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Happy Damn Free Comic Book Day!
May 3rd was Free Comic Book Day.
It is a united effort by the comic book publishers and the distribution conglomerates to try and instill a love of comic books that is lacking in today's American youth. So on this day there are about thirty comics from all the publishers distributed for free as a way to get kids into the comic store, many for the first time. There are many reasons why American youth are not interested in comic books as a form of recreation. I personally subscribe to the theories of Scott McCloud author of the books Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics. He thinks that by publishing mostly super hero comics over and over again the big three publishers of Marvel, DC and Image have been retarding the social development and social acceptance of comics in the the American public mind.
There are innovative work coming from independent comic artists but the public perception of the medium as been forever tainted by the decades of non-stop superhero comics. In fact reading comics is not something that cool kids do in the USA. Now Asia and Europe are different situations but in most mainstream social groups in the us reading makes you a dork.
Note the irony is that liking comic like movies such as Star Wars, The Matrix and The Terminator, video games and computer games that have comic like plots and action, and movies based on comics are accepted as non dorky entertainment when reading comic books are looked down on. Even pro wrestling is basically super hero comics acted out and passed off as sports entertainment. How is The Rock fighting Stone Cold any different from Batman fighting Superman? ( If you didn't know that Batman hated Superman read The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller. ) Or Shaq and Yao that is basically on the same artistic level and hero worship that you could expect in a typical superhero comic book.
Oh I almost forgot to mention Wal-Mart only will stock comics that carry the Comic Code Authority Seal of Approval. This is a carry over from the fifties and is probably the main reason for the perpetuation of the superhero comics dominating the medium. By insisting that the Eisenhower era code of censorship is the rule at the largest retailer in America it keeps the mental evolution of comics stuck in the fifties.
It is to damn bad that some of the best artists to ever draw comics are working today but the comic market is so socially retarded for main stream acceptance. When was the last time that you saw kids under sixteen in the comic store?
Free Comic Book Day is a good idea but it is a sad excuse for a fix to the insurmountable problems that face the American comic book industry.
If the major publishers do not get their act together and work to advance the art form and inspire a new generation of readers and artists the medium of the printed comic book will go the way of the movie serial and the radio action serial show.
Jake at May 4, 2003 
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Comments
I asked my comic shop about Free Comic Book Day.
They knew nothing about it, and were surprised to hear the word 'Free' in the title.
Darn, I wish they supported this day as well. :)
Posted by: l33t k1w1 at May 4, 2003 1:55 AM
I agree. I personaly hate Superhero comics myself though. I'd rather read comics that actually tell a good story, no matter how long they last. Superhero comics are just getting, you know, overdone. Which is a reason why I like manga and comic books like Preacher.
I'm also unaware of any comic book stores around here as well, so thats limiting my ability to go out there and get more comic books. But, I'm sure there has to be at least one around here. This is California.
Posted by: Arluss at May 5, 2003 4:28 PM
my hubby was beyond reluctant to mention to me that he loved comic books...when he mentioned he wanted to buy some, i told him to go for it!! :D he still shakes his head at that one...;)
Posted by: Lilly at May 6, 2003 7:24 PM
There will be a post on this soon.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-medved040403.asp
Posted by: pete at May 6, 2003 10:54 PM
