Elephantmen?

[Aztecface]

Anyone ever read these comics? They seem obscure but very interesting. Detective Noir?

[The Adventurer]

Detective noir mixed with uplifted animals and social commentary about racism and PTSD.

it's not really obscure as it's won a bunch of awards and has run 55+ issues.

[HdE]

I wanna read Elephantmen really badly. The only problem is, I have no idea where to start, and I'm a rabid completist when it comes to buying comics. Seems like there's a lot to track down.

[The Adventurer]

Issue 50 is a pretty good jumping on point. But there are also some really decent collected editions too. The Mamoth edition vol 1 collects 24 or 25 issues in one whack.

[Beeks]

Along with The Goon and 2000ad..it's about the only set of trades I've ever read

Personally I think it's brilliant

[JamesC]

Not a fan myself. It's very bitty. While there are some good ideas and the art is fantastic I was frustrated by the lack of actual story.
From a world building point of view it didn't sit right with me that the catch all term for animal/human hybrids would be Elephantmen.

[Spaceghost]

I've got the first volume and it's pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the art by Moritat which seems a bit shaky and lacking detail in places, as if it's half finished. It also suffers very noticably from 'decompression', with two, or even one panel per page being the norm. This approach seemed very jarring to me after reading 2000 AD which is extremely densely packed.

That said, the story is compelling and the concept and characters are fascinating. Also, there is an issue featuring art from Henry Flint which is nice, and some lovely covers by Boo Cook.

I expected to like it a lot more than I did and as a result I've never progressed from volume 1 as, while I'd quite like to read some more to see where the story goes, there's always another collection I'd rather spend my money on.

[Daveycandlish]

Yeah it's a great idea with some very nice art (from some) The first one I read was an anthropomorphic hippo PI in a Bladerunneresque future. If it had stuck to that rather than expanding the universe and going off at tangents so quickly I would still be reading. I bought the first 4 collected volumes but it came to a point where I thought enough was enough.

[The Adventurer]

Not a fan myself. It's very bitty. While there are some good ideas and the art is fantastic I was frustrated by the lack of actual story.
From a world building point of view it didn't sit right with me that the catch all term for animal/human hybrids would be Elephantmen.

I think 'Elephantmen' has more to do with their relative size, rather then their particular species.

[Bolt-01]

I find myself agreeing with Spaceghost on this. I picked up the first volume and quite liked it, but I never was compelled to get any more. In fact if anyone wants the first volume off me (fiver?) just drop me a PM and we can take it from there.

[Dandontdare]

I love Elephantmen - those big 'phonebook' collections aren't cheap though, and whilst they're gorgeous to look at, the main story does move along at a glacial pace, with lots of flashbacks and extras.

I adore Moritat's art, but I'm not a huge fan of Boo Cook's style (although I know a lot of people here are).

Oh, and how many other indy titles have had hilarious crossovers with both Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog?

[Aztecface]

Thank You all.

[Colin YNWA]

Well yes Necro - but I'd thought there was an Elephantmen thread, just hadn't realised it was frm quite so long ago.

Anyway I've had the first 9 or so volumes of this working their way up my read list and have polished of the 2259 stories over the last three months or so, issue 1 - 49. I find it very interesting reading the comments here. I adored the first three collections (issues 1 - 23)  and the next three issues 24-49 a lot less.

Now a large part of that is probably due to the art. I'm a big, big fan of Moritat and as the main artist in these issues his work is wonderful. Axel Medellin takes over in the next three and his art just doesn't carry the mood, atmosphere, nor is the character acting as crisp and clear and I really feel that impacts on my enjoyment a large amount. Oh and from the top it can be a bit cheesecake at times, no particular artist but the art across the series as a whole, which I find a bit sad these days.

But its not that alone. As others have said the main plot is glacial. Now I have now issue with that, the flashbacks and asides interspaced, give it the feel of an epic novel, or even the structure of a modern tv show, cutting back and forth to add depth and understanding to characters, circumstance and motives as the main plot develops. The trouble for me is the main plot itself. Now its good and there's some great themes being explored. The problem is over every 5 - 7 issue arc Richard Starking seems to feel there needs to be a 'villain', some antagonist dropped in to drive things along and lead to come climatic battle. Which is such a shame as it kills the real drivers behind the tail some time. The politics, corporate schnenigans, the impending ramping up of conflicting forces. Its draws anyway from the themes and ideas exploring prejudice and the impact of war and PTSD, the handling of all of that show what a superb talent Richard Starking is. The bubble gum wrapping that make this a monthly (or whatever) action comic are a complete distraction and its such a shame.

That said - and this has been largely negative I know - don't detract entirely and this is good comics. I've got the next three trades and a  '0' trade that seems to take us back to earlier times and I'm looking forward to reading 2260. I just hope it gets a bit more confident and remembers what the elements that could raise this from being a good comic to a great comic are. It has them already, it just not bold enough to truely let them shine.

[gurnard]

This was on my pull list from after the first trade. I prefer the older stuff it got a bit crazy for me later on. There was a mini 3 issue series which focused on their origins War Toys which was great. And a follow up called Yvette. It is an interesting concept, great ideas and has some lovely art and the story was strong at the start but it waned for me. I dropped it when it went to only digital. An entertaining read for certain.

[Colin YNWA]

Just trudged through the first three trades of 2260 and alas its continues its downward turn. It has some great moments and its clear that Richard Starking is a great writer, the trouble is I get the sense he doesn't know quite what he's writing. By this I mean he set off this series with what looked like a pretty clear idea of what he was trying to do. Something to the side caught his eye so he followed that detour and then came back to the main story. But then he got distracted again and wondered off briefly... back on the main trail... distraction .... rince wash repeat. Now last time I said this made for a fine sense of epic storytelling. Now it gives me the sense he's lost the main thrust and doesn't know what he really wants to go anymore. Or is afraid to get there as he's no idea what's next.

Its never bad, even if I don't get on with the art by Axel Medellin at all - some fill in art by Shaky Kane is astonishignly good I should say - but its lost its sense of drive and direction. There's only so many times we can return to the same ideas. How many times has this series done the war is hell idea. The evil of the Elephantmen's origins etc etc. Its been done.

Such a shame as I've lost the will to continue and this could have been a quite superb say 50 part series (who knows the specific number) alas now I see it got to 80 odd at least and I've not the energy to continue to see if its finds itself again.

Should repeat its never bad, in fact its good comics, just seems to forget what it wants to be able.