Retirement home for random, geek related perusals.

Friday 2 July 2010

Why do I like comic books??

The other day, whilst sat with a friend, he mentioned that he had read this blog, and asked me why I was writing it. Upon hearing my reply, he told me that he thought a blog that explained why I like superheroes/comics would be a useful point of reference for the less geek-inclined. Thus, acting upon that conversational whimsy, I wrote this fairly brief response as an attempt to explain why I find comic books so alluring.

Essentially, I think it all boils down to the fact that I, like most boys at some stage in life, have wanted to be able to fly, or turn invisible, or throw fireballs, because those things are inherently cool. Comic books offer a beeline into worlds and stories in which these exist, not only showcasing why they are cool, but displaying reasons behind their existence and usage.


I don't think anyone can deny that being an X-Man wouldn't be cool...

But, on top of this childhood dreaming, there is another reason behind the appeal of comic books. First and foremost, they are stories. Whilst there are one-off issues, and stand alone tales, many comic books have long arching storylines and themes, such as DC’s Final Crisis event, or the Secret Invasion in the Marvel Universe. What makes comics so alluring to me is the fact that these events constantly reference each other, from issues of X Men to the Punisher, or from Green Lantern to Superman, layering each new storyline with both past events and concurrent themes. Whilst these past stories are not needed to understand the current storyline or events, they make them that little bit richer – just as watching a TV serial is more rewarding when you watch it from the beginning.

Take, for example, the Marvel Secret Invasion storyline. During the storyline, several shape shifting aliens – the Skrulls – are revealed to be on Earth causing trouble. After several battles with superheroes, they are defeated, but not before their presence leads to the creation of the organisation H.A.M.M.E.R. under the control of Norman Osborn. This then neatly leads into the storyline Dark Reign, which follows Osborn as he tries to take control of the Marvel Universe. Now, whilst knowledge of Secret Invasion is not needed to understand Dark Reign, it does make it that little bit more involving, something that has kept me hooked on comic books for years.

Secret Invasion - An example of comicbook storyline continuity.

Another reason is the constant reimagining, and recreation of superheroes, ensuring that they remain fresh and interesting, creating stories that fit with contemporary attitudes as well as keeping true to the originals. Perhaps the best example of this is Green Lantern: Rebirth. Following the Green Lantern Hal Jordan, after his turn from superhero to super villain, it reasserts his place in the DC Universe, bringing an old character alongside the new while maintaining the pace of the storylines. Indeed, this ties into my previous point, as Hal’s return as a Green Lantern led to the Sinestro Corps War storyline, showing how the reinvention and evolution of characters and storylines is intertwined, keeping comic book universes interesting.


Hal Jordan - Greatest Green Lantern of them all.

Aside from the stories, there is also the fact that comics are, essentially, full of pretty pictures. From the stirring image of Barry Allen outrunning Death in the pages of Final Crisis, to a relatively mundane image of Spiderman leaping between buildings, each panel has a story to tell. When combined with the greatest onomatopoeic words mankind can create (think the 1960’s Batman TV series, but less camp) and you have a visceral treat that can, with a little imagination, be more evocative than the most effects laden film you could create. Indeed, it is noticing little things in these images, from the faces on bystanders, to picking out all the characters you can in big spread pages, that make it enjoyable to reread comic books, even more so than an ordinary novel. Indeed, noticing little references to events – such as the sound effect ‘EEEPA’ in the Sinestro Corps War (Volume 2), a reference to the Simpsons movie and Comic Book Guy – means that each reread of a comic often reveals new things.

Barry Allen's return from the dead - simply epic.

That is not to say that the stories themselves are not worth the read. As I already mentioned, the constantly evolving storylines make comic books almost a literary equivalent of a TV series, but the stories are not throwaway sequences of action, but often serious dialogue with clever subtexts. DC’s Final Crisis is one of the best examples of this. Concerning the collapse of the Universe, and the last actions of Earth’s heroes to prevent it, it explores themes of despair, courage, loss and hope, tied up with time travel and all-out action, to create a densely packed narrative that is satisfying both as a story and a comic book.

For me, then, comic books are not throwaway little picture books, but cleverly thought out stories, with compelling artwork and writing that, albeit with a bit of imagination, create vivid stories that you can come back to time and time again. I think that is pretty much the best reasoning I can put forwards for liking comic books, without delving into the apparent psychological reasons behind the stories, or the deep seated meanings they have in our subconscious, as those are arguments best left to Media graduates, comic book experts and psychologists...But, who knows, maybe I’ll look at why certain characters, or films, or video games appeal to me in a later blog...