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Why is there a Why Comics?
Truthfully, I was a little sick and tired of two things. Primarily, I was exhausted with the rampant negativity about the art form and hobby that I love. Every nook and cranny of the internet seems to be filled with comic "fans" that want to tear down and complain about the very things that they profess to love. While I'm all for open dialogue and critique, there just wasn't enough positivity out there to counter all of this pessimism and, quite frankly, flat out whining. Secondly, I needed an outlet to be able to properly express the many reasons why I love this medium because, let's face it, most people just don't get it.
Now, I know what you are thinking: "Aren't comics more popular now more than ever?"
To a certain extent, sure. I'm not sure that a more than 3 weeks have gone by this summer without a superhero movie or a film based on a graphic novel opening at your local multiplex. Also true is that there has been a deluge of comic related apparel, shoes, toys, backpacks, etc in the last year ever since Disney took over Marvel Comics and Warner Brothers woke up and realized there was cash to be mined out of the vast DC Universe. Sadly, that's the problem.
No, I am not against comic movies or media conglomerates trying to make money. I'm all for it - the more successful they are, the more opportunity for new product we will get. What frustrates me is that there no real lingering spotlight shone on the real beauty of comics. Your average Jane and Harry might now know who Green Lantern is or that Watchmen was based on a comic, but how many people get why it matters to us that Hal Jordan finally made it to the screen or why most of us would prefer to hand you a copy of the Absolute Watchmen than a copy of Zack Snyder's more miss-than-hit film adaptation? And how many new readers have been driven by these media and merchandise efforts to actually seek out their local comic store, bookstore, or library to see the original source material themselves? Were these people converted and rewarded for their efforts? Or did they find an insular crowd, overwrought continuity, shoddy facilities, lack of value for the cost, dearth of available materials, no local outlet, etc as the end result of their journey?
I'm not here to editorialize on the future of comics - there are plenty of other websites that will debate such topics as print versus digital and single issues versus trades. What I want to do is shine a spotlight on what I see that is working. I don’t want to dwell on the negatives of the hobby and industry - I want to do is discuss what is going right. Here at Why Comics, I want to:
I want to finally answer the question I get most often - "Why Comics?" The answers are many.
Truthfully, I was a little sick and tired of two things. Primarily, I was exhausted with the rampant negativity about the art form and hobby that I love. Every nook and cranny of the internet seems to be filled with comic "fans" that want to tear down and complain about the very things that they profess to love. While I'm all for open dialogue and critique, there just wasn't enough positivity out there to counter all of this pessimism and, quite frankly, flat out whining. Secondly, I needed an outlet to be able to properly express the many reasons why I love this medium because, let's face it, most people just don't get it.
Now, I know what you are thinking: "Aren't comics more popular now more than ever?"
To a certain extent, sure. I'm not sure that a more than 3 weeks have gone by this summer without a superhero movie or a film based on a graphic novel opening at your local multiplex. Also true is that there has been a deluge of comic related apparel, shoes, toys, backpacks, etc in the last year ever since Disney took over Marvel Comics and Warner Brothers woke up and realized there was cash to be mined out of the vast DC Universe. Sadly, that's the problem.
No, I am not against comic movies or media conglomerates trying to make money. I'm all for it - the more successful they are, the more opportunity for new product we will get. What frustrates me is that there no real lingering spotlight shone on the real beauty of comics. Your average Jane and Harry might now know who Green Lantern is or that Watchmen was based on a comic, but how many people get why it matters to us that Hal Jordan finally made it to the screen or why most of us would prefer to hand you a copy of the Absolute Watchmen than a copy of Zack Snyder's more miss-than-hit film adaptation? And how many new readers have been driven by these media and merchandise efforts to actually seek out their local comic store, bookstore, or library to see the original source material themselves? Were these people converted and rewarded for their efforts? Or did they find an insular crowd, overwrought continuity, shoddy facilities, lack of value for the cost, dearth of available materials, no local outlet, etc as the end result of their journey?
I'm not here to editorialize on the future of comics - there are plenty of other websites that will debate such topics as print versus digital and single issues versus trades. What I want to do is shine a spotlight on what I see that is working. I don’t want to dwell on the negatives of the hobby and industry - I want to do is discuss what is going right. Here at Why Comics, I want to:
- Champion excellent work.
- Spotlight the reasons why I love these characters, their stories, and the creators involved.
- Highlight creators that are delivering a bold vision, a strong creative voice, daring plot lines, and original ideas and art.
- Discuss current stories, incentives, and retailers that are currently worth you hard earned dollar.
- Most importantly, bring you some insight as to why I choose to give my precious little free time and cash to this industry now and for the last 30 plus years.
I want to finally answer the question I get most often - "Why Comics?" The answers are many.