Unlike say, books, where each one is a stone-cold classic. The guy in the comic could've phrased it better, sure, but it sounds like his point was that comics are obviously capable of greatness, not that every single comic (any more than every single book) is great.
Not nowadays they don't, 'cause novels are such an established form. But they didn't spring into existence as respectable literature - early (English-language) novels were largely considered trashy stories for bored housewives, albeit for an 18th-century value of "trashy." Comics are a relatively new medium, so it's not surprising that they're still having some growing pains when it comes to being taken seriously.
That and the overwhelming majority of what you'd find in any comic store in America is a bunch of musclemen in rainbow spandex flexing and dry humping each other for 22 pages.
Eh, I'd rather read The Adventures of Captain Rainbow Humper than, say, Pamela, which is 400 pages of creepy-as-hell sexual harassment and then a wedding.
Good thing when you go to a bookstore you'll found plenty of books that didn't involve creepy-as-hell sexual harassment and then a wedding. Most comic shops I've been to you would have to special order a comic that didn't have musclemen in spandex.
I sometimes see Maus, early Moore (read some) etc. being trotted out, but I'm not altogether convinced a tiny percentage of past glories - swamped by latter-day hackneyed writing, boring events and mangled reboots - are enough to justify the average comic fanboy's pride, or the medium.
Okay, that last bit was a bit harsh. I know the medium is justified, but the vast majority of it's content... Nyeh. It's literature, but not a lot of it is great. IMO there's too few examples in too little variety of genres that can truly make you throw up your hands and cry "Eisner and McCloud were right!"
To be fair, the vast quantity of novels are hardly genre defining Works Of Literature. The vast array of any media is going to be pulp in nature, it sells and is easily digested.
The real point is that there are some stories, some nuances you can get from a comic you can't from other media. Much as Novels, or (Gasp) Movies/TV shows can make us feel and react to a story in a different light so can comics. Recognizing that all of the media can engender that response and have a legitimate ability to be said create work- something that can redefine a person's view point on something is the missing bit thats so oft happening.
It doesn't have to be a great work like Maus- sometimes even our schlocky pulp of spandexed rainbows will have a story arch worthy of it. An example that is at the top of my mind because I only recently finished reading it is the early Hell Blazer comics. Often fraught with nudity or gore a horror comic existing in the world of if not with the rainbows, having some of the most elegant prose painting vivid pictures along side the art of emotional turmoil.
"Professor Dumbass" was the original name for Professor Dumbledore in J. K. Rowling's first draft, until she realized, "No shit, that'd be stupid!"
ReplyDeleteI'm a limp-wristed liberal arts pansy and I like this guy's attitude.
ReplyDeleteNot all comics are great literature. For every envelope-pushing story full of pathos, there's a "New 52" or a "One More Day."
ReplyDeleteUnlike say, books, where each one is a stone-cold classic. The guy in the comic could've phrased it better, sure, but it sounds like his point was that comics are obviously capable of greatness, not that every single comic (any more than every single book) is great.
DeleteBut nobody says "You know, books are really great literature!"
DeleteNot nowadays they don't, 'cause novels are such an established form. But they didn't spring into existence as respectable literature - early (English-language) novels were largely considered trashy stories for bored housewives, albeit for an 18th-century value of "trashy." Comics are a relatively new medium, so it's not surprising that they're still having some growing pains when it comes to being taken seriously.
DeleteThat and the overwhelming majority of what you'd find in any comic store in America is a bunch of musclemen in rainbow spandex flexing and dry humping each other for 22 pages.
DeleteEh, I'd rather read The Adventures of Captain Rainbow Humper than, say, Pamela, which is 400 pages of creepy-as-hell sexual harassment and then a wedding.
DeleteGood thing when you go to a bookstore you'll found plenty of books that didn't involve creepy-as-hell sexual harassment and then a wedding. Most comic shops I've been to you would have to special order a comic that didn't have musclemen in spandex.
Deleteyou can always try to read manga they are more diverse than U.S. comics
DeleteBut some people would never admit to readIng a comic. Only a graphic novel.
ReplyDeleteI must be looking at the wrong comics.
ReplyDeleteTry reading some Eisner, or a bunch of Vertigo titles, or Maus, Early Moore, Gaiman, Morrison, Thompson etc.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes see Maus, early Moore (read some) etc. being trotted out, but I'm not altogether convinced a tiny percentage of past glories - swamped by latter-day hackneyed writing, boring events and mangled reboots - are enough to justify the average comic fanboy's pride, or the medium.
DeleteOkay, that last bit was a bit harsh. I know the medium is justified, but the vast majority of it's content... Nyeh. It's literature, but not a lot of it is great. IMO there's too few examples in too little variety of genres that can truly make you throw up your hands and cry "Eisner and McCloud were right!"
To be fair, the vast quantity of novels are hardly genre defining Works Of Literature. The vast array of any media is going to be pulp in nature, it sells and is easily digested.
DeleteThe real point is that there are some stories, some nuances you can get from a comic you can't from other media. Much as Novels, or (Gasp) Movies/TV shows can make us feel and react to a story in a different light so can comics. Recognizing that all of the media can engender that response and have a legitimate ability to be said create work- something that can redefine a person's view point on something is the missing bit thats so oft happening.
It doesn't have to be a great work like Maus- sometimes even our schlocky pulp of spandexed rainbows will have a story arch worthy of it. An example that is at the top of my mind because I only recently finished reading it is the early Hell Blazer comics. Often fraught with nudity or gore a horror comic existing in the world of if not with the rainbows, having some of the most elegant prose painting vivid pictures along side the art of emotional turmoil.