This is a falsehood repeated so often on the internet that nobody ever checks to see if it's true or not.
Most comic shops carry a wide variety of comics in many genres. The ones that still only carry superhero comics are a tiny minority, that gets smaller every year. I could quote all kinds of statistics and evidence (like: Walking Dead #100 was the biggest selling comic book of the past 15 years) to back this up, but the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Go to your LCS and check it out for yourself.
Or better yet, come to my store, and bring your wallet!
In theory yes, but the majority is still flights and tights. Indy books are out there, and most of the offerings from Dark Horse and (amusingly enough) Image are less super hero and more actual story, but the big two are almost entirely super hero genre. The big two are, well, the big two for a reason. Made worse by the fact that DC seems to be dragging it's Vertigo lines back into the super hero fold, what with John as a member of the Dark Justice League, and Swamp Thing now some sort of tree armoured killing machine. But what do I know? I closed my shop down two years ago, and I'm sure that DC and Marvel have stopped screwing things up since then, right?
In the old days, everyone followed the squeaky-clean Comics Code. In fact, that's when Mad went from being a comic and became a "magazine" 'cuz the stuff in Mad was too naughty for comics.
It's very likely he read comics books as a kid but stopped as he grew older. Kids rarely pay attention to the sexual aspect of comic books (not that they aren't influenced by it, they just aren't as aware of it). If the last time he payed attention to comics books was as a kid, his perspective of comics would be from a child's view point. Going into a comic book store as an adult would be a bit of a shock.
I know what you mean. When I re-bought the comics I had as a kid (mainly early to mid-90s "X-Men") I was surprised by all the revealing costumes and sexually suggestive material. I remembered so much about these comics but I never noticed the boobs or the butts or the crazy elongated legs. Psylocke in particular was a shock because she was one of my favorite characters as a kid but looks pretty questionable to my eyes now.
The one that really affected me was Helena Bertinelli as Huntress. Given her 80s reboot, the subsequent depictions were... awkward. For those who don't know, before she went bed-hopping with Nightwing and Catman in the last 15 years, she was a child molestation survivor.
Hell, originally, Huntress was Batman's daughter, and in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon, she's trying to jump his bones. That's kind of off-putting.
Except Power Girl.
ReplyDeleteTruly, we am living on Bizzaro Earth.
...Well played.
DeleteWrongly, we am not living on Bizzaro Earth!
DeleteAnd no comic am boobs and butts exept Power Girl.
God, bizzaro thinking is tedious. Now I´m wondering how Bizzaro Power Girl would look like. Flat as a plank and weak I presume.
Anyone here seen the Escher Girls tumblr? It's a great deconstruction of this sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteHeh, that's pretty cool. Thanks for that!
DeleteHeh. "New Arrivals rack"
ReplyDeleteSo, today there are no other comic books than American super hero comics?
ReplyDeleteIn most American comic shops, yes.
DeleteThis is a falsehood repeated so often on the internet that nobody ever checks to see if it's true or not.
DeleteMost comic shops carry a wide variety of comics in many genres. The ones that still only carry superhero comics are a tiny minority, that gets smaller every year. I could quote all kinds of statistics and evidence (like: Walking Dead #100 was the biggest selling comic book of the past 15 years) to back this up, but the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Go to your LCS and check it out for yourself.
Or better yet, come to my store, and bring your wallet!
In theory yes, but the majority is still flights and tights. Indy books are out there, and most of the offerings from Dark Horse and (amusingly enough) Image are less super hero and more actual story, but the big two are almost entirely super hero genre. The big two are, well, the big two for a reason.
DeleteMade worse by the fact that DC seems to be dragging it's Vertigo lines back into the super hero fold, what with John as a member of the Dark Justice League, and Swamp Thing now some sort of tree armoured killing machine.
But what do I know? I closed my shop down two years ago, and I'm sure that DC and Marvel have stopped screwing things up since then, right?
Oh, and hey, how's that New 52 treating everyone?
Just today?
ReplyDeleteWhen were comic books NOT about boobs and butts?
There was a brief period in 1942. All boobs and butts were ear-marked for the war effort.
DeleteIn the old days, everyone followed the squeaky-clean Comics Code. In fact, that's when Mad went from being a comic and became a "magazine" 'cuz the stuff in Mad was too naughty for comics.
DeleteHe's right, but did he really just notice this? Has he seen comics in the past 25 years?
ReplyDeleteComics Today? TODAY?!? -I think the comics of the 90's would respectfully disagree...
ReplyDeleteThe girls in the LSH used to wear skirts and show no cleavage (or even individually-distinct breasts).
ReplyDeleteIN THE NEXT ISSUE OF BOOBS AND BUTTS, BOOBS AND BUTTS FIGHT IT OUT IN "BOOBS VS BUTTS"!
ReplyDeleteWait, wait... I can see how this happened:
ReplyDeleteIt's very likely he read comics books as a kid but stopped as he grew older. Kids rarely pay attention to the sexual aspect of comic books (not that they aren't influenced by it, they just aren't as aware of it). If the last time he payed attention to comics books was as a kid, his perspective of comics would be from a child's view point. Going into a comic book store as an adult would be a bit of a shock.
I know what you mean. When I re-bought the comics I had as a kid (mainly early to mid-90s "X-Men") I was surprised by all the revealing costumes and sexually suggestive material. I remembered so much about these comics but I never noticed the boobs or the butts or the crazy elongated legs. Psylocke in particular was a shock because she was one of my favorite characters as a kid but looks pretty questionable to my eyes now.
DeleteThe one that really affected me was Helena Bertinelli as Huntress. Given her 80s reboot, the subsequent depictions were... awkward. For those who don't know, before she went bed-hopping with Nightwing and Catman in the last 15 years, she was a child molestation survivor.
DeleteHell, originally, Huntress was Batman's daughter, and in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon, she's trying to jump his bones. That's kind of off-putting.
DeleteI'd be anonymous too if I made a comment so wrong
ReplyDelete