Did comics forget to be fun?

[ChadtheH]

Just something I thought as I was reading a recent Kurt Busiek issue of Superman (#665 I think) which is re-imagining early continuity in Supes' saga. It's fairly light and pleasant fare that reminded me of reading comics years ago...which reminded me why reading comics today isn't the same anymore, and why I'm the king of the 50-cent bin lately.

Did comics forget to be fun? Are writers today so focusing on push-the-envelope storytelling, or high concept sci-fi, or remembering to get in our sensitivity training about using the medium to correct for old stereotypes, or making commentary on the perils of the Bush administration, or winking at your fellow creators introspective tortured crap in Civil War, etc., that maybe people are forgetting we read this stuff to ESCAPE?!?

OK, Eisner or Miller or even Paul Dini are allowed to occasionally make me think -- and I'm all for raising the bar on an art form. But a little pontifficating makes me think, and a little more makes me think of reading something else.

Am I alone in this view? Does the industry need to lighten up again?

[Chris Hansbrough]

nah. the industry can do what it wants for me....I'll stick with the Blue Beetle, Manhunter, Birds of Prey, style books. books that a fun, witty and entertaining. not to mention Gen 13 Welcome to Tranquility, World War Hulk, X-Factor, Stormwatch PHD, Midnighter, Nova, Annihilation, Powers, Ultimate Spider-man, Daredevil, Invincible, Noble Causes, Hack/Slash, Dead @ 17, Sasquach, Dynamo 5....really I could go on. there is a lot of fun out there. you just gotta expand outside of just marvel and DC> Check out some of the devils due stuff. Anything from Silent Devil is pretty much guaranteed to be witty adn good, Sidekicks, Image has some fun as hell stuff....especially with the return of firebreather coming.....yay! The Boom Studios stuff is great. Dynamite has great fun books......it's all about looking.....find some reviews....if something tickles your fancy....try an issue.....give em a shot and you are guaranteed to find awesome fun.

[vanityman]

its almost like comics forgot to be good 'comics'...half the time i feel like i'm reading storyboards for a movie pitch

ironically, growing up the comic creators i 'loved' were the more serious ones; wein, englehart; o'neill....adams, kaluta, simonson etc....

the ones i didn't revere as much at the time, dillon, aparo and particularly rozakis, are the ones whose work i look back with the fondest memories...

the whole batman family, freedom fighters era created my comics worldview it seems....and man, i still miss the haney supersons stuff....

sigh

[Pink Bat Max]

Am I alone in this view? Does the industry need to lighten up again?

Overall, absolutely. Part of why I'm a Gail fan, (I mean.... c'mon... how much does The All-New Atom remind you of the fun that I got into comics for in the first place!) a Dini fan, and a fan of Kurt Busiek..... he's done some of my fave Spider-Man (untold tales of), and his new Superman run is just wonderful. I think comics can be a lot of things. But 'fun' is one of my favorite.

I keep re-learning the lesson to turn to the Johnny DC titles based on thier superhero cartoons. They have some wonderful writing, really, and they're a great read.

[Linkara]

I admit, I don't read All-New Atom, but it's very tempting considering how much fun I can see occurs in the book. I'm still laughing from "Stupid jetpack Hitler!"

On the flipside, I just got into Blue Beetle and man-oh-man is it fun. ^^

[Pink Bat Max]

I admit, I don't read All-New Atom, but it's very tempting considering how much fun I can see occurs in the book. I'm still laughing from "Stupid jetpack Hitler!"

Oooh, just wait until you see my favorite character, the Giant Alien Head. It eats cheese whiz and turns on the TV, aggressively proclaiming to the dog "HAVE POTSIE OR DEATH! HAVE TUSCADERO SISTERS OR SUBMISSION!" Any week with an All-New Atom issue, that issue has the best quotes of the week, hands down.

[mgs]

Did comics forget to be fun? Are writers today so focusing on push-the-envelope storytelling, or high concept sci-fi, or remembering to get in our sensitivity training about using the medium to correct for old stereotypes, or making commentary on the perils of the Bush administration, or winking at your fellow creators introspective tortured crap in Civil War, etc., that maybe people are forgetting we read this stuff to ESCAPE?!?


