Is it THE ART or THE STORY?

What's weird is, when I pick up the latest issue of RS, I always flip inside to check the artwork. If it's good stuff...and it is, often, good stuff...I can't wait to read the issue.

While I remember specific images for some reason -- the Red Sonja in chains/Doom of the Gods #4 cover is a happy place for me -- the storyline is the thing that makes me read an issue over again.

Since it's a little slow on the boards, I ask you: Which is more important to you? The art or the story?

[Mendoza]

Story always trumps art for me.

I dont care if its fugley as sin, if the story is good ill read it.

On the other hand the art can be great, mabey some of the best there is around, but if the story is assinine im more then likely to skip it.

[ezwind72]

I think I prefer the story to be great over the art. However, great art can make a sub par plot that much better. I've bought comics on both merits and the only ones I ever re-read are the ones with great stories.

[estee]

Story is always the most important thing.

Good art can't raise a bad story.

But a great story can lift terrible art.

[Red Bryan]

For me it is the character before the story and the art. As it is in all of the ongoings I subscribe. Red Sonja in particular I followed through all her DE titles, despite the fact, that there have been some stories that would not last in my bookshelf if not for the character (as Qotfw or the sequel to RS vs TD). Other ongoings have strange artists, but I have to buy them because of the character (Spidey had bad, bad art along the way, so had the X-Men).

In Graphic Novels the story is most important for me. And in a very few examples I buy comics only because of the artist.

[ezwind72]

For me it is the character before the story and the art.

I used to feel this way and then OMD/BND happened in Amazing Spider-Man. The character that got me into comics is no longer on my pull list.

[Red Bryan]

Ooooh yes. OMD/BND is much of a challenge. But: one could never sell a story such as OMD/BND, if not with a character like Spidey on the cover. Ooops, they did it with Sonja, too... Seems as if this works with several characters. Whatever... I don't buy Marvel titles anymore since the Secret Invasion debacle. But I did for most of my life before all through the 90ies, despite darkest hours of art and story telling, because I loved the characters. So there is an end for loving characters.

[Warhammer3025]

Heh, thread arise from the dead, ARISE!

I initially got into Red Sonja solely because of the art and the fact i'm reading the adventures of a hot scantily clad redhead chopping folks up. Although funnily enough as the current storyline got weirder/dumber (IMO) i lost interest, despite the art being pretty much same top notch smoking hot heroine kicking ass.

For some odd reason, despite my initial predilection in NOT wanting to read Conan (i mean c'mon, he's a big hairy brute chopping folks up, if i wanna see folks get chopped up i'd rather watch a hot chick do it), i eventually got totally hooked on him due to well written stories. Back during his Dark Horse days i remember my most favorite issue wasnt about Conan himself, but a short story about his helm and how it got passed from person to person. That to me was the TRUE Hyborean Age at how life was nasty, brutish, and short (man i felt bad for that kid).

The latest arc on Red Sonja just didnt jive with how i want to view that world, so i guess i lost interest. Conan as vagabond turned general turned king, hasnt been too bad, so maybe the Queen Sonja thing will turn out well. I know i'll be giving it a chance for a coupla issues, so here's hoping *crosses fingers*

[Olde Sonja Fan]

For me, the story definitely comes first and foremost. It is the whole reason for reading fiction, to encounter a story that grabs you in some way, draws you in, and keeps you coming back for more - whether to re-read that particular one, or additional stories about that character if there are any. This is true whether we are dealing with regualr novels and stories or comics.

I was never a real Conan fan - Marvel days or now, but did read many stories, and there was not a clunker in the lot. While I liked some better than others, the writing was always good. Usually the art was on a par with the writing, which really addded to the enjoyment. Sometimes the art was terrible - in one case you could not tell who was who, including Conan - but the story carried me through to the end. The same goes for any other comic. The writing, if good, gets and keeps the readers. The art is the icing on the cake.

