Comic Books|
Oct
23
Filed Under (Collecting) by Kert
Nicholas Hanna asked:
Comic book fans have been preaching it for years: comics are not just for kids. This should be old hat by now. So rather than trying to entice non-comic readers to read comics, let’s first explore the medium of comics and what makes it unique.
When you read a book, you are creating images in your mind based on the words. That’s why a good writer can convey a complex image easily and understandably. The beauty of books is that ten people reading the same book may come up with ten different images based on how their minds shaped the words.
Movies tend to be just the opposite. The pictures and dialogue are given to us with very little left to the imagination. Movies are straightforward and to the point. Those same ten people from the book example certainly saw the same images of a film.
Comic books are a unique combination of the two. Forget about content for a second. Comics can do what no other medium can; the combination of words and art in a sequential format tell a story and evoke feelings that other formats, in their attempt to conjure the same feelings, would have failed miserably. That isn’t to say comic characters can’t be in good movies. They can. However, the emotion and feeling from reading Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum could not be duplicated on the big screen. Same goes for Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and Kurt Busiek’s Marvels. For further information on this unique medium, I highly suggest Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics.
Now, with that out of the way, here are five creators who have written several series and/or graphic novels that non-comics readers would enjoy and find thought provoking:
Alan Moore. Yes, Watchmen is on everyone’s list and yes, it should be. A fantastic use of the medium and an entertaining story as well. But Moore has such a rich bibliography that I **** to confine it to just the one classic. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell are also classics, and certainly not for children. His entire line of ABC Comics is worth a read. Even finding his individual stories (there are several compilations on the market) is worth it.
Grant Morrison. My personal favorite, he tends to be a little “out there” for some. But I find his stories to be contextually rich with symbolism and sequences that stay with me for days. I highly recommend The Invisibles, We 3, Seven Soldiers mini-series, and his run on Doom Patrol, Animal Man and Justice League. Graphic novels include Sebastian O, The Mystery Play and Arkham Asylum.
Neil Gaiman. Noted mostly for his outstanding Sandman run, which I highly recommend, Gaiman also wrote the underrated graphic novel Murder Mysteries.
Greg Rucka. I include Rucka on this list for his outstanding characterization in the Queen & Country series and the wonderful mystery, Whiteout. Both series have several moments where you realize that the comic medium was the only way to get these stories to work best.
Bill Willingham. A somewhat controversial pick for this list, however I wanted to include him due to his unbelievable work on Fables. It’s one of those concepts that have writers everywhere smacking their heads saying “why didn’t I think of that.” Entertaining and engrossing, this series will have you reading fairy tales to your children in a whole different light.
So there are several titles worth checking out (most available from local libraries), most of them worth reading over and over again. Remember, comics may have initially been directed at a young audience, but those days are over. Open your mind and enjoy the unique feeling that comics offer and you’ll be richer for the experience.
BRENDAN
Comic book fans have been preaching it for years: comics are not just for kids. This should be old hat by now. So rather than trying to entice non-comic readers to read comics, let’s first explore the medium of comics and what makes it unique.
____________________________________________________________________
When you read a book, you are creating images in your mind based on the words. That’s why a good writer can convey a complex image easily and understandably. The beauty of books is that ten people reading the same book may come up with ten different images based on how their minds shaped the words.
Movies tend to be just the opposite. The pictures and dialogue are given to us with very little left to the imagination. Movies are straightforward and to the point. Those same ten people from the book example certainly saw the same images of a film.
Comic books are a unique combination of the two. Forget about content for a second. Comics can do what no other medium can; the combination of words and art in a sequential format tell a story and evoke feelings that other formats, in their attempt to conjure the same feelings, would have failed miserably. That isn’t to say comic characters can’t be in good movies. They can. However, the emotion and feeling from reading Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum could not be duplicated on the big screen. Same goes for Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and Kurt Busiek’s Marvels. For further information on this unique medium, I highly suggest Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics.
Now, with that out of the way, here are five creators who have written several series and/or graphic novels that non-comics readers would enjoy and find thought provoking:
Alan Moore. Yes, Watchmen is on everyone’s list and yes, it should be. A fantastic use of the medium and an entertaining story as well. But Moore has such a rich bibliography that I **** to confine it to just the one classic. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell are also classics, and certainly not for children. His entire line of ABC Comics is worth a read. Even finding his individual stories (there are several compilations on the market) is worth it.
Grant Morrison. My personal favorite, he tends to be a little “out there” for some. But I find his stories to be contextually rich with symbolism and sequences that stay with me for days. I highly recommend The Invisibles, We 3, Seven Soldiers mini-series, and his run on Doom Patrol, Animal Man and Justice League. Graphic novels include Sebastian O, The Mystery Play and Arkham Asylum.
