[QuickTidal]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 22 June 2020 - 01:59 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 22 June 2020 - 01:27 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 22 June 2020 - 01:03 PM, said:

What exactly has Ellis done, beyond being a serial dater with poor boundaries and bad at long-term commitment? I've read the initial accusations, and sure, I get from their perspective how it can seem bad when someone you care about loses interest, but I don't see anything abusive. And yeah, I get that there was a power inequality — but no one has said he specifically parlayed favors in exchange for sex (maybe that's an outdated view).


(Not defending him, actually looking for specifics).

I'll let someone who was involved in this speak on the why:

By even the least charitable interpretation, no laws were broken. Legally speaking, he seems to be in the clear. Even (Katie) West has said: this wasn’t them being abusive, it was a man abusing his power. But the fact that it was legal doesn’t mean that harm wasn’t done. It doesn’t mean that people weren’t taken advantage of, had their trust abused by someone they respected or — in many cases — idolized and who leveraged their trust against them. The fact that no laws were broken doesn’t remove the abuse of trust, nor does it mitigate the consequences of those action.

It's about his clout and power in the industry and how he leveraged that against the relative dynamic of that with regards to these women. And in some cases it tainted their entire experience in the industry.

So the fact that his apology is: I didn't know I held this position or that I was that famous...is bollocks. He knew he was a heavy hitter. He literally had the WEFs (Warren Ellis Forums) with thousands of faithful hanging on his every word, men and women.

How do you distinguish between "power tripper who intentionally used his power over others to manipulate them" vs "clueless bloke who should have known better but was genuinely looking for — and not finding — commitment and a relationship among women in his field"?

I think the point is that there is no difference. If you have power, you need to be aware of it and how it interweaves with relationships.

And "genuinely looking for but can't find" is not and never should be over 50 women. If you hit (let's be conservative and say) 25 women that you've not been able to make the long haul with...the problem is you, and you should stop dating and ruining portions or all of people's lives. Or you should be up front about the fact that you are not looking for the long haul, so people don't get attached. From what I can see, he never did that.

[polishgenius]

QuickTidal, on 22 June 2020 - 02:08 PM, said:

And "genuinely looking for but can't find" is not and never should be over 50 women. If you hit (let's be conservative and say) 25 women that you've not been able to make the long haul with...the problem is you, and you should stop dating and ruining portions or all of people's lives. Or you should be up front about the fact that you are not looking for the long haul, so people don't get attached. From what I can see, he never did that.

Especially since it seems fairly clear that he wasn't talking to them one after the other. And also is hinted to have been playing them off one another.

Thread

[QuickTidal]

polishgenius, on 22 June 2020 - 07:13 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 22 June 2020 - 02:08 PM, said:

And "genuinely looking for but can't find" is not and never should be over 50 women. If you hit (let's be conservative and say) 25 women that you've not been able to make the long haul with...the problem is you, and you should stop dating and ruining portions or all of people's lives. Or you should be up front about the fact that you are not looking for the long haul, so people don't get attached. From what I can see, he never did that.

And also is hinted to have been playing them off one another.

Yeah, I got this vibe too...I would expect the women who he did this with have collaborated notes and seen where the overlaps in relationships occurred, and what things might have been said to play them off one another. Most of them seem to indicate they ONLY know each other because he did this to them.

[Abyss]

And at least three I have read, state that when they started to have some success, directly or indirectly because of his support, and they started talking with other writers about working together, he cut contact and support. For most of them it was personally and/or professionally damaging.

[Abyss]

SHADOWLINE was a thing Epic comics (Marvel) did back in the 80s. Three separate but heavily interrelated series... DR ZERO, POWERLINE, and ST GEORGE. All three were cancelled and written into a final LS called CRITICAL MASS. I was curious about them way back when and picked up a collection 2nd hand that languished in the TRP til recently. Now Just Finished.


...they kind of sucked. Superpowered race 'shadows', effectively mutants with crime families. Weak to silly villains, meandering plots, Zero was the best of the bunch but suffered from scattered art, weak tangents, and a lack of real challenges to a purportedly Superman level character who is actually a bad guy whose heel face turn is so hamhanded it oinks. POWERLINE... neat premise, two shadow teens with meh powers are massively amped up when close. Set up to oppose Zero or something, it's not clear. Weak writing. Stock plots. ST GEORGE... look, the basic premise of a priest given armor to go out and fight evil is fine, but oh dear god page after page of basement theological nonsense and inconsistent characters and bad art FFS the MC either has a beard or he doesn't.... tho i did not know that's where 90s short run TERROR INC originated.

Glad i didn't pay serious money for any of it.


