Did JRRT encourage new ME stories?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Your comment is a bit short there, even for your usual flippancy. I'd say you're about 997 words short.

You know, I wonder-- if we assigned 1000 words to each picture drawn by every Tolkien illustrator and artist, that would probably exceed the length of LotR, wouldn't it? I think Tolkien got his wish.

i know 'graphic novels' are considered by many as high art, & I'm sure there are some good examples of the genre (Lal raves about Sandman). However, just as this 'genius' who will take up Tolkien's pen will (in my opinion) remain ever elusive & the job be taken up by some hack writer who will churn out genre fantasy, I expect that rather than presenting us with a work worthy to stand alongside Tolkien's own, that a graphic novel continuation of Tolkien's work would be squarely aimed at the hard of thinking demographic, who want to see Legolas surfing down stairways ('Whoosh!) while shooting Orcs ('Twang!' 'Arrgh!).

It seems to me that there can only be justification for asking for 'fuller' or completed versions of tales left unfinished by Tolkien, & I think its been shown that such versions are pretty much impossibilities. There is no justification (beyond the joy obtained by writers & readers of fanfic) for 'officially' sanctioned versions by other writers, as these writers have neither the absolute knowledge nor absolute control that Tolkien had over his creation - hence for that reason, however good & faithful said works were, they would ultimately be pale shadows of the original creation.

The demand for 'other tales' set in M-e is asking for something that doesn't actually exist (Tolkien didn't tell those stories, didn't invent that part of M-e). Its like asking for someone to decorate your fifth bedroom when you live in a four bedroomed house - & I just know someone is going to respond by saying 'Well, you could employ someone to build an extention!' - which is the whole problem with analogies: people think that because they can demolish the analogy they can as easily change the reality the analogy is pointing up.

The idea of 'graphic novels' of Tolkien's creation - whether adaptations of existing tales, or original stories - doiesn't really add anything to the argument of whether there could, or should be new tales - the form they may take does not really add anything to the discussion till we've reached a consensus on whether they are possible - or at least desirable.