tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816075755902555378.post5641951562517832077..comments2024-03-22T05:09:57.169+00:00Comments on Cloud 109: Batman Archives and the Arbitrary Nature of Comics RestorationPeter Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15566601617123798061noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816075755902555378.post-90764465780383400002011-04-24T10:08:27.614+01:002011-04-24T10:08:27.614+01:00Personally I prefer the B&W reproduction of DC...Personally I prefer the B&W reproduction of DC Showcase and Marvel's Essentials series to these would-be Archives as they do at least preserve the original art pretty faithfully (apart from DC's Silver Age covers which, for some inexplicable reason, were never photographed along with the interior pages!). With earlier work it's ironic that US publishers are now driven to scouring the world for old British and Australian reprints where there is no colour to interfere with the restoration process. Of course, it has to be remembered that American comic-book artwork was usually inked with relatively broad strokes in the knowledge that extra depth would be added at a later date during the colouring process - unlike the majority of original B&W art produced for the British market which tends to have a more complete look as a result.<br /><br />Given the choice I'd nearly always opt for archive editions which photographically reproduce original printed pages as closely as possible - Ben Day dots and all - in the manner of the Smithsonian collections or the Simon & Kirby material you mention. <br /><br />Inevitably, however, there is a natural temptation to apply modern colouring techniques to Jack Kirby's classic 'Tales of Asgard' stories, Steranko's SHIELD and Barry Smith's Conan pages - almost like a child with a brand new colouring box. The problem is that, while it *is* possible to enhance old work in this way, few people seem to have the restraint needed not to swamp the underlying art with unnecessary decoration.Phil Rushtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11115717268103349676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816075755902555378.post-66442190773830893522011-04-24T08:02:02.160+01:002011-04-24T08:02:02.160+01:00Thanks for the insight Kid, I didn't know abou...Thanks for the insight Kid, I didn't know about the Millenium Edition but I can see I'm going to have to check it out. The early DC Archives utilized the services of Greg Theakston as their means of sourcing black and white line art from these old comics, using that process which sends a shudder of horror through comic collectors - "Theakstonization". A process that literally bleached the color out of the pages -bearing in mind that when Superman Archives was published in 1989, even Photoshop was still in development and wasn't commercially available.<br /><br />Which is why I suppose that they opted to run that redrawn Batman origin.<br /><br />But then why did they also include the redrawn debut of Alfred the butler from Batman No. 16, bearing in mind that when that volume of Dark Knight Archives was being assembled, they were utilizing Photoshop rather than bleach for all their books?<br /><br />There's probably another and better sourcing of that story somewhere in DC's vast canon of reprinted material.Peter Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15566601617123798061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816075755902555378.post-44242034906540932732011-04-24T01:02:00.391+01:002011-04-24T01:02:00.391+01:00When the Archive Editions first reprinted DETECTIV...When the Archive Editions first reprinted DETECTIVE COMICS #27, they used an inferior redrawn one from a '60s issue of the same title. (It was also utilised in the "From the '30s to the '70s" BATMAN volume.) Interestingly, the Millenium Edition reprint of DC #27 seemed to use original proofs, as it was a much more faithful presentation.Kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07224781868125924337noreply@blogger.com