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Who's Who In the SBCU Update 2003
In his dreams Alan
Donald is a multi-award winning writer of comic books,
animation, theme park shows and rides, children’s books,
novels, television, internet animation and more.
In real life Alan
writes this column, which has been described as more than a
lifestyle than a weekly column. He used to write SBC's All The
Rage.
PAST
ARTICLES
Alternative
Covers: Threat Or Menace Tuesday, November
11
How
To Break Into Comics Tuesday, November 4
What
Comic Book Taboos Are Left? Tuesday, October
28
Diamond
- Saviour or Satan? Tuesday, October 21
Does
Hollywood "Ruin" Comics? Tuesday, October
14
MORE |
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What Comic
Book Taboos Are Left?
By Alan Donald Print This Item
The Panel
gathers movers and shakers from across the industry together to
answer your questions!
Don’t miss out on your chance
ask the big guns a question or two, send them in now to:
[email protected]
Most of the Panellists
should be known to you but if not, don’t panic - I’ve a few details
on them at the end of the column.
This week’s question comes
from Bob Murray a long time panel reader. The question
is:
“Are there any subjects that shouldn't be featured in
comic books? Are there any taboos left?”
Mike Collins:
“Things that shouldn't be in comics? Klu Klux Klown. Now, is that
funny, offensive, knowing or ironic? If I did a comic strip about
it, would there be cries for it to be banned? If I wrote a novel
would it be seen as a valid exploration of a incendiary subject?
It's a problem: Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell got attacked in the
British press for their strip about Hitler as a young man- why? It
wasn't pro-Hitler, it wasn't sympathetic to him. It was a cleverly
constructed story that used a historical icon to explore ideas. If
Grant had written it as a novel, it would have received plaudits and
praise but it was a comic. THAT, right there, is our problem: Comics
is a medium for telling stories. I don't want to read stories about
paedophiles in comic books... but then I don't particularly want to
watch movies or read novels about them either. There should be no
stories that can't be told in comic form, just because they're
comics. If you don't want to read the story, don't read it. Same as
TV, movies, radio plays and novels. The medium shouldn't limit
itself.”
Rick
Shea: “I think Garth Ennis and Warren Ellis have proven there's
NOTHING you can't get away with in comic books. Beyond that, Angry
Youth Comix or Arsenic Lullaby are pretty offensive stuff, but just
more proof that you can get away with just about anything in this
great medium. I think the strength of our industry is that it's big
enough for Preacher or Filth to find an audience, but not too big so
that every Church group or soccer mom comes headhunting about all
the evil of comics ruining their poor children's minds, even though
these books are clearly labeled for mature readers. Although some
stuff in Ennis' Dicks or Angry Youth Comix is too much for me,
there's always going to be a market for anything, it's just a matter
of finding your audience and making sure the material is properly
displayed and that Cherry isn't put on the shelf next to Archie. So
I think it's pretty tough to find something too taboo for comics.”
Vince Moore: “There are plenty of
taboos left. We've yet to see a hero, super or otherwise, have an
incestuous relationship with his mother or sister. Although, I'm
sure by my very mention of that here, someone will think that's a
cool idea and set to working on it. But, be that as it may, there
are taboos aplenty left in the world. Now, should they be featured
in comics? That depends mostly on the intent. If it's for the pure
shock value, then I would be against it. If there was some solid
story rationale for the taboo, then I'm for it. Preacher often
proved this latter point; many of the books from Verotik proved the
former. The real trick is seeing how selling adult comics to adult
is well on its way to becoming a crime in the good ol' US of A, I
would really do my best to avoid playing with any subjects that
could get a retailer or even myself into trouble. We do live in a
country where Mike Diana's very art style has been judged to be
criminal.”
Lee Dawson: “My
mantra has always been comics are a medium and not a genre. To that
end I think any subject can and should be featured in comics just as
any subject can and should be featured in book or film mediums, or
any art form for that matter. I don't really think there are any
taboos left, perhaps in the mainstream titles, but certainly
underground and independent comics have explored just about
everything under the sun.”
Bill Rosemann: "That's one of
the cool things about comic books: On one hand, comic books can
function simply to entertain readers of all ages...on the other,
like any art form, comic books can comment on any subject
imaginable. So as long as they're properly labeled -- so that
readers know what they're buying, and retailers can responsibly sell
them -- their subject matter is only limited by the minds of their
creators."
Alan Grant:: “No. There are no
subjects that shouldn't be featured in comic books...as long as
they're contextually integrated into the story. I don't think there
are any taboos left...which I find a little sad, for some reason.
However, I'm sure somebody will be along soon to expose and disrupt
some new taboos.”
Devin Grayson: “Comics is a
medium like short stories or TV shows, and as such, should not be
restrained by genre or subject-matter. There are plenty of things I
might not want to read about, but nothing that, in and of itself,
"shouldn't" be featured in a comic book. As for taboos -- as far as
I know, we have yet to create a States-side version of anything
quite like Japan's "Rape man" (though for that matter, we don't have
a "Tin Tin" either). As with most other media in this country, sex
will probably be the last thing we truly become comfortable with,
preferring adolescent titillation and the hyper-violent to - gasp! -
people actually touching one another. There are plenty of topics the
big companies have been shy about publishing, but nothing much I can
think of that they wouldn't consider if it was part of a compelling
enough story, and even less that no one has covered in the Indies.”
Terry Moore: “That
answer would be totally subjective to each individual. I imagine
many replies beginning with, "I don't appreciate..." or "I think
it's wrong..." or "I've seen enough of..." Replies beginning with
the word "I". But, the fact remains that there is an audience for
anything you can think of, good or bad. A lot of different "I"'s out
there requiring different things to stir their emotions. So, as a
person who values morals, I would have to reply that yes, there are
subjects I don't think should be in comic books, but I would not try
to stop anyone from doing it or reading it. Are there any taboos
left? No, I think Britney Spears took care of that. Oh, you mean
comics-wise? Then I have just one word for you... Batman.”
Dawn Donald: “After Preacher? Nah…not any
more.”
”This question seems to have caused a strong
reaction from our panellists with some strong answers. I am sure it
is going to cause an interesting reaction on the boards as
well.”:
This Week’s Panel are Terry Moore the creator of
Strangers in Paradise ‘nuff said. Devin Grayson has been
writer on Gotham Knights and is currently writer on
Nightwing. Alan Grant has had his hands in many pies
including Batman and Judge Anderson. Bill Rosemann was for years
Marvel’s “your man” but is now over on CrossGen helping bring them
to the forefront of the public eye – congrats on the recent
promotion, Bill. Lee Dawson does a similar job for Dark Horse – a
promotion in the offing there too? Rick Shea is one of the U.S of
A’s biggest and best retailers. Mike Collins has done art on
everything from Harry Potter Trading Cards to
Transformers to Dredd to the covers of an indie bands
CD to just about … well, everything really. Vince Moore’s work for
Platinum Studios can be checked out via the link on his name
above.”:
Next Week’s Question: “ How can writers break into
comics? What advice have you picked up for those who want to break
into the comicbook industry?”
Previous Questions:
Check out the message board where I’ve put up a list of every
question the Panel has faced so far (neatly linked to the column it
appeared in) to inspire you and let you know what to
avoid.
SBC reserves the right to edit questions for
reasons of consistency and inclusivity.
Have the Panel
gotten it right? Have your say on the hot topics of the day at
the Panelology
message board.
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