XO Manowar #11 & 12 First Looks *SPOILERS*

[BugsySig]

CBR has a new article up with a look at Nord's interiors and Djurdjevic's cover to issue 12.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=42480

The interiors are fantastic. Looks like we will get an origin for Shanhara not related to the Boon (sorry Greg )

Here is the cover--another amazing job from Marco:

[pixierosa]

Beat me to it. Looks like an interesting story. The oppressors were once the oppressed, hmmm?

[BugsySig]

Beat me to it. Looks like an interesting story. The oppressors were once the oppressed, hmmm?

It's the SPOILER section, so I think we are good to discuss. I was going to say the same thing, but figured I'd leave it out of the top post for the most stringent of SPOILER avoiders.

[Tim]

The interiors look great, but I'm not a big fan of the painted, super-rendered covers of either Djurdjevic or Lozzi's. Give me good clean line art over this any day and save the airbrush for bad sci-fi novels. I appreciate the artistry and skill, but it's just not what I want to look at.

[BugsySig]

The interiors look great, but I'm not a big fan of the painted, super-rendered covers of either Djurdjevic or Lozzi's. Give me good clean line art over this any day and save the airbrush for bad sci-fi novels. I appreciate the artistry and skill, but it's just not what I want to look at.

I was not a fan of the first few XO covers he did for that very reason. These last two for Planet Death are really intriguing me. I think I would prefer them as posters rather than covers, though.

[Tim]

The interiors look great, but I'm not a big fan of the painted, super-rendered covers of either Djurdjevic or Lozzi's. Give me good clean line art over this any day and save the airbrush for bad sci-fi novels. I appreciate the artistry and skill, but it's just not what I want to look at.

I was not a fan of the first few XO covers he did for that very reason. These last two for Planet Death are really intriguing me. I think I would prefer them as posters rather than covers, though.

Didn't Jelena do the first few covers?

[BugsySig]

The interiors look great, but I'm not a big fan of the painted, super-rendered covers of either Djurdjevic or Lozzi's. Give me good clean line art over this any day and save the airbrush for bad sci-fi novels. I appreciate the artistry and skill, but it's just not what I want to look at.

I was not a fan of the first few XO covers he did for that very reason. These last two for Planet Death are really intriguing me. I think I would prefer them as posters rather than covers, though.

Didn't Jelena do the first few covers?

You're right...kinda hard to keep them apart

[hawkeyeps]

I think Nord's interiors look great, really inventive panel use and some what of a departure from his work in the first arc. I like to see artists try new things especially with regards to the graphic design of the pages, I thought Aja did an amazing job with this on his Hawkeye issues.

This will be really nice once coloured.

[grendeljd]

The interiors look great, but I'm not a big fan of the painted, super-rendered covers of either Djurdjevic or Lozzi's. Give me good clean line art over this any day and save the airbrush for bad sci-fi novels. I appreciate the artistry and skill, but it's just not what I want to look at.

I was not a fan of the first few XO covers he did for that very reason. These last two for Planet Death are really intriguing me. I think I would prefer them as posters rather than covers, though.

Didn't Jelena do the first few covers?

You're right...kinda hard to keep them apart

OK, this post is probably gonna read far harsher than I am intending, but I gotta speak my mind.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I sincerely respect that, but I can't fathom this attitude toward painted artwork in comics. To me, this new painting for XO #12 is simply incredible. I only wish I could produce artwork at the level of skill exhibited by Marko in this piece. The comic book medium has evolved so much since it began, for me personally its an exciting time to be a fan seeing what creative teams are now bringing to the table. The standard benchmarks for quality of art & powerful imagery, depth of story & range of genres have been set high, and continue to be exceeded. I love seeing this kind of growth & maturity of the form happening within the industry.

I understand that ultimately there is a really long-standing tradition & history of inked line art that most of us have grown up loving [myself included, and I'm BIG on the comfort of nostalgia & traditions that take me back to my favourite memories of childhood], but to dismiss painted artwork in comics as something that only belongs in cheesy, bad sci-fi is a bit too narrow minded to me. Do you seriously want your comics to be produced exactly the same way they've always been made, just because you are used to seeing that? Regardless of the new possibilities for amazing things to happen as the technology of publishing improves?

I'm only sounding off on this because I just don't understand how anyone can feel that way. But, I can admit I am biased because I am an artist. And again, this post probably reads far harsher than my intention, and is in no way a direct personal attack on any individual expressing their opinion here. Pre-emptive apologies to anybody who is offended by reading this!

[pixierosa]

Sometimes digital color can be "overdone" but I love the cover for #12. The art itself is amazing, and the combination of the painting and the composition of the art make for a cinematic effect. It would make a beautiful poster.

[400yrs]

The interiors look great, but I'm not a big fan of the painted, super-rendered covers of either Djurdjevic or Lozzi's. Give me good clean line art over this any day and save the airbrush for bad sci-fi novels. I appreciate the artistry and skill, but it's just not what I want to look at.

I was not a fan of the first few XO covers he did for that very reason. These last two for Planet Death are really intriguing me. I think I would prefer them as posters rather than covers, though.

Didn't Jelena do the first few covers?

You're right...kinda hard to keep them apart

OK, this post is probably gonna read far harsher than I am intending, but I gotta speak my mind.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I sincerely respect that, but I can't fathom this attitude toward painted artwork in comics. To me, this new painting for XO #12 is simply incredible. I only wish I could produce artwork at the level of skill exhibited by Marko in this piece. The comic book medium has evolved so much since it began, for me personally its an exciting time to be a fan seeing what creative teams are now bringing to the table. The standard benchmarks for quality of art & powerful imagery, depth of story & range of genres have been set high, and continue to be exceeded. I love seeing this kind of growth & maturity of the form happening within the industry.

