In his dreams Alan Donald is a multi-award winning
writer of comic books, animation, theme park shows and rides, children’s books,
novels, television, internet animation and more.
In real life Alan writes this column,
which has been described as
more than a lifestyle than a
weekly column. He used to write
SBC's All The Rage.
Hello and welcome to The Final Draft. Every column is someone's first so WELCOME to all the new people!
My name is Alan Donald and I'm your host for The Final Draft, SBC's magazine insert. We've got The Panel, online comics, cool sites and, of course, the noticeboard. Read on, enjoy, tell your friends.
The Panel
Nine very different people from different parts of the comicbook industry, with different experiences and ideas on the industry come together to answer your questions. Jock, the New Boy just breaking through internationally; Peter David, the Old Boy, he's been there and done that, a comicbook superstar; Evil Rick Shea, the Retailer, he's on the front line pushing comics, listening to fans; Peter Petersson, the fan, he supplied this week's question; Shawna Ervin-Gore, the Editor, she's Dark Horse's newest Editor and the only woman on the panel; Joe Quesada, the Publisher, he's the Daddy at Marvel; Lee Dawson, Dark Horse's Publicity guru; Craig Lemon, the Hack, SBC's second-in-command, he edits loads of columns and runs one of the most respected review sections in the industry; and me, The Columnist because I really ought to get involved lazy bugger that I am.
This week's question is:
"Who is the greatest comicbook creator ever and why? "
The Editor: "This question is a killer! I've never been able to definitively name the single best (or my single favorite) of any one thing -- music, movies, comics, or whatever. And with writers and artists, respectively, it's like apples and oranges. That said, I think Will Eisner is among the best overall, in terms of writing, art, innovation, and the expression of ideas and emotion. Stan Lee, on the other hand, has had a much greater mainstream cultural impact on both the business and artistic elements of comics. In terms of writers, it would be hard to imagine anyone doing more to elevate the art of comic-book storytelling than Alan Moore has. And artists ... hoo boy! There's no way to get past a giant list, and my list would have many, many names on it ... but I'm going to go out on a limb and recognize one person who I think will historically be remembered as one of the best artists to ever work in the medium -- P. Craig Russell."
The Publisher: "When answering this question you could take just the creative portion as the sole qualification by which to judge who is greatest, but I'm going to cast a wider net. If you use creative ability, output, character creation, ideas, influence, showmanship and positive benefits to our industry as benchmarks then there is only Stan Lee who is left standing. He is the man."
The Publicist: "Bob Kane and Bill Finger...for creating my favorite superhero, Batman. Still the coolest of the cool!"
The Retailer: "Toss up between Rob Liefeld and Ron Zimmerman.
Seriously, although I'm sure others will mention Will Eisner, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, I have to go with the one writer that has the most eclectic output of any creator, and that's ALAN MOORE. Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, Top Ten, From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and so many of his other works are at the top of everyone's must read list. He's done it all from grim and gritty to incredibly lighthearted and still manages to surprise us to this day."
The Hack: "I would have to say George Herrimann, of Krazy Kat fame. You don't realise how much comics owe this guy until you read some of his stuff - and this came out in the 1920s for god's sake."
The Fan: "There's only one: Alan Moore."
The Columnist: "Alan Moore, Stan Lee, Neil Gaiman, Jim Aparo, Denny O'Neil, Alan Grant, Neil Adams, Bob Kane, Bill Finger etc all come close but let's be honest only one creator deserves to be called the best...Will Eisner. Nobody else has done so much for the industry nor influenced so many. Will Eisner has been here since the birth of the comicbook industry and he's still producing groundbreaking and thought provoking work decades later."
Here's one thing that caught my attention, this is from the Pulse:
"Mark Waid’s been fired from Fantastic Four. His last issue will be #508, the conclusion to the six-part “Authoritative Action” arc, which will begin this August. Waid began his run on the “nine-cent” issue of Fantastic Four, #60."
The Mark Waid story itself isn't that interesting, everyone has covered it before. What I find to be fun is that if one reads the story literally it would appear Mark Waid will have written 448 issues of FF! Heck, I know what this is really about but it would have been nice if they'd said!
Online Comics
This one's up to you. Send me your favourite webcomic and I'll give you some publicity, we love free comics here at SBC.
Thanks to the Charles Rocketboy for the first few offerings:
"Sluggy Freelance (www.sluggy.com)- long-running geekfest serial involving humour & drama in equal amounts, and starring a weapons-obsessed silent guy, a sociopathic bunny rabbit, an everything-eating alien, an immortal gymnast assassin and a dimension of incompetent demons. Bloody funny. Regie likes it, so should you."
That about says it all. Geeky fun.
"Bruno the Bandit (www.brunothebandit.com)- another serial, this a big parody of the fantast genre as well as various parts of American culture (including a send-up of the despicable commercialism of September 11)."
