What if John Byrne went full Mandala?

[allstar77]

I only checked out Resistance. I thought (and hoped) in this form, I'd finally see Kirk v. Borg. With photoshopping, imagine the possibilities! But the "art" was so jarring that I couldn't get into the story, which looked wordy and lengthy. The "art" was so bad ... the lighting, mismatched (Shatner looked too different so many times), the alien, and bad space scenes. I've seen better fan produced films and pics and cgi.

As for Byrne, the man can write an occasional good story, and his art at Marvel was top. But he got lazy and didn't draw backgrounds anymore and his faces all seemed flat with the same stupid emogi looking expression. And he can be an asshole. I remember Roy Thomas putting him in his place once when he criticized Gene Colon's art.

 

[Guy Gardener]

He's old.

I'm guessing that means that he's tired, or his hands hurt or both.

Art is about not being perfect.

This is how John Photoshops.

Maybe he could be more professional, but then that would be a different artistic style.

 

[JTShanks]

I personally don't understand why Byrne is not just simply drawing them instead of doing photoshpped visual novels.

Don't get me wrong; I am a very old-school kind of young person, I love old style ideas like Visual Novels; but you have to remember that this is John Byrne we are speaking of, not only is he one of the greatest comic book artists of this generation and worked on a lot of great series' for both Marvel and DC, I kind of have to wonder why he just decided to go the visual novel route instead of going into the usual great art that he is known for.

My opinion out the window for that; I do enjoy the stories in these novels and I think that there is some good out them, and to answer the question; I doubt it mostly because that may be a little too retro for the direction that IDW wants these to go into (you have remember, IDW considers these Comic Books sintead of Visual Novels, so a full transition to Mandala style may not be even fathomable).

 

[BillJ]

I personally don't understand why Byrne is not just simply drawing them instead of doing photoshpped visual novels.

He's getting older. Perhaps he has arthritis or some other disease that makes drawing difficult? Doing the photocomics might allow him to continue to be creatively active and draw an income?

 

[allstar77]

Maybe, and it's a great concept, but like I said, the "art" is too distracting at times.

It really is a good idea. I wouldn't mind some "what if" tales like I still want to see Kirk and Borg, for example.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I personally don't understand why Byrne is not just simply drawing them instead of doing photoshpped visual novels.

He's getting older. Perhaps he has arthritis or some other disease that makes drawing difficult? Doing the photocomics might allow him to continue to be creatively active and draw an income?

Byrne still draws commissions, which can regularly be seen over at his forum, ByrneRobotics. He's doing this project using Photoshops because he is, by his own admission, not good with likenesses. That's why most of his previous Trek comics have taken place more around the fringes of Trek universe than on Kirk's Enterprise. And also because it's fun to do it this way.

Is New Visions a seamless product? No, but given the limitations, I don't think it's realistic to expect it to be. Byrne has obviously learned on the job and improved as he's gone along. I frankly think he's doing a damn better job that most of his critics would in his shoes.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

While they aren't my thing, I think people here are being unfairly harsh to John Byrne's photomanip comics. I think it's bad when people shout down something new that is tried. Creating something different with limited resources is probably a pretty difficult task.

When the Mandala Photonovels were released, the format was new to many in the U.S., as it was not common for U.S. publishing at the time, but ST fans swallowed it up. I remember the sell-out rate being so bad at several book and drug stores, that the library was the only place I could browse certain titles.

I'm not seeing that kind of interest with the Byrne comics.

Jesus. I've never seen Byrne's Trek work, but the hatred for him around here is way out of whack for a guy who was one of the definitive X-Men and FF artists of all time

Criticism is not hate. As for Byrne, I have one name for you: Terry Austin. He elevated Byrne's X-Men art to a palatable level during the heyday of his run on that title, and without Austin, Byrne's work took on a not-so-appealing look.

 

[BillJ]

Criticism is not hate. As for Byrne, I have one name for you: Terry Austin. He elevated Byrne's X-Men art to a palatable level during the heyday of his run on that title, and without Austin, Byrne's work took on a not-so-appealing look.

I really enjoyed Byrne's hand drawn Trek work and I don't think Terry Austin was anywhere near those. I believe Byrne inked his own work there.

I'm not seeing that kind of interest with the Byrne comics.

Of course not. Those photo books came out before VHS was going full force and people could get hold of any episode, any time they want. The market is completely different now. Just like the market for novelizations has changed.

 

[Guy Gardener]

It really is a good idea. I wouldn't mind some "what if" tales like I still want to see Kirk and Borg, for example.

Stop wasting wishes.

Yes, it's real. No it's not numbered. It's called New Visions: Resistance.

 

[BillJ]

It really is a good idea. I wouldn't mind some "what if" tales like I still want to see Kirk and Borg, for example.

Stop wasting wishes.

Yes, it's real. No it's not numbered. It's called New Visions: Resistance.

There's a "6" in the arrowhead.

 

[Guy Gardener]

That's probably the price in quatloos.

 

[BillJ]

That's probably the price in quatloos.

 

[Nerys Myk]

While they aren't my thing, I think people here are being unfairly harsh to John Byrne's photomanip comics. I think it's bad when people shout down something new that is tried. Creating something different with limited resources is probably a pretty difficult task.

