Monday, April 25, 2011

Marvel vs. DC


I’m going forward with the assumption that readers of my blog will have different levels of exposure to comics and their surrounding culture. So I’ll be doing some write-ups about the history and culture of comics. 

Starting with Marvel vs. DC. What is it, and why does it exist? No not Marvel vs. Capcom, silly gamers. But seriously someone needs to make me this game:

*Giggles*. (I own no rights to this picture. I found it here: http://loyalkng.com/2009/05/27/marvel-dc-terminator-star-trek-transformers/).

Anyway, let’s get back on topic.

First of all Marvel and DC are the two leading comic companies in the United States. DC Comics is the oldest comic company (founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications). Marvel is the biggest, selling the most comics each year. DC comics owns the personalities of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Green Arrow, The Justice League, and Teen Titans, just to name a few. Marvel owns most of the men in tights you’ve been seeing on the big screen recently, for example, Spiderman, Iron Man, X-Men, Thor, The Hulk, Captain America, The Fantastic Four, and The Avengers.

Now some of you might just be thinking that this division of superheroes is the only thing that separates the two companies. I read Batman so I generally prefer DC, while you might read Spiderman and hang out in the Marvel section of the comic store. But there is more of a difference between Batman and Spiderman than one might think at first glance. Yes they are both superheroes, fight super villains and look good in tight pants. Sure Spidey shoots web and Batman has a gadget belt and a Bat Mobile, but is that the only difference?

DC, previously known as National, was started in 1934 and created the superhero movement in 1938 with the introduction of Superman in Action Comics #1, with Batman following a year later in 1939. These two superheroes have survived the ages and are two of the most well known characters in the world! Regardless of whether you read comics or not, I guarantee you recognize those names. Because these characters came out of the great depression and World War II era, they are written to be very idealized and fantastic. We’ll get back to this in a just a second.

Marvel, as we know it today, was started in 1961 with the release of Fantastic Four. Part of Marvel’s creative strategy was to take superheroes in a new direction. Marvel characters are often more down to earth, dealing with everyday issues, such as jobs and girl friends, alongside their duties of fighting crime. They live in real world cities, such as New York, Chicago and LA. Whereas DC portrays idealized and satirized characters to comment on our own reality, Marvel tries to place the superhero into our reality.

Let’s take a look.

Spiderman lives in New York City, has a job at newspaper publishing company, and dates Mary Jane Watson. The only difference between the guy on the street and Mr. Peter Parker is the fact that Pete’s a superhero. Spiderman struggles with the concept of living with superpowers and trying to live a normal life and we, the audience, are caught up in his web of philosophical questions and moral dilemmas. The whole thing’s very psychological.

Batman, in contrast, lives in fictional Gotham City, a creative take on Spidey’s New York. Bruce Wayne owns Wayne Industries, which pretty much owns all of Gothem. Less realistic. Even without superpowers, he’s pretty perfect. But if you really look at it, Batman isn’t written to be realistic, or to theorize about what it would be like for a regular Joe thrown into a hero role. Batman is the revenge archetype to a T. He’s a symbol and a metaphor. His arch nemesis, the Joker, is the personification of insanity. They're embodiments of ideas, not people.

As I said before, Batman and Superman were created before the start of World War II during the end of the Great Depression. This was a time when we wanted a great superhero to come save us. Someone to come down, punch Hitler in the jaw and save the world. (This could be one of the factors in why Superman is a bloody alien.) When there’s talk about going to war, you don’t want to think about having to fight the enemy yourself. You want to believe there’s someone powerful enough to do all the fighting for you.

Now this is all generalization, but for the most part DC comic characters are purely romanticized and out-of-this-world, while Marvel characters try to add a spark of reality to what we would deem a pretty fantastic existence. Now you see that these companies are more than a division of superheroes, they are two different takes on the superhero; two different ways of writing and creating characters and universes. Next time you talk to someone who only reads Marvel, or only reads DC, ask them why and see if they can come up with a reason. They might just say its because Spidey’s the man, but if they think about it, they might realize a more subconscious preference.

