Is Rippa the Kathleen Kennedy of the indie comics scene?

Buddy, I respect that you see Rippaverse as “low effort” and “just a cash grab” but to be honest, I don’t see it.

I’ve seen where the rest of modern comics have gone pushing identity politics, pushing self-inserts, pushing hate politics, but sadly, going to disagree.

I bought, read, and enjoyed Rippaverse so far, I see a genuine willingness to make a decent comic and every ink soaked page has been a wonderful read. The colors are vivid, the scenes are well thought out, the characters are pretty original, and the concept of creating a single universe as opposed to having a multiverse is 100% ambitious and going against modern media.

To me, low effort implies that Eric July doesn’t care about the work and it’s just to make money. If that was the case, then I wouldn’t think the comics would be as well written as they are or have actual artists, it wouldn’t be well put together and it wouldn’t sell, Isom checks all these boxes. Sure, maybe the stories aren’t the best written stories ever, I can admit to that because it’s a new comic book series and it has to start from somewhere. Imagine starting day one, first comic on Batman and saying “oh a guy in a batsuit fighting crime, that’s so uninspired and low effort” but batman went on to make millions and become an iconic comic book character.

The same has to go for Isom or any other comic book creation, the starting comics don’t always have the best opening stories. I mean we see people poking major holes in Batman’s plot, but he’s still a beloved character to readers. I also don’t see the problem with Eric July doing a self insert for his character because at least it’s his own character and not someone else’s.

In the comic book industry, many fake creators have changed existing characters to push a self insert instead of doing something original, That’s the problem With today’s industry, there’s no effort.

Rippaverse shows 100% effort in branding, art, and writing. If you don’t like the art, you don’t like story, and you don’t like series, that’s your right as an individual and Eric has also said many of times: if you don’t like it, that is your choice and you don’t have to buy it. That’s your opinion if you think it’s low effort, but if Eric’s “low effort” is making millions off 2 comics, then I would be shocked at what his high effort can do. 😲

I honestly don’t see what you’re talking about and you let a clown’s opinion get to you. I won’t say Eric July made the best comic book ever, but if I compared it to every comic book coming out today, I would say it’s 100% more effort than anyone else is doing. Rippaverse is going places and it’s still in the world building phase too, so I definitely think you’re judging his work a little too early to be saying it’s bad when it’s literally only two comics in, but from what I gathered, it will need some work like every other comic book series. Superman didn’t always have the power of flight you know?

The color, the contrasts, and the scenes all look better than modern day Marvel or DC and he’s making more money than them too. When I hear people criticize the art, I laugh because every inked sheet I see, has quality writing and art right in there. Whatever little details that the hate groups want to point out, I would say they are nitpicking and I would be right. The only valid criticism to the art that I agreed with was the leg on one of the Alphacore  members(in the first comic) looking funny. Sure, I can see that, but really have you seen half the art that came out of marvel? This is from an indie Creator and they can manage to do all this?  That’s high effort my friend, higher than anyone else.

The story has Avery, a man who shut himself out of the world coming back to a city running amok with crime organizations and a friend being prostituted while the city gets controlled by excepts’. Then we come around to find the magical principles of the underworld are behind some these issues and goes after Isom? Is Isom magical? Spiritual? Why are demons interested in him? Does he hold a special power to link their pocket dimension to his world?

The questions are open my friend, there’s genuine interest in the story for me. only an actual high effort comic can do that to you. I want you to list of examples of why you think it’s low effort because I strongly disagree. There’s actual story, art, and effort in it. I’m all in.

Lastly, if Eric was so high ego, he wouldn’t be putting his readers first. High ego is thinking you’re the best no matter what, I’ve seen Eric admit to mistakes, that takes level head and grounded ego which keeps me from agreeing with you.

Eric has called out haters, yes, that’s part of his generation of wealth much like any other content creator. If you’re going to point fingers at Eric, point them at every other content creator. At least Eric sticks by his word and provides his product.

Look at his peers: that one marvel writer who made his own comic, he made a promise for his comic 2 years ago and never stood by his Kickstarter or patreon or whatever he did, but never released a single page to his backers physically and he had the audacity to criticize Eric July when he released his comics, he has actual physical copies.

