tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454708865321742269.post6048912328166290434..comments2023-12-31T09:12:05.966-08:00Comments on Dustin Weaver: Entry 238: Blast From The Past- Part 15Dustin Weaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15512082139375843377noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454708865321742269.post-59699418454015779992014-06-09T16:58:25.152-07:002014-06-09T16:58:25.152-07:00Thanks for the comment. I think you're right a...Thanks for the comment. I think you're right about everything you've said here. As my friend through all of this, your perspective on my experience probably has more clarity than mine. <br />I think I was super lucky to have this experience. And you're right, that tradition is already fading. Dustin Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15512082139375843377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454708865321742269.post-67331345566473821802014-06-04T18:18:46.463-07:002014-06-04T18:18:46.463-07:00This is a fascinating post. I think you were in a ...This is a fascinating post. I think you were in a difficult position when you were interning at Wildstorm because Jim Lee really was your hero so you were incredibly susceptible to his opinion. On the other hand, I think even at that time you were already moving in a much different direction. I think your overall view of comics doesn't really fit into the "Wildstorm" mold. That's part of what's so fascinating about this. I think Jim Lee really is a genius- everything you're describing only confirms that. He really had a vision of what comics were to him. It's why he's the famous comic book star that he is. Unfortunately, his vision is a bit... limited. It's all about creating a very specific kind of "dynamic" comic- and there's ALOT that falls well outside that vision. If you look at the artists that became stars under Jim Lee, they all follow in the Jim Lee tradition. It's a tradition that goes back to guys like Neal Adams and John Buscema. I don't think you're that kind of artist. You were still articulating your voice at the time, and as you point out, Jim had years of experience over you making very different kind of comics than the ones you aspire to today. I don't think you were in a good position to assert your vision, but I do think it's latent in these drawings. There's a sensitivity to world building and story telling that doesn't necessarily rely on the "dynamic" crutch of mainstream comics. "Dynamic" has it's place, but there are other approaches. I don't think Jim might have been sensitive to those things in your work- he was pushing for something else. Anyways, I think you were very fortunate <br />to work under a legend like Jim Lee- I'm sure it only pushed you to be even better and it gave you a taste of a comics tradition that's already fading away. You got to be a part of comic book history.D.J. Bryanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07980899344166620052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454708865321742269.post-86046650512927404732014-06-03T23:49:43.236-07:002014-06-03T23:49:43.236-07:00Thanks for the comment, Rhandy.
Yeah, visiting Hom...Thanks for the comment, Rhandy.<br />Yeah, visiting Homage was a big deal to me when I was young and it's what made me want to be a comic book artist. Getting an internship at Wildstorm really felt like it's what i had been working towards. I was kind of broken hearted when my internship ended and I felt like I was right back where I started. I really wanted to work for Wildstorm… But, this isn't the last of me trying to get work from Wildstorm. There is a lot more.<br />About Jim's critiques-- most of the time it was about wanting my to be more loos and dynamic. During my internship, the only time I remember him saying something nice about my work was for the sketchy Lobo/Ladytron pages I posted a few BFTP entries ago. There was something in there he liked. <br />Here was what it was like-- When you get reviews on your work, if you read those reviews or comments, the bad ones are always the ones you focus on. It takes like 5 good comments to equal 1 bad one. Now imagine that you only get bad comments, and they are coming from your hero, and they are right… Most of it was constructive. I learned a lot. But, maybe he didn't know how much his opinion mattered to me, but I thought he thought I sucked. He once said, looking at something I had just drawn, that I thought was good "I guess you'll get worse before you get better." It was stuff like that that made me start to wonder if I was cut out for drawing comics. It was a horrible feeling.<br />All that said, I think about the stuff he showed me all the time. When he would show me a better way to draw a shot, it all had a big impact on me. <br />I guess it isn't a question of constructive vs. destructive but rather when to be encouraging. Dustin Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15512082139375843377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454708865321742269.post-9567951231793024982014-06-03T17:03:41.657-07:002014-06-03T17:03:41.657-07:00Man this is a great entry Dustin. I guess I'm ...Man this is a great entry Dustin. I guess I'm also confused on his comments..were the critiques centered around story telling and pacing rather than technical execution? Because seriously I think you nailed alot of the design elements. Imo, Criticism can be destructive or constructive and the timing of when it's given is key as well. I'd prefer to hear the constuctive stuff right early in the process..at least it gives me a chance to keep building and building and improving. <br />Also- I remember you mentioning visiting Homage Studios was a big experience for you in leading you into comicbooks..i wonder how the Wildstorm experience affected your view?<br />Looking forward to the next BFTP entry.Rhandy Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02046474464528538178noreply@blogger.com