In striking contract, Lemire and Walta's gn SENTIENT is great sf, beautifully drawn. Spaceship AI finds itself the sole caregiver of a crew of kids in a very hostile chunk of space. It's engaging and compelling and lovely to look at and did more to catch and hold my attention in four pages than Shadowline did in almost 30 issues.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 12 April 2019 - 02:35 PM, said:

Studlock, on 12 April 2019 - 11:47 AM, said:

...
Coda: written by Simon Spurrier, and drawn by Matias Bergara. So Simon Spurrier is who I consider to be the premier fantasist in comics that often writes small self-contained fantasy series that are often both very good, and really utilizes the visual medium to its fullest extent. Matias Bergara is no exception in terms of doing this. The story is set after a apocalypse in a more standard fantasy world in which nearly all magic disappeared, and follows the story of a former, and grouchy bard named Hum. As you can tell by my pervious comments I get really excited for the art, and while the story is very good (his best next to the Spire), the art is like a techno-coloured fevered dream that just gets the appeal of the fantastic.....

Noting your post because i always need more solid fantasy comic in my life. ...

Whoa... started CODA... three issues in, this thing is GLORIOUS. Great story, the art is AMAZEBALLS.

And the Pentacorn is the greatestiest unicorn ever created in a fictional world. It is huge, powerful, carnivorous, and has a complete and total potty mouth.

And holy dragonshite, Spurrier can set a hook at the end of an issue and Bergara just kills it. Three issues and EVERY ONE ends with something epic on that last page.

Brilliant comic so far.

[T77]

Abyss, on 03 July 2020 - 02:30 AM, said:

Abyss, on 12 April 2019 - 02:35 PM, said:

Studlock, on 12 April 2019 - 11:47 AM, said:

...
Coda: written by Simon Spurrier, and drawn by Matias Bergara. So Simon Spurrier is who I consider to be the premier fantasist in comics that often writes small self-contained fantasy series that are often both very good, and really utilizes the visual medium to its fullest extent. Matias Bergara is no exception in terms of doing this. The story is set after a apocalypse in a more standard fantasy world in which nearly all magic disappeared, and follows the story of a former, and grouchy bard named Hum. As you can tell by my pervious comments I get really excited for the art, and while the story is very good (his best next to the Spire), the art is like a techno-coloured fevered dream that just gets the appeal of the fantastic.....

Noting your post because i always need more solid fantasy comic in my life. ...

Whoa... started CODA... three issues in, this thing is GLORIOUS. Great story, the art is AMAZEBALLS.

And the Pentacorn is the greatestiest unicorn ever created in a fictional world. It is huge, powerful, carnivorous, and has a complete and total potty mouth.

And holy dragonshite, Spurrier can set a hook at the end of an issue and Bergara just kills it. Three issues and EVERY ONE ends with something epic on that last page.

Brilliant comic so far.

Agreed! Reminds me I need to read vol 2.

[Hammerhead88]

What's the best way to read humble bundle comics? Currently use perfect viewer with the epub version but for some reason there's a blank page every other page?

[Abyss]

Hammerhead88, on 06 July 2020 - 08:39 PM, said:

What's the best way to read humble bundle comics? Currently use perfect viewer with the epub version but for some reason there's a blank page every other page?

Have you tried with cbz format?

[Salt-Man Z]

Abyss, on 07 July 2020 - 02:19 AM, said:

Hammerhead88, on 06 July 2020 - 08:39 PM, said:

What's the best way to read humble bundle comics? Currently use perfect viewer with the epub version but for some reason there's a blank page every other page?

Have you tried with cbz format?

Yeah, I read the CBZ with Perfect Viewer on my Kindle Fire. (Or I'll do the PDF if it's smaller; Perfect Viewer for Fire has a PDF plugin.)

ePub honestly seems like an odd format to do comics in; CBZ/CBR is literally just a ZIP/RAR of the raw image files.

[Salt-Man Z]

And speaking of Humble Bundle, I mentioned this in the Cheap Ebooks thread, but HB is doing a massive Image Comics bundle, still good for 2 weeks. $18 gets you frigging 91 volumes (not issues!), including the gorgeous Monstress, and that Black Science thing Abyss won't shut up about.

https://www.humblebu...-showcase-books

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 07 July 2020 - 03:37 AM

[Hammerhead88]

Salt-Man Z, on 07 July 2020 - 03:36 AM, said:

And speaking of Humble Bundle, I mentioned this in the Cheap Ebooks thread, but HB is doing a massive Image Comics bundle, still good for 2 weeks. $18 gets you frigging 91 volumes (not issues!), including the gorgeous Monstress, and that Black Science thing Abyss won't shut up about.

https://www.humblebu...-showcase-books

Yeah I've just bought this one, seemed too good to be true!

[Abyss]

Hammerhead88, on 07 July 2020 - 06:40 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 07 July 2020 - 03:36 AM, said:

And speaking of Humble Bundle, I mentioned this in the Cheap Ebooks thread, but HB is doing a massive Image Comics bundle, still good for 2 weeks. $18 gets you frigging 91 volumes (not issues!), including the gorgeous Monstress, and that Black Science thing Abyss won't shut up about.

https://www.humblebu...-showcase-books

Yeah I've just bought this one, seemed too good to be true!

