anybody read any 'Concrete'? Just ordered first book offa Amazon. thought it was time I gave it a go. Think it may have a very 'Tree huggin' vibe to it?
I've read a collection of Concrete stories, it was a few years ago now so my memory's a bit rusty, but I think it was from the start of the series.
It's excellent, I keep meaning to start collecting it myself. I wouldn't describe it as 'tree-huggy', it's more focused on how a normal, nice, intelligent man learns how to deal with being stuck in this indistructable (nearly) alien form. It's not your usual 'alien gives human extraordinary powers' story; don't expect a procession of alien baddies to turn up for a wrestling match. It's more thoughtful and interesting than that.
Right, I've talked myself into starting to collect it properly myself now. To Amazon!
Cheers for that mate. I'm looking forward to reading it now. How are you on 'Flamin Carrot'. That looks a riot!
Quote from: bigjobs67 on 31 January, 2012, 02:41:43 PM
Cheers for that mate. I'm looking forward to reading it now. How are you on 'Flamin Carrot'. That looks a riot!
UT! Big, big fan of Flaming Carrot. I've got most of the collected editions at home and I re-read them regularly. It's got a very unique flavour and a skewed sense of humour.
The art is scratchy and can be quite basic but I think it adds to the strange feel of the stories.
The Flaming Carrot is one of the greatest things known to modern man.
Iain (judge jack) is a BIG Concrete fan, with some great original art and commissions... He'll be along shortly, I imagine.
Quote from: bigjobs67 on 31 January, 2012, 01:03:01 PM
anybody read any 'Concrete'? Just ordered first book offa Amazon. thought it was time I gave it a go. Think it may have a very 'Tree huggin' vibe to it?
Ah, Im a total Concrete fan, and i wouldnt hesitate recommending it to anyone. Paul Chadwicks art is constantly superb and his writing is always intelligent, and frequently moving. Im hooked for life, tbh.
Ive always thought there was a large dose of Paul Chadwick in the character of Concrete (thats how ive read it anyways), so his environmental concerns and green politics do filter through, though i certainly wouldnt call Concrete "tree hugging". If you get the chance, track down the collected edition for the Think like a Moutain series, which feature these views the greatest (also my personal fave) and youll see what i mean.
By and large, Concrete is about the everyday, and the almost mundane, its all the little details that will grab you. Certainly, for a man who had his brain transplanted into a rock body by Aliens, Concrete isnt about Biff!, Bang!, Pow!
If your new to Concrete and are wondering what is out there regarding trades etc, then this site will tell you all you need to know - http://www.weisshahn.de/concrete/conmap.htm
Quote from: ming on 31 January, 2012, 05:07:17 PM
Iain (judge jack) is a BIG Concrete fan, with some great original art and commissions... He'll be along shortly, I imagine.
Ha! Hi Ming, I was half way through writng my reply, and also being called down to get the tea ready (cant tea wait!?!), when i saw youd posted as well.
Oh well, a bit of shameless self promotion is called for i guess, ;) - http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetailSearch.asp?Artist=Paul++Chadwick&GCat=50752
Yes, been very lucky to have gotten a couple of commissions directly from Paul.
Let us know how you get on Bigjobs67, and what you think of Concrete.
By strange coincidence I started a Concrete re-read last night (I think I have it all in various formats, bar the colour material), in between my forum ranting and the actual work I was supposed to be doing. Having not read it for 5 years or more, I had been thinking of ebaying it (seeing as the spines don't match ;)), but it's just as brilliant as I remember, and I can't part with it now.
As suggested above any appearance of tree-huggery grows naturally out of the situation of an ordinary man with the unique perspective of one separated from his fellows by his bizarre new body, while simultaneously being exposed to far more of the physical world through its abilities.
It's one of the most mature of the late-80s superhero deconstructions (in that its superman is neither a hero nor a villain, and his adventures are real-world ones), and certainly the most sustained and pleasant of the bunch. Helps that the art is crisp and playful right from the start, and that there is no fall-off in the quality of the stories over the decades its been trickling out. Highly recommended.
Many thanks Ming, Jack,TB and Lee.
