War Of The Worlds
Classics Illustrated:[1]The War Of The Worlds
Classic Comics Store Ltd
52pp
colour
£2.99 UK
Initially,the cover reminded me of certain old Indian publishers titles -probably where they got the idea! And my other thought was “brilliant”. In retrospect I should have picked up the childrens Snow White And The Seven Dwarves because the colour was much more subtle.
In fact,if I have to,I would say that the colour sucked big time. It was just awful. It looked as though someone had used the IGrafix programme on their computer and did a basic colour job. That might have succeeded and been passable. But,no,it just couldn’t be left at that. The old novice ‘good idea’ of adding splodges of line or pools of colour to give what they must have thought would give toning was used.. It didn’t. It looks a mess.
And what hammers home the problem is that four people worked on the colouring so it goes from “hmm,not really that awful” to “Yugh!” in a page.
I’d also suggest that the people at Classical Comics Store [thankfully nothing to do with the superb Classical Comics] also visit the online Blambot site where they can download free speech/thought balloons because the very basic ones they used [hey,I learned from my mistake and so have others!] stick in your eye like a splinter of wood from an exploded tree.
And text? Well,uuugh. It was a chore -never ever use coloured caption boxes if you can help it. Awful. I’d also suggest that rather than using a font that really does not set the dialogue aside from captions and will at least look different,Comic Sans font be used. Only a prat with minimal brain capacity screeches on about “eugh! Comic Sans! Its awful! It needs obliteration!” My response to that? Go **** off.
I really,really,really hate being negative about a new comic from a new publisher,especially from the UK,but this title shows just “How Not To”.
I will pick up the Snow White book but for me TWOTW fades beside the work of D’Israeli on the Dark Horse books.
Buy a copy and see if you agree.
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5 Responses
I agree Terry. I saw a copy of this (War of the Worlds) in WH Smith last week and thought it was an eyesore. Doomed to failure.
Posted on October 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
And that in itself is so very,very sad. I saw a repro of the WOTW original colour cover and then looked at the new “enhanced” version. Original every time.
I’m hoping this drastic first issue means things will improve -PLEASE!
Posted on October 1st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
The main problem is that the updating looks so out of date. I mean, glitterball effects on the war machines? Looks like Invasion of the Disco Martians!
Posted on October 1st, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Thankfully,the Snow White book is far,far superior and shows how these books ought to be “digitally recoloured” -but those bloody awful wotd balloons still stick out like a sore thumb.
Posted on October 2nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I had seen a few Classics Illustrated remaindered stock in the bookstores here in India. I should say they aren’t worth for the collection, with their printing and coluring, etc.
They could have done a better job at it.
Posted on October 9th, 2008 at 5:16 am
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