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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.
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ARTICLES
What
Makes A Great Comic Cover? Tuesday, August
26
Respectable
US Comics? Tuesday, August 19
Is
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Exclusive
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Respectable
US Comics?
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 got a few
details on them at the end of the column.
This week�s
question comes from The Monkeyboy a French reader with whom I
have had numerous discussions on how comics are perceived in the UK
and US compared to his country. The question is:
�Will
comic books ever reach the same levels of respectability in the
UK/US that they have in such countries as France or Japan? If so how
do you think we'll get there?�
Craig Lemon: �Not a
hope in hell.
How could it be achieved?
Drop the
pamphlets. Drop the weekly "must-go-to-the-shop-or-you'll-miss-out",
that is so geeky and insular. Push original graphic novels and
trades. Make shops look more like Page 45 the shop, than Page 45 of
Penthouse.
Is any of this going to happen?
No
way.�
Peter
David: �Will comicbooks ever reach the same levels of
respectability in the UK/US that they have in such countries as
France or Japan?
It's possible.
If so how do you think
we'll get there?
If there's a world war and we're conquered
by France or Japan.�
Shawna
Ervin-Gore: �I sincerely doubt that comics will ever reach
the same level of respectability here in the U.S. as they have in
other countries. Arguments could certainly be made that this has
been happening gradually over the last decade or so, and that's true
to an extent. But I just can't see respect for comics as a medium
ever reaching the masses in the U.S. as it has abroad. There are too
many reasons to list all of them, but my gut instinct is that one of
the biggest reasons is that America tends to be a fairly shallow,
overtly-image-conscious culture, and the social stigmas against
people who read comics are pretty deeply-rooted and pervasive at
this point. The medium will occasionally benefit in little, tiny
measures from the mainstream success of blockbuster movies like
Spider-Man, but your average person doesn't become an overnight,
dedicated fan when she's suddenly reminded that comics exist because
Tobey McGuire made a movie based on one. If anything, people will be
swept up in a couple of weeks worth of hype, then they'll forget
again that comics are a cool and fun and viable entertainment
medium. Every little bit of positive reinforcement helps to a
certain degree, but the chasm between people who appreciate comics
and people who see comics as childish, unsophisticated, or just
plain weird is a little too wide.�
Devin
Grayson: �I don't know much about the industry in France,
but I know that in Japan, comics, or manga, are viewed as a medium,
not a genre. Here, comic books are almost exclusively connected in
most people's minds to superheroes. In Japan they have superhero
manga, but they also have romance, mystery, self-help, porn,
historical, and nonfiction manga, to name a few. We have some of
that as well, but in nowhere near the same quantities or
percentages.
And then there's the other biggie -- in Japan,
manga comes in the form of a small book (which, of course, is
available at bookstores as well as specialty manga shops). I know
that my parents, comic civilians both, didn't really care about what
I was doing until they saw my first trade paperback -- that looked
like a *book* to them, and suddenly they believed that I made my
living writing. The product we offer, as currently formatted, is
essentially pretty flimsy and disposable. Not surprisingly, whether
accurate or not, that fits with the opinion most Americans have
about the quality of the content as well. American retail is all
about packaging. If we want to change how people think about our
product, one of the first steps would have to be changing the look,
marketing, and perceived value of said product. There's a lot more
to it than that, but that's a critical early step that isn't
completely out of the realm of possibility.�
Bill Rosemann: �If by
"respectability" you mean considered as a valid medium--equal to TV,
movies, literature, painting, etc.--then I would argue that the
battle is already underway. The more you see graphic novels in
bookstores (even mixed in with text-only novels), the more you see
articles in newspapers or segments on the news, the more you see
comics being discussed in universities (or in schools through
CrossGen's Bridges program), the more "respect" comic books are
getting. An entire generation grew up reading comic books, and now
that generation is making movies, teaching, writing television
scripts, reporting for newspapers and otherwise contributing to
and/or controlling the media. So the more good, intelligent stories
with complex, three-dimensional characters we produce--and the more
companies take serious efforts to distribute their products to the
mass market (and then promote those creations in the mass
media)--the quicker we'll get there. Due to decades of stereotyping
and snobbery, comic books may never be "respected," but we're at
least staking our claim on the pop culture radar screen. That's what
needs to happen: first we just need to be considered a valid medium,
filled with both high and low creations...the respect will come
later when people discover the heights we can all
achieve�
Terry
Moore: �Honestly? I doubt it, because America is just not an
art culture. By and large we are educated to be business people and
professionals. Most Americans can name 3 famous American
businessmen, but they can't name 3 famous American artists working
today... and if they could, who would they name? We don't have any
famous American artists that are household names. The last one was
Andy Warhol. America in general doesn't know about all the great
artists working in their chosen fields. On the other hand, art is
just as much a part of Europe's culture and history as anything. The
people there revere the arts and those who can make it. The only
time I ever got a free meal for being a cartoonist was in Germany.