In this day and age, Marvel comes out on top. You see many more movies starring characters from the Marvel universe. TV shows such as Heroes, a modern take on X-Men, have become widely popular. Humanizing the superhero, that’s what interests us the most right now. We, as a culture, want to understand what it would be like if we woke up tomorrow with super powers. Archetypal heroes don’t cut it for us anymore. But there will always be a place for DC’s take on the hero. (Superman and Batman are so ingrained in our culture there will always be some sort of demand for them.) But maybe in a few years we won’t want to see ourselves in Marvel's take of the superman. We might want superheroes and all they stand for to go back to alternate dimensions that only vaguely remind us of the real world. Maybe. 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

For the Ladies: DEMO

It’s been a week since an update. Sorry about that. I’ll try to update more regularly from now on.

Anyway, here’s the DEMO review:

FOR THE LADIES: I feel that this next series’ concentration on characters and relationships, as well as Cloonan’s spin on the manga style art, make it a good fit for women interested in comics. But there’s still a lot in it that boys will enjoy as well.

DEMO is a 12 issue mini series by Brian Wood (DMZ) and Becky Cloonan (American Virgin) that was released between 2003 and 2004. Wood’s description in the back of the DEMO collected edition really embodies what DEMO is all about. So I’ll let him explain it:

“I thought up DEMO back in 2002 in a car in upstate New York. I had spent some time a few years before writing teen superheroes for Marvel Comics, and I wanted to take a stab at something similar, but something I would have more control over; to interpret the concept of “young people with power” the way that I wanted to. My first ideas weren’t too far removed from standard comic book stereotypes, but as I sat down and began to write the scripts, the concept evolved. My definition of “superpowers” changed to more universal ideas about power and control, the characters grew up from rebellious teenagers to complex people in their twenties and thirties.”
           
Apart from the writing, Becky Cloonan’s art has “incredible range and versatility” as Wood puts it. Every story has a different art style that compliments the storyline. Her art is so versatile that, on first glance, you might believe the story to be drawn by a completely different artist.

A second collection of DEMO (this time only 6 issues) was released in 2010. Let me say right off the bat that if you’re interested in DEMO and don’t have the money to buy both collections I would read the second one. Its shorter ands shows the growth of both the writer and artist in the 6 years between the two collections. (Since it’s a collection of short stories there’s no continuity from one issue to another). The second collection (in my opinion) has much stronger composition and storytelling than the first. Not that the first collection is terrible. The second is just better. Or, if the whole collection doesn’t interest you, browse your local comic store and see if they have back issues you can buy individually. (The stories were meant to be read as a single issue anyway).

Now that you know what DEMO is about, let’s take a look at the individual stories.

DEMO Vol. 1 Story Breakdowns

1: NYC – I feel like this story was a great introduction to the types of stories that the creators were trying to tell: “young people with power.”
2: EMMY – Cute manga style art mixed with a simple story told with a minimal amount of words.
3: BAD BLOOD – I liked the idea, but I found the story to be far to explanative in the writing. Instead of finding a creative way to show the back-story, Wood just had the characters talk about it. (Which just felt very unrealistic.)
4: STAND STRONG – I liked it. Great story about growing up, in a be-careful-what-you-wish-for manner.
5: GIRL YOU WANT – Interesting idea, but it took me a couple of reads to really get the most out of it. (Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.)
6: WHAT YOU WISH FOR – Very creepy. Love the art. The story has a great Steven King feel to it.
7: ONE SHOT, DON’T MISS – My least favorite. Which is weird because it was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2005 for best single issue. (An Eisner is the award for excellence in the comic medium). It’s a war story, so maybe it’s just me.
8: MIXTAPE – Very pretty story. My only problem with it was the use of suicide as a problem solver.
9: BREAKING UP – It’s a break up story (go figure. It’s a pretty good one non-the-less). This is where the collection starts to lose its supernatural-ness. Not that I’m opposed to comics that don’t have super anything, but the supernatural-ness really tied the collection together. According to Wood, this is just a spontaneous creative evolution, with the concept of “super powers” changing with each story, but in my opinion, to totally abandon the supernatural qualities really disconnects the collection.
10: DAMAGED – It starts off with super powers and ends without them. I didn’t really get this one. Another break in the theme.
11: MIDNIGHT TO SIX – No supernatural qualities that I could see. It was a good story, but I just didn’t feel that it had a reason for being in this particular collection.
12: MON DERNIER JOUR AVEC TOI (MY LAST DAY WITH YOU) – A story told with a poem and comic art. I loved the idea, but the poem just didn’t work for me.

