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by KC Carlson
Previously on KC Column: Comic books utilized to offer millions of copies (on a great day — normally it was just numerous thousands). now they don’t. Where did all those people go?
Or to put it in even blunter terms: Why don’t people get comic books any type of more?
But first, a bit side-trip into some role-playing…
JUST IMAGINE!
Imagine, if you will, that you’re using a cape. as well as skin-tight garments in colors that cause your eyes to vibrate. Then… wait a minute! Not that type of role-playing!!
Okay, pretend for a moment that you understand nothing about comic books. You don’t even understand they exist, since you’ve never seen one. however one day, you see a Batman or an X-Men movie. as well as you believe it’s truly cool. however you may not understand they were based on comic books. You may believe Batman was based on that old TV show. (And question exactly how the heck they got the motion picture ideas from that!) a lot of likely, you saw one of the lots of Batman cartoons on TV — exact same with the X-Men. There’s nothing to link those motion pictures to comic books except that “Based on ideas from the… comic books… published by… “ as well as who’s gonna keep in mind that after two hours of big-screen excitement?
There’s not any type of genuine evidence from the motion pictures that marvel as well as DC really make comic books. Their motion picture logos subtly suggest that. however if you don’t understand what you’re looking at, you don’t understand that those are comic book pictures being flipped at high speed. You don’t see what a comic book is. I really understand people who believe “Marvel” is just a business that makes motion pictures about superheroes.
Remember, in real-world terms, there haven’t been that lots of real-life things happening to remind non-comic-book people that comic books still exist. They haven’t frequently been seen in typical locations considering that the 1980s. lots of people only keep in mind them from when they were kids. When Superman “died” as well as it was a huge media to-do (mostly since of a sluggish news day), the #1 thing heard that day was “They still make them things?” (Comic store owners as well as workers likewise understand it’s the #1 thing heard when somebody inadvertently stumbles into the comic store after buying at the pet store next door for chew toys.)
If you don’t understand that comic books exist, why would you even believe there would be comic book stores? exactly how might you make that leap of logic?
But let’s likewise mean that you (still not understanding anything about comic books) inadvertently stumbled into one. believing back to your positive motion picture experience, you notice that there are Batman as well as X-Men comic books there. Suddenly, you’re in heaven.
But then you look further. You begin to recognize that there are a great deal of Batman comic books. as well as a great deal of X-Men comic books — as well as a great deal of them featuring characters that you don’t acknowledge from the movies. Luckily, you’re in a comics store where the clerk really comes as much as assist you (rarer than you may think) as well as the complying with conversation takes place:
X-Men tradition #254
Clerk: may I assist you with something?
You: Oh, I’m curious about the X-Men comics. I truly liked the movie. however there seems to be a great deal of characters that I don’t know.
Clerk: Yes, there are a great deal of X-Men. about 200 of them.
You (astonished): 200?!?
Clerk: There utilized to be a great deal more! however marvel killed off a great deal of them a while ago! There utilized to be as well lots of of them!
You: 200 is a lot! Say, I see Cyclops on a great deal of these covers… Isn’t he dead?
Clerk: Not in the comics.
You: however in the movie…
Clerk. Oh, yeah. He did die in the movie.
You: But…
Clerk: The motion pictures don’t truly have anything to make with the comic books.
“Okay,” you think. “This is quite confusing. perhaps I must try Batman.” You pick up the present problem of Batman.
You: Is it fine if I look inside this?
Clerk: Okay, however no reading!
You: Wha-?
Clerk: Nah, it’s okay. It’s sluggish today…
So you flip open the book as well as begin reading. soon you recognize that you are reading about Dick Grayson — not Bruce Wayne.
You: reason me. I’m confused… Batman is Dick Grayson?
Clerk: Oh yeah, Bruce died.
You (unbelieving): What? When did that happen?
Clerk: Oh, he’s not truly dead. Darkseid blasted him, as well as he was trapped in the prehistoric past for awhile. So Dick ended up being Batman since he believed Bruce was dead. however now Batman’s back.
You: So Dick isn’t Batman anymore?
Clerk: Oh no, he’s still Batman. as well as Bruce is still Batman. however not all the time. He’s now training peoplearound the world to be Batman. right here — it’s all in here.
Batman Incorporated #5
He hands you a copy of Batman Incorporated. You flip though it. You don’t comprehend any type of of it.
Clerk: It’s great, isn’t it? Morrison’s a genius. however I really like his earlier Batman stuff where he integrates a great deal of ideas from the 1950s Batman comics. There’s a few of that in here, too. amazing stuff!
You: There’s 60 years of Batman comic books?! (Remember, you don’t understand this!)
Clerk: Actually, there’s over 70 years of Batman comics. He very first appeared in 1939!
You: Really?
You unfortunately look at both the comic books in your hands. as well as put them back on the racks. You look at the rest of the big wall of comic books, however it’s all a four-color blur to you. whatever seems overwhelming.
You: say thanks to you extremely much for your time. You’ve been extremely helpful!
And then you walk out of the store.
And… Scene!
Okay, perhaps a bit bit far-fetched (and perhaps a bit manipulative).
But it likewise explains an age-old conundrum for comics retailers. just what do you hand a newbie visitor who only understands comics from the movies?
