the rotating eye

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Art and writing are inseparable. I don't care how well-written something is if it looks like absolute crap and has no semblance of a horizon line. I also don't care if something is drawn immaculately if the writing makes no sense or is just plain bad. They have to work together to generate a strong effect.

Well, yeah, and that's what should be the centerpoint: What you're doing with art works with what you're doing with writing, that one doesn't obscure or trip-up the other. Some people say Dilbert is poorly drawn. Those people are fools, because the style is perfect for the type of comic it is. You don't need to be Joe Sacco, you just need to have visuals that effectively tell somewhere close to half the story.

Calvin & Hobbes is one of the best in that respect.

[Yeahduff]

Art and writing are inseparable. I don't care how well-written something is if it looks like absolute crap and has no semblance of a horizon line.

I don't actually care about a horizon line if I'm given a reason not to care. So long as that reason isn't your writing is "that good."

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

It has to fit what you're doing. I've seen panels that have 4 different horizon lines that disorient the viewer, and that gives me a reason to care. If your goal is to make art that looks like a child drew it like Dubuffet, then it worked. With many instances I see though, that's not the case.

[Princess]

Yay!

It is fantastic to see a reviewer who is strict on the art aspect of comics. (did that make any sense?) So many reviewers seem to just give it a quick paragraph and focus on the writing- WHEN ART IS SO SO SO IMPORTANT FOR COMICS.

Isn't art a bit too suggestive to make it the centerpoint to comics? Who's to say what comic has good art, and what comic has bad art? I mean there are some obvious ideas, but what about comics that fall between. Can you say Peanuts is a poorly drawn comic? Isn't it really about style?

I'm unsure what you are getting at? - Are you trying to debate that art is unimportant? In ...comics?

Artwork is so subjective- I simply enjoy reading peoples opinions on it, that is all. I am very sorry that this offends you. I got into comics because I like to look at pictures.

I amalso mystified as to why you brought up peanuts? I think you are reading alot into my comment.

[Phact0rri]

writing should be invisible in comics. the stories that are descibed through the writing, should be completely submersed in the artstyle imo.

[Lunar]

I fancy myself a writer before an artist. I have a story I'd like to tell and the reason it's in comic form is I feel that's the best media to tell it in. I also have another story in my head that I feel could best be told as a TV series but that's beside the point. This may be because though I consider myself a writer I'm not all that proficient at the descriptive aspect of the craft so using a comic just makes that easier. I'm a fan of pretty artwork to be sure but as long as the art doesn't make ones eyes bleed I'd probably be more willing to let slide sub-par artwork than sub-par writing.

Then again the art work for my comic had be described as so garishingly MSPaint-ey that it has the capability to shut down ones brain... so I may have a bit of a bias in that regard.

[Jackhass]

Webcomic Asylum died? That's a shame, Jack was a nice guy.

Oh, and go ahead and review me if you want new comic-reviewin' guy!

[Birdie]

Artwork is so subjective- I simply enjoy reading peoples opinions on it, that is all. I am very sorry that this offends you. I got into comics because I like to look at pictures.

I amalso mystified as to why you brought up peanuts? I think you are reading alot into my comment.

I think I just have a qualm with separating art from writing when it comes to comics, I think they go hand in hand and discecting the two makes for a mediocre concept of what makes a comic good. Why can't we review a comic without separating the two?

[Pattyannboyd]

new comic review: No Pink Ponies

[McDuffies]

We all try to make a story, don't we? But discourse, the way we tell that story, is sometimes more important than the plot itself. Novel writer has long passages of narration and description, moviemaker has cinematic language, and we have our art and related tools. So you can draw the exact same script in number of ways, and each of them may actually work well with said script, but they'd all be completely different comics. Many times when a reviewer is praising the writing of the comic, I have a sence that he hasn't actually managed to separate those two amd that when he lets the art influence the way he understands plot.
Plot is a starting point. Art is a tool. The way art aids plot and interacts with it, well, that's what it's all about.

[Lance]

Artwork is so subjective- I simply enjoy reading peoples opinions on it. I got into comics because I like to look at pictures.

I think a static image, a drawing or photograph, can be far more engrossing than a moving one. I love that moment frozen in time. I'll often give a comic with great visuals attention even if I dislike the story or genre. There are comics with great writing or characters that I'll follow despite lousy art, but not many.

BTW, Princess, I've been a fan & booster of Toy Division for years already, but only recently discovered you're female. Which I think, especially considering your content, is incredibly cool.

[Princess]

Wow thank you