Comments on: Top Shelf’s Swedish Invasion http://classic.tcj.com/alternative/top-shelfs-swedish-invasion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-shelfs-swedish-invasion The Comics Journal is a magazine that covers the comics medium from an arts-first perspective. Fri, 04 Mar 2011 23:56:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Thomas Karlsson http://classic.tcj.com/alternative/top-shelfs-swedish-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-1424 Thomas Karlsson Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:21:36 +0000 http://www.tcj.com/?p=14437#comment-1424 I realize now that choice of word entertaining was a bit unlucky if not to say clumsy. The word entertaining can be understood and also misunderstood in so many ways. For me personally "entertaining" comics means first of all well executed artwork which I am afraid many if not most of Top Shelf's books lack. I of cause realize this is a matter of opinion and subject to personal taste. But comics is also a craft and If you lack that basic knowledge of "the craft" the result will suffer. Secondly I do not mean by entertaining something that is equal to, funny & or a comic situations. For me an entertaining is a story so well told that that its completely enthralls and consumes you. My personal view on these comics, maybe with the exception of Kolbeinn Karlssons marvelous Trollkungen, is that they lack many of these basic components that makes up a great graphic novel. With few exceptions I also think this is a major flaw in Top Shelf's entire line of publishing I don't want to criticize Galago too much. They are not a major publishing house and they are doing the best they can in small "comics country" like Sweden. But with Top Shelf I have patience what so ever. They are doing a lousy editorial job in their choice of imported comics. If you really are interested in good Swedish comics why not try Pixy from Max Andersons from Fantagraphics, it's a bit old I know but its a work well done I realize now that choice of word entertaining was a bit unlucky if not to say clumsy. The word entertaining can be understood and also misunderstood in so many ways. For me personally “entertaining” comics means first of all well executed artwork which I am afraid many if not most of Top Shelf’s books lack. I of cause realize this is a matter of opinion and subject to personal taste. But comics is also a craft and If you lack that basic knowledge of “the craft” the result will suffer. Secondly I do not mean by entertaining something that is equal to, funny & or a comic situations. For me an entertaining is a story so well told that that its completely enthralls and consumes you. My personal view on these comics, maybe with the exception of Kolbeinn Karlssons marvelous Trollkungen, is that they lack many of these basic components that makes up a great graphic novel. With few exceptions I also think this is a major flaw in Top Shelf’s entire line of publishing

I don’t want to criticize Galago too much. They are not a major publishing house and they are doing the best they can in small “comics country” like Sweden. But with Top Shelf I have patience what so ever. They are doing a lousy editorial job in their choice of imported comics.
If you really are interested in good Swedish comics why not try Pixy from Max Andersons from Fantagraphics, it’s a bit old I know but its a work well done

]]> By: RWB http://classic.tcj.com/alternative/top-shelfs-swedish-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-1423 RWB Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:02:23 +0000 http://www.tcj.com/?p=14437#comment-1423 That's a pretty harsh assessment of Top Shelf. They may not live up to your definition of "good entertaining comics," but since you leave that definition blank, it is impossible to take your criticism of either Top Shelf or Galagos seriously. Personally, I rather liked 120 days of Simon (for the same reasons as listed above), and am willing to check out The Troll King based on this review. That’s a pretty harsh assessment of Top Shelf. They may not live up to your definition of “good entertaining comics,” but since you leave that definition blank, it is impossible to take your criticism of either Top Shelf or Galagos seriously. Personally, I rather liked 120 days of Simon (for the same reasons as listed above), and am willing to check out The Troll King based on this review.

]]> By: Thomas Karlsson http://classic.tcj.com/alternative/top-shelfs-swedish-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-1422 Thomas Karlsson Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:11:10 +0000 http://www.tcj.com/?p=14437#comment-1422 As a Swedish im extremly proud of the so called "Swedish invasion" but im not so shure about its long term life? Im not even shure that Top Shelf is the right forum for this. Top Shelf is not exactly a blockbuster publishing house in terms of selling and neither is Galagao from which much of their material that comes from. I could be really nasty and say that the problem Top Shelf is they lack in both editorial skills as well as a basic understanding good entertaining comics. But that would not be entirely true as the main problem is a rather limited selection in what they offer. Buy Fredrik Strombergs book on Swedish Comics and leave the rest on the "Top Shelf" As a Swedish im extremly proud of the so called “Swedish invasion” but im not so shure about its long term life? Im not even shure that Top Shelf is the right forum for this. Top Shelf is not exactly a blockbuster publishing house in terms of selling and neither is Galagao from which much of their material that comes from. I could be really nasty and say that the problem Top Shelf is they lack in both editorial skills as well as a basic understanding good entertaining comics. But that would not be entirely true as the main problem is a rather limited selection in what they offer. Buy Fredrik Strombergs book on Swedish Comics and leave the rest on the “Top Shelf”

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