Who do you think will be the next writer?

[Carabas]

I am not alone in saying this series is decompressed. Obviously you love the pace and style. Others will say the opposite. We will have to agree to disagree.

Well, this is not actually subjective. 'Decompression' in writing is a term that has a very well defined meaning. It's not a synonym for slow-paced.
If ten thousand people say grass is blue, grass does not become blue.

Or, if you are totally convinced that you are in the majority on this, why not start a poll asking whether the pacing is fast, or whether readers think the run is decompressed.

This would be absolutely pointles due to this.

No one seems to have told Azzarello that part of the job involved thinking up words for the characters to say that explain what's going on.

That has not actually been part of the job since Claremont-style writing went the way of the dodo. No words are required when it is absolutely clear what is going on when looking at the art. This is part of what I was refering to when calling the writing tight.

[wagthedog]

That has not actually been part of the job since Claremont-style writing went the way of the dodo. No words are required when it is absolutely clear what is going on when looking at the art. This is part of what I was refering to when calling the writing tight.

It was absolutely clear to you that upon her first fight with the First Born, she needed a 3-day induced coma? The artwork and writing for this sequence of events did not show this at all as a possiblity.

[Vanguard-01]

Some people like the writer not to treat the reader as someone who needs every little detail explained to them and as someone who understands art can convey story too.

Agreed.

One of my favorite things about Azz's run has been the fact that he leaves certain things open for my interpretation. The story let's me think. I don't just flip through every page, understand everything, and never need to touch the book again.

I do agree with what others have said before: Azz's run probably reads a lot better in trade paperback than it does as a monthly. If one were to buy his entire run and sit down and read it in one sitting, one would probably not have as many complaints about pacing and such. They would also be able to see the progression of the storyline form much more quickly and clearly.

Yeah, Azz doesn't spell everything out for you. If you flip through each issue only once and don't give it much thought, then yeah, you're not going to get as much out of it.

[wagthedog]

Look up what decompression actually means.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decompression_(comics)

I know what decompression is, but I actually went to your link (wikipedia is not the bible on all things, by the way).

There are examples of decompression in his series and I stand by my statement that his run is decompressed. The plots are a slow-burn, the pacing also slow and there are sequences that could have been made much tighter. Some issues have felt like filler issues, almost not advancing the plot much. I think the first 12 issues of this run could have been compressed into 6-8 issues.

[Carabas]

It was absolutely clear to you that upon her first fight with the First Born, she needed a 3-day induced coma? The artwork and writing for this sequence of events did not show this at all as a possiblity.

I'm a bit behind in my reading. Vol. 4 hasn't been out that long. And reading it in hardcovers, I'm 6 to 12 issues behind at the best of times anyway so I don't really feel any impending need to read it now now now. But if you have an older example...

Three-day comas are significant in mythology though.

[SiegePerilous02]

About the thread topic:

I'm really hoping that the whole Finch thing was just a rumor. I'd love for Jeff Parker to take over when Azzarello leaves. Wonder Woman's big guest spot in the Aquaman annual could be an indicator of things to come.

[Carabas]

I know what decompression is, but I actually went to your link (wikipedia is not the bible on all things, by the way).

Yeah, sorry, but I kinda doubt that.

There are examples of decompression in his series and I stand by my statement that his run is decompressed.

Give us a practical example of decompression in this run.

The plots are a slow-burn, the pacing also slow and there are sequences that could have been made much tighter.

All of which has nothing to do with decompression. Decompression actually requires pretty tight writing when done well. It's a technique that doesn't allow for sloppines or laziness when it comes to pacing your book.

Some issues have felt like filler issues, almost not advancing the plot much.

Which, again, has nothing to do with decompression. Also, I very much think it's untrue.

I think the first 12 issues of this run could have been compressed into 6-8 issues.

I'm sure they could. They wouldn't be better or more readable for it. Things like atmosphere would be lost.

[Dr. Poison]

I guess we can't all agree upon the descriptive term of Azzarello's pacing of his Wonder Woman run. I, personally found it to be sluggish and watered-down. Overly long would also describe the story in my opinion. I'm not a fan of stories that go on longer than 6 months as they usually seem dragged out and contain what comes across as filler which is how this run seemed to me when I was reading it. On the flip side, the run is almost over so perhaps once it's finally come to a conclusion, we all can look back and figure out what parts of the story were necessary to the overall conclusion and what was padding.

[Blacksun]

If we're going for Marvel-eclusive writers, I'd like for Matt Fraction to have a go, but the Fraction that did Casanova and The Order, not the Fraction that does events.

Fraction is Marvel exclusive? his contract must allow creator owned works so. I think he is distacing himself from Marvel after the Inhuman fiasco. He is really better writing self contained books.

[Carabas]

Fraction is Marvel exclusive? his contract must allow creator owned works so. I think he is distacing himself from Marvel after the Inhuman fiasco. He is really better writing self contained books.

Marvel-Exclusive basically means 'does not work for DC, not even Vertigo'. It doesn't tend to cover creator-owned work.
Otherwise it'd be just Bendis.

[Imraith Nimphais]

Some people like the writer not to treat the reader as someone who needs every little detail explained to them and as someone who understands art can convey story too.

Thank you.

That's one of the main things I greatly appreciate about Azzarello's writing. It's not laid out in ABC format. The reader gets an opportunity to really enagage the story on a more cerebral level...with the use of his puns and dialogue "beats", which works beauty-fully with Chiang and Goran's art.

[John Ossie]

Hmm, well I know she's already done Wonder Woman but I wouldn't mind Gail Simone being given another run on the book.

[numberthirty]

Some people like the writer not to treat the reader as someone who needs every little detail explained to them and as someone who understands art can convey story too.

Thank you.

That's one of the main things I greatly appreciate about Azzarello's writing. It's not laid out in ABC format. The reader gets an opportunity to really enagage the story on a more cerebral level...with the use of his puns and dialogue "beats", which works beauty-fully with Chiang and Goran's art.

While I agree, we should be able to disagree on what pulls each person into a story.

While some folks want every little detail, others will be fine with questioning just what it is that fill in the blanks. That said, there being unknowns does not mean a writer needs to be taught how to write.

Let alone that the obvious swipe taken at the writer here -

No one seems to have told Azzarello that part of the job involved thinking up words for the characters to say that explain what's going on.

Seems pretty close to the sort of thing we are meant to be moving away from in the new board.

[Ghostwise]

Hmm, well I know she's already done Wonder Woman but I wouldn't mind Gail Simone being given another run on the book.

IIRC - which isn't guaranteed - she expressed feelings along the lines of "nope, I'm done with that". Of course, things change and it was years ago.

[Dr. Poison]

While I agree, we should be able to disagree on what pulls each person into a story.

While some folks want every little detail, others will be fine with questioning just what it is that fill in the blanks. That said, there being unknowns does not mean a writer needs to be taught how to write.

Let alone that the obvious swipe taken at the writer here -



Seems pretty close to the sort of thing we are meant to be moving away from in the new board.

I don't think Steve is trying to discredit or bad-mouth Azzarello. I think he is just voicing his frustration about the lack of detail given in some of Azzarello's writing of Wonder Woman. Someone people feel as that some things are left too vague and they have to use their imagination to "fill in the blanks" when they're paying money for what they hope would be a complete story.