Negative opinions of nice writers

[Therin of Andor]

Does this also apply to comic book artists?

The best example is probably WildStorm's DS9 mini, "n-Vector", which had quite a unique style and took ST fans by surprise, most of whom rejected his work outright (but avid comic readers knew the artist's style well). Due to the unusual storyline, the art did suit the text and the art eventually grew on me.

But the mini-series certainly got some bad reviews.

 

[captcalhoun]

n-Vector looked like a f***ing five year old drew it.

 

[William Leisner]

The best example is probably WildStorm's DS9 mini, "n-Vector", which had quite a unique style and took ST fans by surprise, most of whom rejected his work outright

n-Vector looked like a f***ing five year old drew it.

Brilliantly illustrated.

 

[Baerbel Haddrell]

Does this also apply to comic book artists?

The best example is probably WildStorm's DS9 mini, "n-Vector", which had quite a unique style and took ST fans by surprise, most of whom rejected his work outright (but avid comic readers knew the artist's style well). Due to the unusual storyline, the art did suit the text and the art eventually grew on me.

But the mini-series certainly got some bad reviews.

The artwork was dreadful, I don`t want to try and choose a polite word for it. I asked my comic supplier to reserve all Star Trek comics for me and sent a cheque. I didn`t have the heart to send them back and ask for a refund but I would never have bought them if I had the chance to look into the comics before buying them.

A comic is not the same as a novel. Artwork in a comic is very important to me and if the artwork is dreadful, the best writing wouldn`t help to make such a comic appealing to me. I gave it a go and managed to read a few pages of the first issue but I had enough very quickly.

 

[Lonemagpie]

n-Vector looked like a f***ing five year old drew it.

Never heard of it

<googles, sees #1 cover>

Yikes! That'd certainly dissuade me from buying! Dunno how the inside panned out.

 

[KRAD]

As for learning from negative opinions, I agree -- but only when they're informed opinions (as frequently mentioned above). "I hated Q & A because of its overuse of elephants" is not an informed opinion.

Although a few elephants might have been cool ...

There were elephants! What, you missed them????





(Everything's better with elephants, 'tis true....)

 

[LightningStorm]

(Everything's better with elephants, 'tis true....)

Except, apparently, rooms. I hear they can make things a tad awkward.

 

[Man of Steel]

Sometimes negative reviews help the writer see where he/she went wrong and try to fix it next time around. I know that when I get reviews I don't like, I take it as a good thing because I learn from the negative reviews. It helps know where I went wrong and how I can fix it. Besides, if you can't take the good with the bad then you are in the wrong field.

 

[Trent Roman]

Having someone tell you you're wonderful all the time really doesn't do anything more than give your ego an extra stroke. Having someone telling you you're wonderful all the time and explaining the reasoning behind the opinion? Much better, IMO. Same goes for negative reviews. Give me a review I can learn from, not one that's just an egoboo. If I'm doing something right, tell me what I'm doing right. If I'm doing something wrong, tell me what I'm doing wrong. In both instances, knowing helps me going forward.

Speaking from my own experience, I've found I often have a lot more to say about a work I don't like than the reverse. With a book that doesn't work, it's usually easy to point to the elements that one found jarring, lacking, or just generally underperforming. When a book works--and at the risk of giving you more work, but KRAD's books are like this--all those elements that might stick out in a poorly handled work vanish into the background, giving way to a happy, glowy kind of unitary whole. Yes, I can point to the fact that I liked the pacing or this or that character in particular, this plot twist or that stylistic turn--but it's really the synthesis of all these elements that makes an average piece into a kick-ass one, and that's a hard thing to break down and define.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Christopher]

(Everything's better with elephants, 'tis true....)

Except, apparently, rooms. I hear they can make things a tad awkward.

Only when people ignore them.

 

[Mistral]

(Everything's better with elephants, 'tis true....)

Except, apparently, rooms. I hear they can make things a tad awkward.

Only when people ignore them.

How true. There's nothing worse than a crying elephant....they are such sensitive creatures.

 

[Christopher]

There's nothing worse than a crying elephant...

Err, an angry elephant?

 

[ProwlAlpha]

An elephant who ate some hormel chili.

 

[TGTheodore]

An elephant who ate some hormel chili.

Captain, she's gonna blow!

--Ted

 

[Therin of Andor]

A comic is not the same as a novel. Artwork in a comic is very important to me and if the artwork is dreadful, the best writing wouldn`t help to make such a comic appealing to me. I gave it a go and managed to read a few pages of the first issue but I had enough very quickly.

People balking at the art in "n-Vector" is not dissimilar to people saying they had trouble getting through the first 80 pages of "Challenger: Chainmail". In both cases, the creator has chosen to work in a particular style to set a mood.

 

[captcalhoun]

The best example is probably WildStorm's DS9 mini, "n-Vector", which had quite a unique style and took ST fans by surprise, most of whom rejected his work outright

n-Vector looked like a f***ing five year old drew it.

Brilliantly illustrated.

i thought so.

 

[Baerbel Haddrell]

A comic is not the same as a novel. Artwork in a comic is very important to me and if the artwork is dreadful, the best writing wouldn`t help to make such a comic appealing to me. I gave it a go and managed to read a few pages of the first issue but I had enough very quickly.

People balking at the art in "n-Vector" is not dissimilar to people saying they had trouble getting through the first 80 pages of "Challenger: Chainmail". In both cases, the creator has chosen to work in a particular style to set a mood.

Well... I put it that way then: In my case that choice didn`t work at all.

 

[kimc]

Anyhow, I like negative reviews. They keep me humble. It's way too easy to buy into the praise and believe you walk on water. It's good to recall how much room for improvement there can always be.

It sounds like a healthy attitude.

While I write software instead of books I can understand how you can get protective of your "child". However, if you can't take criticism then how do you improve on the next project?

 

[Starbreaker]

I wrote a scathing review of a movie one time. The director actually e-mailed me. Turns out he was a very nice guy. I still defended my position though.

 

[Rush Limborg]

(Everything's better with elephants, 'tis true....)

Even in Washington?