The New Criticism - Only Half The Story

I was talking earlier this week with my friend Keith Silva about the book Black Kiss II and how it made little sense to me. After some discussion and back story, I looked up Black Kiss 1, and read some of the history of the book. This interaction got me thinking; how much about the creators of a book should we as readers research before we read it?

In the literature world there is the idea of  The New Criticism which essentially is that a work should be judged solely by its self, leaving the intention of the author, the history, the context of the works all behind. How much does this apply to the medium of comics? Not only do we have a writer, but often the artist’s interpretation of the writer’s script or the way a colorist does a book can affect the story and how a piece is received as well. Should we, as readers, spend the time for each book we read learning the background, the motivation of the creators to better understand the comic we are reading?

I’ll admit I am thinking of this subject from a bit of a comic book snob’s point of view. I'm not sure for a lot of mainstream titles understanding the creators even make a difference. Most “Big Two” super hero books have as much editorial input as the creators do, so the freedom for creation and storytelling is hindered in that regard. I'm talking more about creator owned books, graphic novels or zines where the creators are free to write whatever story they want to present.

I have thought a lot about how much I want to know about a creator and their motivations for producing a particular piece. My conclusion is this: It is the responsibility of the reader to do the research. Literature; be it novels or comics, that are creator owned and produced, are highly personal. In that regard knowing where a creative team is in their life, what works they have made in the past that have led them to this point, and what possible commentaries the creators are making about society, will often make a work more enjoyable and far more fulfilling to an informed reader. With access to a plethora of podcasts, web sites, reviews and interviews, most of the time it’s not hard to find out about a book and a creative team before you read their work. So New Critics out there, you are only eating half the cake. Do your research and enjoy the full richness of a comic.

Wheres The Post?

In case you were wondering where my weekly post was, I did some guest writing for my pals at Twoheadednerd.com! I wrote a post as well as some reviews, check them out and let me know what you think. Support their site and listen to their show. Ill be back next week with my regular posting. Thanks! 

http://twoheadednerd.com/2012/09/02/the-dodo-isnt-dead-supporting-your-local-comic-shop/

http://twoheadednerd.com/2012/09/01/more-ludicrous-speed-reviews-by-aaron-meyers-king-of-ask-a-nerd/

Whoops! You Just Killed Comic Books.

     

    You may not know it, you may not even think about it, but when you go to your local comic book store you have a responsibility. That responsibility is to buy monthly issues of comics. Not trades, not omnibus, not definitive editions, monthly issues. That floppy you aren't buying because you want to "wait for trade" is killing the comics industry. 

     We all have that series that we need to own every bit of. The original issues, the variant issues, trade paperbacks, omnibus edition, definitive edition, original art, etc. I'm not talking about that. This is a boots on the ground, nerd-in-front-of-the-rack war that is being lost, and we are all going to be casualties. The reality of being a fan of comic books is that it takes some work. Pre-ordering books from your local retailer months in advance is how a book may live or die even before it’s born. As much as we would like to be able to go to our local store and buy whatever comic we want whenever we want, that isn't how the industry works and it’s up to us to do our part to ensure that the medium we love continues.

     This isn’t meant to be a long rant but a reminder that creators, publishers and shops rely on us, the fan, to go in weekly and buy the issues off the rack. Not only that, but you need to research and order in advanced the titles you think you want to read. If you love comics, and if you are reading this chances are you do, then do your part. Pre-order, pick up weekly and enjoy!

Assembled we are strong: The comic book community

    

One hundred years ago, your community was the town you lived in and the people you saw every day. In this age of the internet, community is a self defined.You are free to find the people you want to interact with, share your life with and do it on your own terms. The community of comics that I have immersed myself in these last few years has made me think deeply about what our community is, how it interacts, and why it’s so special and important.

     One of the amazing things I have discovered with the community of comics is how much the lines between a fan and a creator blur and shift rapidly. Finding out that most creators are they themselves fans of other creators, and have just as much love and passion for comics, humanizes the people I would idolize, and strengthens my appreciation for their work. Being able to talk with creators about their work, their process and their ideas online and at conventions ties me to comics in a way reading a work by itself never could.

     Comics are the only form of entertainment and education that I enjoy seeing "behind the scenes" of, and discovering how they are made, all the hard work involved in bringing them to us and the love people have for reading and creating them. Before I found this community I never understood the role of an inker, or a colorist, or a letterer. All I knew was there was someone who wrote a comic, and I thought someone who drew a comic, sometimes that was the same person. The amount of work that goes into the production of these works we all enjoy is staggering, and getting to understand that process through this community we have built has given me a deeper love of the format.

