The Wonderful World of Comics
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BOOKWORLD `sequential art'. (See glossary ofterms on p 22.) The wonderful Sequential artis picturesin a sequence thattella story,basicallyimparting a mes- sageingraphic andliterary form, orin other world of comics words, tellyou about a manthatdressesin a bat suitfighting crime. That'sthe message thatthe medium An introduction conveys. However, comics are not limited to telling stories about the adventures of RUDI WICOMB unlike most, was told before in another spandex-clad heroes, but have runthe gamutofliterarygenres. The lesson here is Librarian, Southfield Library medium. It startedin a brightly-coloured book with poor qualitypaper and told the never to mistake the message for the love comics. Since I was a kid I've har- simple storyofayoungman bitten bya medium (McCloud1994:6). boured a passion for comics. I remem- radioactive spider who is subsequently Graphic novels are much easier to I ber being mesmerised by the coloured define. Think ofa graphic novel as a book bestowed with great power and even pages, describing brilliant adventures of greaterresponsibilities. Itemblazoneditself toldin comic book form; it has a beginning, brightly-clad heroes fighting for truth, jus- intheheartsandmindsofAmericansfor middle and an end. tice and the Americanway. over 50 years. In contrast, comic book Reading comics made me believe in Now it is our turn to trade paperbacks are a collec- miracles butthen I grew up and Irealised hear the stories. tion ofstory arcs ofserialised that people didn't share my love for comics. Soonthere willbe comic booksinto a graphic Theycouldn'tor didn'tbelieve in miracles. others. Superman, novel format. Comic trades are They even said comics were bad for you. Batman,X-Men and acreationofourmodernage Comics were only for people who couldn't Blade, are a few of the and mass consumerism. read properly - that'swhylibraries didn't more popular ones, but have them - because books were for clever Abriefhistory do you know ofHellboy, Theidea ofsequential artis very and comics for stupid people. TheIncredibleHulk, The sadtruthis ateacher toldmethis. I'm old. The Bayeux Tapestryis a Daredevil, Rising Stars or 230-footlong tapestry that sure she meant well but her advice came the League ofExtraor- from a misplaced sense of duty and a lackof details the Norman conquests dinary Gentleman? You ofEngland in1066. knowledge. might not, butthe public My aim is to provide an insight into comic Read fromleftto right, it knows. They might not depicts the events ofthe con- bookliterature andlegitimisethetreatment haveknownpriorto16May2002(thepre- ofcomics as a literary and artistic medium questin a chronological order. mier ofthe Spider-Man), butthey do now. In the late1700s with George worthy ofa modicum ofequalityinthe And aslibrariansitis ourjob to know too. world ofpopular literature. Washington as president ofthe fledgling Wehave to know because thatis the best United States ofAmerica, single panel Comics have gone mainstream. By main- way to serve our communityneeds. streamwe meanthatcomics have trans- drawings,partpoliticalsatire,partenter- cended the boundaries ofmarginalised tainment andpart socialcommentary were A definition published in newspapers. literary and artistic obscurity and have Like allother mediums (film, books and attainedimmortality byjoining the world Jumping ahead a few decades to1890 in paintings arejust a fewexamples of different NewYork City,two newspaper moguls, pop culture. Andyoucan kinds ofmediums) it hasits blameit allonthemovies. Joseph Pulitzer and William own set ofrules and Randolph Hearstcompeted for the hearts, I'm sure you've heard conventions. These govern ofit and you might have minds and readers on the streets ofNew the creation ofworks within York. Both realised thatthe best way for seenit; Spider-Manbroke the medium ofcomics. boxoffice records across them to achieve this was to make their But what are comics? newspaper appealto the rapidly-growing the world, as movies go it `Juxtaposed pictorial and has reached the status of working class, the papers sold more when other images in deliberate the readers could relate to the contents. pop classic (and will sequence, intended to undoubtedly be bought Joseph Pulitzer fired the opening salvo, convey information and/or by publishing a comic strip drawn by RF by the Western Cape to produce an aesthetic Provincial Library Ser- Outcault. The modest drawings depicted response in the viewer' scenes ofcitylifewith a strong satirical edge vice [WCPLS] ifby some (McCloud1994:9). And as chance you missed it at andinthemiddleofitallwasachild, the creator ofthis definition `androgynous, bald and with a look both the cinemas). suggests, it'squite a But besides the quizzical and wise in the midst