DEMO Vol. 2 Story Breakdowns

*Some of these stories took the super power theme and instead turned them into amplified disorders (issues 2 and 3), which I thought was an interesting creative twist on the super power theme.

1: THE WAKING LIFE OF ANGELS – A tad predictable, but the last two panels make up for that.
2:  PANGS – Not for the faint of heart.
3: VOLUME ONE LOVE STORY – Cute. I loved it. ‘Nuff said.
4: WATERBREATHER – Interesting concept, but I found this to be the least interesting of the stories in this collection.
5: STRANDED – Again, great story concept, but I thought the actual writing could have been sharpened. The fantastical aspects of the story got a bit too out of hand. (Though I think this story is still stronger than some in the previous collection.)
6: SAD AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE – My favorite of all 18 stories. Perfect combination of the supernatural “powers” with an emotional story about a young relationship.

These are just my opinions. As you saw above, my least favorite story was the only one nominated for an Eisner Award. Which could mean that my least favorite might become your favorite story. If you’re interested in stories about “young people with power” or stories that focus on people, relationships, and emotions then do yourself a favor and pick up a volume, or even just a single issue.

Again, you might be wondering why I included this in my blog, which is supposed to focus on comics that lie outside of the superhero/superpower realm. But what you have to understand about comics is that the superhero is more than just a cliché – it’s what sells. As a comic creator, the easiest way to show people (especially people that already read comics) that comics can be more than superheroes is to modify the superhero theme, rather than jump into something completely new. Baby steps. And that’s what DEMO does. It bridges the gap between what works and what could be. So give it a try. With 18 stories, even you skeptics might find something worth reading.

P.S. Leave a comment if there is anything in particular you want me to review on the blog. 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Manga and Me

Since my last post I’ve been asked to comment about why I don’t read Manga.

Disclaimer: I am not immersed in the manga/anime culture so some of my outsider generalizations will reveal my ignorance about the subject. I haven’t read Akira, (I know, I know!) so I might not have the best basis to comment with, but I have yet to find a manga series that I have wanted to read continuously, or spend money on. If you have suggestions about manga that I should read to help me become more enlightened, please leave a comment.

Now, back to the blog.

For those of you who may not know, manga is a comic and cartoon style that originated in Japan, some say as early as the late 19th century. Manga and anime (Japanese animation) started appearing in the American market around the 1970’s, but it wasn’t until the 1990s - 2000s that it really took off as its own subculture. When I was getting into the comic scene, say early 2000s, all that you could find on the shelves were Inuyasha and Sailor Moon. Now manga fills more shelf space than western graphic novels in the big box bookstores.

Manga, like any other art form, has its devote followers and those who can’t stand the sight of it…and those who just don’t care. As I previously stated I don’t read manga anymore, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t find it a credible form of artistic expression. Which is why I started my manga analysis with:

Why Manga is Awesome:

It has variety!: Unlike western comics, manga has no trouble covering topics other than superheroes. Genres appearing in manga include high school drama, romance, fantasy, sci fi, sports, action, adventure, etc.  The one huge flaw in western comics is where Manga really shines.

It’s for girls!: With its stories about high school, romance, and mystery, manga steals the female audience right under western comics’ nose. By reading manga, girls might become more aware of the fact that western comics exist. (Manga was definitely a stop on my road to comic fandom.) There should be comics for women and manga provides for that niche. Seriously, Marvel, step it up! (And that measly adaptation of Pride and Prejudice just isn’t going to cut it.)

