For what it's worth, I think the back cover text should've been on the inside front cover flap. The only reason to switch things around would be because the quotes inside the flap are too tall to fit in the available space on the back cover, and would have to be stacked 2x2. That would confuse the reading order, but if they were printed diagonally instead, they'd fit, even if the last quote had to be across the entire bottom. So it's not a design choice that I agree with.
Also FWIW, I will never understand why the people at DC, especially in the ten years or so following the tremendous success of The Smurfs, did not comprehend that the name "Azrael" would always be associated with Gargamel's cat. Let's face it -- the Smurfs were far more popular than any comic book being published at the time. You couldn't not be aware of it! And DC did it twice -- first Marv Wolfman did it in The New Teen Titans while The Smurfs was still on the air, and a lot of his readers were fans of both. Then Denny O'Neil did it again about five years later. It would be like calling a serious character "Homer" today. It just showed how completely out of touch they were with their readers, or at least their readers' frame of reference. How many comic book characters are called "Garfield" now? Or anyone, for that matter? Some names just aren't up for grabs anymore once they reach a certain level of notoriety, and anyone reading comics back then would've immediately associated "Azrael" with The Smurfs, which completely undercut the character. And yet, DC did it twice!
Sorry, but that's always bugged me. It doesn't matter what the name originally meant, it only matters what people currently associate it with.
How do you remember all of those details but not what the particular event or room was where you made the mistake with Eisner?
I currently have a few Eisner books I wanted to page through, from the library.
I think the one take-away I got from this padded post was the idea of telling a story in pictures. Jim Steranko once said something about telling such story, how the first word to be shown on a page didn't happen for several panels, allowing the viewer to follow a series of images. Maybe it's time for a refreshing take on what my teachers used to give my class for reading comprehension. Create a comic without speech bubbles. That would be an unconventional challenge to hone the visual storytelling brain.
I was in Eisener's class then too. I was one of the serious ones, who sat in the bck of the class working on his projects while most students went up front to hear his stories and grab the comics he would hand out. He was a very funny, charming man who obviously loved the craft. I also recall the class magazine, whose cover was printed in red ink. I really loved my time there and remember it fondly. After a few years in advertising, I went on to Marvel to pencil Morbius, Spirits of Vengeance, then Blaze. I wish I'd stayed in touch, he was a good guy to know.
Loving the lessons, Joe! What my pattern recognition brain is giving me from your new cover to Azreal:
Batman: Miller costume, Mignola pose.
Azrael: the anatomical difference is stark—he’s lean and lithe, evoking his namesake angel—Jean Paul is almost androgynous, in contrast to Bruce. Reminiscent of how Leach depicted Moore’s Marvelman—awesome how you wear your influences (if I’m not mistaken) on your sleeve, Joe—especially apt for an article about how you pissed Eisner off!
Yes, but what does it mean.
For what it's worth, I think the back cover text should've been on the inside front cover flap. The only reason to switch things around would be because the quotes inside the flap are too tall to fit in the available space on the back cover, and would have to be stacked 2x2. That would confuse the reading order, but if they were printed diagonally instead, they'd fit, even if the last quote had to be across the entire bottom. So it's not a design choice that I agree with.
Also FWIW, I will never understand why the people at DC, especially in the ten years or so following the tremendous success of The Smurfs, did not comprehend that the name "Azrael" would always be associated with Gargamel's cat. Let's face it -- the Smurfs were far more popular than any comic book being published at the time. You couldn't not be aware of it! And DC did it twice -- first Marv Wolfman did it in The New Teen Titans while The Smurfs was still on the air, and a lot of his readers were fans of both. Then Denny O'Neil did it again about five years later. It would be like calling a serious character "Homer" today. It just showed how completely out of touch they were with their readers, or at least their readers' frame of reference. How many comic book characters are called "Garfield" now? Or anyone, for that matter? Some names just aren't up for grabs anymore once they reach a certain level of notoriety, and anyone reading comics back then would've immediately associated "Azrael" with The Smurfs, which completely undercut the character. And yet, DC did it twice!
Sorry, but that's always bugged me. It doesn't matter what the name originally meant, it only matters what people currently associate it with.
I adore this series and can't wait for the next installment.
That is a sick cover and I treasure my old trade of that miniseries. It's great work.
How do you remember all of those details but not what the particular event or room was where you made the mistake with Eisner?
I currently have a few Eisner books I wanted to page through, from the library.
I think the one take-away I got from this padded post was the idea of telling a story in pictures. Jim Steranko once said something about telling such story, how the first word to be shown on a page didn't happen for several panels, allowing the viewer to follow a series of images. Maybe it's time for a refreshing take on what my teachers used to give my class for reading comprehension. Create a comic without speech bubbles. That would be an unconventional challenge to hone the visual storytelling brain.
I was in Eisener's class then too. I was one of the serious ones, who sat in the bck of the class working on his projects while most students went up front to hear his stories and grab the comics he would hand out. He was a very funny, charming man who obviously loved the craft. I also recall the class magazine, whose cover was printed in red ink. I really loved my time there and remember it fondly. After a few years in advertising, I went on to Marvel to pencil Morbius, Spirits of Vengeance, then Blaze. I wish I'd stayed in touch, he was a good guy to know.
Loving the lessons, Joe! What my pattern recognition brain is giving me from your new cover to Azreal:
Batman: Miller costume, Mignola pose.
Azrael: the anatomical difference is stark—he’s lean and lithe, evoking his namesake angel—Jean Paul is almost androgynous, in contrast to Bruce. Reminiscent of how Leach depicted Moore’s Marvelman—awesome how you wear your influences (if I’m not mistaken) on your sleeve, Joe—especially apt for an article about how you pissed Eisner off!
No idea you were a Harvey winner!