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What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

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Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#221

Post by hullo »

mcphage wrote: post #207
kendallpark wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Take for example the new Ms. Marvel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms._Marvel_%28Kamala_Khan%29 She's a Pakistani superhero that dresses modestly AND her comics sell. Why? Because they're well-written. But I guess it's easier to draw more boobs than to invest in quality writing.

> But I guess it's easier to draw more boobs than to invest in quality writing. Aargh, you're reminding me that I really need to get back into reading that series. When I could buy comics from inside the Comixology app, it was really easy to keep up, and I haven't read any new comics since they pulled that out.

You can still buy from within the Marvel and DC apps. I've never tried it, but it looks like comixology has a tool to sync your comics between accounts.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#222

Post by unreal37 »

bane wrote: post #188
Spooky23 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your talking about the tail wagging the dog. Comics are how they are because the market imploded and they have to appeal to the niche of of niche that is their customer base. When I was a kid in NYC, I remember going to the newsstand with my dad and they had a few racks of the mass market comics. I'd get spider man and superman, my younger sister would get Donald Duck and similar things. Today there's no newsstand an…

> Donald Duck and similar things. Yeah exactly, it's very hard to find comics like this anymore. I had a friend who used to love Archie comics for example. Good luck finding those anywhere these days.

They're sold in grocery stores in the checkout line. Pretty much relegated to "impulse purchase to satisfy your misbehaving child".

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#223

Post by bane »

stefantalpalaru wrote: post #202
bane wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of the non-superhero comic books in the U.S. end up being adult themed for various reasons. Even many notable French artists are only known here for their work in magazines like Heavy Metal. One I grew up with (that I probably shouldn't have had as a child) was the Conan the Barbarian comics. Definitely not a superhero title, and definitely skewed towards the adult demographic. Asterix has tried to penetrate the…

> Even many notable French artists are only known here for their work in magazines like Heavy Metal. It's not the artist, it's the environment. Moebius did amazing and innovative comics for the French and Belgian markets. Guess what he did once arrived in the US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud#Marvel_Comics

hmmm...that's depressing.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#224

Post by drzaiusapelord »

sago wrote: post #218
drzaiusapelord wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the problem with these dialogues. Often left-leaning types see them as justification for censorship and shaming when the real issue is market penetration and audience. I can walk my son through the girly section of 'toys r us' and see nothing but men represented as effeminate "prince" types who's only main motivation in life is finding a princess. The tumbler social justice warriors don't care about that, bein…

That's the problem with these dialogues. Often right-leaning types see them as ways to avoid having to take any responsibility or action for anything by claiming the real issues are things that are the neutral mechanics of an impersonal market. There, fixed.

Except we've had a history of censorship and its been historically horrible. This is just a new Comics Code Authority Code. So yeah, we tried the liberal censorship (protect the $minority, $gender, $children) approach and its a massive failure because TOP DOWN CONTROL OF CULTURE IS HARMFUL.

Instead lower barriers, give people choice, don't guilt them, open markets, etc. Let speech and art flourish. Political correctness is the opposite of this.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#225

Post by logfromblammo »

xienze wrote: post #48
normloman wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that was the point of the article. Comic book authors don't consider that women might want to read their books, and so they unwittingly cut women out of their audience. Also, there's a difference between comics and romance novels. Comics are a medium, while romance novels are just one type of book. A book store will have many types of books including romance novels, but comic book stores may have just one typ…

> Comic book authors don't consider that women might want to read their books, and so they unwittingly cut women out of their audience. I'm guessing Marvel, DC et al have done a lot of research over the years and found out yep, it's pretty much only males that read comic books. They've attempted female-targeted comic books over the years and they don't sell. Not really worth spinning your wheels on something that's n…

If Danielle Steele wrote for a comic book, women would buy it.

The only reason I own a copy of every Sandman is because I read Neverwhere first.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#226

Post by Someone1234 »

virtualritz wrote: post #77

This is an American problem. In Europe I grew up with Tin Tin, Jo, Zette & Joko but also John Difool and Nikopol. Got to a comic store in Paris an there's an abundance of comics that are 'real' and kids friendly. No boobies or asses etc.

A lot of European comics have a different issue: racism.

I really liked Tin Tin but I cannot pretend like the entire thing isn't incredibly racist. All of the bad guys had a certain skin colour, you could guess who was going to betray the main cast just by their colour/culture, and a lot of other cultures are portrayed like savages (sometimes literally).

http://www.cracked.com/article_19610_the-6-most-secretly-rac...

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#227

Post by lcfg »

kbart wrote: post #166

Why comics? There are plenty of good books (even with pictures) for the girls of that age. Comics were never supposed to be educational or have any non-entertainment value and primary tarted at hormones soaked male teens. Take her to the books store instead. You don't complain that nobody does piano recital during pop concerts -- either go there or not. Actually, I find annoying the trend of complaining about anythin…

You're seriously telling his kids what to do? Get real. Kids love to read comics: comics have great value for kids. Colours, heroes, secret hideouts and cool punchlines. Why wouldn't kids (male & female) want that? Why shouldn't they?

The next time you're about to tell someone('s kids) what to enjoy, remember that what you like is not necessarily what others like.

The writer of the article didn't 'complain about anything'. The complaint is very specific: lots of comics in the comic book store he visited featured more adult illustrations that he and his kid would've liked to see. Valid complaint that doesn't have anything to do with 'attitudes'.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#228

Post by uxp100 »

bane wrote: post #188
Spooky23 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your talking about the tail wagging the dog. Comics are how they are because the market imploded and they have to appeal to the niche of of niche that is their customer base. When I was a kid in NYC, I remember going to the newsstand with my dad and they had a few racks of the mass market comics. I'd get spider man and superman, my younger sister would get Donald Duck and similar things. Today there's no newsstand an…

> Donald Duck and similar things. Yeah exactly, it's very hard to find comics like this anymore. I had a friend who used to love Archie comics for example. Good luck finding those anywhere these days.

Archie remains popular (inexplicably, to me) and Archie anthologies are available in most supermarkets I've been in (in the US) and at least some of the several comic books are found in almost every comic shop. For a casual fan, I think Archie might be the easiest comic to get a hold of. Just FYI.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#229

Post by Yizahi »

po wrote: post #12

I can already hear the debate raging about weather or not the images or particular examples in this article are acceptable or defensible or not. I think it's totally fine for the comics that this one shop has are there. Artistic freedom! Great! What's not super is that it's really the only kind. It's like netflix with only action movies. This article should feature a bunch of blank photos representing the comics that…

Yes, that what I thought too - manga is the answer, at least for some time. They have lots of different stuff for all ages, except of course there is also a huge amount of similar mainstream "adult" stuff.

Re: What taking my daughter to a comic book store taught me

#230

Post by FollowSteph3 »

barryfandango wrote: post #205
appleflaxen wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can the market fix this? If there is not enough demand, then publishers aren't going to create these titles.

The titles already exist. The excellent clerk at my local comic store made me a long list of american and international series for my daughter to check out and I've been very impressed. Most of them have to be ordered though, and none are prominently displayed. So it isn't so much that the titles aren't being created, but I think you're right that the demand will affect what is visible on store shelves.

Any specific ones from that list that you recommend?
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