[ SECRET POST #211 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #211 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Off to the Epik High concert! Have some emopuppy if you want → ♥

Secrets Left to Post: 06 pages, 140 secrets from Secret Submission Post #031.
Secrets Not Posted: 0 broken links, 0 not!secrets, 0 not!fandom, [ 1 2 ] repeat.
Next Secret Post: Tomorrow, Sunday, August 5th, 2007.
Current Secret Submission Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[twelve.livejournal.com]

What, "comic book"? When I think of comic book, I think of Batman. I could never imagine something like Reign Over Destiny when I think of the word comic book. So I disagree.

[crackjaw.livejournal.com]

Except that Batman isn't the only "comic book" (in the strictly American sense) there is. To take an example from the previous post, Elfquest is a comic book. Batman it ain't.

I've also noticed people classifying certain comics as manga based on the art style. Which is ridiculous, because not all manga is drawn in moe style either. Are they not manga, then, despite being drawn in Japan? I mean, if we're going to call certain American comics manga, we better have better determiners than "Well, it looks kind of like Japanese comics." Basically what I'm saying is, manga doesn't follow a set formula either.

[yami-chan.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Just because it's in black and white, big eyed and in digest form doesn't make it manga. It's still just a graphic novel, a comic book. I mean I've never heard Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series called 'manga' and you can tell he was influenced by manga.

[crackjaw.livejournal.com]

And, to bring up Elfquest again...it's the exact same thing. The creators have stated that manga was one of their bigger influences, but I know some people who'd balk at calling it manga. Plus, in Japan itself, they don't have that kind of classification as far as I can tell--all comics are called manga there, whether yonkoma or serialized in a magazine like the series we all know and love. (And I remember hearing somewhere than American comics are even called American manga, so there you go.) It just seems silly to call it something foreign when "comics" is perfectly fine and describes exactly what it is anyway. Off on a tangent, here, but it also kind of bugs me that people will call their series manga like calling it comics is a badge of shame. I mean, why else would they insist so?

Er, sorry to rant all over your comment, whoops.

[yami-chan.livejournal.com]

No, it's cool. I totally agree. And they do think it's shameful because all they know of comics is Batman and Spider-Man (and the cheesey story lines too, not all the serious thought provoking, controversial story lines). Maybe if they were more aware of stuff like Preacher, Fables, Ex Machina, Queen and Country, Elfquest, Black Summer, Mouse Guard and so on, they wouldn't think that comics are so lame. I also think that they don't want to be associated with sweaty fanboys and small, dimly lit comic book stores. XD

[crackjaw.livejournal.com]

And it is a bit of a shame because definitely not all comics are like that--though unfortunately we are a bit stuck in the superhero genre. I would give anything for comics to have the same kind of variety over here as they do in Japan, because think of the possibilities it could open! (And then maybe I'd be able to write what I really want to. XD)

[yami-chan.livejournal.com]

But there are! Of all the books I mentioned before only Black Summer can be considered any where near a Superhero book. Once you step away from the Marvel and DC (and probably Image and Top Cow as well), you'll find comics of all kinds. I mean, sure, those companies are smaller than DC/Marvel but they are still publishing stories that reach beyond the Superhero genre.

I also think it will get better too. Especially with so many comic book movies/TV shows coming out. Shows/movies like I Am Legend, Preacher, and Scott Pilgrim help get the word out that comics aren't all about guys with exaggerated muscles wearing tights. Also, influential comic book authors and novelists are aware that you can do so much more with comic, have stated so, and have written amazing non-superhero related comics.

It's gotta happen, especially since the tradition fanboy is dying out. If these companies want to make money, they need to appeal to people in fresh new ways.

[crackjaw.livejournal.com]

You have a point, which encourages me a little.

If these companies want to make money, they need to appeal to people in fresh new ways.

I think that is already happening to some degree, thankfully, because companies like Dark Horse have begun distributing manga as well. So here's hoping it continues in the right direction.