Disney greenlights "The Muppet Show" comics

[peyjenk]

I don't know if they have officially said anything to that effect, but I was referring to the fact that the Muppet name is now Disney's and the Fraggles are still JHC's.

 

[Drtooth]

Um, but back to the comics...they aren't really thinking of redoing Robin Hood, are they? And I agree, that Fozzie in the comic looks awful! Guy and Brad's stuff looked great! (Scooter fist). Why doesn't Disney hire those guys? Or what's Frith doing these days? Why not him? Or Frith could teach someone to draw 'em.

Well, that's something I wonder. Would the Gilchrists be able to carry a full lengthed comic? They've done strips... and often times, that is a different experiance. Not saying they couldn't do it, though.

As for Frith... his stuff is amazing, but does it fit in as a comic book? He seems to have a classic style that would look beautiful in something like a Children's book... but would it work for comics?

I still say Marie Severin (if she's still about), the various artists that worked on the Muppet Magazine comics, and other various artists should be contacted. We shouldn't have just one guy, if they plan on future issues...

 

[frogboy4]

Mini-rant about the artist

As for Frith... his stuff is amazing, but does it fit in as a comic book? He seems to have a classic style that would look beautiful in something like a Children's book... but would it work for comics?

I agree that a sampling of different artists would make for a better comic. I see an opportunity for this to be a finer piece of art - maybe even graphic novel quality - rather than some cheesy doodles that only represent Fozzie Bear because the title says so. I didn't really mean Frith's artwork should be used or copied - just factored into bits of the creative process when studying the source material (Frith and the subsequent puppets). It appears this current guy hasn't done much homework. It just seems like remedial fan art to me that's more about the artist than about the Muppets.

I liked the style for tiny segments in the back of the now defunct Disney mag, but the Muppets deserve a true artist that researches the character origins and begins there when drawing them - that starts with Frith's drawings and puppet materials. Heck, the action figures have helped give maquette resources as to how more obscure characters like Deadly, Pops and Lips look below the waist. I can assure you every bit of source material available went into those decisions rather than with this guy and his "Wakka Wakka" weirdness.

You can't please all the fans, but you can respect and utilize the many resources already laid out. Much of that work has already been compiled by recent licensors and is accessible to such product artists through Disney. I find his approach to be careless thus far, but I'll give him a chance.

I liked some of the Muppet Magazine artists better than others. The Gilchrist comics too, but they appear rather 80s in style. I'm not certain it could carry a whole book either. I would like to see many genres of art represented - but they all must point to the source material better than this current dude's has so far. I think there's something afoot when the sample is released with a stock art puppet cover image rather than a drawing from the artist. We'll see. I'm still excited. Just less so.

 

[peyjenk]

Well said, Jamie, and I agree with all of it.

(I love being able to piggy-back off of another's posts without having to take the time to write my own. )

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I agree that a sampling of different artists would make for a better comic.

Did anybody see the Haunted Mansion comic book yet? There are different stories in it, each drawn by different artists, that are inspired by the ride at Disney. It's a pretty neat book (although I don't own any).

I think it would be interesting to see different styles of art throughout.

One friend of mine from Tough Pigs sent me a great piece of art he did of a realistic "Fozzie" sitting in the balcony having eaten the critics of his realm! It's awesome!

I also always have loved the Mid-South Cartoonists Association's anthologies because our different styles are so complimentary in a book like that.

I agree. If there can't be a constant that is certainly indicative of the greatness of the Muppets' personality, then to have different artists would be a good idea.

By the way, I forgot about the Gilchrists! They had great, great stuff. I wish I owned their books, but they can't seem to be found. I loved their Muppet comics when they were in the local paper.

 

[muppetperson]

I am more in favor of one artist doing the whole Comic to keep the art work uniform.
I just received a sample of the comic book and I dont like the drawings or at least some of them are bad.kermit looks like he is wearing a helmet over his head, gonzo looks like a parrot or Dodo bird with two different eye pupils as does Sweetums.And even though it is done by one Artist, the art work is not uniform.miss piggy looks great in Pigs in space, but a few pages before, she varies on the one page, going from some grossly over weight pig to a closer version.

 

[dwayne1115]

I'm not a real comic book person, but i could not be more thirled that the Muppets are getting there own Comic book. The lattest news from the Muppet Newsflash says that the first four comics are going to be based on the Muppet Show with the zanyness and crazyness going on, and the storys mostly about one Muppet.(Kermit Fozzie Gonzo and Piggy) Now I'm sure that the other Muppets will be in there, and this may even help bring back some Muppets that have not been seen in some time.

After thouse four comics they are going to be doing parodys of classic storys, and it mostly going to be for kids. Thats not going to really stop me from getting into them beacuse I like more kid things then grown up. It will also be a comic I can feel comfertable to let my kids read.

This is real great news and I think the Muppets are Comming back!

 

[muppet baby]

I am more in favor of one artist doing the whole Comic to keep the art work uniform.
I just received a sample of the comic book and I dont like the drawings or at least some of them are bad.kermit looks like he is wearing a helmet over his head, gonzo looks like a parrot or Dodo bird with two different eye pupils as does Sweetums.And even though it is done by one Artist, the art work is not uniform.miss piggy looks great in Pigs in space, but a few pages before, she varies on the one page, going from some grossly over weight pig to a closer version.

I like this idea muppetperson, it is really cool i love comic books , the ones that read on a regular subcibions are All the archie comics i have reading them since i was 12 . I can never get tired of them . I can't wait to see the new muppets comics no matter how they come and i will difanally get a subsribion

 

[frogboy4]

I found a little something...

I have checked out Langridge's stuff and it's not bad, but his Muppet renditions are unimpressive so far and this Kermit is almost grotesque. I cannot understand any company releasing such an item that the majority of fans won't like. You'd think this fella didn't like the Muppets.

Here's something small I found while clicking around. This is it.

The concept of having different artists works in everyone’s favor because a fan is bound to like one of them (and it also dilutes the Langridge stuff).

 

[theprawncracker]

Hmm... well... it could be worse I guess. I like the Rowlf and Janice--and Miss Piggy doesn't look bad either. But I agree, Kermit looks awful--at least in the frontal shots. But other than that I think it looks cool! I will be buying these!