Masks #2 preview

Post by **JohnMayo** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:25 am

ICv2 has some previews pages from Masks #2: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/24608.html

The first issue of that series had Alex Ross art while the rest of the series including these preview pages has art by Dennis Calero.

Perry · Post by **Perry** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:41 am

Certainly not as bad as I feared it would be, though odd in a rotoscoping way.

Post by **JohnMayo** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:08 am

As I mentioned when we reviewed Masks #1, Dynamite really should have included these pages in the first issue.

Perry · Post by **Perry** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:56 am

Absolutely. I would have probably pre-ordered issue 2, having seen that the art was not a huge distraction for me. As it is, that decision cost them at least one issue worth of sales. And isn't that were it all starts?

Post by **JohnMayo** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:06 am

Perry wrote:Absolutely. I would have probably pre-ordered issue 2, having seen that the art was not a huge distraction for me. As it is, that decision cost them at least one issue worth of sales. And isn't that were it all starts?

Or maybe where it all ends. I'm expecting to see a huge drop on #2 with some reorder activity on it the following month.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:19 am

Perry wrote:Certainly not as bad as I feared it would be, though odd in a rotoscoping way.

While not the worst art I've ever seen, it's pretty weak, especially the faces & anatomy here:

With art like this I think I can easily skip getting issues of this series at $3.99 & pick them up down the road from a $1 bin.

the1captain · Post by **the1captain** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:55 am

Dynamite has always frustrated me. On the surface I love the idea of having a line of books dedicated to these old pulp characters. And crossing over like this sounds interesting. The problem I have though is I often find the actual stories Dynamite tells to be lacking. Just my opinion.

Like Bob I'll likely wait for the cheap bins.

Perry · Post by **Perry** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:50 pm

JohnMayo wrote:I'm expecting to see a huge drop on #2 with some reorder activity on it the following month.

Probably right, I can see that.

I am a "moody" buyer, so I won't get it. If they would have hit me with the art prior, like I said, I would have given it a shot when I made my list (I usually add titles by spur of the moment, I am horrible that way), but now ... eh. Not worth it.

BobBretall wrote: While not the worst art I've ever seen, it's pretty weak, especially the faces & anatomy ...

Yep. And I don't enjoy comic art with little to no back-ground work. Killed BATWING for me before I even got a chance to read it. Not that I regret that now.

Paul Nolan · Post by **Paul Nolan** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:16 am

I trust Chris Roberson on this one. Can't wait for issue 2 (and Green Hornet by Mark Waid, and Black Bat by Brian Buccalleto)

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:50 am

Paul Nolan wrote:I trust Chris Roberson on this one. Can't wait for issue 2 (and Green Hornet by Mark Waid, and Black Bat by Brian Buccalleto)

I have no doubts at all about the story.

My concerns are for the weak art on a book that is $3.99.

the1captain · Post by **the1captain** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:05 pm

So I just read the first issue free off Comixology. Good. Not great. Will likely keep it in mind down the line for cheap bins. Like the concept though.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:55 am

the1captain wrote:So I just read the first issue free off Comixology. Good. Not great. Will likely keep it in mind down the line for cheap bins. Like the concept though.

If you only thought the issue with Alex Ross art was good you should definitely steer clear of the non-Ross issues.

Perry · Post by **Perry** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 4:20 pm

BobBretall wrote: If you only thought the issue with Alex Ross art was good you should definitely steer clear of the non-Ross issues.

Appreciation of certain art is, of course, subject to personal tastes, but is the art in MASKS issue 2 really that much worse than some of the other, lower tiered comics you enjoyed?

Not that I am making an excuse for the art contained in said issue, I am not a huge fan myself (and am not getting the title), but I have seen the art in some of the books you use to buy, and enjoy, and it was, to me, even worse. That is my opinion of course, but just trying to see if you think this art ranks as low to you as some low ranked art is to me.

Post by **JohnMayo** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 4:45 pm

That page of art shown above looks fine to me. Sure, maybe the poses are a little stiff. But I'm not seeing huge glaring errors in anatomy like a stereotypical Rob Liefeld drawing might have. For that matter, it wouldn't shock me if I were told the artist used Poser to generate reference for the art.

To me, this just further illustrates that my taste in art and Bob's are far from identical.

Perry · Post by **Perry** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 5:01 pm

Yeah, John. You and I are 'seeing' about the same thing. I see things that bother me (lack of shading, lack of backgrounds and washed-out style), but there is certainly 'worse' art out there ... for my eyes anyway (and apparently yours).