Low effort would tell me he would go straight to digital, but no. He has it printed physically, made by real writers, made by real artists, and used his own money to make it happen. Low effort is going on Kickstarter, low effort is hiring one person, low effort is not trying to make something compelling that people love and get criticized.

Comparing him to Kathleen Kennedy is just a empty argument. Kathleen Kennedy made Disney star wars about herself and ruined the entire franchise. Eric made something out of himself, he didn’t rely on someone else’s work, he made his own work and hired the help of real writers and artists to make it happen. Kathleen stood on the shoulders of Disney and Lucas to make woke garbage. Eric stands on his own to make his brand and vision happen and owns his errors. Big difference.

I just don’t know what to tell you, I don’t see the low effort, the ego, or the lack of quality. Eric has earned my dollar and my business and I respect that he still has to earn yours or you don’t want it and that’s fine too, but I will argue til the end of days that Eric is genuine.

What actually happened between Eric and Nick? The G&G crew seem very tight-lipped about it.

Yeah, I can agree with that to some extent, it’s not as big as it should be and sure, they don’t have the best right now and there’s much work to be done which I have seen Eric admit first hand, it’s a work in progress.

The story didn’t give me the exact same WOW factor like blackest night or Flashpoint and why would it? This isn’t hay day DC, or last hurrah DC, this is Rippaverse. As for “The Buzz” argument, I wouldn’t trust anything or anyone you’d hear on the Internet who are or aren’t raving about a comic. I am reading because I like what I am reading, something that doesn’t try to push a narrative, something that’s trying to be itself.

Most of the criticisms I’ve seen on Rippaverse have been biased at best, but there are people have legitimate criticisms and I can understand that far more than the people who are just blatantly attacking like the SJW writers who aren’t making money.

Again, it’s too soon call it out, but I’m excited to see where this goes. If this ends up as a one shot series and they move on, that’s cool. If they make it into the next DC, that’s also cool. I’m not gonna poke holes, I’m just gonna keep reading until I lose interest and I think that’s where we need to be.

We give our input, give criticism from a genuine standpoint and see where it goes. At the very least I’m happy to see people reading comics that aren’t pushing a narrative. Honestly, I didn’t even get an inkling of anti-woke agenda or pro woke agenda. It’s non-woke which means it’s just trying to tell a good story and so far I’m hooked on it.

Isom may come to a dissatisfied conclusion and they may replace him with a new lead comic. We may get new characters. We may see a new series separate from the Isom Universe. We may see Rippaverse get to the point where they can afford to buy long standing comic book companies, who knows right?

I believe Eric July is putting his passion and creativity out there with a genuine business appreciation and that’s what has me excited, new comics. Whether he got excited with Comicsgate and did his own thing or it’s something he wants to challenge, I’ll put my money where my mouth is for it.

Comicsgate and Rippaverse to me are the same thing. Making comics great again.

“If you search Nick interviews Young Rippa on youtube you can find some stuff, long story short Nick and some others behind the scenes just don’t think the Rippaverse is all that great, and that’s causing some head butting. Nick is also defending various people who can often come off as anti comicsgate and are often times trollish, but maybe there are some legitimate criticisms.”

@IllTemperedTuna Thanks.

My take: Everybody is entitled to their opinion; you can’t please everyone so don’t even try. I find it best to have your say AND let others have theirs. Arguing to convince them otherwise is a waste of time especially when:

• Their mind is already made up.
• They have ulterior motives (such as provoking conflict for the sake of monetization).

Final thought on this matter: Experience has taught me that when people criticize or “attack” you, you’re usually doing something right. Your success triggers some insecurity in the attacker, hence their behaviour. Picture this, if the RippaVerse was a failure do you think Nick would waste his time commenting on it?

Food for thought.

I don’t think that at all. It’s a very good thread and title from the heart. Sometimes, we go too hard when we don’t have to because of the way people are. It’s good feedback. ISOM has all the elements, but they need to come together more and it needs help. Nothing wrong with the artwork.

Wish more people would write honestly like the OP. No holds barred. Hold nothing back and rant as long as it’s from a real place.

Was reading Mister Terrific this morning and DC did a good job on that one, but I don’t think it sold. Of course, the CW made him gay.

There is another one I can’t find that is more modern. It was a black hero or spy and he was like a black Bruce Wayne type figure. I tried to find the comic but cannot think of it, for now. It was recent. I had to admit that I liked the character. Sales are more important than anything though.