     Along that same line, the people I have met online who are fans like myself, have inspired me to read books I never would have before, and to understand comics in ways I never could have on my own, to write about comics that I never would have had the confidence to do by myself. Often, for me, the interactions I have with other people who are fans of comics are as important to me as the comics themselves. One of the most surprising things that has come from this community I've found is; what used to be a very isolated and singular hobby, now has outlets for vibrant discussions.

     I want to say thank you to all the friends I have made through comics in the last few years. Thank you to all the amazing creators who share their works with me. Thank you to the industry that works to bring comics to me for my enjoyment. Finally, thanks to this community of such great people, I am happy and honored to be a part of it.

    

The Generation Gap: Comics In The Family

     Books were always emphasized in my house growing up. Reading was as important as air and water to my family. From an early age my parents we're reading to me, and I always had a book with me wherever I went, all throughout my life. Some of my fondest childhood memories are reading books at night with my parents before bed. As a five year old, I remember laying down with my father to read an illustrated version of Treasure Island and the words we read sprang to life in my imagination, and the bond between a father and a son grew and thrived. Childhood moments like this cemented my love of books that would last my entire life. Now that I'm a father, I often think about how to instill a love for books into my children.

     I have a slightly non-traditional household. My wife and I have a two-year-old son who is a gamma burst of energy. He hardly ever stops running, playing, talking, destroying. We also have an 18 year old daughter who we have been raising since the age of 14. She is technically my wife's sister; my sister-in-law, whom we have custody of. The way I relate to my kids obviously varies greatly with this age difference between them. In the last couple of years I have actually shared and built a bond with my daughter over comics in ways we didn't have before. She reads The Walking Dead, and some graphic novels, and now we have discussions about what we've read. In the past we didn't have much in common when it came to entertainment, comics have brought us closer together. 

     My daughter and I have shared the pain, the joy, and the journey of these characters we both enjoy now. It's built an emotional bridge that had become strained over the years as she has moved from adolescence into a fledgling adult, yearning to find her individuality. My son on the other hand, is just getting to that age where reading books and sharing stories is a reality. With him I think about what I will read with him, be it comics, novels, etc, that will cement that family bond between us for the rest of our lives. I have been building a list of the things I loved as a kid and when I should share them with him.

     All of these thoughts have lead me to consider, and appreciate the importance that comics have played in my life, and how I want them to play in my children's life. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the medium of comics has so much power over us. Comics have the power to inspire, to heal, to bond people together. It's important to recognize this power and use it to make your life better. For me, my family is the most important thing in my life. My love of comics only helps to bring us together, and hopefully keep us connected in the future. 

Collecting or Hoarding. When A Passion Becomes A Burden

     I have always been a collector. I have the need to own artifacts, whether it's that Nintendo game cartridge, that mint condition magic card, or that mint condition comic book; I have a compulsion to own it. Often it's because it holds an emotional significance to me, that somehow having the object cements those feelings & that time period more than just the memory I have of it can. The tactile experience of picking up an item is often the key to unlocking memory and feeling for me. I can say this about the things in my collections that I hold most dear to me without shame or apology. But that is far from the extent of my collecting desires though. The reality is that while I do collect for markers of my past, I also collect just to have the items.

This is currently my "comic book room"

     CBR1 - http://goo.gl/PUjvY                                                          CBR2 - http://goo.gl/2DsFG

     

    

      It's becoming a problem. My wife says only half-jokingly that I'm a hoarder. I say that's impossible! How could I be a hoarder when all my comics are bagged, boarded, organized and preserved. In my heart I know she's right, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about the compulsion of collecting and what it means to me. When I look at a box full of, for example, Teen Titan back issues I know they aren't something I will ever read again, but at the same time there is no part of me that thinks "Just give them away then, sell them, get them out of the house". That would mean giving up a part of me. Comic book collecting is a complicated hobby for me. I love to read comics. I read them as a kid and discovered them again a few years ago as an adult. I read them voraciously. At the same time I buy back issues by the bundle, often never read them and keep them in boxes with the intention of having them there for the rest of my life. Why?

