It just seems so awkward that the visual style is so consistently and accurately like Patrick Nagel's artwork. It'd be like a show made so that every frame looks like a Picasso piece and to me at least that would take me so far out of the world the show is trying to create for itself. What do you think?
shareI think the visual style is 100% appropriate since it's obviously going for a heavily 80's influenced theme. In fact, when I saw a few stills for the series, I thought it was a brilliant choice considering Nagel's abstracted and almost cartoon/anime style -- plus the fact his work and countless knock-offs were everywhere in the 80's, so it's a perfect match for an animated show set in that era.
However, with the visuals obviously referencing Nagel (who, although dated, I think was an amazing & innovative artist), I hate the fact that they do his memory and art a disservice by blatantly ripping off the characters and comedy style of the show "Archer." It's extremely unfortunate that they would put so much effort into a loving recreation of Nagel's style (which in itself could be considered a rip-off by some); but then compound a potentially perceived lack of originality by being so derivative of a popular show that's already on TV. I was actually kinda shocked that the characters personalities/traits are almost identical to their "Archer" counterparts. I do realize that most shows are just variations of others that came before it, but the rip-off here is startlingly blatant.
I kinda hope that the trailer is maybe intentionally misleading in order to draw "Archer" fans to the show, but then bring more originality to the table within the series itself... but I don't think that's going to be the case.
I think applying other artists' styles to animation could be really effective, but someone like Picasso's work would be probably more suited to a late-night psychedelic-based show rather than a slick, 80's-inspired spy series.
The only thing that makes it like Archer is his womanizing. No other characters are like Archer. Archer has modern and 80's tech. It doesn't look like this show gets into that. It's like a character of Sonny Crockett, with art by Patrick Nagel. I really like it, and I went into it with a negative view. That type of art is great. But, it makes me a lil nauseous after a while. Same thing with some anime.
shareAgree with the first responder to the OP. This isn't a "ripoff" at all. Nagel is such an obvious frame of reference for Moonbeam City that it's extremely, extremely unlikely that the show's creators appropriated his work in a vacuum. I wouldn't be surprised if he gave his explicit approval. More than any single pop artist of the era, Nagel's work perfectly defines the 80's graphically, and the makers of this show were pretty clever to adopt it. Really looking forward to this!
shareI wouldn't be surprised if he gave his explicit approval.
Well put re: Nagel's graphics being so very defining of the 80s. I thought of him the INSTANT I saw the first still image from the series.
I'm midway through episode 1 and enjoying the vocal talents.
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LOL. Nagel's family may of given consent. BUT, Nagel has been dead since 84. He died of a heart attack, after a celebrity charity race.
shareAgree with the first responder to the OP. This isn't a "ripoff" at all. Nagel is such an obvious frame of reference for Moonbeam City that it's extremely, extremely unlikely that the show's creators appropriated his work in a vacuum. I wouldn't be surprised if he gave his explicit approval.
It's going to hold back the animation and it's going to start getting old real soon.
shareThe writing is painfully unfunny anyway so it doesn't matter. I agree that it makes the animation too stilted though and even if the humor was good (and it's far far from good) the look of the show is annoying and takes people out of the world of the show.
This thing is a fail in every way.
Whether or not it's a "ripoff" when I saw the stills I thought of Nagel immediately ...
If it blows up in my face ... see you on the other side
It's called an homage OP. Like the show MinoriTeam, it looks like Jack Kirby drew it.
Who's to say it isn't a homage to his work.
In 1979 Patrick's work was put on display at a gallery called: Silver Sunbeamshare