Disney greenlights "The Muppet Show" comics

[beaker]

I love it, I like the wonky new style. Can't wait for em! What, first new Muppet comic books in 25 years?

 

[Baby Gonzo]

Personally, I love Langridge's style and the way he draws the Muppets. And truthfully, I would far rather read his comics than read a strictly on-model comic. I say that there is too much focus and pressure in both the comics and animation fields today to draw on-model and it often takes away the spark and life of a creation in my eyes.

In no way am I saying that I prefer comic Muppets to the real Muppets. But I am very open to seeing this different interpretation of the Muppets.

I actually ran into Langridge at a comic convention and saw a collection of some of the comics in mini-comic format. And I must say I enjoyed seeing the characters in such a different, fresh interpretation.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I saw the art on Muppet Newsflash, and I understand Gonzo with no eyes--he's blowing the heck outta that trumpet!

The changes Frogboy added agree with my vision of The Muppets. Bald Rowlf is too much--he needs that tuft of fur across his head. Darkening in Fozzie's pupils and adding his eyelids are a good plus for the character. Kermit--he's got to be more spot-on to work out better. He's the main Muppet of all!

I still think they look more like art design for a Nickelodeon animated series. Not that it would matter, I hard that Nickelodeon doesn't even look for quality programming unless there's gas or snot jokes throughout.

He has some really good versions of characters drawn, though, and I think the few characters we've picked out are the ones we all love most and they do need the art changes to be better. His stronger characters, to me, seem to be Piggy, Strangepork and Hogthrob.

 

[Baby Gonzo]

Hmm...Maybe its because I'm a sequential artist myself and I really support different artist's interpretations but I don't see where some of the negative reactions are coming from. It is different. Yes, there some rather bold stylistic choices, but I really feel like the collection that I read seemed to capture the sprint of the Muppet Show. I think that assuming that Langridge isn't a fan of the Muppets simply from the way he draws them is rather presumptuous. Just because an artist interprets something in their own style, that doesn't make them less of a fan. When I first read the comic, I was put off by Gonzo's design... But then I found the interpretation (especially of the beak) very interesting.

Personally, I applaud Disney (or whoever is in charge of this comic) for daring to go off model and experiment. Heck... This isn't likely to effect the Muppets as far as art direction. I'm just ecstatic that that we are getting a Muppet comic. And one with such a fun style. As I stated before, it is far too often that companies put so many limitations on their artists.

 

[frogboy4]

I have slept on it and let the elements sink in. I was very excited about this comic initially and with much of the art that many fans criticized. Again, Langridge's layout style is among some of the best I've seen. His character style and humor are unique and can work for the Muppets. Much of it already works very well while some of the preliminary art I've seen on this is quite unattractive.

The bothersome part for me is this - I still see some of these designs as an abuse of creative freedom that other artists fought hard to gain with the Muppets. Slight tweaks on a few of the key characters and a re-haul on Gonzo is mainly what this fan wants. Yes the picture featured here is small - the weirdo is even smaller and out of context but it reinforces his previous larger color designs that have popped up around the web.

Disney requiring Kermit edited out of Henson specials in order to strengthen the Muppet brand, Disney requiring unnecessary nose netting on Master Replicas Gonzo poser to insure product longevity and Henson not permitting Palisades to create a scrunched faced expression for a Kermit figure due to what they viewed as lack of context is the kind of heavy corporate control that hampers an artist.

Insuring that a drawing of Gonzo somehow resembles the character and has the correct number of fingers is not much to ask. I feel Langridge is trying to work against the grain on Gonzo's design (among a few other central characters). I think that his style can be injected into the existing form instead of eclipsing it. The very head shape is incorrect and actually an inverted form of what it should be.

I have seen many interpretations of the characters over the years from fans and professionals. Let me also admit to seeing some unsightly officially built poser images and character art sent to licensors over the years to be used as models of the characters. That seems to finally be rectified, but some of these comic extremes aren't going to help. I suppose it just irks me because someone finally gets the permission to do what they like and doesn't seem to honor that enough. I do feel that some of his designs can actually weaken the brand that is being rebuilt.

