Art or Writing?

[ImprobableQuestion]

I posted this just before the forum reboot. Which is more important to you in a story? Writing or art? Would you rather read a well-written book with bad art, or a poorly written book with good art?

[victorxd1999]

I used to be full writing, the art ddidn't really matter. But later I found out that the aet can enchance the story to a level that a good story is oncomplete without good art. I think the greatest stories have both great art and great writing, that said, one can make up for one others flaws but only to a small extent. Altough if I had to choose, I think I'll go with writing purely because I pay more attention to the writer of a book if i'm thinking of buying it than the artist

[Kid A]

I would have said writing a year ago, but really both are equally important. I think a comic should be evaluated for how both the writing and art work together, they shouldn't be dissected.

[GlennSimpson]

I voted for art, but I want to be clear: it's not that I don't care at all about the writing, but I'm just saying that it's more likely that I'm going to notice flaws in the art.

Or to put it another way, the typical writer hired by DC to write their books is generally OK by me.

[cranger]

Writing, for sure. There are plenty of writers that I absolutely avoid or will try anything. I can suffer through lackluster art but not writing that does not capture my attention.

[Tim Drake]

For me it's writing. Obviously if the art is god-awful there is no point in the comic having a good writer, but writing is what makes me decide whether to buy a comic or not.

[lorec]

I voted for writing but not because I don't care about art.

[ABH]

I would have said writing a year ago, but really both are equally important. I think a comic should be evaluated for how both the writing and art work together, they shouldn't be dissected.

Yeah, it's gotta be both.

BTW, welcome back, Mr. Holmes.

[MerylGearSolid]

I voted for writing, I think art is really important and i love a comic more when it's drawn beautifully but i'd be more forgiving of bad art then writing.

[C_Miller]

Art definitely matters, but I tend to focus on writing. For me it's always 100% the stories that keep me reading comics, but bad art can certainly push me away. I'm more likely to drop a book because of bad art than pick one up because of good art. I don't think I've ever picked up a book because I enjoyed the art... actually I don't think I've dropped one either. But I've been close.

[ABH]

To expand a bit, the art and the writing, in a comic, should go together like a song's music and lyrics. Obviously, the lyrics are very important (to songs that have them), but it's usually the melody and/or the beat, that first grabs your attention. And, at least for me, it's hard to sit through a song where the melody/beat is bad, no matter how good the actual lyrics might be.

[Judge-Sergeant-Marron]

Ideally, both should be up to the same standard - but at the end of the day comics are a visual medium. And bad art is more obvious than bad writing.

[JasonTodd428]

I'd rather have a book that has good writing and art in equal measure myself though I'm far more likely to drop a book over bad art then bad writing.

[Kid A]

Yeah, it's gotta be both.

BTW, welcome back, Mr. Holmes.

To expand a bit, the art and the writing, in a comic, should go together like a song's music and lyrics. Obviously, the lyrics are very important (to songs that have them), but it's usually the melody and/or the beat, that first grabs your attention. And, at least for me, it's hard to sit through a song where the melody/beat is bad, no matter how good the actual lyrics might be.

Good analogy.

And thanks, who were you on the old CBR?

[BumbleBecc]

I vote for the writing, i find it a lot easier to get past (i was going to say poor but thats unfair so i'll say) unappealing art than it is poor writing. So i have a few books with art i dont particulraly like because i think they are well written.

On teh same count though if the art were particularly beautiful, i'd probably consider something not so well written.
I kind of feel that way about Arkham Asylum, not that the art is beautiful i find it ugly but striking, while i dont particularly care for the writing.