Comic books: an unappreciated art form
BY MATT STUCKY
“Look, in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane! No, it's…” If you don't know what comes next, you've been asleep since 1938, when the comics character Superman made his debut. In the years since, he's become an American icon.
Today, though, say the word “comics” and you don't think “American icon”. You think anything but. Although comics continue to entertain, Americans seldom look to the “sequential art medium” when it comes to entertainment.
The Golden Age of comics dawned in the late 1930s, with the creation of heroes like Superman (Action Comics #1). These colorful narratives quickly became mainstream culture (fortunately the costumed tights didn't). During the first five years of the 1940s, over four hundred super heroes took shape. Many didn't stick around long, although characters like DC Comics' Batman and Captain Marvel are still in print.
It should be noted that, even early, not all comics involved heat-vision and super strength. Will Eisner's The Spirit involved no powers, yet is still considered groundbreaking.
During the 1950s, the focus on heroes' powers faded, replaced with personal conflict (in Spiderman's case, incessant whining). This new Silver Age saw Stan Lee and Marvel Comics create Spider-Man, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, etc. It also saw the beginning of underground and gritty detective comics.
Since then, comics have continued their evolution, unnoticed by the general populace. Today, they're extremely diverse, as creative as ever. Talent abounds, in both writers and artists. Yet, modern times are sometimes called comics' Dark Age. They're slipping in popularity and status.
Unfortunately, there's a stigma attached to comics. They're not taken seriously, for various reasons. Some believe that comics are only about scantily-clad superheroes. They don't realize that, behind the masks (literally), there are epic tales just waiting to be read. Read DC's incredible Infinite Crisis and you'll know what I mean. Comics are connected with shows like the 1960s Batman with Adam West, taking any sort of credibility out of the equation.
Comics are also associated with a very specific group of readers: pale individuals that never see the light of day. First, we really do go outside…occasionally. Seriously, though, comics are no longer considered a part of American media and are instead relegated to a small group.
This stigma just doesn't make sense. In terms of superhero comics, the stories and characters aren't the problem. Just look at the success of movies like Superman Returns, Batman Begins, or the X-Men Trilogy. Together they grossed over $860 million at the box office.
V for Vendetta, Sin City, Blade, Constantine, Men in Black, The Mask, and Road to Perdition were all based on comics. Clearly, people like the stories that comics present. They simply refuse to read those stories in their original forms.
Comics, however, are the way these stories are meant to be told. They first appeared in the comic book form, and as a general rule, adaptations are rarely as good as the original.
Finally, there are more comics out there than those focusing on superheroes. The Eisner Award winning Y: The Last Man involves no superhuman abilities to speak of. It's grounded in science fiction, depicting the struggle for survival of the last male on Earth. The aforementioned V for Vendetta was based on comics by the legendary Alan Moore.
There are even comics that poke fun at the superhero genre, like Warren Ellis' Nextwave, a comedic book that focuses on a seriously lousy group of heroes fighting laughable enemies.
Sequential art is a truly American art form (Superman did land in Kansas, after all). And, comics been around for over 70 years for a reason: they're actually entertaining. So, despite any preconceived notions you may have, comics are worth a try. Picking up an issue or two can't hurt.
Recommendations: 52, Ex Machina, All-Star Superman, Y: The Last Man, Justice, Daredevil, Nextwave, Batman: Year One, V for Vendetta.
Pick up comics at Prairie Dog Comics and bookstores in Wichita.