Am I alone in this view? Does the industry need to lighten up again?

ah, another SUPERHERO comic fan looking for more/growing up....

the fact is, there are tons of comics out there with fun. There are more than superhero comics that you are obviously only looking at. The problem is, that for the creators, it is hard to take a character who's powers include laser beams for eyesight, have invulnerabilty, supreme martial arts, knives for nails, etc..and make them do other things than punch and hurt other such people.

it is the equivalent to giving someone a bunch of guns, throwing them inbetween the area of Israel and Palestine, and telling them to go make peace. or watching the news and looking for a reason to explain as to why the world is a better place.

[BnL]

The problem is, that for the creators, it is hard to take a character who's powers include laser beams for eyesight, have invulnerabilty, supreme martial arts, knives for nails, etc..and make them do other things than punch and hurt other such people.

To me, violence isn't the issue. Everyone expects violence, and violence can be part of the "fun" of comics. I think the main problem is that things have taken a turn for the darker. Certain characters should just not be grim and gritty, but the powers that be have decided to take them in that direction anyway. Yeah, there are still a lot of fun comics out there, but from what I hear (I don't read any Marvel), things at the big two have gotten progressively more dreary in tone. That works in small doses, or for certain characters, but to me, that's not what DC, as a whole, should be about. It's gotten to the point where it's sucked pretty much all of my enthusiasm for comics, minus Gail's upcoming run on Wonder Woman.

[Reverend Smooth]

I think that, because the superhero genre was originally conceived in a different cultural and social climate, that the transition will simply go through some growing pains.

It's a different century, different sensibilities affect things, and it looks like the big two are struggling to find a viable and profitable direction in which to take the superhero genre. Right now, it's not a comfortable fit. Maybe in another decade, things will be a little more sorted out.

[Charles RB]

Did comics forget to be fun?

Well, based on reading 2000AD, Judge Dredd Megazine, Supervillain Team-Up: MODOK's 11, Runaways, Thrud!, Buffy Season 8, Weird World of Jack Staff, Astro City, Marvel Zombies, Scarlet Traces, The Boys...

...no, they haven't. There's a crapload of "fun" comics.

The annoying thing is when people complain "comics aren't fun anymore!", yet don't appear to be buying those fun comics. Why doesn't MODOK's 11 and Jack Staff sell huge amounts if people want fun superhero comics? Will the upcoming trade collection of 2000AD's pulpy pirate fantasy The Red Seas sell huge amounts (pirates VS siege-weaponry armed dinosaurs, in an underworld created by extinct Martians!)?

[TomStillwell]

I'm certainly not forgeting to make fun comics. You just may be looking in the wrong place for fun comics.

[Jack Zodiac]

Books that are fun:

Action Comics
All-New Atom
All-Star Superman
Batman
Blue Beetle
Brave and the Bold
Deadpool
Detective Comics
Metal Men
The Spirit
Superman
Superman Confidential
Supervillain Team-Up: Modok's 11

And that's just a handful of fun comics from the big two (mostly from DC). There's loads of fun comics once you cut off the chains of mainstream. I don't get why people can't find fun comics. I'll admit, the gritty, realistic crap is what's pushed the most, but there's as much fun stuff out there as serious junk.

[Leslie Lee III]

People who like light-hearted comics do not have a monopoly on fun, no more than Neo-Cons have a monopoly on patriotism. Different people find different things fun and it's annoying how the word has been hijacked to refer to one particular style of comic.

[DavidAllred]

As much as I am loving Sinestro Corps, it goes a long way to prove the point: DC cares more about their villians than their heroes. Heroes acting heroically is yesterday's news. They now second guess themselves in every panel, turn on each other, and can't decide what to fight for.

The villians on the other hand are strong and resolute. Did comics lose their sense of fun? Sure they did, and while they were at it, they just transferred it all over to Black Adam and the likes.

Sad state of affairs if you ask me.

[Cayman]

People who like light-hearted comics do not have a monopoly on fun, no more than Neo-Cons have a monopoly on patriotism. Different people find different things fun and it's annoying how the word has been hijacked to refer to one particular style of comic.

Yeah, I agree with this. It's not just the Dan Slott-type stuff that is fun.

[Kevinroc]

I think some people can have fun with a book that other people don't find fun. World War Hulk is a good example of this.