It’s for kids!: Surprisingly, for a medium that’s been historically linked to children, western comics are losing some ground. Manga is available in cute little books that are great for younger readers. And you can buy them without ever having to step foot inside a comic shop. (Not all comic shops are kid appropriate.) The art in manga is much more simplistic than in western comics at times, so it can be easier for younger kids to piece together and understand the storyline. You can tell it’s stealing the market when Marvel starts releasing Spider Man in manga format. (Note for parents: Not all comics or manga are suitable for young children. Most bookstores now have a “comics for kids” section to help with the screening process. Remember, just because it has pictures, doesn’t mean its always meant for children.)

It’s competition!: All of the reasons I provided above have given western comic companies (DC, Marvel) the kick in the pants that was needed to help them realize that they need to revaluate their marketing strategies and content choices. (Well...kind of.) Hopefully with manga taking over the graphic novel sections in bookstores they will begin to realize that women like comics too. And require more varied content.

It’s called Manga!: Seriously, western comics need a cool name, so I can stop typing “western comics.” (FYI: I’m using the term ‘western comics,’ instead of ‘American comics’ because some of the comics I will be reviewing on this site were written/released in Europe and other parts of the American continents, including Canada and Brazil.)


Why I don’t read Manga:

Art Style: One thing I absolutely love about American comics is the fact that every artist has a different art style. I love it when I can walk into a comic store and be able to recognize an artist by just glancing at the cover. The art style choices really add to the story that is being told. For example, Eduardo Risso’s art in 100 Bullets is so perfect for the storyline. His use of shadow really emphasizes the intrigue and spookiness that permeates the comic. Just like music in a movie sets the emotional tone of the film, the art sets the tone of the comic book. 100 Bullets just wouldn’t have been the same without the artistic choices that Risso made.

Manga, on the other hand from what I can tell, has only a handful of different styles. The art in manga doesn’t change radically from book to book to help shape the tone of the story. It is generic and conformist, and honestly I get bored looking at the same style of art all the time. Art is a huge part of comic composition and when it isn’t used to enhance the particular story that is being told, then what is the point? When 10 comics, with radically different stories, all share the same art style, what is the art really saying? In my opinion? Not much. Also, sometimes a person should be compelled to pick up a comic based solely on its art style. If it all looks the same, how do I choose one story over another? And different artists appeal to different people. If you don’t like the art in a certain western comic, then find a different artist. If you don’t like the manga style, well you might be out of luck.

Story: This is the section that I might start digging my own grave, so stick with me. It’s been years since I’ve really read manga, so I’ll be drawing on my experience with anime for support. This is not a comment on composition in Japanese comics, because I haven’t analyzed that in any depth in the same way that I have with my own collection of western comics. This is about the type of stories being told and the manner in which they are told.

First of all, no story that I’ve read or seen in manga or anime has intrigued me the same way that, say, Gaiman’s Sandman or Willingham’s Fables has. Some have caught my attention enough to make me sit down and pay attention, but none have succeeded in retaining my attention. Sometimes I get confused, sometimes bored, sometimes the endings aren’t satisfying, and sometimes the same thing just keeps happening over and over and over…some don’t even end. Example: I really tried to like Death Note, but after the climax with L, the fact that the story continued for like a whole other season just didn’t work for me. It felt like the story wasn’t thought out as a whole. (And it wasn’t that long to begin with. Jumping the sharking as an excuse just doesn’t cut it for me.) And could someone please explain to me the ending of Evangelion.

Second of all, sometimes strange things happen and I just don’t get it. I’m a rational person and when strange things happen I like to know why. And sometimes crazy ice skating ninjas appear out of nowhere and challenge the protagonist to a duel. For no reason.  I can only take so many crazy ice skating ninja types of scenarios. (It’s these types of scenarios that keep me from reading superhero comics as well.)

Thirdly, for the most part I don’t like giant robots, ninjas, superheroes, crazy samurai, car racing, dudes with big swords or girls with huge knockers. Or pretty much anything supernatural for supernatural’s sake. (I know, I’m no fun.)

