Disney greenlights "The Muppet Show" comics

[TheJimHensonHour]

You know, I think that This guy (C. H. Greenblatt, creator of Chowder, and former storyboard artist of Spongebob and Billy and Mandy) should do a couple one page gags.... It's not perfect realism, but I like how loose his style is.

I think this comic should have ALL styles... simplistic, cartoonish, realistic, stark graphic... it shouldn't fall on the responsibility of one guy. Get as many cartoonists and comic book people as possible on this project.

Radda Radda Rada? lol

 

[frogboy4]

Does anyone have some higher resolution images of the sample comic or a way to purchase one? I would like to get a closer look.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Ha! I love it! I love it! I don't think I've seen that before. That's a great Crazy Harry!

Wow! You've honestly never seen this before? I get this all the time on the site.

 

[frogboy4]

There's a passionate debate going on over at Muppet Newsflash about the new comic book news for the Muppets. I will let you go over there and read the information for yourself, but I did doodle a little over the proposed art that was over there. Man, Gonzo is uuuuugly. I hope the artist goes back to the drawing board on that one. I couldn't do much with it given the image he drew. But I feel with some minor tweaks this guy can keep his style while still allowing the Muppets to shine. Here's my rough three minute fix composition. Note that this is the guy that misspelled Wocka Wocka as Wakka Wakka and now gave Gonzo four fingers in this drawing. Oh, yeah...that's Gonzo and not WB's Beaky Buzzard. Mine bites too there, but at least he's Gonzo resembling. I shot off an email to the artist via his website to note my concerns and questions in the friendliest way possible. His style itself is interesting and I remember the layouts were beautifully composed. Thoughts?

 

[Oscarfan]

SWEET LORD! Those things are creepy lookin'!

 

[dwayne1115]

Lol!

I have to say Frog boy you sure do know how to cause a heated converstaion.

 

[uppitymuppity]

Your eyefix on Fozzie is spot on!

I like this artist. It's an edgier muppets... I would think it would be interesting to the adult set that has been following them for years. I like your fixes though.

 

[frogboy4]

SWEET LORD! Those things are creepy lookin'!

They are kind of creepy aren't they?

But seriously, my issue is more about balancing the creative freedom of the artist rather than giving a blank check to do whatever he wants. Someone mentioned on the other blog that it isn't evident that this guy even likes the Muppets very much. They do look a little sleazy here.

Janice, Swedish Chef, Strangepork, Link, Dr. Teeth, Floyd, Statler, Waldorf, Scooter and the Snowth are actually quite good in my view. That’s a lot of them, but too bad they are supporting players. Animal, Piggy, Camilla, Rizzo, Robin, Bunsen, Beaker and even Lew sort of miss the mark a little, but even then I’m still okay with it. The strange head shapes and mouths on Fozzie, Rowlf and Kermit are inexcusable. They are key characters and their facial ratios are beyond skewed, they are totally reinvented. Rowlf’s nose is turned up rather than the usual horizontal shape it should be and all of the charming Kermitisms and Fozzieisms are gone as well. I still think he could retain his style and keep the characters intact.

Here is a great issue that illustrates my point. Sam has top eyelids. The beauty of Sam’s design is that his brow can speak for him. That makes eyelids an extraneous invention that brings nothing to the character that isn’t already there. It merely appeases the artist. Also Harry doesn’t need to be drawn so over-the-top crazy. Those elements are also already built beautifully in the existing design.

This all seems to be a case of a guy not doing his research before embarking on a project. I think the Muppets deserve better. Many of Langridges Muppet drawings are to Jim Henson's Muppets like Velveeta is to cheese or like McNuggets are to gourmet chicken. I wouldn't say that about all of the drawings, just the key characters and I mean that with all sincerity. This isn't all bad, but there isn't one singular Muppet drawing that is better than half of the art I see around the forum. I will give the first issue a chance, but I did actually email the artist about my concerns. Who knows? Maybe he will at least fix Gonzo. I think that was the last straw for me.

 

[Drtooth]

I think he really has a handle on some of them, but I agree that others are a bit off. I will say his Fozzie and Kermit have gotten better, but Gonzo is way off (and looks like a half breed of him and Philo and Gunge). I find it funny that Rowlf looks more canine than his muppet counterpart... and giving teeth to toothless muppets is pretty much a mixed bag... (I do it all the time, myself)

I still think they should let MORE artists and cartoonists in to contribute to this series. Sort of like the Simpsons Halloween special issues...

That said, I'd kill to see Sergio Aragones do several wordless muppet panels....

 

[frogboy4]

I think he really has a handle on some of them, but I agree that others are a bit off. I will say his Fozzie and Kermit have gotten better, but Gonzo is way off (and looks like a half breed of him and Philo and Gunge). I find it funny that Rowlf looks more canine than his muppet counterpart... and giving teeth to toothless muppets is pretty much a mixed bag... (I do it all the time, myself)

I still think they should let MORE artists and cartoonists in to contribute to this series. Sort of like the Simpsons Halloween special issues...

That said, I'd kill to see Sergio Aragones do several wordless muppet panels....

Honestly, if this were a potpourri of different artists renditions bound in one issue it wouldn't bother me that much. In fact. I would be stoked. Working on something like the Muppets is an honor. I don't have to convince anyone here how many other properties are abused and treated as disposable. The Muppets are too special for that.

This is what stings me. Even though I did some paid work on Muppet product in the past, I would spend some extra hours off the books just to make them look better - to give back to these wonderful characters that have brought me joy my entire life. It might be corny, but that's how I felt. It was a distinct privilege. There were so many people trying so hard to make sure Gonzo's nose was just the right coloring. Let me tell you it was not easy. These things go through so many hands. And this guy pulls this Gonzo drawing out of thin air and gives him four fingers. It just burns my froggy butt. Sigh.

Sorry about that. I'm going to the movies. Maybe "W" will make this guy's work look like more of a success to me.

By the way, I'm going to create my own Draw Your Own Gonzo thread to see how MCers would see the weirdo.