My order should be arriving in the next few days and when I'm done I'll let you know what I thought.
Lookin forward to reading what I hope will become a re discovered comic treasure.
Have to get me some 'Flamin Carrot' as well.
That looks all kinds of 'knobbly'.
Cheers again guys. ;)
I'm not overly familar with Paul Chadwick's Concrete. There were, I think, three new Concrete stories in the most recent relaunch of Dark Horse Presents (my second favorite serial anthology after 2000 AD. Second out of 2 in current existence). But they were really good and interesting. And really makes me want to go out and check out the trades of the previous runs of the series.
also, why is this in the 'Trailers' subforum? Should be in the Books & Comics subforum.
I'm a newb. ;)
Quote from: The Adventurer on 01 February, 2012, 02:08:23 AM
I'm not overly familar with Paul Chadwick's Concrete. There were, I think, three new Concrete stories in the most recent relaunch of Dark Horse Presents (my second favorite serial anthology after 2000 AD. Second out of 2 in current existence). But they were really good and interesting. And really makes me want to go out and check out the trades of the previous runs of the series.
also, why is this in the 'Trailers' subforum? Should be in the Books & Comics subforum.
Yes, Concrete featured in the first 3 issues of the 2011 re-launch of Dark Horse Presents, in fact Concrete made his comics debut in the pages of the first issue of DHPs back in 1986, and was a pretty regular feature thereafter. Those smaller stories are some of my alltime favourites, and were previously collected into two seperate collections.
The most recent reprint collections - Depths, Heights, Fragile creature, Killer Smile, Think like a Mountain, Strange Armor, and The Human Dilemma include all these stories plus more, so would seem to be the way to go for anyone discovering/re-discovering Concrete.
Quote from: The return of Judge Jack on 01 February, 2012, 08:48:29 PM
The most recent reprint collections - Depths, Heights, Fragile creature, Killer Smile, Think like a Mountain, Strange Armor, and The Human Dilemma include all these stories plus more, so would seem to be the way to go for anyone discovering/re-discovering Concrete.
I have some of the later stuff in those nice little digesty things (and the rest in floppies) and I recommend them highly, but I'm also lucky enough to have the first crop of shorts and the first 10-issue series in two gorgeous large-format collections (2000AD size), and the art really shines at that size.
As Judge Jack says, the shorter stories are very strong indeed. One of the things we haven't touched on here is the show-within-the-show,
A Sky Full of Heads. This is Chadwick's vehicle for squeezing in unconnected short stories, dressed up as episodes of a bizarre late-night TV show that Concrete watches which presents the tales told to one another by a cloud of randomly drifting disembodied heads that are our souls in the afterlife. The idea is that these immortal heads drift close enough to each other for maybe 5 minutes at a time, long enough to exchange a quick story with a stranger, before mving out of range never to meet again. It's a great idea, and an image that has haunted me for years. Somebody should make the damn programme, I'd watch it!
I didn't know about the 2011 DHP stories, that's something to track down!
This withdrawn BBC promo always reminded me of A Sky of Heads - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9yZxZSBeM8
Always like the 100 horrors as well, TordelBack. Though even Paul himself said, given his work rate, it was rather optimistically titled!
I havent got any of those newer "digest" format collections, but just had a look online and they really do collect everything Concrete related, so those 7 books are definitely the way to go.
I never read it, but a friend of mine who I think worked on it said that it was all good, with the exception of the origin (which was sort of silly). I've been meaning to pick it up myself ever since.
Thats interesting, your friend worked on Concrete?
Im ok with the whole origin story, though i can see how the [spoiler]alien[/spoiler] aspect of it, is at odds with the real world tone of the comic.
I think so - he worked in Dark Horse editorial at the time, but may not have been directly linked to the book.
I think the origin story is pretty spiffing - I'd love to find out what actually happened to [spoiler]Michael, and I thought the idea of the Deer and the Bear[/spoiler] was great. I agree it's more fantastical than the rest of the series, but if you're going to entomb your lead's brain in a flexible concrete shell, you need some way to do it - the [spoiler]government cyborg[/spoiler] cover story is even less plausible. There's a real sense of horror to that whole sequence which Chadwick keeps returning to - for example, I love the bit in Nepal [spoiler]where Concrete slips unknowingly into a dream and thinks he sees a light in another cavemouth, revealed to be filled with clockwork versions of his friends, and even his dog[/spoiler].
