What's wrong with modern-day American comicbooks? Well, it's obvious, isn't it? They're sh*t! You don't need me to tell you that. But why are they like that, you may wonder. One word: Adults. Yep. Adults are/is the problem. (You can sort out the grammar for yourselves.)
Once upon a time, comics were produced for a readership of kids from about five to fourteen. There were a few older people who read them as well, of course, but most of them tended to have no friends and smelt a little odd. What's more, the readership constantly renewed itself; once you grew too old for comics (usually when you discovered girls, Melvin), another batch of kids were right behind you, ready to take your place in the scheme of things.
Then MARVEL COMICS hit the scene and things changed forever. Suddenly comics were cool, not to mention interesting. The comics-buying public couldn't get enough of them, and, what's more, were reluctant to give up on them even when the siren call of the opposite sex first made itself heard in the hearts, minds and loins of pimply-faced males everywhere. So they continued to read and collect them well past the age that former generations of readers had traditionally abandoned them for other pursuits, even into adulthood.
This created a problem. No grown-up wants to be associated with childish interests, so the readership expected - nay, demanded - that their comics grow up with them and reflect their 'adult' tastes and sensibilities. Also, some of the fans became writers and were only too happy to oblige, being of a like-minded opinion. On top of that, they wanted to be seen not as purveyors of simple kiddie-fare, but as creators of an artform that was socially 'relevant' and worthy of serious consideration.
That's when the decline set in. Eventually, characters like SUPERMAN and SPIDER-MAN got married (no, not to each other) because the 'creators-who-had-once-been-fans' were married and wanted to write about subjects of which they knew and had experience; that reflected their lives and those of their friends. Embarrassed by their roots and origins as ephemeral amusement for children, comics became too serious (to say nothing of pretentious) in their quest to be regarded as legitimate literature. Add to that the direct sales market and the ever-increasing cost of what had once been the cheapest form of entertainment available, and whatever remained of any childhood or young teenage readership simply dissipated over time.
That's the 'Reader's Digest' account, you understand, but you get the gist. So what's the solution. Simple. Publishers need to get back to producing mass-marketed, inexpensive comics for children (and those who keep the spirit of childhood alive within them, natch.). Forget the fancy and expensive paper, the socially-relevant themes, the 'arty-farty', clear as mud, photo-realistic artwork. Simply give the potential readership what it's crying out for - good, old-fashioned, entertaining stories that diverts attention from the harsh realities of life and takes the reader on a rip-roaring, magic-carpet ride into worlds of fantasy and enchantment.Remember...comicbooks sold in their millions when the above recipe was the order of the day. Something to consider perhaps?
(The above covers represent, to me, examples of when comics were more-or-less at their best.)
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Don't miss the entertaining discussion currently under way on the same topic (more or less) over on JIM SHOOTER's excellent blog at: http://www.jimshooter.com/ - tell them Kid sent you.
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