Recommended Reading
Welcome to “Recommended Reading,” where talented pros discuss their favorite books and literary influences. Luminaries who have written “Recommended Reading” columns include Peter David, Boris Vallejo, David Mack, Andrew Vachss, Keith Giffen, Warren Ellis, Marc Silvestri, Tom Sniegoski, Brian Pulido, and the Demon himself, Gene Simmons.
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A long and hallowed list from our man Dan
By Dan Brereton – Science-fiction writer Alan Dean Foster once wrote that he blamed comic books for what had become of him. He’s a prolific and masterful sci-fi writer whose novels and short stories captivated and entertained me as a teen. His testimonial to the powerful influence of comics in his life gave me solace when classmates and adults alike ridiculed my own childhood obsession with comic books. I read as many comics as I could get my hands on, though I confess I paid more attention to the artists than the writers back then. And although I was ga-ga for comics from age 8 on, I still read more…
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What’s on Nelson’s Discover statement?
By Nelson – When Ian Feller asked me to do an article about things I’ve read that have had an effect on me, I really had to sit down and think about the things that really left a deep impression. If they say we’re a product of our environment, I guess everything must shape us in one way or another. Nowadays, with so many other forms of communicative media, like television, radio, and—God forbid—the Internet, reading seems to be almost obsolete in today’s “microwave” generation. Still, faster doesn’t mean better. I never thought of the writing profession as something that would actually be a fun thing to do. That was…
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Chris’ Golden genre-spanning favorites
By Christopher Golden – It’s not an easy thing for a writer to recommend just a few other authors or books. There are so very many. And Ian specifically said I couldn’t recommend my own books…(bastard!) The question, however, is which novels and authors have had an impact on and/or influenced me. The first writer to do so was Stephen King. I wasn’t yet a teenager when I began to devour his work. King has shown recently with Desperation that he is still capable of the old magic. Then there’s Clive Barker, whose Weaveworld is one of the best, and whose generosity toward other writers is unmatched. I’m not a…
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Terry Moore is no Stranger to quality reads
By Terry Moore – Everybody’s got a list of books they love and remember. I can’t begin to tell you everything I love in 600 words or less, but I can give you a primer. And to make it look official, I stayed up all night alphabetizing it! You’re welcome. Anything (that starts with an “A,” see?) by Milo Manara. Like Butterscotch, Click!, or the Fellini book. Manara is known for his erotic tales and beautiful art done with a single pen, but oh, God, it is so beautiful. Nobody draws like Manara. His women are sexy, with tiny noses and long legs. His linework is deceptively simple, defining a…
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Jerry Ordway finds reading ‘interactive’
By Jerry Ordway – When COMBO asked me to do one of these “Recommended Reading” columns, I started to think back to all of the books I read as a kid which had some impact on me. The list turned out to be somewhat short, as I spent most of my childhood playing sports with my brother Joel and our friends. The time left over was filled by learning to draw, and reading (mostly) Marvel comics. Books were something you read in school, after all. Oh, sure, on occasion, I’d find myself enjoying a book-report book, like The Adventures of Lewis and Clark [Is Clark cheating on Lois already?—ed.], but…
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Read more than comics!
By Steve Gerber – It sometimes seems every comic book reader harbors the ambition to write or draw comics, which is fine. A creative, critical, and vocal fandom helps keep the current gaggle of professionals on their toes. Unfortunately, however, too many aspiring writers and artists have been led to believe that they can learn their craft by immersing themselves in comics to the exclusion of all other influences. It’s not true. Axiom: If your literary and artistic influences are rooted entirely in comics, it’s a virtual certainty you’ll never write or draw anything more interesting or original than what you’ve already read. So if your big ambition is to…
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Of fear, loathing, & stunning large animals
By Warren Ellis – Okay, so I get to write about what I like and what influenced me then and now. Fair enough. Shut up at the back there. I’m attracted, in my reading, to use of language and interesting ideas. Nobody uses language quite like Hunter S. Thompson—like an iron bar on your kidneys and dangly bits, hitting you until you either give in or pee blood for the rest of your days. He’s a journalist, though he behaves more like some violently hallucinating idiot savant slumped in a gutter, and his was the first journalism I ever enjoyed just for its writing. Fear And Loathing On The Campaign…
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Keith Giffen ambushes us with books
By Keith Giffen – I’m not really good at this. No, not reading, I’m fine on that front. I’m talking about these “my preference, what the other guy likes blows” columns. Not that that’s what this “Recommended Reading” column is all about—far from it. Actually, it’s a pretty good idea, letting the fans in on the types of reading material the average comic book creator turns to after anywhere from eight to 12 hours spent dealing with characters whose idea of a fashion statement is wearing their underpants on the outside. Which is why you won’t find many comic books listed below. Not that I don’t like comics, mind you;…
