I've been binge watching book reviews (especially comic book reviews) for the last couple of days. It's a whole new genre of YT videos for me. And I can tell you: Your reviews are amazing, definitely among the best I encountered. Really pleasant to listen to and I'm here for more. P.S. I definitely want to read DEN now. The art seems really outstanding.
Thank you! Den is great fun and so much more amazing than I can show here. Chris @ComicTropes was a huge inspiration for me to start this channel so it always feels good when a video like this gets a good response.
There are denudified Den stories, at least in their originally published form. Corben ran his own publishing house Fantagor Press during the 80s and 90s where he put out Richard Corben's Den. The series featured clothed or otherwise obscured bodies. Corben was a massive talent. He was an stunning illustrator, an assured visual story-teller... and a decent writer. I take Den for what it is and I think pulpy is a good description. I think Corben's self-written fantasy/sci-fi/horror has a lot in common with Wally Wood's self-written fantasy/sci-fi/horror. Their sense of comedy is similar as well, actually. Their stories are not as deep as they thought they were, but they are entertaining. It's a good point that Den does not always win fights. He's shown to be rather a dunderhead pretty often, too. Maybe Corben was keeping in mind that David Ellis Norman was in reality a young, inexperienced guy? With that in mind, though, it is a little weird that Corben described Den as the ultimate man. Apparently brains weren't too important to him.
Den does act a bit foolish at times and its easy to forget how young he is supposed to be. Just like you said there’s a sense of comedy and genuine entertainment. The Wally Wood comparison is good! The best treatment I’ve seen of the young person put into a superhero body is Wolfe’s “Knight” (especially) and “Wizard” novels.
I saw Heavy Metal in the theater at a midnight showing decades ago, and that's what turned me on to the magazine. Picking up a few issues and finding the continuing adventures of Den was fantastic. I suspect Corben's emphasis on independence is one of the reasons why the character isn't more mainstream. Producers/publishers want a slice and if he was reluctant to let go they might look for someone less protective--and savvy, honestly. That and, of course, the relentless nudity and sexual content which a lot of Western culture just can't abide without pearl clutching. But imagine the what if's. What if Arny had played Den instead of Conan? What if some enterprising adult film director had made a version a la some of the 70s or 80s X-rated films. What if the film adaptation had been entirely about Den rather than the rather weird Loknar shorts? Just ordered vols 1 & 2 to feel the nostalgia....
Haha. I like where you went with this. It is interesting to wonder about a more mainstream approach. A big name action movie would have been great, it would have to have been bikinis and loincloths for sure or it would never have a chance of getting off the ground (at least not in the US). I wish there had been more Heavy Metal animated movies. I remember the second one being just okay. Love, death, robots is the closest thing I’ve seen to a spiritual sequel.
when they start editing out the or blocking out the female stuff nudity and all it ruins it for me, heck if you are going to put in all of the fighting and blood and gore without editing that out, then quit editing out the other stuff as well!
I've been binge watching book reviews (especially comic book reviews) for the last couple of days.
It's a whole new genre of YT videos for me.
And I can tell you: Your reviews are amazing, definitely among the best I encountered.
Really pleasant to listen to and I'm here for more.
P.S. I definitely want to read DEN now. The art seems really outstanding.
Thank you! Den is great fun and so much more amazing than I can show here. Chris @ComicTropes was a huge inspiration for me to start this channel so it always feels good when a video like this gets a good response.
Ooooh, this looks fun! Classic Heavy Metal!
Very fun! Heavy Metal magazine could be hit or miss for me but when its good its really good.
There are denudified Den stories, at least in their originally published form. Corben ran his own publishing house Fantagor Press during the 80s and 90s where he put out Richard Corben's Den. The series featured clothed or otherwise obscured bodies.
Corben was a massive talent. He was an stunning illustrator, an assured visual story-teller... and a decent writer. I take Den for what it is and I think pulpy is a good description. I think Corben's self-written fantasy/sci-fi/horror has a lot in common with Wally Wood's self-written fantasy/sci-fi/horror. Their sense of comedy is similar as well, actually. Their stories are not as deep as they thought they were, but they are entertaining.
It's a good point that Den does not always win fights. He's shown to be rather a dunderhead pretty often, too. Maybe Corben was keeping in mind that David Ellis Norman was in reality a young, inexperienced guy? With that in mind, though, it is a little weird that Corben described Den as the ultimate man. Apparently brains weren't too important to him.
Den does act a bit foolish at times and its easy to forget how young he is supposed to be. Just like you said there’s a sense of comedy and genuine entertainment. The Wally Wood comparison is good!
The best treatment I’ve seen of the young person put into a superhero body is Wolfe’s “Knight” (especially) and “Wizard” novels.
Did you read it in John Candy's voice?
Mayyybe. 😆. He does such a good job.
I saw Heavy Metal in the theater at a midnight showing decades ago, and that's what turned me on to the magazine. Picking up a few issues and finding the continuing adventures of Den was fantastic. I suspect Corben's emphasis on independence is one of the reasons why the character isn't more mainstream. Producers/publishers want a slice and if he was reluctant to let go they might look for someone less protective--and savvy, honestly. That and, of course, the relentless nudity and sexual content which a lot of Western culture just can't abide without pearl clutching. But imagine the what if's. What if Arny had played Den instead of Conan? What if some enterprising adult film director had made a version a la some of the 70s or 80s X-rated films. What if the film adaptation had been entirely about Den rather than the rather weird Loknar shorts?
Just ordered vols 1 & 2 to feel the nostalgia....
Haha. I like where you went with this. It is interesting to wonder about a more mainstream approach. A big name action movie would have been great, it would have to have been bikinis and loincloths for sure or it would never have a chance of getting off the ground (at least not in the US).
I wish there had been more Heavy Metal animated movies. I remember the second one being just okay. Love, death, robots is the closest thing I’ve seen to a spiritual sequel.
@@literallybooks Thanks for sayin'. I just got my copies of vols. 1&2 today off Amazon. The nostalgia is already kicking in....
when they start editing out the or blocking out the female stuff nudity and all it ruins it for me, heck if you are going to put in all of the fighting and blood and gore without editing that out, then quit editing out the other stuff as well!
Couldn’t agree more!