We live in an age of social media. Where at one time, people would keep rude opinions, comments and thoughts to themselves, impulse reactions and knee-jerk angst can be published at the click of a button these days. And it often is published. The internet is not a forgiving place.
If you’re looking for rude, mean-spirited reviews at The Paint Monk’s Library, sadly, you’re going to leave disappointed. I strive for thoughtful, considerate reviews of material – even when it isn’t that good. It doesn’t mean that I won’t criticize, or in some cases, outright encourage or discourage people from buying a title. That’s what reviewers do.
You can agree with me or you can disagree with me, that’s fine. But thoughtful dialogue is the objective – and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section of each post. Let’s just remember that it’s our “right” to say whatever we want, but our “moral obligation” not to be a jerk and to handle that right responsibly.
A comic book that represents everything good in the industry! Near perfect artwork that accentuates the story and top-notch writing. Originality also comes into play, use of characters and how they integrate with the rest of that character’s universe are important, too. I can only think of a few examples of this standard – it’s really high. It’s a comic book where when you put it down, you think “Wow, I couldn’t imagine any way that book could possibly have been any better.” This is a seldom used grade – perhaps one or two out of one hundred comics warrant this rating. These are iconic books that EVERYONE will have heard about.
A comic book that is a great read and something you’ll want to keep on your bookshelf. If you’ve got it, it means you know what good reading is! While it’s not quite a 10, you’re a better – or more well-rounded – collector for having it. Story and art are likewise important, as well as impact on the industry and the universe in which the characters live. Comics in this range are go-to issues in any collection. It’s another grade I do not give out or use lightly. When you’ve read a comic in this grade, your final thought is “That was great! I wonder when they’re going to explore this more or expand on the awesomeness I just read!” With comics like this, you’ll read them a few times and maybe even talk about them on the web before you put them safely into a bag and board. You might even buy a t-shirt with the book cover on it, or get a collectible statue from the series!
The 7.5-8.4 rating marks a really good issue of a regular series. It’s might or might not be groundbreaking, but it probably contains something exciting or relevant to the character or the universe where the character lives. Perhaps the issue saw a new character introduced, or maybe the issue contained an interesting twist on an old story line. When you get done reading a comic book with this rating, you’re thinking “That was a pretty good issue. Let me bag and board it in case it goes up in value.” This is a book in your regular monthly pull list where you say, “That was really good,” and glance through it again before it goes into your box, safely bagged and boarded.
Most of the comics I review fall into the 6.5-7.4 rating group. It’s nothing special, but it’s a good read and serves to move a story line along. When you’re done reading it, you might note some plot twists and eagerly await the next issue. It’s not a bad comic by any stretch of the imagination, it’s just not a particular issue you’ll bring up two months down the road on the comic forums. You read it, put it in the bag and board, and move on to the next issue in your weekly “to read” pile.
Comics with this rating usually have a major flaw that takes away from a good concept or great idea. Maybe it’s the artwork or the story that just don’t seem right. You can’t call it a bad book – after all, it’s got your favorite characters and something does happen, so it wasn’t a total waste. But when you’re finished reading, your first thought is “It would have been better if….” This comic will get bagged and boarded with the rest of your collection, but you’ll sigh in disappointment while you put it away. My rule of thumb is if at least the artwork is good, the book gets a 5.
“Houston, we have a problem.” Whether the artist had a really bad day or the writer got tied up on deadlines and wrote something at the last minute, we’ll never know. This rating is reserved for a comic book that leaves you irritated when you put it down. Your first thought is “Are you serious? If this book stays on this path, I’m putting it down.” It leaves you with a sense of confusion about the character or the action, wondering if the company some how gave up on the issue or the series entirely. Books like this go into the box bagged and boarded, but when you run out of bagging supplies, you pull this comic out and replace the bag with a better issue.
Comic books in the 1-3.9 range are just plain bad, but the degrees of “bad” can differ. Regardless, these are comics you hope no one will read because they will reinforce all the negative stereotypes of comic book fandom. Whether it’s bad art, bad story or a combination of both, comic books like this aren’t usually put in the bargain bin because they won’t sell for a quarter. They’re the comic book equivalent of Free AOL Internet CD-ROMs from the 90s.
Note the examples below.Geriatric Gangrene Ju-Jitsu Gerbils (yes, it really was a comic) earns a 1. It’s badly written, badly drawn, and was one of dozens of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle rip-offs to come out of the “funny animal indy explosion” of the 1980s. U.S. 1 (trucker super heroes!) and Kickers, Inc. (part of the 1980s Marvel New Universe debacle) come in rated a 3 – they’re really silly and bad comics, but at least the art looks like a comic book. Then we have the sad Zolastraya and the Bard, that ranks in the middle with a 2. At least the comic featured a barbarian Red Sonja ripoff. Poor Zolastraya was also a creation of the 1980s black and white comic explosion. She was the worst in a long line of “tough girl” comics including Redfox, Hellina, and Eclipse Comics’ Axa.
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