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| Image copyright DC COMICS |
I've had the above comic for a good many years now. I'd first seen it back in the late '60s in my primary school playground, clutched in the hands of one of my classmates, who acquiesced when I asked him for a closer look. So, I recall the cover, but don't think I ever got to read the contents, which is why I probably bought it at a comic mart over 20 years later - to satisfy my curiosity.
Consider that cover for a moment though. It actually represents the SUPERGIRL back-up tale rather than the main SUPERMAN story, and involves the BIZARROS - so I'm sure you can imagine how - er, 'bizarre' it is. When one considers what MARVEL produced at the time, it's perhaps surprising that DC are still with us today. NATIONAL PERIODICALS (as DC Comics were called back then) wrote mainly for children (wrote down to children would perhaps be a more accurate assessment), while Marvel set their sights on a wider readership.
Nowadays, the products of both companies are virtually indistinguishable, featuring murky art, tedious, seemingly never-ending storylines, and aimed at a much older audience. Considering that the concept of superheroes is basically one of adolescent wish-fulfilment, it sometimes occurs to me that there's something unseemly about such fables being pitched exclusively at an older audience and dealing with 'adult' themes.
I'm not saying that grown ups shouldn't be reading comics, but I feel that they should be prepared to appreciate and accept them for what they are (or were, and should be again): Simple morality tales rooted in fantasy which children and teenagers can enjoy - and also adults who retain the ability to enjoy things from a more innocent and youthful perspective, without expecting everything they read to cater to their 'grown up' tastes.
So perhaps the idea of a superpowered horse is going too far the other way, but comics as they were in the '60s and '70s (as produced by Marvel) is perhaps the way to go when it comes to making comicbooks more attractive to a wider age-range - as opposed to just a bunch of ageing 'fanboys' who can't let go of the things of their youth, but demand that they reflect more 'mature' sensibilities in order to deflect any hint of criticism that they never grew up.
Observations reflecting different shades of opinion on the subject will be greatly appreciated.
A trip to the comic book store these days will bring you down, no doubt about it. I feel like an aging pervert just walking in there. Three bucks a pop! You gotta be kidding me. Still, it's nice to know it's there, I guess. I suppose we're fans 'til the bitter end. Hey, some guys have worse hobbies! Chin up, pal.
ReplyDeletewell said Kid. Well said. Yup. Some fanboys seem embarrassed to be reading comics unless they can defend them as adult material but what, I ask, is adult about gore and profanity? Seems rather juvenile to me. Yup. Bring back super horse for fun.
ReplyDeleteAlways call into your local comic shop during the week when those pesky kids are in school! Plenty of space and time to puruse the comics and chew the fat with the guy at the till.
ReplyDeleteKen.
You do have a point, it's interesting to note that an intrinsically juvenile genre such as the superhero one, should attract authors with ambitions for more mature content. I suppose if you wanna be cynical you could say, -that's where the money is- or was, rather. Even some of those authors, the most notable ones too, seem to take pains to point out their discomfort with the genre.
ReplyDeleteAs for mature or 'adult' content, my view is that younuns and their older counterparts who may be in the position to prescribe such content, have rather different views on what constitutes adult. I have quite strong views on that subject but they're not easily expressed succinctly, I'm not really happy with preachy morality spoon fed to children, under certain pretexts it's the most cynical exploitation and I have a -very- strong distaste for it. However I have to temper that view because I don't see promoting morals or socially responsible behaviour as intrinsically negative, yeah I know it's complicated. Neal Adams's old Justice For All, is probably a good example of a positive explanation and exploration of, the subject of rights and responsibilities.
Unfortunately broaching adult themes within a context aimed at children is something that has become very difficult, western culture has adopted a strong streak of infantilisation which seems to get stronger with every passing year. Treating children as imbeciles is not good for their development and alienates them from the adult world, I think the consequences of that approach are very apparent today. As I mentioned kids have different concept of what they regard as mature, I'm not really sure I'm qualified to understand it any more to be honest but I do believe that they want and need to be reconciled with the adult world and a good vehicle for that is their literature.
I have to say I have mixed feelings over this subject -I totally agree that the 60s to mid 70s style Marvel comics (some DC -especially in the 70s were great like Swamp Thing, LSH, JLA, Brave and Bold etc) would be the way to regenerate the medium today with a mix of fantastic adventure, wild Sci-Fi with a little soap opera and some social relevance thrown in (not too much).
ReplyDeleteBut I have to be honest and admit that as a 15 -17 year old in the '70s that although I loved these type of stories I did long for a more "adult" (thinking that was ""mature") style comics like they have today - of course with hindsight and seeing this "adult" themed style pushed to the limits I can see its not a good option, but I do think there is a place for this type of book on the market, just not every ruddy one of them and each it seems intent on just trying to "break new ground" (ie endlessly doing the same pap) by excessive violence, use of sweary words and ways to mutilate the hero or supporting characters. Great art in many cases, just poor story-lines - but despite this I have to say that there are some really good "adult" themed titles out there and if I was 15 years old I'd be onto them (ok I buy a couple semi regularly now). Trouble is that as about 90% of the books on the market today are in this "adult" theme, how many kids will still be reading comics at 15 year old in 5 years time? (Saying that, its good to see companies like Dark Horse, Boom (Ka-Boom), IDW, etc embracing kids comics so maybe there's some hope.)
My particular peeve re this type of comic is focused on DC (Marvel long ago went down this road albeit with a bit more class than DC) DC to me in the revamp of all their characters and in trying to catch up with Marvel ( probably more in an attempt to rake it in at the box office than the comic store) have sold their characters down the river (some are not so bad, some are frankly foul) they have very few" real heroes" now, I means what's wrong with a comic character wanting to be a good guy and help folk be a role model to kids! - McScotty
The costumed superhero genre is inherently juvenile and unrealistic, and any attempts at "realism" or "adult themes" seem incongruous. I can understand adults who say, "I've outgrown super-characters running around in spandex costumes, I would rather watch a realistic TV drama about doctors or cops." I can also understand people who say, "I work hard (or go to school) in the real world all day, and when I get home, I want fantasy and escapism." But combining the two makes no sense to me. And what passes for "mature" or "adult" in comics (and TV and movies) these days is really adolescent. Modern comics and their movie adaptations are just the same old "hero vs. villain" plots, but with more graphic violence and sex, and some moral relativism to appeal to college students who fancy themselves intellectuals. That is not to say that mature adults could never enjoy comics or superheroes, but they could never take it seriously. That's why the Batman TV show was played as a campy comedy. And DC published some parody and/or tongue-in-cheek comics from time to time (Plastic Man and Inferior Five in the mid-1960's, Shazam in the 1970's). Adults liked them, but too few adults read comics. So those comics were either cancelled, or were given a darker tone to appeal to the adolescent fanboys. -TC
ReplyDeleteFunny how the Avengers movie manages to be all-ages adventure without gloom and murky unpleasantness.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's influenced Marvel, which seems to have lightened up a lot recently, and actually publishes several comics I would now describe as "fun".
Fearless Defenders and Hawkeye being top of my fun list, if you're asking.
I would also recommend Fearless Defenders (i haven't read Hawkeye yet will look for it)Also worth a read is Daredevil (with Chris Samnee's great Toth like art and Mark Waid's stories) very old school in many ways)even has good letters page at times. or nice art simple read DCs latest Batman Black and White is good as well - McScotty
ReplyDeleteSome great comments, people - thanks to everyone for responding. I'd heard that Hawkeye was a good read, but I'll wait until MWOM gets around to reprinting it. The Daredevil series recently reprinted is the one you refer to, I think, McScotty.
ReplyDelete