That was nice. I believe all cartoonists should eat for free all the
time, don't you?�
Mike Savage (Guest Panellist):
�First, allow me to retort...Just kidding (I had to say that).
Seriously though, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Michael
Savage. I own a shop here in Florida and at one point occupied the
position currently held by SBC's very own J. Hues at Future Comics.
I'm known to pop up on stage during Marvel panels with absolutely
nothing to say and at most conventions am normally only seen at
night in the Marvel hospitality suite, the only guy without a beer
in hand. I am very interested in next week's question.
You
see, while in Chicago last weekend I had a very lengthy conversation
with one Richard Isanove on that very subject. I mentioned that my
collection as a shop owner consisted of, not single issues, but
Hardcovers. That included my Uncanny run from issue #1 to current in
turn for Marvel Masterworks and trades. He was amazed. I told him
that comics were the most complicated art form ever created in my
opinion and that they deserved hardcover format. (why that is my
opinion can be discussed another time) We talked of the Italian and
French hardbound editions and the fine paper and printing used on
some of the books in Europe. How you aren't considered a "geek" for
reading the monthly comic book. We talked of how the European comic
artist is just as big as a rock star in France and how we both hoped
that would be the case everywhere in years to come. But we both
agreed that we would probably never see it here in America.
One has only to look back to the early years of the comics
code to see why. The stigma has stuck with the books to our day here
in America. As for me, I do my part every day to encourage more
people to read comics. I hope one day mainstream acceptance earns
them the respect they get in Europe. My hope is that comic shops
encourage people to stop bagging their comics and instead...pass
them on. We should give out rewards for letting people borrow your
comics, not stuffing them away like they'll be worth millions
someday. The 90's taught us that that will never happen. As for me,
I still get my single issues, and when I'm done reading them, I pass
them on. I'll always have my hardcovers to proudly display. Mike
Savage Comics Enthusiast!�
Rick
Shea: �I think it's possible that comics may someday reach
the same levels of respect that are achieved in foreign countries,
but it's not going to be easy. I think CrossGen is doing everything
they can to get new readers into their books by advertising outside
the industry and getting every kind of coverage they can to get new
readers interested in comic books in general and not just their own
books. The DVD comics showing up at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us soon
enough should help to get new people interested in the characters
and hopefully they'll find their way into comic book stores
eventually.
I think the more mainstream coverage comics get,
the better. I really would love to see that celebrity-based ad
campaign or something similar take effect as people will follow
their favorite celebrities everywhere. That would of course lead to
more people talking about comics and spreading the good word even
further. The industry needs to go from "guilty pleasure" to
mainstream entertainment, as well as convincing people that there's
something for everyone if they only know where to look. It's not
going to happen overnight, but with all the books I've been selling
hundreds of lately and the new faces I see everyday, it's getting
there.
There's also a renewed sense of interest from the
media in comic books as we've run FOUR (and soon five) front page
articles for the people section of Florida Today so far this year.
They were about Free Comic Book Day including our promotion to get
more children excited about reading via comics, the Hulk movie and
the comic book influence, Crossgen Comics and our Sojourn signing,
and one talking about comic books influencing the Matrix films. I'm
going to give away my secret to other retailers and fans: Call or
e-mail the paper and clearly explain what you're doing to help the
community as our fifth article next month is going to be about
donating graphic novels to libraries and their rise in popularity.
