tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5494492594350318711.post3795345441611465711..comments2023-05-21T06:51:49.909-05:00Comments on Lori, the Comic Book Goddess, talks about Comics: Good or Bad: Recap PageAmazing Fantasy Books and Comics Frankfort ILhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15056558965368737368noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5494492594350318711.post-41949868910058071722009-06-23T20:38:17.575-05:002009-06-23T20:38:17.575-05:00Long ago I used to think of the recap page was kin...Long ago I used to think of the recap page was kind of a waste of space and just a way for the writer & artist to do one less page in the book, but in more recent years I've begun to value them more and more. I especially like when the find a clever way to do from the character's point of view. Example: Peter Parker's journal entries, Valeria's blog in FF, and recaps given by characters in Agents of Atlas.<br /><br />It's not really new for Marvel, they have been doing it since the sixties although some were a little long back then. it's pretty helpful to find those recaps (usually included within the story) when reading them in Marvel Masterworks or other collected books and trades.<br /><br />I suppose it could lead to new readers too. I think a lot of readers are uncomfortable of trying something new if they think they might be lost or if there is too much back story to catch up on, even something as simple as knowing the origin of the character helps make the book more enjoyable. I love the way they identify the characters in Legion of Superheros and JSA which made "jumping on" to those titles a lot more enjoyable.<br /><br />It is also worth noting that sometimes the story is complicated, subtle or mysterious, and a recap sometimes helps to remind or enlighten us on what actually took place in the last story. I love Grant Morrison's work on Batman and Crisis, but I have to admit that sometimes I didn't know what the heck was going on. This has to be frustrating for new readers, and it would be a shame to see new readers turned off from reading one of the best writers in comics because his sometimes cryptic references are over their heads.<br /><br />Should we really have to consult wikipedia to find out what the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is? Come on DC why don't you just tell us.Terry Middletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794239034685011611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5494492594350318711.post-23634009509871229592009-06-23T20:36:51.455-05:002009-06-23T20:36:51.455-05:00I tend to skip the recap pages, but I always read ...I tend to skip the recap pages, but I always read the ones in Agents of Atlas, since they're hilarious. I miss the recaps in NextWave, and am rather disappointed that they weren't in the collection.Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05447056995172551179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5494492594350318711.post-798533748129262542009-06-23T17:23:48.476-05:002009-06-23T17:23:48.476-05:00I like the recap pages too. It frees the writer f...I like the recap pages too. It frees the writer from having to include clumsy exposition in-story, and it does provide a nice refresher of what went on before. <br /><br />I guess my one complaint is that some of the recap pages are boring beyond belief, when they don't have to be. Peter David's recap pages for X-Factor are often laugh-out-loud funny, and the Fantastic Four recap pages have taken the form of a blog written by Valeria Richards. So yes, more and more innovative recap pages, please!Neal Kitterlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05082841276211336322noreply@blogger.com