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Big Numbers

Sax

12:23 / 04.04.02

My folksbrought me a pile of crap from home to my new house, among which were the first two issues of Alan Moore and Bill Sienkewicz's Big Numbers.

I remember buying them in 1990 or whatever, and lost track of it. I recall some problems with the publishing company Mad Love, but not what. Did any more issues ever come out? Was it ever collected?

I seem ro recall there was an alternative title of The Mandelbrot Set.

What does anyone think of Big Numbers? Upon re-reading, I thought it was very much "of its time", but some great characters, if perhaps slightly over-done, especially on the names (Mrs Beard? Mr Killingback? Mr World?) But I'd be interested in know what became of the story.

sleazenation

12:38 / 04.04.02

You have all the issue of Big Numbers that ever came out right there. Bill backed out of the project due to 'creative differences' with Alan Moore (some of which were reportedly rooted in Moore's anal attention to detail, attempting to base Hapton on his home of North Hampton to the Nth degree). Mostly complete artwork for issue 3, by Bill has been published alongside an interview with him somewhere, but i forget where... Bill's 'apprentice' Al columbia (who had a very similar style) was at one point going to fill the gap, but repotedly had a break down, destroying all artwork he completed for the project. It has never been collected and it would seem that Alan Moore is quite content to leave it uncomplete as a creation 'off its time.'

Steve Block

14:12 / 04.04.02

I think Moore is letting it rest. Eddie Campbell gave him a standing invitation that if Moore does want to finish it he'll do the art and publish, but Moore wasn't interested. To tie into another thread, the story of Big Numbers is somewhat recounted in Eddie Campbell's Alec:How To Be An Artist which you can buy from Top Shelf and I should link to it but I have to learn html, um Click here for sample page and Click here to order

Hope that was right.

ghadis

08:50 / 05.04.02

...'Mostly complete artwork for issue 3, by Bill has been published alongside an interview with him somewhere, but i forget where..'

that was in a very promising magazine published by Ashely Wood...can't remember the name though...began with an S i think....unfortunatly only lasted for one issue

this is where i usually babble on about how Al Columbia is the greatest comic artist ever but i'll leave it for once!!

Steve Block

14:07 / 05.04.02

Submedia magazine, in 1999. Cribbed from Paul Gravett's excellent piece on Al Columbia in The Comics Journal Special Edition Winter 2002

Steve Block

09:48 / 07.04.02

Thought I'd whack a link in to an older thread on the site that may be worth perusing with regards to this thread.

Old Big Numbers Thread

yawn - thing's buddy

22:25 / 10.03.03

This is getting made into a computer game by Rockstar Games.

abstractgeek

18:53 / 11.03.03

i believe mandlebrot set was the original title, but it was changed since few people knew what the mandlebrot set is

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