Well, I've yet to read it myself, but the word I heard was that the origin was so obvious that telling it was pointless.
'Sa point of view, I suppose.
Yeah. You know, I'm not sure why I'm defending it; I'm not even sure if I share it yet. ;)
Read it! loved it! Now me gonna get some 'Flamin Carrot'
Good stuff, glad you liked Concrete. What trades etc did you to manage to get hold of?
Despite being a Dark Horse nut in the early 90's i never got round to reading any Flamin' Carrot at all, might have to join you in tracking some down.
Your on 'Jack'. Gonna do a search now and buy me some.
Didn't get into 'Dark Horse' stuff that much to be honest 'Jack'. Collected stuff like 'Plastic Forks' by Ted Mckeever in the 90's and loved 'Rank Xerox'.
Loved the artwork on that.
Ted did this little stand alone story one time which was a POV style thing about Superman.
I always thought it was dead clever.
Do you know it?
No, not familar with those titles, nor Ted McKeever, well not to any great degree. Ill do a bit o' googling and check them out.
Got into Dark Horse in a big way in the very late 80's because of their Aliens and Predator stuff. Those early stories are brilliant. Love Chris Warners art on Predator and Blackcross.
That got me checking out other DH stuff which lead to Concrete, Martha Washington, JB's Nextmen etc.
Think DH got it so right in those early years.
You know I told a lie! I forgot the 'Martha Whasigton' Stuff was by 'Dark Horse'.
Got them.
Loved Gibbson on that.
All gets proper wacky towards the end though I thought.
Frank Miller isn't it?
Think I may be missing one or two of those though.
Pretty much got the full run.
Got into the original 'DeathLock' stuff ages ago too.
Never completed my collection but loved that it's set in some f##ked up future with at one point a blonde haired 'Messiah' lookin terminator style killin cyborg sent in to finish 'Deathlock' off.
Bonkers.
Well worth checkin out.
Quote from: bigjobs67 on 10 February, 2012, 09:50:05 PM
Read it! loved it! Now me gonna get some 'Flamin Carrot'
You won't regret it.
Colin. 'Braap. Braap'. :D :) Me on it!!
Bit of self pimpage here, but i thought this thread would be the best place to post this,
(http://i.imgur.com/Ig1Xk.jpg)
Really happy to have received this today. Paul Chadwick doesnt sell a lot of his published art, so really glad to have snagged this cover for Dark Horse Present #12 (1987).
Chuff me that is lovely
Right you lot are in trouble now, okay I own enough comics already damnit.
All this talk of Concrete, here and elsewhere as it goes coursed me to check out the limited amount of Concrete I had from back in the day, never got round to rediscovering it since I returned to comics, so many things to check out. Anyway I dug out 'A New Life' part 2 and within about 6 pages (I was only meant to be flicking through) I was completely sold.
So my question is how do the new slightly smaller trades serve the series, do they cramp the art or does it work okay?
It works okay. I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer the two old 2000AD-size collections I have, but the repro in the small trades is generally very good and they each have a nice Chadwick introduction.
The only one to watch is probably Strange Armour (Vol 6), the colour series, which is de-coloured for this edition, which for me makes the art a bit disappointing (but then I don't own the original).
Quote from: TordelBack on 29 March, 2012, 09:32:27 AM
It works okay. I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer the two old 2000AD-size collections I have, but the repro in the small trades is generally very good and they each have a nice Chadwick introduction.
The only one to watch is probably Strange Armour (Vol 6), the colour series, which is de-coloured for this edition, which for me makes the art a bit disappointing (but then I don't own the original).
Yeah the Complete Concrete volumes do look very nice (the cover of the first one is lovely) but alas they have fallen into the realm of trade collections that sell for silly money (well you can get them from the US but that has the same effect). So its either a nice set of the newer trades OR the floppies, and trades to fill gaps, which I think would get complex?