It's as easy as that. They won't come looking for you, but make some
friends at the paper. Six of my customers work there, so I milk that
for all it's worth and I wish more retailers would do the same.
Now get out there and spread the word.
Amen.�
Markisan Naso: No. They will never be respected here
because people are idiots. For a stunning example of public
stupidity I refer you to the Supreme Court's decision not to hear
the case of Jesus Castillo. Castillo is a Texas comic book retailer
who was charged with two counts of obscenity for selling adult comic
books to - get this - adults. Not only were they adult comics sold
to adults, but they were adult comics sold in a separate adult
section that children had no access to.
The prosecutor
sealed Castillo's fate by saying that the mere presence of these
comics poses a threat to children. She also pointed out that a
school is located across the street from the shop, despite the fact
that the judge told the jury that the school's presence could not
enter deliberations. Oh, and there was also this statement: "I don't
care what type of evidence or what type of testimony is out there,
use your rationality, use your common sense. Comic books,
traditionally what we think of, are for kids."
So now
Castillo gets sentenced to 180 days in jail, a year probation, and a
$4,000 fine, and Texas basically gets to say that selling an adult
comic book to adults in an area inaccessible to kids, is a crime
because comics are for children. Are you fucking kidding
me?
Texas has just thrown out the first amendment for comic
books. A precedent has been set. And now other states may follow the
Longhorn example.
So, to answer your question again, no, I
don't think comics will receive the respect they do overseas. Yeah,
it's pessimistic, but I believe the industry will always struggle to
find acceptance. Comics may be embraced by the mainstream when
translated to other mediums such as film, but when it comes to
actual comic books, people on the outside looking just don't seem to
get it. Now, that said, I don't think we should give up. God knows I
want to be proven wrong.
Alan Donald: �I find it very difficult to see how we
will overcome the rubbish that has become culturally ingrained into
our societies. At the same time it must be possible as the comicbook
industry in its most recognisable form in the US an UK is only 80
years old at the very most, less than that really. Surely that isn�t
too much time to overcome? People have been racist for centuries but
things are getting better now (aren�t they?).
The French and
the Japanese (for example) have never seen comics as just being for
kids nor have they gone through the backlash against this,
alienating kids. We�re now in a bizarre situation where many people
believe comics to be kids stuff and many parents won�t let their
kids read comics because the first one they pick up in a shop is
either hardcore porn or Frank Castle blowing someone�s head into a
flesh flavoured smoothly.
We�ve taken the first big step with
works like Maus, Pedro and Me, The Watchmen, The Sandman, Batman:
Year One and any number of current titles on the shelves. The
quality of writing has improved to the point where the best is
literature, the bulk is better than most books on sale and the worst
is better than the modern day pulps. The artwork in comics has also
changed with an unreal selection of styles available. Then of course
there�s the small matter of the collections, graphic novels,
hardbacks etc
I can�t bring myself to turn against monthly
comics nor comicshops but they are part of the problem. Comics need
to be in general circulation in a form that people want to
buy.
All the ingredients are there it�s just getting the
public to realise it�like they did when The Sandman was coming
out�damn, dropped ball again.
Um�what was the
question?�
Summary: Collections, films, cultural changes, the
loss of geekiness and wider distribution. The Panel is pretty much
in agreement this week over some of the possible ways of fixing this
problem and in its despair that it�s happening at all.
This Week�s Panel: Craig Lemon Lemon (Review editor
at Silver Bullet Comicbooks (and second in command as it were of the
whole site)), Peter David (Captain Marvel, Supergirl), Shawna
Ervin-Gore (an editor at Dark Horse), Devin Grayson (Gotham Knights,
Nightwing), Bill Rosemann (Publicist, Crossgen), Terry Moore
(Strangers in Paradise), Mike Savage (Comics Enthusiast), Rick Shea
(Manager of Famous Faces and Funnies an enormous comicbook retailer)
and Alan Donald (Columnist, SBC).
Next Week�s
Question: �What do you believe makes a good comic book cover?
Is the �in-your-face� style better than the �story-telling� style
with its fun quotes?�
Big Shout: The Panel need
your questions so email them into me at: [email protected].
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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