I understand that ultimately there is a really long-standing tradition & history of inked line art that most of us have grown up loving [myself included, and I'm BIG on the comfort of nostalgia & traditions that take me back to my favourite memories of childhood], but to dismiss painted artwork in comics as something that only belongs in cheesy, bad sci-fi is a bit too narrow minded to me. Do you seriously want your comics to be produced exactly the same way they've always been made, just because you are used to seeing that? Regardless of the new possibilities for amazing things to happen as the technology of publishing improves?

I'm only sounding off on this because I just don't understand how anyone can feel that way. But, I can admit I am biased because I am an artist. And again, this post probably reads far harsher than my intention, and is in no way a direct personal attack on any individual expressing their opinion here. Pre-emptive apologies to anybody who is offended by reading this!

I'm one who doesn't care for painting in comics. I like some of the stuff Ribic has painted in the past, but generally I much prefer line art. And it's not because I want everything to look the same. I'd love to see painting in comics, but only if it was in a unique style, not the photo-realistic style painting that we get in comics. Give me something with a post-impressionist lean in a comic and I can get behind that. I don't really care to look at photo-type paintings in comics though.

[BugsySig]

Apollo Rivera XO #11 Variant Cover

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/12/0 ... cary-nord/

[Tim]

I'm one who doesn't care for painting in comics. I like some of the stuff Ribic has painted in the past, but generally I much prefer line art. And it's not because I want everything to look the same. I'd love to see painting in comics, but only if it was in a unique style, not the photo-realistic style painting that we get in comics. Give me something with a post-impressionist lean in a comic and I can get behind that. I don't really care to look at photo-type paintings in comics though.

That's how I feel as well. I'm all for using any medium in the creation of comics. It's the style here that I find bland and even a little tacky and kitschy. It's technically proficient, sure, but there's no heart to it, if that makes any sense. Simon Bisley is an example of a painter who's work I enjoy. Every little surface isn't as painstakingly rendered as some of the more photorealistic stuff, but it's so much more visceral and emotional. Like Frazetta, or Sienkewicz. I don't really give guys like Alex Ross, Joe Jusko, Boris Vallejo a second glance. Not that it's bad. Just doesn't interest me at all.

So it's not all painted comic art that reminds me of cheesy sci-fi novels or bad CGI. Just this style of painting.

[greg]

I don't have much to add to the discussion, other than to say that my first thought seeing the Djurdjevic X-O #12 cover was...

WOW!

For the Nord interiors... awesome... I can't wait to see the final... and read the story.

That is all.

[400yrs]

I'm one who doesn't care for painting in comics. I like some of the stuff Ribic has painted in the past, but generally I much prefer line art. And it's not because I want everything to look the same. I'd love to see painting in comics, but only if it was in a unique style, not the photo-realistic style painting that we get in comics. Give me something with a post-impressionist lean in a comic and I can get behind that. I don't really care to look at photo-type paintings in comics though.

That's how I feel as well. I'm all for using any medium in the creation of comics. It's the style here that I find bland and even a little tacky and kitschy. It's technically proficient, sure, but there's no heart to it, if that makes any sense. Simon Bisley is an example of a painter who's work I enjoy. Every little surface isn't as painstakingly rendered as some of the more photorealistic stuff, but it's so much more visceral and emotional. Like Frazetta, or Sienkewicz. I don't really give guys like Alex Ross, Joe Jusko, Boris Vallejo a second glance. Not that it's bad. Just doesn't interest me at all.

So it's not all painted comic art that reminds me of cheesy sci-fi novels or bad CGI. Just this style of painting.

Yeah, I even liked the fumetti in Infinite Vacation. Trying different things is cool, but with these painted covers, for some reason I feel that they always look the same. Kind of a seen one seen them all kind of thing. Tim and I are probably in the minority though because these must sell books.

[Tim]

Tim and I are probably in the minority though because these must sell books.

Guess we're gettin' old, Fo'!

[400yrs]

It certainly feels like it.

[Phoenix8008]

Apollo Rivera XO #11 Variant Cover

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/12/0 ... cary-nord/

Too each his own of course, but for me this is just... ewww.

Not that I could draw it that well, but stylistically this just doesn't appeal to me at all.

[caniac]

Gorgeous Cover by Marco

[myron]

IMO the painted covers are awesome...reminiscant of Rude covers for Nexus...

[cavemold]

Apollo Rivera XO #11 Variant Cover

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/12/0 ... cary-nord/

I love that cover

[cavemold]

I love that varaint

[Tim]

I love that varaint

Me too. Would love to see Paolo do more covers.

[grendeljd]

I love that varaint

Me too. Would love to see Paolo do more covers.

+1 - the colour palette of this is incredible & its an excellent drawing, IMO.

[bygranddesign]

Apollo Rivera XO #11 Variant Cover

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/12/0 ... cary-nord/

Too each his own of course, but for me this is just... ewww.

Not that I could draw it that well, but stylistically this just doesn't appeal to me at all.

I agree.

X-O is very stiff - not a very dynamic or exciting pose. He looks like he is floating in the picture with the sword going behind his foot and stabbing the dead vine that lay on the floor - but can't tell whether they are behind him or in front or both. No sense of perspective.

i'll still be clamoring to get this variant cover but I much prefer the normal cover which i think is excellent