I actually laughed at Iron Man's "Oh hell..." from WWH #1.

[BnL]

People who like light-hearted comics do not have a monopoly on fun, no more than Neo-Cons have a monopoly on patriotism. Different people find different things fun and it's annoying how the word has been hijacked to refer to one particular style of comic.

I'm not necessarily referring to light-hearted comics when I say "fun" comics. Just not pitch black, all the time, with no letting up.

As much as I am loving Sinestro Corps, it goes a long way to prove the point: DC cares more about their villians than their heroes. Heroes acting heroically is yesterday's news. They now second guess themselves in every panel, turn on each other, and can't decide what to fight for.

The villians on the other hand are strong and resolute. Did comics lose their sense of fun? Sure they did, and while they were at it, they just transferred it all over to Black Adam and the likes.

Sad state of affairs if you ask me.

Bingo. And as I mentioned before, I know there are a lot of fun comics out there, but most of the comics I read are mainstream comics, because those are the characters I grew up with, am familiar with, and love. I want to read about those characters being something other than brooding and ineffective and generally unheroic.

[ChadtheH]

Thanks, folks, you all gave me stuff to onder on both sides. I have to agree with those of you who say fun's not a lost art in comics, mentioning Blue Beetle and Detective Comics and some Gail stuff too. I guess I just tend to think those folks get relegated to the second-string. and the big names who headline in comics are the ones who give us that maudlin, conflicted crap. Still, B-Teamers become A-Teamers someday and so I guess there's hope.

[jadrax]

Thanks, folks, you all gave me stuff to onder on both sides. I have to agree with those of you who say fun's not a lost art in comics, mentioning Blue Beetle and Detective Comics and some Gail stuff too. I guess I just tend to think those folks get relegated to the second-string. and the big names who headline in comics are the ones who give us that maudlin, conflicted crap. Still, B-Teamers become A-Teamers someday and so I guess there's hope.

One day Batman will make it to the A-Team, if we believe!

[Shisho]

Depends on what you mean by "comics" and "fun." Are you just talking about superhero comics? If that's the case, I think it depends on the writer. I follow Astonishing because of Joss Whedon, and he's a whole lot of fun for me. (I'm sorry, but the scene where Kitty and Colossus are fooling around and she phases through the floor into the living room had me in stitches.) Peter David manages to crack me up at least once every issue, and still has time for a great story.

There are bunches and bunches of fun indie comics too. Anywhere from PG-13 humor to the blacker stuff. Warren Ellis always manages to make me smile, and that is one twisted little monkey.

[Super J.]

I think comics are still "fun" just not all are the same kind of fun. Its nice to have the diversity, for example I read Batman and Simpson comic. And you do still get gems like Sinestro Corps one shoot and WWH.

[Reverend Smooth]

I guess I just tend to think those folks get relegated to the second-string. If more people bought 'second string' and 'indie' when there are a lot of good, fun comics in those ranks, maybe they wouldn't be so 'second-string' anymore, if I'm understanding the term right. ^^

[Buzz Dixon]

I read lots of fun comics. They're called manga.

[Reverend Smooth]

Which do you read? :3

[Jankenstein]

Will the upcoming trade collection of 2000AD's pulpy pirate fantasy The Red Seas sell huge amounts (pirates VS siege-weaponry armed dinosaurs, in an underworld created by extinct Martians!)?

I didn't know this book existed until now, thanks! :)

The comic I'm currently having the most fun reading is Lobster Johnson. Pure pulpy goodness!

[Charles RB]

I didn't know this book existed until now, thanks! :)

It's coming out in November (http://www.2000adonline.com/books/coming_soon.php) - there was a hardback of the first story with the same cover, but you should ignore that and stick with the upcoming paperback.

The comic I'm currently having the most fun reading is Lobster Johnson. Pure pulpy goodness!

Lobster Random is excellent.

[will_butler]

Seconding a bunch of others, I think the darker stuff is fun. I enjoy every second of Criminal: the gorgeous covers, the noir-ish art, the complex backstory and character motivations, the film noir essays, and the Hard Case Crime ads in the back. That's my stuff. I love the lighthearted goofiness of All-Star Superman as well, but there's something to be said for a good old fashioned mean little story.

Will