EDIT to add: And having looked at that useful link from Judge Jack it becomes clear that even getting the floppies will mean needing to get a number of the trades anyway. Which kinda boxes off the decision.
Colin, if you was to buy the newer trades, then you wouldnt need to buy a great deal else as they collect literally everything, barring, of course, the three new stories from last years relaunched DHP's.
In fact, these trades contain some Concrete material that you cant get anywere else.
Though i dont own any of these myself - im strictly floppies when it comes to Concrete, i do own those large "2000ad" style reprint collections that Tordel refers to. And very lovely they are too.
Had a look on E-Bay earlier, and whats on the UK site is a bit pricey for some reason, but believe me, you can pick up most Concrete stuff for peanuts really. Guess its down to waiting and pouncing on the bargains.
Tell you what Colin, I'll try to get some photos together of the four of the dinky trades that I have - they are quite handsome, if I hadn't started into Concrete before they came out I'd probably have got all seven myself.
Thanks for the offer but to be honest I'm sold. The size isn't too much smaller than the floppies and the same size as my Complete Bone (what, what???) and the Black and White Zot! which we have in the library I work in and so I had a nosey at and decided it wasn't a bad package at all and I love me Zot! floppies. I did a dry run order on Book Dep (I do this a lot, load them into the cart then try to ignore them until the next day. If I still want them then I know I want them. I've been inching all day so I know I'll get them) and they come to just over £50 which for the amount of comics included is really good.
The frustrating thing is the floppies are dirt cheap in the US 'Mycomicshop' has all the series at silly cheap prices. Postage gets in the way and I know, much as I love my floppies, I'd be irritated that for a little less and could have the whole kit and caboodle.
Looking back though its amazing that you can do this. Concrete was one of any number of black and white independents that I enjoyed when I first collected in the late 80s early 90s but continually struggled to get hold of, especially if you didn't get in at the get go. Some I kept going with, others, like Concrete I didn't see enough of to really get going on, some I tried but gave up on 'cos you couldn't find enough. Hence my collection had say 7 Mr Monster books, 8 Megaton Mans, 6, Naughty bits, 7 Fish Police etc etc. These days on almost a whim I can get all of Concrete. Cos I'm lucky having a little extra cash is a big factor (I used to skip lunch at school to get as much comic money as possible) but so are the likes of Dave Sim, for all his modern madness, for really kicking the doors open...
... and on that tangent I will continue to try to resist pressing 'Checkout' until the morning.
For those of you interested, Dark Horse just solicited a floppy containing the brand new Concrete stories that Chadwick did for the latest incarnation of Dark Horse Presents:
CONCRETE: THREE UNEASY PIECES
Paul Chadwick (W/A/Cover)
On sale July 18
FC, 24 pages
$2.99
One-shot
One of the medium's all-time greats is back in this collection of Concrete stories from the relaunched Dark Horse Presents! In three new adventures, the most human of heroes intervenes in a burglary that turns out to be much more, investigates a possible sighting of the aliens who gave him his rocky body, and develops an alternative to the Taser: himself. This issue strikes the perfect balance of inviting stories for new readers and character development for longtime fans!
• Collecting the Concrete stories from Dark Horse Presents #1–#3!
• Great jumping on point for new readers!
For those looking to grab some really cheap Concrete comics, the original first ten issues are on E-Bay now -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CONCRETE-ISSUES-1-10-1ST-PRINT-PAUL-CHADWICK?item=261004651348
(http://i.imgur.com/3mMvR.jpg)
Seller states there all first prints, and in good condition, and for a combined price of just over a tenner (at the moment...), you really cant go wrong. Only just over a day left on these though, so look lively people!
Still no sign of the long promised new series, but found this rather nifty Motion Comic (http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/949/concrete-motion-comic).
AND Necroposting is on... cos that's what a two year reading list does to ya.
Anyway finished reading the first four Dark Horse volumes of Concrete over the last week or so with a lot of public transport with one thing or another and have to say they are simply superb. Quite brilliant comics. Often people talk about the deconstruction of the superhero. Or other titles presenting a realistic vision of people with superpowers and frankly I'm hard pressed to think of any that have done it was well as Concrete.
