145: “Get to the ship”
c.1983 | age 13/14? Multi-coloured action today readers. If only it was a whole page!
Art Notes: In Glorious Crayon-A-Scope!
“@ * I T + + +”
(Asterix-inspired dialogue?)
Not much to offer you today fans. Sorry about that. Still, you might get a little bit of enjoyment out of the coloured pencil work in this. If only the whole adaptation was in colour! Or would we lose the variety? I just noticed that this page and the previous one have been drawn in various media: black biro, black marker, thin-line marker (or Rotring technical pen?)—so does that mean they were drawn at very different times? Maybe some of it was done when I was 14—some at 15? The interesting thing though, is how the colouring was done to all of them around the same time—maybe retrospectively—and how it stylistically helps to harmonise them.
Now that is one economically and confidently drawn Stormtrooper!
A thing that I notice in modern professional comics is that good colourists should be worth their weight in gold. They can take some pretty ordinary or even mediocre drawn artwork and make it look way better. They can be miracle workers to be quite honest.
By the way, I’ve drawn Luke in basically the same view and pose 3 three times in 2 pages. Its a rookie mistake, but I must have really enjoyed drawing him that way.
BluRay Rage
(Written a good while back) I dunno what you all think of the latest George-Tweaking controversy surrounding the upcoming – yawwwn – BluRay release? I’m as skeptical and cynical as the next person when I hear of the film being sold all over again with yet more modifications. I don’t exclaim: “Wow! They finally made the lightsabers the right colour – even when they cross!” etc etc. I love the movie Metropolis. And it’s in absolute rag order! So I’m quite happy with the original release of the original Star Wars film.
The arguments around this issue are complex and there is genuinely more than 1 valid point of view. The rage and hatred avalanching onto George is actually shocking. I’m sure he’s aware of it. I posted my own contribution on Reddit yesterday (it’s dropping from view as I type! Damn, but I’m popular). I’d suddenly wondered if the objections were really on cultural-historic grounds or REALLY just about filthy lucre: exploiting the same film again and again. It had struck me that I never hear violent objections to fan edits like Adywan‘s – they’re available free. Perhaps the fans are also alarmed at the idea that the original film might disappear forever (I since learned that there was more than one version released in 1977 adding to the headache over what’s authentic and what isn’t).
I don’t think the original ’77 version will ever disappear. There must be a million digital copies around the globe and a potentially infinite number that will always be available to download.
For me, when it comes to tweaking – I don’t like it; except when the intent is improve picture and sound quality or to remove flaws like artifact matte-rectangles or damage. The original version, whichever one you consider that to be, will have its day again. I’m sure of it. Even if it’s in a 100 years time.
Until that time, rather than buy the BluRays, I’ll continue to watch Harmy’s Despecialized Edition.
Discussion ¬