Been an interesting few years for comic books, I have found so much good stuff which has changed my perception of the entire industry, which people are finally starting to realise is multi-faceted. And within this multi-faceted industry, I like nothing more than finding a really good comic book that I personally don't enjoy.
Why?
Case in point: Ghost World.
Fantastic Comic really, great dialogue, clear detailed artwork with easy panel breaks leading the reader down the writers path. But does nothing for me.
Now I see this book is relevant, it fills a gap in the market and as I can see through sales at my store, it has a viable audience. Just personally, it does nothing for me. I tried reading it and although I enjoyed the craftsmanship, I didn't care about the two protagonists enough to keep reading, unless they go the whole hog with the latent lesbianism thing later in the book.
Maybe I have no soul.
The movie itself kicked ass though, for me, it worked better that way. Sorry. I know what I like to read, I know what I like to watch and I gave both versions of Ghost World a try.
But where is it written that we must enjoy everything? I have no problem with the book (Ghost World), I see its place in the market and respect it as an indie comic (although how this is indie and something like DC's Monolith is considered mainstream is beyond me, more on that another time), but I don't enjoy it. Does everyone enjoy Othello? No. Does everyone enjoy Planetary? No. Does that make them any less important as works of fiction? Of course not.
There is nothing more important to the longterm survival of the comic book industry than diversity, if the comic book was sustained by five or six equally recongnised and succesful genres than they could help support the industry when one genre goes out of favour with the public. Everything is cyclic, comics would do well to remember this before the latest superhero-trend takes a downward trend. After all, Bendis and Millar can only relaunch so many monthlies.
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2 comments:
Amen brother, the way I see it, there is so much choice and diversity out there, there really should be something for everyone, be it in the field of movies novels or porn.
People always find it easier to hate than enjoy.
Collectively, lets big up the things we do like rather than putting down the things we dislike.
Fuck me, when did we all get so calm, collected and objectional?
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