Its a wonderfully written, beautifully observed, reflection on what might occur if Ben Grimm (he is The Thing right - physically at least) was a different man in a more sober world. Its beautifully mundane. The challenges he faces so often more to do with internal struggle not outer shells. The series has a fantastic supporting cast that helps earth things and cast light upon the series eponymous star. There are times when I stopped and pondered the stoic nature of Ron, though the characterisation is strong enough throughout that I conclude this is more to do with the love of the superhero genre and the marks its left on me. Concrete is not the story of a superhero mind, its more an autobiography and a study of human nature and self doubt, regardless of how bound it is by apparent strength, be it physical or sexual - in the case of Larry.
All that before I even touch the art, the oh so glorious art. One of Concrete's 'powers' is the ability to see with incredible accuracy regardless of light and distance. This could be said to use Concrete's ability to see detail in beauty in the world as a sobering force to counter his grim harsh external shell. It reflects some of the environment tones the strip has... but lets be honest its surely there to showcase and show off how fuckin' glorious Paul Chadwick's art is! Just stunning.
I've recently read Matt Wagner's Grendel and adored that. This is just as good, if not better. Simply the best comics. Can't wait until next month(ish) when I'll read the final three volumes.
Heh, knew you'd like 'em! And for all the right reasons too.
Yeah it was a safe bet.
Meant to say as well reading it in these collections really works as well. Okay so at times there's moments of frustration that you know the art would just sing if presented in a larger format but that aside it really adds to the experience. Typically each volume contains longer story in chronological order surrounded by vignettes from whenever in the tale and it really works. It makes it read as a series of memoires, a strong central narrative which spins off into associated memories and reflections.
The art, while it fluctuates, mainly in the inking remains largely consistent as to not affect the reading.
Great stuff Colin. Glad you had a blast reading these!
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 02 June, 2014, 10:09:19 PM
Can't wait until next month(ish) when I'll read the final three volumes.
I've not got these new-ish collections, but assuming you're reading them in order, then you have some mighty Concrete goodness yet to read - 'Killer Smile', 'Strange Amour', and my personal favourite 'Think Like a Mountain'.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 02 June, 2014, 10:09:19 PM
AND Necroposting is on... cos that's what a two year reading list does to ya.
Yes, reading lists can become never ending at times (Which reminds me, I must crack on, as well!), but if you need to gorge out on Chadwick some more, then his non-Concrete comic's - 'The World Below' is pretty good. Shame it only lasted two series - http://www.weisshahn.de/concrete/world2.htm
'Killer Smile' was the 'led' in volume 4 and was quite chilling in that mundane earthed way Paul Chadwick has mastered in Concrete.
QuoteYes, reading lists can become never ending at times (Which reminds me, I must crack on, as well!), but if you need to gorge out on Chadwick some more, then his non-Concrete comic's - 'The World Below' is pretty good. Shame it only lasted two series - http://www.weisshahn.de/concrete/world2.htm
Thanks for the heads up on that - will defo check it out. Thanks for getting me onto Concrete. It might not have been you who started this thread but it was certainly your contribution that put me in mind of digging out what I had, which led me to buying the rest.
You'd think I have the good grace to at least finish the final 3 volumes of the Concrete collections before wading in on here again wouldn't you, however I've just finished 'Strange Armour' (I added the 'u' though I had no right to!) and I'm fair bursting with opinion and thoughts and have nowhere else to splurge them out, except as a well intended, but mis-aimed (no doubt) poorly executed (even less doubt) missive to you lot... or at least the tiny subset of you lot who intersect the two subsets of you lot
a) you lot who can be arsed to wade through my typos to get to my meaning
b) you lot who read Concrete.
Ya niche, but I loves ya.
Anyway I've whittered on enough already so to my point.