[Warhammer3025]

I hate to say this, but if the writing direction continues, the only reason i'll be buying Red Sonja is just cuz of the kickass art. The latest storyline had me cringing.

[Raymar3d]

For me, story is king, art is queen and a good pairing is a happy thing. But story is first. I'd rather read a good novel with one piece of good art on the cover than to read a comic with incredible artwork and a story that would fit on one page in prose. I like comics that have 32 pages of story with great art to show it.

Face it, comics aren't cheap and you get about 15 minutes of entertainment out of them. Pack it in and give us the most for the money. Don't tell a 32 page story in 5 comics.

I personally would be happier to see direct to graphic novel publication than comics anyhow. That might just be me, but I like to pull a book off the shelf not out of a box.

All that said, I LOVE the artwork in Red Sonja. Don't slouch on it just because we want more story. Just step up and deliver more story along with it. It hasn't been bad, but it is often such a fast read that I am left too wanting at the end and that's not a great place to be. The Battlestar stories have had a lot more oomph to them and are a little better balance.

Most of what I'm referring to are the stories told in art form that a lot of Savage Tales did. A little too grusome and not enough story. I'm not that keen on seeing severed limbs and bodies. I'd rather see them in silhoette or shadow and the crows and vultures to indicate it and have a little more story frames instead of multiple frames of devastation and not a lot of thoughts/plot.

Ken

[Olde Sonja Fan]

Heartily agree with both you gents.

Here is a challenge for old D/E. There are 5 Red Sonja novels that have not yet been rendered graphicaly, Marvel having done "The Ring of Ikribu" some years back in Savage Sword. How about getting the rights, and start doing the novels? Of course, that would mean getting someone who actually knows how to write, as well as adapt books to the graphic medium. I suggest contacting the master. Roy Thomas. He knows and loves Red, did some great work on her in the past, and more recently has done a superb job on "Treasure Island" and "The Last of the Mohegans".

[maghik]

I'd have to say it's all about the story for me. I'm sure the art will be top notch but I'm most looking forward to reading about Sonjas rise to power in the new Queen Sonja book.

[Raymar3d]

I will say this. Sonja was exceptionally good prior to her reimagining/reincarnation. She was very in-character and the stories seemed to flow very much like they should. The revamp wasn't necessary for me to like the character. I liked her as she was.

Despite that, I think you managed to make her reborn version interesting and I'm sticking around. IF you manage to keep telling good stories and don't stray more than you have. Keep her in Hyboria. I want to see the same world where Conan roams and I would like to see a crossover someday, perhaps with Dark Horse in a King Conan story. That would be fantastic. Not required, but it would be fantastic.

I earlier mentioned that Battlestar was better written in some respects. However, do not include the recent Galactica 1980 in that assessment as I would say it fairly well has trashed it for me in the first 2 issues. Maybe it is a simulation or a dream, but it seems far more likely to be a series of bad decisions instead. But enough about BSG other than to say you can make or break a series very easily and it is a lot harder to fix something that is messed up than to avoid messing it up in the first place.

If you are going to tamper with something, either do it well and keep it within reason, or don't do it. Once you cross a threshold of too much change, you can't go back and undo it. And if you can, what was the point?

Just tell good and interesting tales and keep the art quality up and stay TRUE to the characters and their cores or you will not succeed.

My 2 cents. I want to see you succeed, after all, I am a reader and a fan. That's the whole point of posting feedback for you.

Ken

[Olde Sonja Fan]

Totally agree with you. They need to have the new Sonja stories in harmony with her core character, in her proper setting. Red needs to be Red, recognizably so, and not merely by her outfit. They did some serious straying and tampering in the main series, so much so there were times it seemed like she was plopped into a totally different world than Hyboria, times I wondered if it was really Red I was reading about when they had her do things the real Red Sonja would never even think of. Now they are in a new series, and I hope they get back to basics - and stay there, consistently do good and proper writing with solid stories, and keep the art up.