Brill Building: I want everyone to be happy

I want everyone to be happy

Kevin Chruch is reading David B.’s Epileptic which I have just finished. His comments about the book make for smart companion reading to the text. A certain comment of his did stick out for me: “This is truly a mature, thoughtful work that makes the maudlin spandex drama of latter-day Marvel and DC seem like Sesame Street Does Pinter.” At first that comment bothered me a bit because I didn’t see a need to compare Epileptic to current superhero stories. Like Mark Fossen I believe that with so many great works coming from so many different areas it makes no sense to continue having, as Mark wrote, “Marvel/DC frame the debate.”

I then commented on Kevin’s post, writing of attending Beauchard’s panel at San Diego and being a bit glum about how few showed up. I later spoke to a woman who is now entering the graphic novel business after being in the business of publishing books for young adults for many years. When I told her I attended Beauchard’s panel she thought it must have been packed, after all Epileptic was getting write ups in all kinds of prestigious publications. I was sorry to disappoint her and perhaps I should have told her that since Beauchard is not showcasing the latest in “maudlin spandex drama” he isn’t going to draw a big crowd at Comic-Con.

Now I think I know why Kevin decided to invoke Marvel and DC’s books. It can really be frustrating when you see a great piece of work that fills you with so much confidence in the comic book medium, as Epileptic and Black Hole which I’ve also recently read did for me, and see it be ignored in certain communities for work that is deliberately aiming its achievements much lower. It’s no secret that there are a lot of comic book readers who are only interested in superhero fiction. I know many people like these and count friends of mine among them. I’ve met them while living in the suburban outskirts of Los Angeles as well as living in the city of San Francisco (expect an essay on the difference between being a comic fan in the two areas coming soon). I have found the vast majority of them to be bright people and smart readers and have had a lot of great conversation with them about the comics they like. I like some of those comics as well. A part of me also reads comics to follow what’s happening in the world of super-fiction. My frustration sets in because these smart people I know aren’t aware of such books published by Pantheon, Fantagraphics, Top Shelf and other publishers who are presenting us some of the most exciting comics of our time. I know that if given exposure to a comic that is multi-layered and coming from an artist’s personal side they wouldn’t run away screaming while raving that the art is too weird and wondering where The Flash. Instead they would consider it and come away with a valid opinion on the book. That opinion could go in any number of different directions, that’s the way it should be, but the fact that a smart reader can read a smart book and got in some kind of discussion with someone else about it, even if that discussion is just with one other person, is a fine example of the grand things that can come about from the varied and remarkable world of comics we have now.

I share two classes with a friend who I discuss comics with because we both share an admiration for the work of Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns and other popular superhero writers. Bringing in Epileptic one day he said he had never heard of it but he certainly seemed interested when I let him go over it. He’s one of the brightest people I’ve met lately and I would love to hear his opinion on such a book. The sheer luck, or rather “luck,” of sitting next to a contributor to The Comics Journal in a class about John Milton and Ben Johnson is one way to get exposed to different books but it’s a fairly specific way to do so. I wish there was some way that many of these people enthusiastic for the latest superhero titles coming in every Wednesday could be compelled to find out about a variety of books, not as a replacement to what they already read but just further investigation into the interest in comics they already have.

Many of my friends who are super-fiction followers follow Wizard to stay up to date on their favorite titles. I read Wizard when I was younger that was actually the publication that made me seek out my first “indie” books such as Evan Dorkin’s work, a cartoonist that remains a favorite of mine. The days of Palmer’s Picks are over (a column I now have great respect for in retrospect) but I know of people working for the magazine who do want to put lesser known works into the magazine. I remember one editor being proud of getting Kramers Ergot No. 5 mentioned there, which I thought was cool myself. One day at The Isotope everyone was excited about one of the owners Kirstin Baldock getting a two page spread featuring her book Smoke & Guns. I think it’s awesome that someone who would have never otherwise have heard of Kirstin, Fabio Moon, Larry Young or AiT/Planet Lar would perhaps check out something just a little bit off the beaten path because of that article or the other coverage Wizard has done for Ait/Planet Lar books such as Demo. But Wizard is and what it is and there isn’t much point of expecting it to bust open wide the limited world of comics many superhero fans have.

That’s the frustration I feel. Perhaps some of you reading this share that frustration. It is only softened when you resign yourself to the fact that people only have to read what they want and shouldn’t have to change their taste for anyone. That is absolutely true and that’s not what I’m out to violate when I get that feeling of grabbing someone I know browsing the latest Wednesday arrivals and sputtering out “there are so many of books out there that will make you think and will benefit you as a reader! You should just give one a shot just to see, just to expand your horizons a little because you are a wonderful person and as a reader you will enrich yourself and the work you are reading with your interpretation of it! Don’t you want to be enriched!? Don’t you!?” It would be awesome if that reader does check out a piece of work that communicates thought provoking ideas to them. If after that they still want to just stick with the Mighty Two then that’s awesome, too. As long as they know of the many experiences the comics form holds for them.

Permanent Link: 11:03 AM | 0 comments

Comments: Post a Comment

-- Home