Outside of these subjects I’ve found it difficult to find more mature, more intellectual Japanese comics. Most of the manga I’m familiar with, and it might just be the types of manga that are being translated and published in the States, are targeted toward junior high and high schoolers. As a twenty something, I prefer stories with a little more depth. (Comics? Depth? Keep reading my blog posts and you’ll see. You’ll see.) As I said, I’ve been out of the manga game for a while now so maybe there is something out there for me. I honesty haven’t looked in a long time.

It might just be me, though. It might be because of my background. Going to school in the States I’ve read a lot of English literature and my various English classes have taught me a lot about western story structure. I know very little about Japanese culture and literature. That might be a huge barrier in me understanding and appreciating manga to its fullest. Whatever the reason, I find little pleasure in reading it, but that might change someday. We’ll just have to see.

Conclusion

There will always be some sort of division in comic culture. Take the Marvel vs. DC argument for example. Most comic readers will choose one side and stay loyal. It’s just the way we’re built as a culture. (I choose DC by the way.) The Manga vs. western comics stems from a clash of cultures more than anything. I feel more comfortable in the classic western comic, Archie and Superman culture. That's just a part of who I am. Manga has a rich culture that I just don't fit into.

I’m not saying any of this to dissuade anyone from reading manga. I’m just making rationalizations about why I don’t read it. I could make similar rationalizations about why I don’t read superhero comics or Frank Miller. If I tried to be well read in all types of comics I wouldn’t get anything done. There are gems in every medium (Jeff Loeb’s Batman or Superman: Red Son for example if you want to dig into the superhero category.) I’ve just happened to have already found some gems in the western comics non-superhero category that I would like to share. If you out there would, in turn, like to educate me on the manga gems that you have found, I would be very interested in learning about them.

The whole point of this blog, after all, is to try to erase prejudices against the comic medium in general and try to garner it some respect. I can start doing this by helping people to realize that comics are more than just superheroes and content for intended for children. (Non-superhero western comics are also easier for people outside of the medium to start reading, since there is no long back story or universe for them to catch up to and understand.) But if there are other comics out there, past my scope of American and western storytelling, please pass them my way.

They’re all still comics in the end.

Peace, guys.

(BTW, if you haven’t heard of some, or any, of my references to other comics, look them up or wait for future blog posts!)

DEMO review, next time. I promise!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

For the Ladies

I have decided to tailor some of my posts specifically for women who read comics. Why? Because there are women out there (like me) who are interested in reading and creating comic books. And unfortunately comics and comic-oriented things are (for the most part) created by men for men. You have to dig a little deeper, not only to find the comic gems, but the comics that will appeal to a female audience in general. For the most part, Western comics and graphic novels tend to be very violent and based around continuous power struggles. These types of story lines appeal to men, but generally don't attract women on a large scale. The Eastern comics (Manga), on the other hand, which cover a wider variety of subjects, tend to focus more on the characters and their relationships to each other. Thus, this is why young preteen girls love Manga. (You know, besides the fact that they love androgynous-looking Manga boys.)

This is also where we get our gender-split graphic novel section in the bookstore. On one side we have our nice organized Manga section, where mostly girls shop and on the other, we have our disorganized graphic novel section, where mostly the guys shop. (Seriously, go to Borders.) I might even be willing to bet that more men read Manga than women read western comics. Now, I personally don't read Manga, for a plethora of reasons, but I have nothing against it. But women out there should realize that western comics are worth the look, and might even offer story lines that are more appealing (and on a higher reading level) than Manga.

But women shouldn't have to wade through the sad pile that is graphic novel section at Borders or Barnes and Noble, or have to wander aimlessly through the dank cave that passes as the local comic shop to find something worth reading. That's why I'm here: to make finding comics a little easier. So, in my reviews I will point out comics/graphic novels that, I feel, will be attractive for female readers. That doesn't mean they aren't attractive for men. It just means that they focus on narrative elements that are appealing to women, including character development, deep character relationships, female protagonists without giant knockers, etc. The more women get interested in the comic medium, the more female comic creators there are out there and the more demand there is for comics that appeal to us girls.