I'm still giving issue one a chance. I just hope to recognize enough of the characters I know and love - especially my favorite Gonzo. I don’t believe it to be nitpicky or asking too much for the artist to reign himself in a little bit. Creativity thrives on working within some level of constraint. I hope the best for this project.

 

[Drtooth]

Every time I try to draw Gonzo he turns into his baby Counterpart. But even then, it's much closer. he looks more like his Frackly original design here.

I think making it exclusive to one artist isn't a great idea... especially since it would be great for them to get different celebrity comic writers and artists behind this. I mean, at LEAST get a cover in by Alex Ross for one issue... he did such a marvelous job (no comic book pun intended) with the Super Grover lithograph.

 

[Baby Gonzo]

Yeah! It would be wonderful if they put together some sort of Muppet anthology.

 

[frogboy4]

I made contact with Mr. Langridge

To preface, there isn't any real information that needs to be kept private on this front, so I don't have much issue with posting this transaction. I wrote him with a cooler demeanor than my initial reaction - one that he could be referencing in his reply:

Hi James,

Thanks for writing, and I appreciate the courteous way you expressed your concerns - I have had other communications on this subject that were far less polite. (Tough crowd!)

Briefly, I'd just say a couple of things: the work I think you're talking about, the stories I originally did for Disney Adventures, were commissioned on the understanding that I interpret the characters in my own style. This was what was asked of me, and I did that to the best of my ability. At the time, they were running a Mickey and Goofy strip drawn in what I can only describe as an underground comix style - this was very popular and they were looking for more of the same. I didn't quite go that far, but I was encouraged to work in that general area. So that was that.

Boom Studios contacted me quite a while later, after Disney Adventures was cancelled. They liked the DA work and asked me if I'd be interested in doing more of the same for them. I'm still feeling my way with this new comic to a certain extent; Boom have also encouraged me to work in my own style and not to follow the character models slavishly, but I'm finding that the approach I'm settling into - after having drawn just one cover so far - is somewhere between the Disney Adventures approach and the more traditional designs. I'm probably not going to keep everybody happy, as I'm finding it necessary to keep a certain elasticity to the drawings that plainly isn't there in the actual puppets, because my job is to tell stories, and I have to compensate for the lack of the expressive vocal characterisations you get on screen with more expressive drawings. And, as I say, I'm trying things out to find out what works and what doesn't, and it's going to be a bit of a tightrope act for a while as I juggle the various demands a comic book format is going to place on the characters. And I'll probably fall off from time to time! For what it's worth, both Disney and Jim Lewis at Henson have scrutinised the stories I've submitted pretty thoroughly and offered their own input, and so far they seem prety happy. So I'm cautiously optimistic that I'm doing something right. But I'm always learning, and no doubt I've got plenty to learn here. I'm not so presumptuous as to think I have all the answers, and all I can do is try my best.

Thanks for writing, and I do appreciate the support, and the emotional involvement as well. I know a lot of people love these characters. I love 'em too.

Cheers,
Roger

I feel a little better, but mainly have concerns about Gonzo. It does seem like there could be a style evolution visible in even the first issue. We'll see. I must commend this artist for being so kind and swift in his response. He can't keep all of us fans happy, but he does appear to be keeping us in mind.

 

[Drtooth]

I feel a little better, but mainly have concerns about Gonzo. It does seem like there could be a style evolution visible in even the first issue. We'll see. I must commend this artist for being so kind and swift in his response. He can't keep all of us fans happy, but he does appear to be keeping us in mind.

That's exactly how I was feeling... other than misspelling "Wocka Wocka" that one time (and believe me, even some members here misspell it from time to time) and the Gonzo bit, I do like his style (however, I wanna see him do something of his own design as well). And I know EXACTLY the Mickey comics he was referring to... He's a lot more faithful to the Muppets than that guy was to Mickey, but you can tell there was an element of fun in those drawings. I really liked how his Goofy looked...

 

[dwayne1115]

You should invite him to Muppet Central! I think he would be a great addition to the family. I'm glad he has worked closely with Jim Lewis, that just means good things will come from this. I think really the main thing he was saying is that this is still a work in progress so things will keep changing and growing just like the Muppets have done for over 50 years.