When the Mandala Photonovels were released, the format was new to many in the U.S., as it was not common for U.S. publishing at the time, but ST fans swallowed it up. I remember the sell-out rate being so bad at several book and drug stores, that the library was the only place I could browse certain titles.

I'm not seeing that kind of interest with the Byrne comics.

Jesus. I've never seen Byrne's Trek work, but the hatred for him around here is way out of whack for a guy who was one of the definitive X-Men and FF artists of all time

Criticism is not hate. As for Byrne, I have one name for you: Terry Austin. He elevated Byrne's X-Men art to a palatable level during the heyday of his run on that title, and without Austin, Byrne's work took on a not-so-appealing look.

Byrne's a better artist now than he was back in his X-Men days. Looking at some of that stuff can be painful. Byrne's understanding of things like anatomy, architecture and mechanics is better than many of his contemporaries. And better than many who came after

 

[allstar77]

It really is a good idea. I wouldn't mind some "what if" tales like I still want to see Kirk and Borg, for example.

Stop wasting wishes.

Yes, it's real. No it's not numbered. It's called New Visions: Resistance.

You've obviously not read it, or my previous posts. But thanks anyway.

Byrne is horrible when inking his own work, imo.

 

[Nerys Myk]

It took a little getting used to. He has a different line than Austin.

 

[nightwind1]

It really is a good idea. I wouldn't mind some "what if" tales like I still want to see Kirk and Borg, for example.

Stop wasting wishes.

Yes, it's real. No it's not numbered. It's called New Visions: Resistance.

You've obviously not read it, or my previous posts. But thanks anyway.

Byrne is horrible when inking his own work, imo.

As easily demonstrated by his TERRIBLE work on Wonder Woman.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Terrible? I wish I was that terrible

 

[BillJ]

Terrible? I wish I was that terrible

+1

 

[Tim Thomason]

I only checked out Resistance. I thought (and hoped) in this form, I'd finally see Kirk v. Borg. With photoshopping, imagine the possibilities! But the "art" was so jarring that I couldn't get into the story, which looked wordy and lengthy. The "art" was so bad ... the lighting, mismatched (Shatner looked too different so many times), the alien, and bad space scenes. I've seen better fan produced films and pics and cgi.

I've also only read "Resistance" and the proto-New Visions story "Strange New Worlds" (2013 Star Trek Annual). I'm willing to let most of the "bad photoshop" slide (It's better than anything I could do, of course, but seems worse than some stuff I've seen online), as it seems to fit the amateurish or classic-style vibe Byrne is going for.

The alien in Resistance, I felt, wasn't quite up-to-par to what one might expect from The Original Series. Mr. Byrne should've gotten help from a cosplayer friend, with an appropriate obscure alien from the Trek universe. But it's not a big deal to me. I also would've liked an attempt at a "classic-era" Borg Sphere (less black hodgepodge, more sleek whiteness), since this is the first Borg we've seen natural to the Kirk era. Although that's a personal preference that doesn't have anything to do with the story and might've brought some criticism about Borg technology changing and mirroring the Federation too much.

But the one thing about Resistance that hurts my head, and causes me to toss and turn at night, is the location. Kirk and crew, during their five-year mission, are at an outpost on the border of the Delta Quadrant. That's just way too far out for me. I'd much rather prefer something deep within the Beta Quadrant with an inference that the Sphere may have come all the way from the Delta.

But overall, "Resistance" (and all of the New Visions) is supposed to be something that 'really happened' to Kirk and crew in the 23rd century. Byrne is likely limited by the IDW office from writing any real 'what-if' stories, and there are very few ways Kirk can go about fighting Borg drones without history finding out about the Borg.

I think the approach Resistance took passed the plausibility test, much, much better than the other analogue, Regeneration from Enterprise.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

The alien in Resistance, I felt, wasn't quite up-to-par to what one might expect from The Original Series.

I don't think that's what he was going for. He's intentionally creating aliens, ships, and effects that they couldn't have been done on Star Trek back in the day (and, in couple of issues, incorporating science that wasn't known at the time of TOS). It seems thoroughly pointless to create comic book stories about Star Trek and limit yourself only to effects that could be done on a moderately-budgeted TV show from the mid 60s. Why not take full advantage of the medium you're in?

Mr. Byrne should've gotten help from a cosplayer friend, with an appropriate obscure alien from the Trek universe.

I'd rather he kept that stuff to the bare minimum. He's done some cameos by friends and even himself in other issues, and they tend to stick out like a sore thumb, mainly because he can't come close to TOS's lighting schemes.

Still, it helps him get around the restriction of never using a new guest actor, so I can see why he's elected to do it.

But the one thing about Resistance that hurts my head, and causes me to toss and turn at night, is the location. Kirk and crew, during their five-year mission, are at an outpost on the border of the Delta Quadrant. That's just way too far out for me. I'd much rather prefer something deep within the Beta Quadrant with an inference that the Sphere may have come all the way from the Delta.

The story was approved by CBS/Paramount, so obviously they didn't share your concerns. Besides, Kirk's crew went to the outer edge of galaxy twice in TOS, so the border of the Delta Quadrant isn't any less believable.