     My own self-reflection makes me think of my childhood. I grew up in a small rural house in an area that at the time had little access to popular culture. I didn't lack for food, shelter, clothing, love, or really much of anything. What I didn't have was exposure to much outside culture til my middle school age. Discovering music, movies, and most importantly to me, comic books, was a revelation. This world that I had never know was suddenly open to me and I couldn't get enough. This lasted til my mid teenage years and the obsession of comics transferred itself to collectible card games, but the obsession to collect, to own, didn't slow down. I felt that if I didn't have it, I never would be able to have it, and by having it, it made me more important, more valuable.

     I'd like to say that this feeling, this need, to own things has changed over the years. There isn't redemption at the end of this confessional. It isn't a cry for help. I enjoy collecting. I enjoy getting that rare back issue, or that box of comics of Craig's List that I can comb through. I have a spouse who keeps me somewhat in check and a budget to limit my spending. But in the end I wonder if I will mature and have a time in my life where I don't feel the need to have all these items. Will I be able to keep the symbols of my past that mean the most to me and let go of the rest? Right now that's not a future I can envision, but the future isn't written so only time and space can tell.

Being a SalesFan: Promoting What You Love

   

We live in the age of the Geek. As little as 20 years ago people who worked with computers, or played video games , or read comic books past the age of 18 were mocked, ridiculed and marginalized by the greater populous. Today everyone is free to discover subcultures that in the past would have been inaccessible to them. Comics have become more and more accepted in society as a valid form of art and literature. In spite of all this, the sales of comics in general continue to decline. We as comic book enthusiasts are a dying breed in a world where we should be thriving.

The question seems to come up often: How do we bring new people into the comics world? What I think about is how I as a reader can share my love of comics with others. How can I be a good spokesman for the comics I love and get people who aren't your typical fans of the medium interested? People say that you need to know your audience. More often than not the general public thinks comics are for kids, and mostly about super heroes. How do we show people this isn’t the case and get them interested? 

I already have personal factors working against me when trying to convince someone to try reading comics. I'm a full time IT professional, I.E. "The Computer Guy" which is frankly a strike against me. When the conversation begins I'm already working from a deficit. Sales people will tell you to know your customer, know what they like, know what they want and sell them your product based on that. This is how I approach sharing comic books with potential new readers. 

The people who usually end up asking me about the comics I read are friends, family and co-workers. People I know well and already have an idea what they might like. My friend Sophia is a prime example. Sophia is an avid reader, on average reading 2 or 3 novels a week. She had never read a comic book, graphic novel, etc. before we became friends. Each Wednesday when I would come from the shop to work she would see me and began to ask me questions about them. Like most typical non-comics readers she assumed comic books were all super-hero comics written for kids. I know Sophia well enough to know she doesn't care about super-hero books, she and she isn't a science fiction reader. I knew that she liked to read romance, fantasy and mystery novels, so when she began to ask me about the comics I was buying I immediately began to think of what titles fit best with the books that she read on a regular basis. 

I ended up giving her two series to read to start out with, one being my first 5 trades of The Walking Dead and Blankets by Craig Thompson. After a couple of weeks she told me that she had read both books and loved both of them. We had a long discussion about each book, what we liked about them, what we didn’t and what else there was out there like these. That was the start of her new found love of comics. These days Sophia is reading 10 regular series a month and we have frequent discussions about the comics we're reading. Knowing the person I was selling my "product" to helped to get them interested in books they might never have discovered, and created another fan of comics. 

     What I have learned about sharing my love of comics with people is this:

- Don't be pushy, no one wants to do something they feel is being forced on them. I'm passionate about comic books, but I have learned to dial back the enthusiasm to be able to talk with someone about why I love comics and what they might like about them too. 

- Show your love of comics without shame or fear. If you go to work after buying your books for the week, carry them in, read them in public on your breaks. Lead by example. People's natural curiosity will bring them to you if you show your passion for comics publicly.

- Have a mental list of your "go to favorites". A variety of books you love and would recommend to people depending on their interests. Remember, that trade, stack of issues, or graphic novel you loan to someone will most likely determine if you have made a new fan of comics, or turned someone off of them forever. 

     How do you share comics with people? How have you learned to show what’s great about comics to people who have never read them before? What mistakes have you made in the past and what did you learn from that? It’s up to all of us, the community of comic book fans, to bring people into this wonderful world we have discovered.  The more people we have to enjoy comics with the better it is for all of us, so be the best salesfan you can!