I really enjoyed 'Strange Armour' which retells the 'Crete's (I feel we know each other well enough by now) origin but... well its my least favourite of the stories to date. Now I promise you this is not about the fact that it changes stuff. This is not some continuity whine about 'well if this still happened, did this still happen?'. I don't care if 'Moosehead' still happened. I love the 'Moosehead' story and I still have that so whenever I read it, it still happened. Also please note when I say its my least favourite Concrete story, that still makes it better than 98.76% of all comics out there (using the oft quoted 'Colin Taylor havin' read random number scale') it has moments of complete genius. I like that Michael [spoiler]gets kills[/spoiler] (do I really need to spoiler tag... well okay then... ) that makes sense. As much as possible its clear that Paul Chadwick wants to box off and put away the whole alien origin thing and so as far as he can he does just that and [spoiler]killing[/spoiler] Michael and thus removing that part of the story, or perceived potential stories, makes perfect sense. I love the epiphany Concrete has in the way to his ex-wife's - its done really well... except did it really have to be something as cliche as seeing the bloke in the wheelchair... the club-fisted [spoiler]someone one worse off than me makes me see sense...[/spoiler]
and that is at the root of my whole problem with the story. I'm not sure its as effective as the original origin... or maybe it loses as much as it adds and thus becomes to me at least pointless. It becomes heavy handed at times. More importantly it becomes like some Hollywood 'credible' movie. All action is justified feels 'realist'... well as realistic as anything that involved a giant stone man, and makes sense but it feels like its playing to the crowd a little and the whole thing is conclusion, all explanation and fitting things together so that we leave the cinema with a complete picture.
I loved the questions that the first 'origin' left me. The things I had to work out to make sense of how Ron become Concrete. What ticked in his head, how it all worked. I didn't get it feed to me. I sat, read and worked out a conclusion that made sense to me. With the pieces I had.
The worst of this is the action set piece too. I mean really. The last couple of chapters are not the mundane Concrete I know and love. It was like this high tempo set piece. It was NOT mundane. As has been said here before Concrete is at its best when its mundane, or at least appears to be. 'Think like a Mountain' is a perfect example. The conclusion to that is incredibly dramatic, its heart wrenching but it works as it feels so real and grounded. The big punch isn't the gun shot but the statement made by the shootist in reaction. That Chadwick makes us empathise with that very reaction too is testament to his incredible human writing. The heart rending action that leads to that feels almost incidental, we skip over it to get to what it means.
So yeah in 'Strange Armour' we have this big flash bang set piece - fine. In that though we have Maureen [spoiler]become a killer[/spoiler] and thus we have a reason for her to be so bonded to Concrete... did we need that... can this be wiped away with 'We've never talked about it since, maybe we should'. It was too convenient and felt too unnecessary. I never doubted her relationship with our led, it worked. It didn't need re-enforcing.
So yeah 'Strange Armour' is very much the strange beast. I almost love that its there. I mean if 'Concrete' at its worst is this good and makes me think and appreciate the whole piece all the more and examine why I have quibbled with it - it simply underlines how fuckin' great this series is.
(some of) the best comics ever.
Such an intriguing series. Certainly on my shortlist of titles to chase up.
A great post Colin, and a very intersting one. Dealing with a subject ive often pondered...
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 29 July, 2014, 09:58:23 PM
I'm not sure its as effective as the original origin... or maybe it loses as much as it adds and thus becomes to me at least pointless. It becomes heavy handed at times. More importantly it becomes like some Hollywood 'credible' movie. All action is justified feels 'realist'... well as realistic as anything that involved a giant stone man, and makes sense but it feels like its playing to the crowd a little and the whole thing is conclusion, all explanation and fitting things together so that we leave the cinema with a complete picture.
And with that quote, i think you have, unwittingly, stumbled across the answer. But more on that later...
For the longest time, both
Killer Smile, and the origin re-telling
Strange Armou
r was the 'Crete tales that had satisfied the least, and were the ones i seldom returned to.
Now, Concrete comics don't sell in their millions, and no business is a charity, so I've often wondered if there had been some kind of pressure to 'sex things up a bit' from time to time?
(Killer Smile was the first tale released after joining the (big news -at the time)
Legend imprint - which was the purpose built home for comic big hitters such as; Miller, Byrne, Mignola, Gibbons, etc. As for Strange Amour; An origin tale, or even a re-telling, always gets interest, and can be used to draw people back...)
Then a while back, i found the screenplay - that id never read before, that Paul had worked on for a possible movie of Concrete.
