This is an important issue because it unveils our new 1913-inspired format. I couldn't say much about it in the planning stages since we were only dealing with the hypothetical, but now that we can look at a new issue in the new format, I guess it works, but there are a bunch of minor ticks that really get distracting. And as I feared, there is a stench in the air of "ripping off" the Harvard Lampoon. Yes we're older, and yes we're both based on the same magazine, Punch, but the Lampoon has retained its old-time feel for a long time, including during the Record's void years. As a result it feels as if the Lampoon owns these sorts of things. And it feels like we're ripping them off.
A minor complaint is the way too obvious parallel layouts of pages 7, 9, 11, and 19. They're the same exact layout! Did nobody notice this? Feels soooo bland. And the name thing...it's just stupid and pointless. Let's be real. It achieves nothing.
A bigger complaint is the use of photography. In our initial discussions over this, I remarked specifically that art is our trademark. Photos look cheap (see Temptations) and feel pedestrian since just anybody can take a picture, and most other college humor magazines do just this. The main issue is that, let's be frank the Record isn't too funny. So what's going to save a lame joke? Beautiful artwork. But if even that is removed, what is left? A sad waste of space. See page 8, 14, and 19 (especially). Lame, ugly stuff.
One chief complaint I have is the cover. I feel like we're supposed to automatically love it just because it's painted, but really, it's the colors that are blinding us. Why not have top notch lines with top notch colors? It is not illegal to have a penciler, and inker, and a colorist be three or more different people, believe it or not. I even teamed with a colorist for my cover last year and it came out great! Why couldn't we have gotten a more refined penciler with these excellent colors? This cover could have been excellent, but as is, it's just good. And it feels waaaay too close to a Lampoon cover. I loathe the Lampoon's ugly paintings; we can easily beat them by doing what they don't: mix excellent lines with excellent colors. But instead we get a needlessly sketchy base clogging beautiful colors.
In a related note, I find I'm not satisfied with the work I do for the Record, both in my quality, but also in the content itself. Thankfully there's the Penny Dreadful, new issue coming soon.
And in an unrelated note, I was grazed on the butt twice today...what's up with that? The first time was by the son of someone famous! Hahaha! I don't know if I want to use this for a comic...it's so incredibly tempting, man.
[UPDATE: THREE TIMES!! I was in Commons and this guy swiped passed me. Yeah, they've all been dudes, actually...Oh gosh, I don't need this.]
Reuxben
2 comments:
have you thought about political humor at all? Yale could use a talented conservative cartoonist.
Hey there anonymous,
Yes. I have thought about it. To tell you the truth, politics just doesn't really interest me. I don't have any strong feelings one way or another about most things political--it's all too boring and real-world for my tastes--and I'm pretty bad at drawing likenesses, anyway. But I do have "Sick Little Suicide" in the YDN for standalone material should it ever come up.
And I do have a political-oriented "Zero Like Me" coming this November, actually.
But sure, I'll do a political cartoon if you want.
Thanks for writing,
Reuxben
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