In which we try to answer some of the most often asked questions about the Elementals comic book series, and trust you'll check back sometimes for updates.
Although I fucking love that book and it would be interesting to see what you could/would do with it in the current era I am just happy to have experienced it when I did.
It definitely left an impression on me.
I think the approach your storytelling to absolutes of good vs evil in the series was mature and ahead of its time.
I have used a few of the characters in my own Villains & Vigilantes campaigns.
Thank you for creating the Elementals in the first place. One question: do these same concerns apply to related characters, like those that appeared in Ironwood? Not that I expect you to return there either, but I see a through line from Elementals to Ironwood to Fables in your fantasy work.
Thanks for the update. I am in the process of collecting back issues of The Elementals, as it was one of my favorite series when I was a wee fanboy on Long Island. It's sad that there won't be any collections published, but totally understandable.
Re: reprinting from scans of the printed comics vs the original films or re-scanning the original artwork:
2000ad in the UK has modern reprint editions of their classic black and white comics but they seem scanned from printed editions. I think they have even been re-sized and shrunk slightly to suit modern print formats.
I grew up loving and still have the comics from the late '70s and early '80s and remember the art very well. The reprints serve as a historical record but the artwork has lost much of its clarity and warmth. There's no feeling of life in looking at it.
Scanning colour comics would need heavy retouching/help from AI to make them anything more than a historical marking of the fact that such a comic merely existed in the first place.
Elementals was definitely ahead of the time and I still really like those characters. Was Pantheon your way of wrapping up the events in the Elementals? That's another great series, and luckily a collection did come out. I'd still love to see Blackheart make a comeback someday.
Another question I imagine you get is what is the link between the Villains & Vigilantes modules and the Elementals? I remember being fascinated with the comic page in that module where Raven and Action Man are bickering. I always wondered what their powers were? Did that scene actually happen during a play session? Did Action Man really die? One of those pages that left me dying to know more!
This is a crying shame, because the property is ripe for a long form TV series ALA the boys
Although I fucking love that book and it would be interesting to see what you could/would do with it in the current era I am just happy to have experienced it when I did.
It definitely left an impression on me.
I think the approach your storytelling to absolutes of good vs evil in the series was mature and ahead of its time.
I have used a few of the characters in my own Villains & Vigilantes campaigns.
Thank ye for all the good times Bill.
Now, what's on track for tomorrow?
Regards,
jb
Thank you for creating the Elementals in the first place. One question: do these same concerns apply to related characters, like those that appeared in Ironwood? Not that I expect you to return there either, but I see a through line from Elementals to Ironwood to Fables in your fantasy work.
Thank you for the Elementals you did, to this great appreciated and one of the first non DC and Marvel series that I read so long ago.
Thanks for the update. I am in the process of collecting back issues of The Elementals, as it was one of my favorite series when I was a wee fanboy on Long Island. It's sad that there won't be any collections published, but totally understandable.
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the updates!
Re: reprinting from scans of the printed comics vs the original films or re-scanning the original artwork:
2000ad in the UK has modern reprint editions of their classic black and white comics but they seem scanned from printed editions. I think they have even been re-sized and shrunk slightly to suit modern print formats.
I grew up loving and still have the comics from the late '70s and early '80s and remember the art very well. The reprints serve as a historical record but the artwork has lost much of its clarity and warmth. There's no feeling of life in looking at it.
Scanning colour comics would need heavy retouching/help from AI to make them anything more than a historical marking of the fact that such a comic merely existed in the first place.
Elementals was definitely ahead of the time and I still really like those characters. Was Pantheon your way of wrapping up the events in the Elementals? That's another great series, and luckily a collection did come out. I'd still love to see Blackheart make a comeback someday.
Another question I imagine you get is what is the link between the Villains & Vigilantes modules and the Elementals? I remember being fascinated with the comic page in that module where Raven and Action Man are bickering. I always wondered what their powers were? Did that scene actually happen during a play session? Did Action Man really die? One of those pages that left me dying to know more!