’t take the story very seriously–it was as if the narrative and the art were at cross-purposes. This did not happen on the Stagger Lee project. Jeanty’s pencils, or rather his style, didn’t have the appropriate weight for the supposed heaviness of the story’s issues. That’s what I meant by this not being the “best use” of him–it’s not a criticism of his abilities as much as it is a questioning of his selection for the project–a thought which shouldn’t be construed as anything more than the consumer commentary that it is.

By: Fred

Fred — Mon, 21 May 2007 02:02:19 +0000

What else has hass Ridley written? I bring this up because The American Way is rare for a political superhero comic since it tackles some touchy subjects like race relations, Black nationalism, the liberal media, conservatism, and public apathy without being heavy handed. The story’s use of new superheroes also helps in this regard since they’re free to evolve beyond the .

As for Jeanty, my only exposure to his work was in the last Gambit series. Truth be told I don’t think that was better or worse than Jeanty’s work in The American Way.

What impresses me most about the Glyphs is the diversity of the nominees. Whether superheroes, Westerns, sci-fi, or real life drama, the picks underscore that Black comics offer something for everyone.

By: G. Rand

G. Rand — Sat, 19 May 2007 23:53:28 +0000

This year’s judging gives me hope for the future of the Glyphs. Stagger Lee is a perfect marriage of creators, unlike The American Way, which was neither John Ridley’s best, nor the “best use” of penciller Georges Jeanty.

“Best Cover” seems a sorry concession for Shepherd Hendrix not winning Best Artist (especially since Kyle Baker won the same category and Story of the Year in ‘06 for Nat Turner)…

By: Fred

Fred — Sat, 19 May 2007 16:54:22 +0000

Wow, Stagger Lee really cleaned up at the Glyphs. So, I guess I better check out this book that beat American Way (a new favorite of mine) for Best Story.

I’m also surprised Storm won the Fan Award considering all the complaints about the Black Panther/Storm romance. I guess people calmed down and realized it was a great origin story for the Windrider.

Next year, I REALLY need to get to Philly. ECBACC sounds like a lot of fun.