Neil Gaiman. Noted mostly for his outstanding Sandman run, which I highly recommend, Gaiman also wrote the underrated graphic novel Murder Mysteries.
Greg Rucka. I include Rucka on this list for his outstanding characterization in the Queen & Country series and the wonderful mystery, Whiteout. Both series have several moments where you realize that the comic medium was the only way to get these stories to work best.
Bill Willingham. A somewhat controversial pick for this list, however I wanted to include him due to his unbelievable work on Fables. It’s one of those concepts that have writers everywhere smacking their heads saying “why didn’t I think of that.” Entertaining and engrossing, this series will have you reading fairy tales to your children in a whole different light.
So there are several titles worth checking out (most available from local libraries), most of them worth reading over and over again. Remember, comics may have initially been directed at a young audience, but those days are over. Open your mind and enjoy the unique feeling that comics offer and you’ll be richer for the experience.
BRENDAN
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Oct
21
Filed Under (Collecting) by Kert
Krystle Green asked:
The average price of a comic book ranges from $2.00 to $2.99. However, over time their value can increase tenfold. Comic are becoming more popular as each year passes and people are buying more comics each time they go to a comic book store. The demand for comics is making them a hot commodity, and rare comics are becoming very valuable. Comic enthusiasts are paying top dollar for first edition and rare comics that date back to as late as the 1950’s.
In Dallas, Texas, at the Heritage Auction Galleries, two very rare and valuable comics are going up for auction. The two comics being auctioned off are Batman #1 and Marvel Mystery Comics #9. A man who has been collecting comics since he was a young kid is auctioning them off, and they are expected to bring in up to $500,000 profit for both.
The first issue of Batman comics, Batman #1, came out in the spring of 1940. It became so popular that the Batman series which originally was supposed to be published quarterly, turned into a bi-monthly production in the 1950’s. It then became a monthly series and has stayed that way. Batman, the character, first appeared in another series of comic books called the Detective Comics in issue #27. The Batman series is still being published today and the latest issue is #686.
Marvel Mystery comic books series started production in the 1930’s. Marvel Mystery Comics #9 is about the Human Torch versus the Sub-Mariner. The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner are two of the most popular comic’s character during the Golden Age of Comic books. The Sub-Mariner was considered to be Marvel comic’s first mutant character because he is a mix of the human species and the Atlanteans. He lives on both land and sea and has superhuman strength. The Human Torch can engulf his entire body on fire and can also fly.
What makes comic books valuable are the characters. During the Golden Age of Comics, these three characters were some of the most popular. The issue number, seen as # on the comic, also raises value of the comic. Batman #1 is so valuable because it’s his first appearance in his own series. The Batman character had been introduced in different series and gained popularity among readers, which is why his series was created. Marvel Mystery Comics #9 is valuable because something important happened. It was the dual between two well known comic characters. There are different factors that make a comic book valuable, and these two comic books have it.
GORDON
____________________________________________________________________
The average price of a comic book ranges from $2.00 to $2.99. However, over time their value can increase tenfold. Comic are becoming more popular as each year passes and people are buying more comics each time they go to a comic book store. The demand for comics is making them a hot commodity, and rare comics are becoming very valuable. Comic enthusiasts are paying top dollar for first edition and rare comics that date back to as late as the 1950’s.
In Dallas, Texas, at the Heritage Auction Galleries, two very rare and valuable comics are going up for auction. The two comics being auctioned off are Batman #1 and Marvel Mystery Comics #9. A man who has been collecting comics since he was a young kid is auctioning them off, and they are expected to bring in up to $500,000 profit for both.
The first issue of Batman comics, Batman #1, came out in the spring of 1940. It became so popular that the Batman series which originally was supposed to be published quarterly, turned into a bi-monthly production in the 1950’s. It then became a monthly series and has stayed that way. Batman, the character, first appeared in another series of comic books called the Detective Comics in issue #27. The Batman series is still being published today and the latest issue is #686.
Marvel Mystery comic books series started production in the 1930’s. Marvel Mystery Comics #9 is about the Human Torch versus the Sub-Mariner. The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner are two of the most popular comic’s character during the Golden Age of Comic books. The Sub-Mariner was considered to be Marvel comic’s first mutant character because he is a mix of the human species and the Atlanteans. He lives on both land and sea and has superhuman strength. The Human Torch can engulf his entire body on fire and can also fly.
What makes comic books valuable are the characters. During the Golden Age of Comics, these three characters were some of the most popular. The issue number, seen as # on the comic, also raises value of the comic. Batman #1 is so valuable because it’s his first appearance in his own series. The Batman character had been introduced in different series and gained popularity among readers, which is why his series was created. Marvel Mystery Comics #9 is valuable because something important happened. It was the dual between two well known comic characters. There are different factors that make a comic book valuable, and these two comic books have it.
GORDON
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