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Game of Thrones Graphic Novel volume 2


Fitzochris

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I've been wondering what's going on with the monthly issues for some time now. They'll announce a release date for an issue, and then it will get pushed back multiple times. The second graphic novel was supposed to be released in December, containing issues 7-12, but right now they can't even seem to get issue 11 published - it's been delayed for weeks and weeks. It's actually become the norm for each issue to take far longer than a month to show up. If they need a bi-monthly release schedule, they should just go for it because as it is, the comic is not getting released on a monthly basis.

I've Googled for info but haven't had any luck finding out what's behind the delays. The publisher's website is pretty useless even for accurate release dates.

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The delays are mostly because of the interior artist Tommy Patterson. He was hired because he was fast and cheap. As we can obviously see he has become cheap and unreliable/slow. He seems to have no passion for it at the start beyond just another job. He didn't even know what the world of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE was until he applied for the job. He had "enough" basic talent to do it. I personally think his work is sub par and his work is meant for the super hero Rob Liefeld type of work. Which Patterson seems to enjoy more. By the way Liefeld one of Pattersons comic idols.

IMHO Dynamite Entertainment took a huge risk in hiring Patterson as the interior artist. And well their risk is now biting them in the ass. If they hired a better artist that wasn't as cheap and was reliable and had more experience or obvious talent. I could bet they would be making more money on the comic series. I've known a lot of comic book geeks who love Georges world that gave up on the comic at issue 2. The majority of people agree Pattersons characters all look much the same. His paneling is sub par and his scenery and costumes just don't fit the world or do them justice. Is it just me or do most comic artist struggle with drawing wolves? Pattersons wolves look like mutant domestic dogs. And the direwolf pups in issue 1 all looked like bear cubs.

Here are two recent reviews of the comic and graphic novels that I agree with. And they aren't to thrilled with them, more disappointed i guess. Both discuss artist Tommy Pattersons work in the comics.

http://www.tcj.com/r...vel-volume-one/

http://www.intergala...rth&article=057

On the other hand Mike S. Millers covers are beautiful. And he gets the work done months before the issue even comes out.

If you want to find out whats up with the delays you could always contact Dynamite Entertainment through their website. Hopefully you can get a response.

I wonder if this continues if they would break the two year contract and hire someone new...I would. For the sake of the series and profits. It's being treated poorly.

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Thanks for those insights, Wolfheart.

Like I said, the Dynamite website is largely useless. The Midtown Comics site has been far more useful in tracking the changes in release dates than they have. At the publisher's site, every issue is Coming Soon!, even when it's two months late. :bang: I haven't tried to contact them but I can't imagine, given how scarce info is on the site, that they'd be terribly forthcoming about what the deal is.

My main problem with Patterson's work is this bizarre habit he has of making every character's mouth look like the Joker's -- far too wide and long, and crammed with oversized teeth. It's grotesque. And yeah, there is definitely a sameness to the characters that can be confusing.

It is interesting, given the initial reports of the comic doing quite well, that it seems so under the radar. Even here it's not discussed much. I think one way or another there's going to be changes soon, whether it's the release schedule or a new artist. They can't keep delaying every issue.

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After looking carefully at the first couple of issues as they appeared, I decided to just skip the indidvidual issues and just wait for the graphic novel collections; I completely agree with all the criticisms layed-out here. I do like the Miller covers, though.

I should note that I have *all* the individual issues (and their variant Retailer Incentive cover versions) of *all* other GRRM comics ever published to date, including their graphic novel collections; but not Ice and Fire. That's how much I really don't care for Patterson's work. Overall, Dynamite publishes first-class comics, but the Ice and Fire series (so far) has been a big yawn and a disappointment.

Perhaps GRRM will step-in and demand a change, if he hasn't done so already.

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My local comic geeks and I have agreed that Patterson does a good job on a single illustration he can focus on. But most of the time it looks like Patterson procrastinates on the work and then rushes through it to try and meet deadline. This is just a guess and feeling based on seeing his single illustrations commissions vs comic work. Tommy Patterson also lacks experience drawing out action scenes in this genre. Such as with horses and sword fights. He does a good job of it in super hero genre...just not medieval fantasy.

The first issue was a hit and sold out, even went back for a second print run, simply because its from Georges world. The first ever A Song of Ice and Fire comic. Lots of people had high hopes. Giant hype. Some people were ok with the art and continued to purchase in issue two. As it went on. The sales dropped. People dropped the issues from their pulls soon after for issues with the art, or the story feeling choppy. The issues began to show being delayed sometimes just by a week...sometimes weeks. Then it went on to months. This of course will only hurt current and future sales.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Dynamite's February solicitations were just released:

http://www.bleedingc...-february-2013/

They still seem to think #15 will be out in February, but it's going to be December soon and #11 still isn't out. Patterson is still listed as the artist.

In order to meet that deadline, they'd have to release two issues this month. Not gonna happen.

Further evidence that they are operating on another plane of existence from the rest of us: on the Dynamite site, the release date of issue #11 is now listed as back in August! It only came out a couple of weeks ago. Rewriting history? Or maybe that's just the release date in the Mars time zone. :wacko:

As far as the bed of blood scene goes...issue #13's cover depicts the confrontation between Eddard and the Kingsguard. Could well be that we'll be seeing something like that.

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  • 6 months later...

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