Remember, you don’t want to provide them something steeped in years-old continuity. Or something that’s no longer according to the present version of the characters (or you’ll have great deals a lot more ‘splaining to do later).
What would you provide an imaginary “You”?
STRUGGLING TO get IN
New Avengers #16.1
There have been a number of entry-level comics jobs done over the years. For example, Marvel’s currently doing their “Point One” series of comics, which has been somewhat helpful, however confusingly numbered as well as titled as well as seemingly randomly scheduled. (And frequently concentrating a lot more on setting up the next storyline than encapsulating the past history.) However, several, so far, have been exceptional stand-alone tales. (Although they don’t always supply a location to go next, particularly when the point One is by a different innovative team than that on the routine series.)
Greatest Batman stories ever Told
If I was the comic store clerk in the circumstance above, ideal now, here’s what I’d provide You. First, I’d begin with collections. They’re much better value for the money, as well as a longer checked out is a much better starting point when you’re beginning from next to zero. Batman: Year One is always a great choice, or the biggest Batman stories ever told anthology volume may assist narrow down WHICH Batman the visitor prefers. After that, there are actually numerous Batman books, as well as my well-stocked store has great deals of them to flip through, to see which artists or ideas intrigue You.
To broaden into the higher DCU — because, as a great comic store clerk, I want You to discover a lot more to get as well as take pleasure in — there’s All-Star Superman (potentially a great lead-in to Morrison’s upcoming run on the character) or Birds of Prey or a Justice league collection featuring Batman. I won’t provide You Watchmen or Dark Knight Returns up until You are a lot more comfortable with the superhero genre as well as expressing rate of interest in something more. (They both checked out much much better if you already understand about the daily conventions of superhero comics, anyway. They’re exceptional for visitors who’ve checked out a bit of the fundamentals first.)
Sandman: Preludes as well as Nocturnes
If You’re an older visitor who seems thinking about a lot more than just superheroes, that’s a whole ‘nother large world, so I’ll likewise point you at the Vertigo web page with complimentary #1 problems to read, since you may take pleasure in a focused series like Sandman or Preacher or DMZ or Transmetropolitan. I’ll make sure, though, to point out a restricted number of great choices, since any type of suggestion page swiftly gets out of date from the time it was made, as this has. depending upon the series, I’d likewise alert You about it having a lot more mature material (as one must never presume that a first-timer is prepared for material at that level of intensity). however You may appreciate discovering some complimentary comics to read, as well as You’ll believe well of a store that is so helpful.
X-Men: very first Class
With the X-Men, it’s somewhat a lot more complicated, since that’s been a much a lot more sprawling, soap-operaish series — encompassing lots of titles as well as numerous characters over the decades — as well as marvel doesn’t always keep its collections in print. I’d begin You with an X-Men: very first class trade paperback, although I’d be sure to describe that it’s not set in the exact same time period as the recent film, as well as it has different characters as well as conflicts. The trade-off is that the X-Men: very first class stories are breezy as well as fun as well as function great deals of guest-stars, which will likewise subtly introduce You tothe broader world of the marvel Universe. If You are okay with black as well as white, there are the important collections of the Chris Claremont Uncanny X-Men run — a traditional series from the age when reading the mutant world was much simpler.
The a lot of crucial thing, as a skilled clerk working with You, is that I pay interest to what You tell me. I must talk, conversationally, with You about what You responded to in the movies, so I can much better discover something You would like to read. There is no magic, “one size fits all” reading recommendation. Instead, I must discover out what other books, movies, as well as TV shows You take pleasure in so I can much better craft a recommendation of comic reading. Yes, that takes work as well as time as well as understanding on my part. however that’ll ideally provide You a fantastic client experience as well as assist You feel comfortable returning.
Since Westfield is a mail-order comic service, we regrettably can’t offer browsing as well as face-to-face discussions (unless you occur to be in Madison, Wisconsin, as well as come to our brick-and-mortar stores — we’d be delighted to see you!). as well as that’s why we’ve been running this Westfield blog — to share our experiences reading (and sometime working in) comics. It may not always seem like it, however all of us like comics — a lot of of us have been reading as well as collecting for decades — as well as a couple of us are even still active comic book professionals! That’s why we like to provide ideas (and warnings) about new projects, talk about history as well as present comic trends, as well as normally just gab about whatever pops into our heads at any type of provided moment (although, perhaps that’s just me!). While we don’t have any type of well established technique for asking concerns about comics (yet!), we always welcome them. For now, feel complimentary to utilize the comments box below. We like comics, as well as we understand a great deal of stuff!
And that’s one to grow on!
Next time: exactly how distribution (availability), cost (value for money), as well as material impact your comic book reading experience — as well as may assist describe where a lot of those former visitors went.
KC CARLSON believed that it was extremely awesome that there was an ad in the credit scores of the eco-friendly lantern film telling motion picture fans that they might get a lot more adventures of eco-friendly lantern in comics as well as collections at their regional comic shop. Unfortunately, it was at the extremely end of the motion picture (after the credits). I was the only person in the movie theater to see the ad. everybody else already left. ads only work when people can really see them. (Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only thing wrong with the movie…)
WESTFIELD COMICS is not accountable for the silly things that KC says. particularly that thing that truly irritated you.