Brilliant fantasy very funny. Like Nodwick.
"Help Desk (www.ubersoft.net)- a comic involving Alex, help desk guy at Micros- er, Ubersoft. Not only a great send-up of the computer industry, but also stares the Boss, a demonic floating cloak with glowing eyes and fiery letters reading "BOSS", who after being taken to court for Satanic Business Practices changed his name to Mr Hoppy, The Happy Bunny Computer Guy."
This has been recommended to me a number of times by various people (and I really should have mentioned it before). Very interesting.
The next recommendation came from SBC's newest columnist, the ever friendly and helpful Glenn Carter:
"Help Desk is actually brilliant. I suggest that Alan should also try Red Meat. http://www.redmeat.com/redmeat/. It’s nasty but has really funny moments."
This is excellent, punchy and funny. Classical 50's look juxtaposed with modern humour.
Brokin supplied the following:
"Thanks for pushing those web comics, they are some of the best ones out there. Another good web comic is www.overduemedia.com it's about a library, really funny stuff. Perhaps I relate too well."
This is an infrequent feature where I look at the cool websites you've sent into me. Email me on AlanWJDonald@aol.com with your suggestions. Here's this week's offerings:
Here's one I read in full, very interesting in a Michael Moore kind of a way.
Noticeboard
From the biggest comicon to a signing in a shop the size of a postage stamp by the guy who edits a self published magazine on wanking printed on toilet paper, we'll promote them all. All you have to do is email me to let me know. The noticeboard will be here every week to promote your events.
A few things are pinned to the noticeboard this week so I'll get right on down to it:
Big Grin Cartoon Festival BIG GRIN CARTOON FESTIVAL, NOTTINGHAM
BIG GRIN CARTOON FESTIVAL - July 11 - 13 2003
Those attending this year's Big Grin are: Sandi Lamb(special guest from Canada), Graham Fowell, Jill Kearney, Steve Best, Mike Turner, Kev F Sutherland, Helen Martin, Simon Donald, Roger&Hazel Penwill, John Hamilton, Andy Davey, Noel Ford, Dana&Eric Trometer, Ian Ellery, Dave Follows, Graham Dury, Neil Dishington, John&Pat Jensen, Roy&Joan Nixon, Paul Hardman, Tim&Nikki Harries, Chris Burke, Jed Pascoe, Kevin&Rita Flannery, Duncan Bourne, Alex Collier, Colin Wyatt, Rog Bowles, Steve Way, Terry Christien, Alex Noel Watson, Andy&Anne Gilbert, Matt Buck, Dave Brown, Gerard Whyman, Mark Bryant, Jeremy Banks, Rosie Brooks, Alex Hallett, Pete Dredge, John Clark, Warren Pleece, Hunt Emerson, John McCrea, Fred Higton, Kate Charlesworth, Fran Lowe, Franklin Bishop, Justin Wyatt. Itinary for Friday 11th July: 6pm Welcome reception in The Grand Jury Room,The Galleries of Justice.View Mahmoud Kahil exhibition. 7pm Follow the "Cartoon Trail" taking in further exhibitions at St.Mary's("God,that's funny!") and Broadway Media Centre (VIZ Comic). 9.00-9.30pm Meal at Shaws Restaurant,Broad Street. Retire to hotel or succumb to the tempting siren call of Nottingham's vibrant night life (so that's retire to hotel,then!) Itinary for Saturday 12th July Festival briefing in WAX Bar on Broad Street at 11.00am After a hard day of cartooning it's back to the hotel to freshen up and then at 9.00pm we will visit La Vecchia Romagna Italian Restaurant Itinary for Sunday 13th July Much the same as Saturday but winding up earlier. From 6pm onwards it's the Farewell Party in The Newmarket on Broad Street incorporating the Grinny Awards Presentations. Details of events and exhibition across Nottingham at:
AggieCon is the oldest and largest student-run science-fiction convention in the US. Held annually since 1969 by Cepheid Variable at Texas A&M University's Memorial Student Center , it has grown to become one of the larger conventions in Texas.
We're known for our relaxed atmosphere. Here, you often find guests and attendees chatting over coffee on the couches outside the art show and dealers' room. For examples of what AggieCon offers, please explore the links to your left. If you have any questions that this webpage doesn't answer, please Contact Us .
Pictures from AggieCon 34 are here!!!
Remember I need you to be sending in your announcements, signings, events and such like to pin up on the Board. Meanwhile you should check out previous week's Notice Board as many of the announcements on there will still be current.
Another week, another column. I hope you found something to interest you.
TTFN - Alan Donald signing off to water the garden, it's hot here.
The Final Draft, its contents, its style and the concept in general are the intellectual property of Alan Donald. Please don't steal anything but if you must then let everyone know where it was from. Play nice, eh? Or the toys will come to get you.
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