John Byrne has found something he loves:
Wow.
No, make that WOW!!
This [first volume of The Jack Kirby Fourth World Omnibus] is practically a lecture course in How to Do It Right. First — it’s on flat paper! With flat color! And good, solid blacks! The pages actually look better than the original printing, especially Kirby’s famed photo-montages. The stories are in the order in which they were first published, so it starts with JIMMY OLSEN, and what a ride from there!
For those who complain about the paper stock used (it’s on newsprint, which some have had issues with), Byrne has a particular message for you:
Blockheads. The paper is not “low quality” — it’s just not so friggin’ shiny you have to read the book in a dark closet. Those who have trouble with the quality of the paper are exactly those the comicbook companies have been aggressively courting for the past couple of decades. Magpies. “Yes, we had to raise the price again, but ooooooooo, look! We made the paper shiny!.”
July 5th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
“Blockheads.”
Ah, leave it to Mister B. to insult people while granting praise on something nice.
July 5th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I actually agree with John Byrne! It must be judgment day.
July 5th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
It’s a lovely book featuring fantastic reproduction. It’s also retailing for about $15 too much.
July 5th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Ink sets better on glossy stock…the glare kinda sucks, but the overall print quality is improved. And “lol” on blockheads…makes him sound like that bully Lucy from the peanuts…oh wait, makes perfect sense
July 5th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
WOW!
I actually agree with John Byrne for once.
July 5th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
I love John Byrne, but 50 bucks for a newsprint comic is highway robbery! DC does some thick, Showcase-like books for half that, see:
http://www.dccomics.com/graphic_novels/?gn=5452
DC may very well print those books on toilet paper, for all I care, but it should charge for them accordingly! The insane pricing is the reason why I very rarely buy the Archives/Masterworks/Absolute editions (Marvel Omnibus are much cheaper per page, I buy those).
Best,
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)
July 5th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Likewise on the agreement part.
Byrne does put the “cur” in “curmudgeon,” doesn’t he?
July 5th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Yeah, I have to agree with Byrne on this one. These books were drawn for newsprint, and the paper and coloring on the new volume is much better looking to me than some of the more modern coloring on old Kirby art in the Marvel Masterworks books.
I was hoping DC would follow the Marvel naming convention in Omnibii, though. I love those oversized volumes, and this stuff BEGS for a larger format.
July 5th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
You’ll note he still manages to find something to bitch about – Morrison (who he hates) getting to write the introduction
July 5th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Newsprint degrades too fast.
I love the King, but I’ll pass.
July 5th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Byrne is an angry, angry man.
July 5th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
It isn’t newsprint. For chrissakes, it’s just not shiny.
I think it’s a marvelous package filled with awesome stories. And I got it off Amazon for 17 bucks off retail. So I am happy.
July 6th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Weird to find myself in agreement, except for the Morrison part. C’mon, a book that opens with a Grant Morrison intro that opens with a Monster Magnet quote? GEEEETTT IIIIINNNN!
July 6th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Weird to find myself in agreement, except for the Morrison part. C’mon, a book that opens with a Grant Morrison intro that opens with a Monster Magnet quote? GEEEETTT IIIIINNNN!
July 6th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
I would happily buy comics without the shiny stock. Jack Kirby is King. John Byrne is still a tool.
July 6th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Byrne is right. Too many of today’s fans have been too heavily influenced by Image’s use of shiny paper and computerized coloring in the early 1990′s.
I’m also sick of hearing people bitch about the price point. Lots of retailers do discount merchandise and such discounts are not hard to find. So go to work, make money, buy comics. If you think these Kirby Collections are expensive wait till you start paying for car repair, healthcare, engagement rings, and blonde twins in Vegas.