Byrne Robotics: What is keeping kids out of comics?

The John Byrne Forum
Byrne Robotics > The John Byrne Forum		<< Prev Page of 7

Topic: What is keeping kids out of comics? (

Topic Closed)

Author

Message

Shawn Kane
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 04 November 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 3239

Posted: 04 July 2013 at 6:14am \| IP Logged \| 1

Would it have been better and more memorable if I had SHOWN what Wolverine did to that guard?

Not at all. When I read that issue, I thought that what Wolverine did had to be awful because it reflected in Storm and Nightcrawler's faces. AND it reinforced that a hero killing someone requires an extreme circumstance and even then, it's a devastating decision to make and condone. Flash forward to today and the more people that Wolverine kills, the cooler he is to some.

Edited by Shawn Kane on 04 July 2013 at 6:16am

profile | search

John Byrne
Avatar

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133334

Posted: 04 July 2013 at 6:23am \| IP Logged \| 2

This last year I finally read Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer winning graphic novel MAUS. LONG overdue. Incredible experience, even for a goy like myself! I read it - again, and again, and again! I discovered something new in every reading.

••

I've been troubled by MAUS ever since I first read it. Of course I fully understand Spiegelman's intended metaphor, but I wish he'd chosen another! After all, in the real world mice really ARE considered vermin, and cats really ARE expected to kill them.

profile | search

Rob Van Gessel
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 01 September 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 335

Posted: 04 July 2013 at 1:52pm \| IP Logged \| 3

Of course I fully understand Spiegelman's intended metaphor, but I wish he'd chosen another! After all, in the real world mice really ARE considered vermin, and cats really ARE expected to kill them.

---------------

I wrestled through this one myself, especially in my first reading. I mean let's not forget too the Polish Pigs, right????????

And on a less principled front, I also had trouble with the animal reference because you couldn't tell one face from another. Dey all LOOK alike! Ideally, I like to see something distinctive in the face of each character.

But I took the pov of the author's mirror and moved passed these matters. The ending of the novel is what wowed me so much in my first reading. "The murderer"! Oh, man, that drove deep with me. That's what kept me revisiting the book.

I'm using it as partial inspiration for a few things I'm working on myself.

------------------------------

This is for another thread, John, technically, but your own book compiled from your FF story arc in 'The Trial of Galactus' would be great for classrooms. Always wanted to tell you how much I liked your angle of Galactus appearing differently to the eyes of each intelligent life-form. This is the idea I would incorporate in any filmed version.

profile | search

Paul Greer
Byrne Robotics Security
Avatar

Joined: 18 August 2004
Posts: 14191

Posted: 04 July 2013 at 6:48pm \| IP Logged \| 4

I have often wondered if super hero movies themselves keep kids away from comic books. Say a child sees MAN OF STEEL. Then he has his parents take him to a comic shop to find a Superman comic. Only to find out that the comic has nothing or very little to do with the movie. So instead of becoming a new reader he shuns the format all together.

profile | search

Greg Kirkman
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 12 May 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 15775

Posted: 04 July 2013 at 7:00pm \| IP Logged \| 5

Exactly, Paul.

I've had arguments with civilian friends who think organic web-shooters
are better for Spider-Man because that's what they saw first, in the
movies.

And, of course, the tail will also occasionally wag the dog, with the
comics changing to fit the movies (organic webs, bondage costumes for
the X-Men, Black Nick Fury, etc.).

It really saddens me that this summer has produced utter dreck like
MOS, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, and THE LONE RANGER,
which will likely cause one of two responses in kids who see them:

"Ugh, this sucks! The characters and material in these movies are
dumb, and so the source material must be, too!"

"Wow! That was great! I should go check out some Superman comics
and old TREK episodes. Oh, wait, those are nothing like these movies.
Pass. Good thing Hollywood took those cheesy old properties and
finally made them cool!"

profile | search e-mail

Rob Van Gessel
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 01 September 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 335

Posted: 04 July 2013 at 8:43pm \| IP Logged \| 6

"I have often wondered if super hero movies themselves keep kids away from comic books. Say a child sees MAN OF STEEL. Then he has his parents take him to a comic shop to find a Superman comic. Only to find out that the comic has nothing or very little to do with the movie. So instead of becoming a new reader he shuns the format all together."

That absolutely happened to me. The old 50's Superman series was prevalent throughout the 1970's when I was growing up. I totally got off on (and still do) the noir shows of the first 2 seasons. When I looked at the comics I wanted something that wasn't there.

Opposite happens to to be sure: I'm way too much of a Marvel purist and with few exceptions (Iron Man being one) I've been unable to accept the movie translations. The characters - the "disabled" heroes, as described in the other thread here - just aren't there for me. Habits from childhood die hard!

profile | search

Joel Tesch
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 19 May 2006
Posts: 2830

Posted: 05 July 2013 at 12:02pm \| IP Logged \| 7

For the 13 year old boy who can buy things without Mom, graphic violence and near naked women are probably pluses.

They're not pluses for comics...because that same 13 year old boy can see near and FULL naked women and graphic violence on the Internet easily and for free. So if their plan is to attract teens with that kind of subject matter, they're woefully barking up the wrong tree.

I think the main issue, aside from sophomoric storylines is how inpenetrable and self-referential comics have become. Good luck trying to start out on this hobby!

I have often wondered if super hero movies themselves keep kids away from comic books. Say a child sees MAN OF STEEL. Then he has his parents take him to a comic shop to find a Superman comic. Only to find out that the comic has nothing or very little to do with the movie. So instead of becoming a new reader he shuns the format all together.

I don't think so. This was the case in the late 70s/early 80s with Superman The Movie vs the Superman in the comics...and the especially the Hulk TV show vs the Hulk in the comics. Even the GI Joe cartoon differed significantly from the comic. I was of the age then to try comics...I was surprised at first how "different" the comics were. But then the stories were so good, I actually found them to be BETTER than the movie/cartoon/tv show I had originally seen.

So, I guess my point is, differing from the movie isn't a bad thing if you still have a compelling and interesting storyline to grab new readers. The problem is, comics these days (for the most part) don't.

Edited by Joel Tesch on 05 July 2013 at 12:04pm

profile | search

Sorry, you can NOT post a reply.
This topic is closed.

<< Prev Page of 7

Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum