Why, hello internet!! Of COURSE I didn't forget that my blog existed. I forgot that I did. It's...a long story and it's kinda complicated....
But anyway, I'm here now. My last few posts were very preachy and not very personal, so let's try to rectify that, shall we? I'm going to tell you a story. Its a story about my relationship with comics.
As a little kid, I was introduced to superheroes not through comics, but through the incredibly well done animated television shows of the early nineties, the greatest of which was Batman the Animated Series. Through TV, I became acquainted with the greatness of Superman, the X-Men, Spiderman and Batman. As I got older, I eventually wanted to read the comic books that created these wonders. I would, from time-to-time, check comics out of the local library (lame I know), but many comics just failed to grab my attention for very long. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy reading comics. I just din't get into them the way I did Harry Potter and Pokemon.
Like many kids, Pokemon soon became the "gateway drug" that introduced me to anime and manga. That was a match made in heave. I discovered the big ones, Naruto and Bleach, along with my personal favorites such as Full-Metal Alchemist and Death Note. My friends and I became total anime junkies, constantly looking for new manga to check out. And like many of my anime-loving friends, I soon arrived at the conclusion that Japanese manga was superior to all Western comics, though I personally still harbored a soft spot for superheroes and was as excited as anyone when Spiderman joined the New Avengers.
Then one day, while browsing deviantART looking at some cool fan-art, I stumbled upon the work of one Tracy J. Butler, creator of the webcomic sensation Lackadaisy and found myself smitten with the beautiful artwork and incredible storytelling. Like Pokemon before it, Lackadaisy became a "gateway drug", introducing me to all the creativity and talent that was congregating on the internet. I found everything from sitcoms like PvP Online, to beautiful stories like Girl Genius, and even a graphic novel series, Dreamkeepers. Finally, I had found a group of truly great and creative comics, all there in plain sight.
I have included a new feature in the sidebar, "Recommended Reading," where you can find links to all my favorite webcomics, and anything new that happens to catch my eye. Trust me, they are all worth checking out.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Why the Internet is Killing Comics, and Also Why it is Not
One of my readers mentioned torrents and blamed them for the comic book industry's decline, rather than stagnation of ideas. I've decided to address this issue posthaste, as I respect the opinions of my readers and do acknowledge piracy as a huge problem, if not the only problem.
Piracy is stealing, plain and simple. Sure, in most cases its petty theft, but its done on such a huge scale that it becomes a major issue fairly quickly. The rational behind most, if not all torrent use on the Internet is the old (well, like, 10 years old anyway) adage that information wants to be free. While this is all in good, it doesn't change the fact that those who create the information need money in order to continue creating their product, and that pirates a robbing them blind and then acting like the good guys.
Unfortunately, as bad as piracy is, its almost impossible to fight, thanks a multitude of torrent sites and programs and MILLIONS of people who feel that file sharing is not stealing (not exact figures, but this is pretty much common knowledge). Piracy has been a pain in the neck for the music industry, but disastrous for the already struggling comic book industry. One could argue, though, that that is all the comic book industry's fault.
While the music industry has created a way to sell their products online for a fraction of their retail price (I am of course talking about programs like iTunes and sites like Amazon), online comics often end up being more expensive then their print counterparts in a bid to drive much needed customers back into comic shops.
The IronMan
comic is over 60 pages, and in print it’s priced at $4.99, but on average for that kind of page count, we would have priced it at $5.99 or broken it up into three $2.99 issues. Our comics on the Marvel App are priced at $1.99 and the way the annual is written it breaks up nicely into three chapters perfectly, so that’s how we’ll break It up in the app. So, when you do the math on this one, the direct market comic shop has the advantage in price on this one, and we’ve already received word from retailers that they feel this is the best way to set this test up. Source
This is really not cost-effective, as digital books remove shipping, handling, printing and most of the other expenses involved in making a comic. Contrast independent comic creator David Lillie, whose digital graphic novels are priced at approximately one tenth of their print counterparts.
The industry is fairly divided on how to handle the situation. On one side are people like Mark Waid, who feel that embracing the internet is the only way to save the industry:
He started off with remarks on the history of copyright, stating it was a means to allow ideas to go into the public domain where they could remain powerful. “No one would say we’d be better off if Shakespeare plays weren’t allowed to be read and performed in high schools,” he used as an example. While not advocating piracy, his main argument seemed to be that it’s already done, the genie is out of the bottle, and struggling to keep ideas protected isn’t as important as finding a way to profit from those ideas. Source
On the other side is Sergio Aragones and others who are of the opinion that the internet is reducing the value of their product:
We had a chance to talk to Sergio later on — it was an off the cuff conversation in the middle of a rather chaotic night (the Hyatt bar was shut down early and everyone was in a tizzy). Paraphrasing here a bit, but Sergio was advocating more for the idea that the spread of free content has devalued content, making it harder for people to make a living at it. He said a couple of things that I tried to jot down, one that (I’m paraphrasing) “quality has to be considered again” and the one I tweeted “If you give everything away for free, you have ruined everything.” Source
Personally, I agree with Mark Waid. I love comics, and I want comic shops to succeed and the industry to make a comeback, but the internet is not going to go away. It is also unlikely that piracy will cease. If the comic book industry embraces the internet, than it may survive and even flourish by using the internet as a medium to display their artwork. Otherwise, it will perish. To quote Scott Kurtz, professional cartoonist and creator of the popular webcomic PVP (though personally I wouldn't put it so bluntly and I'm not as angry about it):
I find it laughable that anyone in the comic industry would scoff at someone trying to explore new business models. This is an industry that requires a charity to care for it’s infirm. Twenty minutes after Mark gave his speech, Tim Sale received a humanitarian award for his work with the Hero Initiative and joked that he expected his efforts returned one day because he has no health insurance and would eventually need to be taken care of. If you’re a member of an industry that let Dave Cockrum die in a VA hospital after helping give us most of the X-Men characters that comprised three blockbuster films and you get pissy about what Mark Waid said, then you deserve to remain on this sinking ship. Source
I love comics, and I love the Internet. I don't think the two are should be enemies of any sort.
Piracy is stealing, plain and simple. Sure, in most cases its petty theft, but its done on such a huge scale that it becomes a major issue fairly quickly. The rational behind most, if not all torrent use on the Internet is the old (well, like, 10 years old anyway) adage that information wants to be free. While this is all in good, it doesn't change the fact that those who create the information need money in order to continue creating their product, and that pirates a robbing them blind and then acting like the good guys.
Unfortunately, as bad as piracy is, its almost impossible to fight, thanks a multitude of torrent sites and programs and MILLIONS of people who feel that file sharing is not stealing (not exact figures, but this is pretty much common knowledge). Piracy has been a pain in the neck for the music industry, but disastrous for the already struggling comic book industry. One could argue, though, that that is all the comic book industry's fault.
While the music industry has created a way to sell their products online for a fraction of their retail price (I am of course talking about programs like iTunes and sites like Amazon), online comics often end up being more expensive then their print counterparts in a bid to drive much needed customers back into comic shops.
The Iron
This is really not cost-effective, as digital books remove shipping, handling, printing and most of the other expenses involved in making a comic. Contrast independent comic creator David Lillie, whose digital graphic novels are priced at approximately one tenth of their print counterparts.
The industry is fairly divided on how to handle the situation. On one side are people like Mark Waid, who feel that embracing the internet is the only way to save the industry:
He started off with remarks on the history of copyright, stating it was a means to allow ideas to go into the public domain where they could remain powerful. “No one would say we’d be better off if Shakespeare plays weren’t allowed to be read and performed in high schools,” he used as an example. While not advocating piracy, his main argument seemed to be that it’s already done, the genie is out of the bottle, and struggling to keep ideas protected isn’t as important as finding a way to profit from those ideas. Source
On the other side is Sergio Aragones and others who are of the opinion that the internet is reducing the value of their product:
We had a chance to talk to Sergio later on — it was an off the cuff conversation in the middle of a rather chaotic night (the Hyatt bar was shut down early and everyone was in a tizzy). Paraphrasing here a bit, but Sergio was advocating more for the idea that the spread of free content has devalued content, making it harder for people to make a living at it. He said a couple of things that I tried to jot down, one that (I’m paraphrasing) “quality has to be considered again” and the one I tweeted “If you give everything away for free, you have ruined everything.” Source
Personally, I agree with Mark Waid. I love comics, and I want comic shops to succeed and the industry to make a comeback, but the internet is not going to go away. It is also unlikely that piracy will cease. If the comic book industry embraces the internet, than it may survive and even flourish by using the internet as a medium to display their artwork. Otherwise, it will perish. To quote Scott Kurtz, professional cartoonist and creator of the popular webcomic PVP (though personally I wouldn't put it so bluntly and I'm not as angry about it):
I find it laughable that anyone in the comic industry would scoff at someone trying to explore new business models. This is an industry that requires a charity to care for it’s infirm. Twenty minutes after Mark gave his speech, Tim Sale received a humanitarian award for his work with the Hero Initiative and joked that he expected his efforts returned one day because he has no health insurance and would eventually need to be taken care of. If you’re a member of an industry that let Dave Cockrum die in a VA hospital after helping give us most of the X-Men characters that comprised three blockbuster films and you get pissy about what Mark Waid said, then you deserve to remain on this sinking ship. Source
I love comics, and I love the Internet. I don't think the two are should be enemies of any sort.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Scott Pilgrim Revolution
"Scott Pilgrim is the best book ever. It is the chronicle of our time. With Kung Fu, so yeah: perfect."
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the must see movie of the moment, and quite possibly the best movie ever based of and independently produced, non-superhero comic book series.
"Huhbuhduwha?!?!? There are comic books that aren't manga that aren't about superheroes?!!??!?" Yes, and they're becoming more and more popular.
The fact is, the way Marvel and DC are set up, they cater to a very small but devoted fanbase that is stagnant because the comics they read are. With very few exceptions, most comic book storylines in recent years have been formulaic and uncreative (Batman RIP being one of the rare, good examples, One More Day being one of the less rare yet terrible examples). Marvel and DC rarely try anything new to attract new readers because they're afraid of losing the one's they've got. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you try to find something new and groundbreaking from the superhero giants, you most likely won't get it. As someone who grew up with the Spiderman and Batman animated TV shows, this saddens me deeply. However, this is a unique and exciting time for comic lovers.
"Wait, what?!? That sounds TERRIBLE for comic-lovers!!"
Actually it's not, because Marvel and DC have an audience that is roughly 3% of their potential audience (cannot get exact figure sorry). Because they're audience has dwindled so low, there is an incredible power vacuum in the field of comic books and graphic novels. Whoever can attract the raw power of the untapped 97% of potential comic book readers will rule the industry. The overwhelming success of manga in the U.S. proves this. But the West has an answer to the power of manga: independently produced, creator controlled comic books, or "indie comics".
The success of the Canadian indie graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim is the precursor to great creator revolution looming on the horizon. Personally, I'm looking forward to great new stories and incredible, dynamic characters. And I have this guy to thank for it:
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the must see movie of the moment, and quite possibly the best movie ever based of and independently produced, non-superhero comic book series.
"Huhbuhduwha?!?!? There are comic books that aren't manga that aren't about superheroes?!!??!?" Yes, and they're becoming more and more popular.
The fact is, the way Marvel and DC are set up, they cater to a very small but devoted fanbase that is stagnant because the comics they read are. With very few exceptions, most comic book storylines in recent years have been formulaic and uncreative (Batman RIP being one of the rare, good examples, One More Day being one of the less rare yet terrible examples). Marvel and DC rarely try anything new to attract new readers because they're afraid of losing the one's they've got. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you try to find something new and groundbreaking from the superhero giants, you most likely won't get it. As someone who grew up with the Spiderman and Batman animated TV shows, this saddens me deeply. However, this is a unique and exciting time for comic lovers.
"Wait, what?!? That sounds TERRIBLE for comic-lovers!!"
Actually it's not, because Marvel and DC have an audience that is roughly 3% of their potential audience (cannot get exact figure sorry). Because they're audience has dwindled so low, there is an incredible power vacuum in the field of comic books and graphic novels. Whoever can attract the raw power of the untapped 97% of potential comic book readers will rule the industry. The overwhelming success of manga in the U.S. proves this. But the West has an answer to the power of manga: independently produced, creator controlled comic books, or "indie comics".
The success of the Canadian indie graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim is the precursor to great creator revolution looming on the horizon. Personally, I'm looking forward to great new stories and incredible, dynamic characters. And I have this guy to thank for it:
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Storytelling
I have always loved stories.
I developed a love for reading when I was very little, loving to crawl up next to my parents and have them read to me. When I learned how to read on my own, I would curl up in a chair and read to myself for hours on end. My favorite spot to read was under the branches of an old oak tree in the front yard of my house. I found myself drawn into stories very easily, laughing and crying along with the characters, cheering on the hero every step of the way.
When I wasn't reading, I was inventing tales of my own, using action figures and Lego creations for the different characters. Every game with my little sister turned in to a quest of epic proportions. As I got older and my interest in action figures decreased, the stories did not go away. I experimented with comics, but I discovered that I had little to no artistic ability. I have tried to write short stories before, yet I never liked the results for some reason, even if others were impressed. This lead to my habit of daydreaming.
I have continued daydreaming into my young adult life. I am constantly thinking of new story ideas, constantly reworking them, constantly running them over and over in my head. I am currently attempting to find a medium with which to express these stories. I am going take another crack at writing, maybe even return to comics or experiment with film. There are epic tales unfolding within my head, and I desire to share them with the world.
Perhaps you, too, have a story to tell. Try and find a creative outlet, a medium with which to communicate your epic. Even if you do not become a storyteller in profession, you may find out something about yourself that you never knew.
I developed a love for reading when I was very little, loving to crawl up next to my parents and have them read to me. When I learned how to read on my own, I would curl up in a chair and read to myself for hours on end. My favorite spot to read was under the branches of an old oak tree in the front yard of my house. I found myself drawn into stories very easily, laughing and crying along with the characters, cheering on the hero every step of the way.
When I wasn't reading, I was inventing tales of my own, using action figures and Lego creations for the different characters. Every game with my little sister turned in to a quest of epic proportions. As I got older and my interest in action figures decreased, the stories did not go away. I experimented with comics, but I discovered that I had little to no artistic ability. I have tried to write short stories before, yet I never liked the results for some reason, even if others were impressed. This lead to my habit of daydreaming.
I have continued daydreaming into my young adult life. I am constantly thinking of new story ideas, constantly reworking them, constantly running them over and over in my head. I am currently attempting to find a medium with which to express these stories. I am going take another crack at writing, maybe even return to comics or experiment with film. There are epic tales unfolding within my head, and I desire to share them with the world.
Perhaps you, too, have a story to tell. Try and find a creative outlet, a medium with which to communicate your epic. Even if you do not become a storyteller in profession, you may find out something about yourself that you never knew.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Beginning
"Oh, a blog. That's SO original. No one's EVER done THAT before."
If that was the first thing you thought when you saw this site, please leave. No one likes haters. However, if you are willing to listen to some random guy on the internet, by all means, pull up a chair. That's what I'm here for, after all.
Now, I know what you're thinking. So stop it, you sicko. Get a girlfriend (or boyfriend or whatever. I don't judge. Usually.).
In all serious though, if you're wondering what this blog is about, well then I'm forced to confess that it really isn't about anything other than what I feel that I want to post every now and then. It would be more interesting if you asked what this blog really IS.
This blog is a journey. It's a journey of self-discovery, friendship and the occasional musings of a young man just starting on his journey through life. This will be the medium through which I explore life's mysteries and struggle to find my place in this world. I'd like to share this journey, this important piece of myself, with the world if at all possible. If you'd like to come along, by all means do so. If not, that's fine, but you're welcome to change your mind anytime. We'll be going to a place that's familiar, yet new. Somewhere where the past meets the future, and anything is possible.
Welcome to The Other End of the Block.
If that was the first thing you thought when you saw this site, please leave. No one likes haters. However, if you are willing to listen to some random guy on the internet, by all means, pull up a chair. That's what I'm here for, after all.
Now, I know what you're thinking. So stop it, you sicko. Get a girlfriend (or boyfriend or whatever. I don't judge. Usually.).
In all serious though, if you're wondering what this blog is about, well then I'm forced to confess that it really isn't about anything other than what I feel that I want to post every now and then. It would be more interesting if you asked what this blog really IS.
This blog is a journey. It's a journey of self-discovery, friendship and the occasional musings of a young man just starting on his journey through life. This will be the medium through which I explore life's mysteries and struggle to find my place in this world. I'd like to share this journey, this important piece of myself, with the world if at all possible. If you'd like to come along, by all means do so. If not, that's fine, but you're welcome to change your mind anytime. We'll be going to a place that's familiar, yet new. Somewhere where the past meets the future, and anything is possible.
Welcome to The Other End of the Block.
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