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Topic: kabuki: the alchemy #1, what did you guys think!< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
dookula Online




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Posted: July 24 2004,05:44

my first kabuki issue, i bought it, read it, felt impressed at parts and had doubts at others. but overall it was definitely interesting and a cool experience.

i liked how the style was so obviously different, but perfect in the telling or articulating the ideas of discovery and the search of a new identity. it was a real visual poem which was good.

but too much visual poetry is kind of boring also, and i don't know whether this style and content can be sustained over i don't know, six? or more issues. just a concern, but otherwise, good stuff, can't wait to see more.


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Kamakazi-Bova Offline




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Posted: July 24 2004,10:09

ive only tried kabuki once before and i liked it enough to get this. i agree that his style is different and that it gets boring at some time. the art is beautiful though. sometimes its also too poetic and i have to re-read some pages to get all the facts through on the first read. but anyway, i think i will stick around for a few more issues and see how it plays out,.

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Fredy2k3 Offline




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Posted: July 24 2004,11:55

great issue one, i'm waiting for the next one
i take the amazing cover drawn by Maleev, ouaaaaaaaah!

it's Maleev Month : DD #62 Cov & art, Silver Surfer #11 Cov & this one.

miaaaaaaaaaaaaam


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mnemo Offline




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Posted: July 24 2004,19:18

I can totally understand what you're saying, Dook.  I haven't read the new issue yet, because Kabuki is one of those comics that's best read straight through without waiting bi-monthly for the next chapter-- I usually wait until I have at least 4 issues in hand before beginning to read the arc-- but I do know what you mean because I've read all the past Kabuki books.

As the Kabuki series was released through the years, many of the arcs had their own unique flavor while still being very poetic at the same time. The first series, Circle of Blood, was done in black and white pencils and inks and had lots of action to break up the drama. The Masks of The Noh focused on various characters done in black and white by various artists. Dreams, Skin Deep, and Metamorphosis were done in color using a mixed media/collage art style (pencils, inks, paints, digital enhancements,etc.) and were much more deeper and introspective with each series. While the last series, Scarab, was done in a slick black and white manga style by Rick Mays. I was hoping that The Alchemy would be another step in the evolution of Kabuki with a newer artistic style, but I think Mack has grown comfortable with his mixed media/collage approach and may sustain that style for a while longer. It would be cool to see Mack do a Kabuki comic in traditional pencils and inks again, but in color this time.

I do at least hope that Mack will bring back a little more of the action quotient that was lacking in most of the later Kabuki stories. I love the beauty of his poetic prose, and the deep intelligence that goes into each story, but once in a while it's great to have an action sequence to give some contrast. Plus, I really like all the heavy emotional and philosophical stuff, but I'd like to see a little more darkness and some of the disturbing and suspenseful elements that helped shape the series in the beginning.


Mack, if you're reading this, can you comment on it? Thanks.

-Mnemo


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dookula Online




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Posted: July 25 2004,02:56

issue one feels like sneaking a peek into your 16 year old sister's diary. which is equal parts good and bad.

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mnemo Offline




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Posted: July 25 2004,19:05

Okay, I couldn't resist and I didn't feel like waiting much longer for my Kabuki fix, so I broke down and read the new issue anyway.

And, just like all of the other Kabuki books, this is exquisite work. Beautiful in every way. This is art and writing of the highest form.

I know that Mack has said that this is a new start and can easily be read without having read any of the previous Kabuki stories, but if you enjoyed this issue at all, I urge you to go back and read the series from the very beginning.  If you do that, you'll have a greater appreciation for everything that's happening in this new series and you'll like it so much more. I love this book.


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David Mack Offline




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Posted: July 27 2004,05:19

Hey friends,
Thanks for picking it up, and for the feedback!

Mnemo, I appreciate how you mentioned that each Kabuki volume has it's own unique style and pacing.  Each one builds upon the previous but also boldly contrasts the previous art and writng styles and pacing styles while evolving it.

This one will be doing that, but in its own way.  Part of the structure of it is that I wanted to begin it with a look that was a bit recognizable and accessable to new and longtime readers, and then strikingly contrast that with a new art look in the story as the character and changes and the story rounds certain corners.

And each issue will contrast the other in its pacing and structure as well.  This issue was Kabuki's internal POV as she externally gets from point A to point B.   I wanted to give new readers a sense of where she was coming from emotionally without re-capping actual events.  So I tried to give the Psycholigical sense of it through the  metaphors of her own thought process rather than spelling out previous details.

Whereas in issue # 2 there is almost no internal monologue captions, but entirely external interaction with another character.

And each of the issues will take her (and you) in a new place with other characters and a different and varying look, pace, rythm and structure.
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mnemo Offline




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Posted: July 27 2004,19:55

AWESOME!  That sounds great!  

I can't wait for the next issue!

Thanks for the response, Mack.  :)


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groble Online




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Posted: July 27 2004,19:58

picked this one upon, and when i started to read it i was utterly confused, but slowly got into it and found it really interesting. i don't know if i could read something like this all the time but i will definatly be picking up the next issue to find out what happens to tatoo face  :D

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8 replies since July 24 2004,05:44 < Next Oldest | Next Newest >

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