So, join me next time, for my review of DEMO, by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan. Just for the Ladies!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Best Comic Ever?

What's a good comic/graphic novel review blog that doesn't review what most comic aficionados deem "the best comic of all time" - The Watchmen. Why is it the best comic you may ask? Well for one, it is the only comic/graphic novel to appear on Time's list of "100 Best Novels of All Time." (Note: The list has been amended to include a section on graphic novels, but The Watchmen is still the only comic book to be included in the actual list of 100.) That being said, what is The Watchmen and why is it so good?

The Watchmen is a twelve-part comic series created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons that was published by DC Comics between 1986-87. Since then it has been collected into a one-volume reprint that has been sold in comic shops and book stores for the past twenty years. The story of The Watchmen is an alternate history following a band of superheroes in the 1940s and the 1960s fighting crime in the United States and abroad, including helping the US to win the Vietnam War. In the present day, according to the story, the states are in a cold war-esque confrontation with the USSR, and thus the costumed vigilantes are forced to either retire or join forces with the US government. The plot involves an investigation into the murder of a superhero turned government lackey, which in turn pulls many of the heros out of retirement.

Now you maybe asking yourself why I'm even taking the time to review a comic about superheroes when then whole point of this blog, as I have previously stated, is to find comics that fall beyond the scope of the traditional comic fodder. The fact is that even though The Watchmen story line revolves around superheroes, it is more than a superhero book. It is in fact a commentary about superhero books. It takes every superhero comic book you've ever read and turns it on its head. It brings the humanity back into the superhero and asks "What if superheroes were just like you and me, except for their cool gadgets and the ability to fly."

Beyond the fact that it's a brilliant commentary, not just on superheroes and vigilanteism, but on the social anxieties of the time, it is one of the best examples of the potential of the comic book medium. For those interested in composition for the comic book or graphic novel, The Watchmen is the best place to start. The comic uses a consistent 9 blocks-per-page format (broken only by the climx) with recurring images and themes, along with The Black Frigit, a comic book within a comic book, to comment on the overall plot line. Remember that a comic book is more than just words and pictures. It is really the pacing and the placement of the words and pictures that conveys the story. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons use the comic medium, maybe not to its fullest potential, but to more of its potential than most mainstream comic creators will even admit that it has.

The content of the story line may not interest all of you out there, but it really is The Godfather of the comic medium. It's the best of the best and reading it will help you understand the comic medium on another level.

And for those of you who have only seen the movie, do yourself a favor and read the book. You might actually learn a thing or two about the art of storytelling in the graphic medium. And the comic has something that the movie doesn't have - a giant squid from "space!" (And if that doesn't motivate you to read the book, then I don't know what will.)

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Comics Aren't Just For Kids Anymore

Comics have historically been given a bad name. Coming out of the pulps in the 30s and 40s they have been viewed as childish, violent, deviant, trashy, etc. The Comic Code of 1954 didn't help that cause and instead pushed comics even more into the realm of "just for kids." (Much like the stereotype shared by cartoons and animated movies today).

But ever since the mid eighties, comics and their more sophisticated relative "the graphic novel" have started to become a more mature and intellectual medium, taking their themes from such subjects as the political concerns of the age or the literary greats, such as Shakespeare. (Yes, that Shakespeare.) There has been a large movement in comics that has begun to move away from the superhero motif into realms of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, mystery, and general fiction. Did you know that Persepolis, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Constantine, Sin City, A History of Violence, Wanted, Red, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World were all comics before they were movies? Even some popular TV shows, including The Walking Dead and Human Target, got their start in the comic medium.

Comics and graphic novels have the potential to be just as important and influential as the best novels, films, and television shows. They just need their fair share of respect and acknowledgment. And that is what I am here to do. Through this blog I will share my thoughts on some of the best writing and artistry in the comic realm today. You can do your share by realizing that comics can be more than men in tights beating up bad guys and entertaining the kiddies. Walk into a comic store and pick up something worth reading. More than likely, you'll be glad you did.