Tag: Brian Holguin

Aria (1999) #4

A4

I’m very curious as to what the original plan was for Aria. Clearly, they didn’t intend it to be over in four issues. I know there are subsequent limited series, but this issue ends a huge storyline. Of course, it’s a huge storyline Holguin creates, for the most part, in the third issue. Half of this issue is told in summary.

Anacleto’s back and has some lovely, lovely stuff here. Not as lovely as his rendition of the third issue would have been, but still lovely.

When I say Holguin told this issue in summary, it’s not just flashbacks. He does these magical battle scenes in summary. It’s like he was writing with the express purpose of not making Anacleto work too hard… or too long.

So Aria–still don’t know why that title–goes out with on an incredible low point. Very pretty, but Holguin’s plotting is laughably absurd.

Aria 4 (November 1999)

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I’m very curious as to what the original plan was for Aria. Clearly, they didn’t intend it to be over in four issues. I know there are subsequent limited series, but this issue ends a huge storyline. Of course, it’s a huge storyline Holguin creates, for the most part, in the third issue. Half of this issue is told in summary.

Anacleto’s back and has some lovely, lovely stuff here. Not as lovely as his rendition of the third issue would have been, but still lovely.

When I say Holguin told this issue in summary, it’s not just flashbacks. He does these magical battle scenes in summary. It’s like he was writing with the express purpose of not making Anacleto work too hard… or too long.

So Aria–still don’t know why that title–goes out with on an incredible low point. Very pretty, but Holguin’s plotting is laughably absurd.

CREDITS

Among Ruins; writer, Brian Holguin; artist, Jay Anacleto; colorist, Andy Troy; letterer, Dennis Heisler; publisher, Image Comics.

Aria (1999) #3

A3

I suppose, given an art change–one as significant as losing Anacleto–some slack should be given. But Roy A. Martinez–who did some filler on the second issue–isn’t even in the same genre as Anacleto….

Worse, it’s pretty clear Holguin’s script was for Anacleto to illustrate, not a fill-in guy. Especially not a fill-in guy unable to keep his characters looking the same throughout and has an atrociously bad understanding of facial structure.

There’s a lot of… possibly cool stuff this issue (if one imagines Anacleto illustrating it); it’s the worst place to change artists. Aria, being an Image book, obviously had to make some sacrifices. But if the only draw to your book is the artist, changing him is going to have an effect.

Especially given Martinez’s further inability to make his scantily clad women attractive.

On the other hand, the best writing so far.

Aria (1999) #2

A2

Less narration and more story (even if more story does mean a lot more characters) mean a better issue. What a crazy concept. Holguin should have patented it.

I also need to backtrack on the fairy tale thing. These are faeries, not fairy tale characters. At least I think. I know the protagonist (the Aria title is confusing to me) Kildare–because all female comic book protagonists have cool names–mentions fairy tales in the first issue. Not so much here.

This issue features Anacleto’s first art assist. Strangely, they use it on a sequence he would have done much better with. Why they didn’t use the backup guy on the filler is beyond me.

Oh, I haven’t mentioned how many characters are in this issue. Just from memory, I’m guessing it has eight major speaking parts (five being new characters).

Holguin’s writing is shockingly amateurish compared to the art.

Aria (1999) #1

A1

I’m not sure what Aria has going for it, post-Fables. The idea of making fairy tales real but only in the magic sense… it’s just surprising Holguin didn’t think maybe using real characters would work better.

The selling point of Aria now, as it was back in 1999, is the art. Anacleto’s magical take on New York, rural England and his unlikely proportioned heroine (wouldn’t all the magic people be good looking? Some aren’t) is something to see.

And the story works for it–it’s silly and magic (the comic is kind of like the cover to a magical romance novel as a serial)–but Holguin doesn’t try anything.

It’s the safest comic ever, with a beautiful and busty heroine who’s also smart and kind and narrates the whole thing incessantly.

It’s like every other comic book with a female protagonist written by a man, except the art’s beautiful.

Aria 3 (May 1999)

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I suppose, given an art change–one as significant as losing Anacleto–some slack should be given. But Roy A. Martinez–who did some filler on the second issue–isn’t even in the same genre as Anacleto….

Worse, it’s pretty clear Holguin’s script was for Anacleto to illustrate, not a fill-in guy. Especially not a fill-in guy unable to keep his characters looking the same throughout and has an atrociously bad understanding of facial structure.

There’s a lot of… possibly cool stuff this issue (if one imagines Anacleto illustrating it); it’s the worst place to change artists. Aria, being an Image book, obviously had to make some sacrifices. But if the only draw to your book is the artist, changing him is going to have an effect.

Especially given Martinez’s further inability to make his scantily clad women attractive.

On the other hand, the best writing so far.

CREDITS

Homecoming; writer, Brian Holguin; artist, Roy A. Martinez; colorist, Andy Troy; letterers, Richard Starkings and Liz Agraphiotis; editor, Patsy Cross; publisher, Image Comics.

Aria 2 (April 1999)

189924.jpg

Less narration and more story (even if more story does mean a lot more characters) mean a better issue. What a crazy concept. Holguin should have patented it.

I also need to backtrack on the fairy tale thing. These are faeries, not fairy tale characters. At least I think. I know the protagonist (the Aria title is confusing to me) Kildare–because all female comic book protagonists have cool names–mentions fairy tales in the first issue. Not so much here.

This issue features Anacleto’s first art assist. Strangely, they use it on a sequence he would have done much better with. Why they didn’t use the backup guy on the filler is beyond me.

Oh, I haven’t mentioned how many characters are in this issue. Just from memory, I’m guessing it has eight major speaking parts (five being new characters).

Holguin’s writing is shockingly amateurish compared to the art.

CREDITS

The Shores Of Sorrow; writer, Brian Holguin; artists, Jay Anacleto and Roy A. Martinez; colorists, Brian Haberlin, Alex Posada and Andy Troy; letterer, Dennis Heisler; publisher, Image Comics.

Aria 1 (January 1999)

189923.jpg

I’m not sure what Aria has going for it, post-Fables. The idea of making fairy tales real but only in the magic sense… it’s just surprising Holguin didn’t think maybe using real characters would work better.

The selling point of Aria now, as it was back in 1999, is the art. Anacleto’s magical take on New York, rural England and his unlikely proportioned heroine (wouldn’t all the magic people be good looking? Some aren’t) is something to see.

And the story works for it–it’s silly and magic (the comic is kind of like the cover to a magical romance novel as a serial)–but Holguin doesn’t try anything.

It’s the safest comic ever, with a beautiful and busty heroine who’s also smart and kind and narrates the whole thing incessantly.

It’s like every other comic book with a female protagonist written by a man, except the art’s beautiful.

CREDITS

Fairy Tale Endings; writer, Brian Holguin; artist, Jay Anacleto; colorists, Brian Haberlin, Drew Posada and Alex Posada; letterers, John Roshell and Liz Agraphiotis; publisher, Image Comics.