ofthe slap- mouthful. The most impor- stick social commentary' (McCue1993:9). impressive box office tant in this definition is records, this movie, The child was dubbed TheYellow Kid Cape Libr., Jan/Feb 2003 18 BOEKWEê RELD andis credited to be the first recurring Inhis book, televisionserieswasahitandcomics comic strip character. With sales skyrock- Seduction of the stampedits first markonthe popular cul- eting Pulitzer and Hearst solicited more innocent and sub- ture of the time. artists who created comic strips. These sequent public Butthe Silver Age ended as silently as it strips are the forefathers of modern day hearings,Wertham began and comicslostits populous voice. comics. Comics ultimately owe their exis- demonised comics The squeakyclean stories had no relevance tence to an American newspaper war. and allthose inthe tumultuous times ofthe late sixties This was merely the tip of the iceberg... involved in the and early to mid seventies and eventually Tocashin onthe economic feasibilityof industry. lost its social appeal. comics,publishers reprinted comic strips in The end of1954 There was,however,a company thathad a magazine format. Most of the comics signalled the death its birthinthe sixties and found a smallbut published up to1922 were reprints. In that knellfor the Golden Age of Comics. loyal following during this period. The Silver year,acomic called The Funnieswas the Wertham'switch huntdrove many fledg- Age saw the birth ofthe Fantastic Four and first to print original stories. This trend ling publishersinto bankruptcy.The young Marvel Comics. caughton and soon publishers were hard at comic bookindustryrealised thatit had to work recruiting writers and artists to regulate itself before state controls were The companies create fantastic stories. put in place. As a result of this,the Comics There are three major comic book compa- Perhaps the most significant event of the Magazine Association of America (CMAA) niesinthe States that have shaped the time (1930-1940) was thelaunch oftwo was created to regulate the contents of course and history of comics. These com- comics called Detective comics and Action comics. The CMAA created the Comics panies have very distinct visions for their comics,which launched Batman and Code,a list of criteria that has governed works thatis obviousin alltheir publica- Supermanrespectively,into the hearts and content in comics since1954. Although the tions. minds of an emerging first worldnation. code has been re-written and amended to Althoughthere are other smaller and allow for societal changes,itis stillin effect. larger companies that have revolutionised A brief history of the ages (In September 2001,however,Marvel the face ofthe comic book medium,Iwill Whatfollowed,historians and scholars of comics withdrew from the CMAA,drop- limit myself to a few. comics have called the Ages of Comics - a ping the code from all their creative output.) DC Comics period when certainvalues and/or styles (Cotton 2001:16.) Or simplycalled DC,is the oldest and lar- were the measurement for what was con- gestcomic bookcompanyinthe US. DC's temporary (similar to the Renaissance or The Silver Age outputcan only be described as`user Baroque periodsin arthistory,the Ages are In the interregnum that followed the end of friendly',- comics that are contrived to to comics). the Golden Age,characters became two- appealto a majority.But by no meansis this There are three Ages of comics: the dimensional,preachy and stale. The subject aslighttoDC'screativeoutput,thiscom- Golden Age,the Silver Age and the pre- matter espoused wholesome family values, pany has created some ofthe mosticonic sent,as yet unnamed but what writers and that at times didn'tgel with the style of the charactersin comic book history and have artistshave begunto callthe Modern Age. comic. Fans at the time were disappointed at lacklustre comics. been atthe forefrontof creating comics. The Golden Age Thankfully a Anditdoeshelpifyouowntwoofthe The Golden Age was a period of breath- revolution was most recognised comic bookcharacters taking vision characterised by the brilliance brewing. A silent ever created. And just who are they? of writers and artists who literally created revolution that Superman and Batman,of course. comics from the ground up. The subject startedwith a re- Marvel Comics matter was diverse and unique. Super- creation of an old Marvel was the heroes shared the same pages as spine- hero,The Flash, brainchild of the chilling horror stories,space adventures sent ripples prolific Stan Lee. and fantasyjourneys. through the An iconic What wasindeed a Golden Age came to industry and figureinhisown an abrupt and sudden end when major fans. Comic proponents from social and political creators realised spheres (out of,what one hopes was mis- that they could guided