Of course it didn't get anywhere - The script went through
many drafts, Bill Murray was interested - at one point, and they was still kinda working on it until the early
2000's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=157fySLY-O8)
The script i have is dated 1991 (I think, ill have to dig it out...), and it is 100% the 'Strange Armour' tale, which - from memory, came out around '98?
So, Strange Armour is the Concrete movie that we never got.
(And contains all that is good, and bad, about movies. I still think that the request from on high to 'sex things up' also applies - to a degree, with the comics).
But as you so correctly point out, there is still much to enjoy in these tales, even if they aren't
quite the Concrete we know and love.
In fact, re-reading these tales, it has reacquainted me with some of my favourite moments in Concrete. Check out those last two pages of Strange Armour, for example...
So its very much 'my bad' for relegating them for so long.
To before I was firing a gun loaded and handed to me gun as he (Paul Chadwick) does mention in the introduction to the book that its based on the changes to his origin he made for the movie script he'd done.
As said here I've recently read Grendel's complete ongoing for the first time, I've just finished Concrete and I'm currently reading the second Nexus Omnibus before heading into a Flaming Carrot re-read. I don't think its nostalgia speaking when I say however good Image and other Indie's are these days, the books being produced seem more driven to find an audience than these masterpieces. You can't blame folk for that and they are certainly making some good comics in the process BUT they really don't stand up do they... do they?
What do we want? FLAMING CARROT OMNIBUSES!!!! When do we want them? As soon as possible please.
Oh what a necro but I KNEW we had a Concrete thread and loo and behold. Alas I've not seen Spikes around here for a good while and he and Tordelback - who we of course are lucky enough still to have - are what I consider our Concrete experts ANYWAY.
I've started a re-read and that's inspired me to track down the original comics as a treat - I've not collected a series for a while and since I've now completed the boy childs* Phoenix collection (yes,yes it is for him not me... it is...) I've decided these are next. I love my little collected editions and they are a great way to read these comics but the size does frustrate me a little given how precise and exquistite the art so I think originals - and the over-sized shorts collections it is for me and then I'll see what odds and sods to pick up around the sides of these.
Oh and the comics - well I'd forgotten that I'd just read Grendel when I first read these and the same is true and having read the first volume - Depths - I have to say Concrete is just as good. Its truly is wonderful stuff. Just read this thread as not to add to this - though I suspect I will be back to woffle some more cos I help myself.
As an aside and related to the latter posts here I'm just catching up with Nexus too as it happens... funny how these things come togethers and yes indie comics of the 80s are the best comics - that's now a FACT - see I used capitals so it must be true!
Pardon the pun but concrete f@@king rocks !
Enjoy, so good & really works well in b/w
I grabbed some back issues off eBay to read a few months ago
👍👍 🪨
So the original comics continue to drop in and of course they too create more frustration. I love the bigger size, I ADORE the back matter, adverts etc. which I always love in comics as it places the stories in the context of their time and place. And I'm sure I'll love the letters pages BUT there are problems.
The paper isn't as good, certainly in the original series and so the art while bigger, in some cases doesn't ping off the page as in the smaller collected volumes. When colour starts to come in its not that great. I appreciate that the colour in the Colour Special for example is by Elizabeth Chadwick (Paul's wife I believe... on a side note is she the successful novelist?) and so they will have worked closely but I don't think its a brilliant job and certainly isn't helped by the paper and in many ways I prefer the art in black and white.
Then on top of that there's the issue that I now own some of the stories in three formats. Original comics, square bound original collections (these are nice I have to say) and smaller collected volumes - each of which has its own virtues! That's not healthy though, all it makes me want to do is painstakingly example the different versions for differences!
Today the first Collected Short Stories hardcover landed and this is the perfect collection. The art is perfectly reproduced on high quality, over-sized paper which really makes the art sing. The second of these is proving a challenge to get hold of, but I've not been looking for long so I'll continue my hunt.
I wish we could get a series like the Dark Horse collections in a similar format to the Collected Shorts, that would be perfect.... and in later volumes we could get a choice of colour black and white versions... I could get both then! Now that's a Kickstarter I could get behind 100%!
Oh and they remain works of genius, absolute genius!