Hey, sorry I haven’t been blogging lately—Tom Brevoort’s blog has just been putting me to shame too much, with it’s quality and insight.
So, lacking either of those, I’ll just reminisce…
I’ve read comics most of my life; most of the time I’ve read a lot[ of comics.
I got into comics with G.I. Joe, then Transformers, then Secret Wars. So Marvel was what I was originally into, but I quickly started reading the post-(original) Crisis DC Universe, pretty much via Dark Knight Returns.
Reading DKR made me think, “hey, this Batman guy is pretty cool—way cooler than the TV show and cartoons. I wonder if any of the other comics with him are that good?” So I picked up the newest issue on the stands, which happened to be part 3 of “Year One.” Which gave me, shall we say, a somewhat skewed perception of the average quality of Batman comics.
Now, all this was about the time of the Black-and-White Explosion, so that lead me in other new comics directions. For those who don’t remember, after Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a direct-market success (this was several years before their mainstream success with cartoons and movies and breakfast cereals), comic book stores were flooded with black-and-white comics of all kinds, as publishers and retailers tried to find the next big thing.
There was a lot of variety in these comics; some were second-generation parodies-of-parodies, sure, but there was a great “anything goes” attitude. These comics helped broaden my horizons…a lot were terrible, of course, but a few gems got caught up in the Black-and-White Explosion’s wave of success (and its subsequent near-instant collapse); but all this happening so fast added up to my initial world-view of comics.
What I gleaned from this time was:
1) Comics can be about anything. I came in with the toy-tie-ins (plus stuff like Marvel’s Star Wars comics); read super hero comics; got into the wide variety of self-published and small-press books, in a huge number of genres and styles.
2) Super hero comics can be really great. The stuff coming out in this period when I really got into comics—when I was about 10-12—was pretty staggering. Dark Knight, Watchmen, Elektra: Assassin, Howard Chaykin’s Shadow, George Perez’s Wonder Woman, Daredevil: Born Again, Doom Patrol…and many many other books of great quality. I mean, this wasn’t the only period of good super hero books, not by any stretch of the imagination, but there was a real sense of striving for the new that isn’t always present in super hero books.
These two factors really defined my enjoyment of comics for the rest of my life, I suppose…
I’ve never considered “comics” and “super heroes” synonymous, but I’d have to say that if I was a fan one genre (in any medium) it’s super heroes.
Indeed... It's funny that you mention that...
As an aspiring penciller, I'm constantly slaving away at the drawing table drawing up one superheroic exploit or another, often forgetting that comics have had massive variations of genres over the years.
But, like yourself, superheroes are my love (after my wife of course...) and it's the SUPERHERO legacy I want to contribute to, not westerns, romance etc. Although, they would still be fun
Posted by astrosapien on 2006-07-25 18:53:37
i gotta a question for every one did mutants and dinosaurs exist in the bible
Posted by tarhaun on 2006-07-25 22:50:18
Mutants and Dinosaurs in the Bible I never read that book? Was it good?
Posted by astrosapien on 2006-07-26 03:00:19
Question What happened to Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk? The third one never came out when it was listed.
Posted by DaveSBU on 2006-07-26 03:55:03
i'm askin u astro u tell me
Posted by tarhaun on 2006-07-26 09:58:03
Waiting for the movie Tarhaun, sorry I can't help you there. I don't have time in my day to read novels, so we'll just have to wait until they make the movie adaptation
Posted by astrosapien on 2006-07-26 18:54:26
movie adaptaion of wat just tell me whether mutants and dinos existed in the bible or not okay oh and if u don't $#&&&&@% YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by tarhaun on 2006-07-27 02:23:38
re; question seriously, i thought marvels late problems had been solved. is this book EVER coming out? this is pathetic, especially after ultimates 2 taking 2 years plus for eleven issues to date. this is a great way to lose a fanbase.
Posted by jacetyle on 2006-08-01 16:14:55
Hulk/Wolverine Well? Where is it, John? Can you give us SOMETHING? Issue #3 is still listed on your site for MAY. It is AUGUST. I think we deserve an explanation. It has been brought up on this blog several times and still no answer. Is it just tossed aside (like the final issue of Ultimate Extinction)?
Posted by quidom on 2006-08-04 07:04:12
Ultimate Extinction Dude i'm with you on that. First it was a six issue mini-series then five. Why?
Posted by neighbor on 2006-08-08 12:14:32
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About this blog: Associate Editor John Barber gives the inside story on the Ultimate line of comics--plus whatever other comics John edits!
About the author: John Barber has been a web cartoonist, self-publisher, author, and now comic book editor. He lives in New York with his fiancee Alison.
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