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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Wednesday, April 1, 2009
While we await the fate of the Tony Polls, here are the results of questions posted last year before the feature went on an extended hiatus.
With the Olympics drawing to a close, I wonder why sports-themed comics never caught on in the USA as they have in Japan, the U.K., etc.. Assuming they were of high enough quality, would you buy sports-themed comics?
No.....70%
Yes.....30%
I voted yes on this one, but wasn't surprised I was in the minority. When I was a teenager, many and perhaps most comics fans loathed sports of any kind. I could speculate on the reasons for this, but I'll limit myself to this suggestion:
Since sports do loom large in many communities, economies, and societies, some interest in and knowledge of sports strikes me as vital to anyone seeking to portray a realistic world in the comics they create. The inherent drama of sporting competitions along with their attendant action and motion would lend itself well to comics storytelling...and with slightly less spandex.
Would you buy an Olympics-themed comics series?
No.....87.01%
Yes.....12.99%
My response was yes with a loud "in a heartbeat" added to it. How could you not make interesting comics in a setting that, by its very nature, brings all the world's cultures together in one place? Sometimes you voters depress me mightily.
Would you buy a revival of Strange Sports Stories?
Yes.....52.70%
No.....47.30%
I voted yes, but remain depressed that voters needed a horror or science fiction crutch to even considering buying sports-themed comic book.
Do you buy any sports-themed manga?
No.....92%
Yes.....8%
Sigh. Of course, I voted yes on this one. Alas, manga continues to be a hard sell to readers who would rather buy comics starring the badly-mangled super-heroes of their youth.
Of these sports, which would you be the most interested in seeing as the subject of a comic-book series?
Baseball.....14.06%
Boxing.....14.06%
Football.....12.50%
Gymnastics.....10.94%
Roller Derby.....7.81%
Auto racing.....4.69%
Hockey.....4.69%
Soccer.....4.69%
Softball.....3.12%
Swimming/Diving.....3.12%
Track & Field.....3.12%
Surfing.....1.56%
Volleyball.....1.56%
Basketball.....0%
Horse racing.....0%
Ice skating.....0%
Skateboarding.....0%
Skiing.....0%
Tennis.....0%
Other.....14.06%
I voted for baseball - always my favorite sport - but I considered roller derby, softball, and volleyball. Unfortunately, none of the voters who chose other bothered to send in their write-in votes in this category.
That catches us up on the old Tony Polls business. The current questions will remain active until midnight, Monday, April 6. My determination of whether or not the polls will continue will depend entirely on the number of responses to those questions. As of this writing, it's not looking good.
If you'd like to vote on these poll questions, you can do so by going to:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/poll
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 03/31/2009 | 04/01/2009 | 04/02/2009 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
Please send material you would like me to review to:
Tony's Online Tips
840 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
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