I have maybe half of this already but it's still tempting for OBLIVION SONG, MONSTRESS vol 4, some others.

[T77]

Abyss, on 08 July 2020 - 05:01 AM, said:

Hammerhead88, on 07 July 2020 - 06:40 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 07 July 2020 - 03:36 AM, said:

And speaking of Humble Bundle, I mentioned this in the Cheap Ebooks thread, but HB is doing a massive Image Comics bundle, still good for 2 weeks. $18 gets you frigging 91 volumes (not issues!), including the gorgeous Monstress, and that Black Science thing Abyss won't shut up about.

https://www.humblebu...-showcase-books

Yeah I've just bought this one, seemed too good to be true!

I have maybe half of this already but it's still tempting for OBLIVION SONG, MONSTRESS vol 4, some others.

I'm reading Oblivion Song on Hoopla, it's good.

[Abyss]

T77, on 08 July 2020 - 01:59 PM, said:

Abyss, on 08 July 2020 - 05:01 AM, said:

Hammerhead88, on 07 July 2020 - 06:40 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 07 July 2020 - 03:36 AM, said:

And speaking of Humble Bundle, I mentioned this in the Cheap Ebooks thread, but HB is doing a massive Image Comics bundle, still good for 2 weeks. $18 gets you frigging 91 volumes (not issues!), including the gorgeous Monstress, and that Black Science thing Abyss won't shut up about.

https://www.humblebu...-showcase-books

Yeah I've just bought this one, seemed too good to be true!

I have maybe half of this already but it's still tempting for OBLIVION SONG, MONSTRESS vol 4, some others.

I'm reading Oblivion Song on Hoopla, it's good.

Yah, it's been on my radar for a while.
Getting all of that for what i would spend just on those two vols and MONSTRESS is a deal even with duplicates.


...which reminds me i think i need a Monstress reread before i hit vol 4. That book is surprisingly dense on plot and world.

Will probably line that up shortly after i finish CODA (which, as of issue 6, is amazeballs). May need some capes n masks or sf before deep diving into another fantasy setting. I had a fun vintage Avengers read going but that kind of stalled when Reed, Sue, and Gilgamesh joined up. Maybe some old school JLA or LSH....

[Salt-Man Z]

Abyss, on 09 July 2020 - 02:41 AM, said:

...which reminds me i think i need a Monstress reread before i hit vol 4.

Funny story, I'm reading the whole series of Monstress right now, but I needed to reread Vol 1 first. I figured it must have been sometime last year that I first read it, so I looked it up... and turns out I read it the weekend before we all got sent home from work due to COVID on March 16th. So "sometime last year" seems about right...

[Abyss]

Salt-Man Z, on 10 July 2020 - 07:58 PM, said:

Abyss, on 09 July 2020 - 02:41 AM, said:

...which reminds me i think i need a Monstress reread before i hit vol 4.

Funny story, I'm reading the whole series of Monstress right now, but I needed to reread Vol 1 first. I figured it must have been sometime last year that I first read it, so I looked it up... and turns out I read it the weekend before we all got sent home from work due to COVID on March 16th. So "sometime last year" seems about right...

Monstress is stealth DENSE. There is so much to that world and so much of it is subtle.
I read vol 3 without a preread. Had to look up a few things. Which is fine, but I think a preread will be more fun.

[Abyss]

Humble Bundle has a 'The Incal and Beyond' bundle up that is beyond worthwhile.

Seriously, take a look, ignore the soft core pr0n unless that's your thing... The complete INCAL is there and that alone is worth more than the price of the entire bundle.

Am into CARTHAGO now... it's a big shark story in comic form, and so far so good.

[Salt-Man Z]

Abyss, on 30 July 2020 - 02:21 AM, said:

Humble Bundle has a 'The Incal and Beyond' bundle up that is beyond worthwhile.

Seriously, take a look, ignore the soft core pr0n unless that's your thing... The complete INCAL is there and that alone is worth more than the price of the entire bundle.

Well shit, I'd already bought the $1 tier (because why not) but I guess it sounds like I'll be springing for the whole shebang now.

[Abyss]

Salt-Man Z, on 30 July 2020 - 05:44 AM, said:

Abyss, on 30 July 2020 - 02:21 AM, said:

Humble Bundle has a 'The Incal and Beyond' bundle up that is beyond worthwhile.

Seriously, take a look, ignore the soft core pr0n unless that's your thing... The complete INCAL is there and that alone is worth more than the price of the entire bundle.

Well shit, I'd already bought the $1 tier (because why not) but I guess it sounds like I'll be springing for the whole shebang now.

I am blasting thru CARTHAGO and loving it. Giant sharks, conspiracies, dueling corporate agendas, underwater ruins, great art, dense text... The Bundle has 1-5, am on 3, pretty much guaranteed i'll buy 6-10 to finish the story.