What did we spend all those years on?

As you probably don't know or care, I've self-published a couple of books which are loaded with (among other things) comic book references. The second one includes essays/reviews of Secret Wars I and II and it occurred to me while skimming through the finished book that about 90% of those two essays could be comprehended by many non-comic book readers nowadays. The X-Men, Magneto, Spider-Man, the FF and the Avengers all together in SWI, for instance. A 'civilian' wouldn't know the history of these characters. They wouldn't have a clue what it's like to wait month after month to see who wins the latest Batman vs. Joker fight, *and* the latest Spidey/Goblin fight, *and* the latest X-Manguish *and* speculating on the LSH, etc.

I have no idea how much time or effort kids (teens, adults) spend on following the continuities of the cartoons and movies, but I suspect it's a vastly different effect from the way *we* had it. And the cultural osmosis seems to have happened rather quickly, all things considered.

This has been on my mind for a couple months, but recently I was talking to someone at work about the Avengers movie and happened to ask what they thought of the ending scene, the one that sets up the sequel. He answered that he thought the guy looked like Darkseid, but knew that Darkseid was a DC character. He only had a vague idea who Thanos was, but asked "doesn't he wear this giant glove?"

People who have nothing to do with comic books and never did can now distinguish between Marvel and DC superheroes. What did we spend all those years reading?

Hey Chris, do you have links to your books online? (email them and the admin can post them, the member accounts have a built in week long restriction on posting links and photos. To confound the spammers).

How did you like the self-publishing thing? Did you go digital or print? Would you do it again? Would you change anything about the process?

ChrisW wrote:

This has been on my mind for a couple months, but recently I was talking to someone at work about the Avengers movie and happened to ask what they thought of the ending scene, the one that sets up the sequel. He answered that he thought the guy looked like Darkseid, but knew that Darkseid was a DC character. He only had a vague idea who Thanos was, but asked "doesn't he wear this giant glove?"

People who have nothing to do with comic books and never did can now distinguish between Marvel and DC superheroes. What did we spend all those years reading?

I suspect that knowledge might have something to do with the animated shows rather than the comics. Darkseid has been featured in both Superman and the JLA shows (as well as Smallville).

And Thanos was the main villain on the Silver Surfer show (now on netflix), and Thanos has been a main villain on the Super Hero Squad show that is in its second or third season.

I remember over hearing kids talking at the Xmen movies, their kniwledge seemed exclusively from the cartoons. "...whats wrong with Rogue, why can't she fly, were is Morph."

Plus DC and Marvel are doing some serious brand management lately. DC's shows are in a "DC NATION" block and Disney's DXD chanel has a "Marvel Universe" block complete with "marvel mash-ups." Both publishers names mentioned frequently and solidly throughout their broadcasts and promotion spots.

Brand management is part of it, and has certainly been around for ages as well. Disney = cute cartoons right from the start in the 30s. Other shops cranked out Loony Toons and Merry Melodies (among others) and I wouldn't doubt that many a Warner employee right up to the present day still gets a thrill from being part of the company best known for Bugs Bunny. Superman is a DC character. Time is a magazine, and AOL, well...

But part of what I'm talking about is the way comic book continuity has become part of pop culture so quickly. It's like comic geeks got jobs in Hollywood back in the 60s-80s and started making tv shows with season-long arcs. I think "Cheers" was a pioneer in this, but before long we get shows like "Twin Peaks" and "Buffy" and "Lost" and all the other shows which depend on you seeing every episode, and trying to yank a new viewer in.

Likewise, now movie franchises can be designed, most notably with the superhero movies. But there's also the "Harry Potter" franchise, "Lord of the Rings", "Narnia" where the audience is basically expected to pay the same level of attention to the nit-picky continuity details that only comic book fans (and Trekkies) had even twenty years ago.

Even Star Wars took longer to make an impact than, say, "Avengers." The former franchise took three great movies in six years followed by fifteen years of silence and a slow comeback, before becoming a larger version of the Star Trek franchise. It would be one thing if we were all going around today claiming our religion was "Jedi," but instead it's the Marvel Universe (and DC) millions of people focus on nowadays.

The self-publishing thing is fine. It's just a one-term investment to get 150 copies printed, which will probably last the rest of my life. I have a few links to stuff online but not the most representative material. There are paypal links though.

http://chrisw-chrisw.blogspot.com/ [I know the links aren't set up here, but I post it anyway. I'll email the link later.]

This newfangled technology stuff confuses and bewilders me, so I don't especially want to go with digital sales, although I am considering it. I would certainly go through it again. I'd hoped to have my next book finished before the end of the year, but that totally won't happen.

Joe Lee wrote:

Plus DC and Marvel are doing some serious brand management lately. DC's shows are in a "DC NATION" block and Disney's DXD chanel has a "Marvel Universe" block complete with "marvel mash-ups." Both publishers names mentioned frequently and solidly throughout their broadcasts and promotion spots.

Man, I wish I could see these shows!!!

J.M. Hunter wrote:

Joe Lee wrote:

Plus DC and Marvel are doing some serious brand management lately. DC's shows are in a "DC NATION" block and Disney's DXD chanel has a "Marvel Universe" block complete with "marvel mash-ups." Both publishers names mentioned frequently and solidly throughout their broadcasts and promotion spots.

Man, I wish I could see these shows!!!

They have a lot of the new shorts on the DC Nation website, I've watched some, and I think you can watch some full episodes online...

http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/full-episodes/index.html

ChrisW wrote:

As you probably don't know or care, I've self-published a couple of books which are loaded with (among other things) comic book references. The second one includes essays/reviews of Secret Wars I and II and it occurred to me while skimming through the finished book that about 90% of those two essays could be comprehended by many non-comic book readers nowadays. The X-Men, Magneto, Spider-Man, the FF and the Avengers all together in SWI, for instance. A 'civilian' wouldn't know the history of these characters. They wouldn't have a clue what it's like to wait month after month to see who wins the latest Batman vs. Joker fight, *and* the latest Spidey/Goblin fight, *and* the latest X-Manguish *and* speculating on the LSH, etc.

I have no idea how much time or effort kids (teens, adults) spend on following the continuities of the cartoons and movies, but I suspect it's a vastly different effect from the way *we* had it. And the cultural osmosis seems to have happened rather quickly, all things considered.

This has been on my mind for a couple months, but recently I was talking to someone at work about the Avengers movie and happened to ask what they thought of the ending scene, the one that sets up the sequel. He answered that he thought the guy looked like Darkseid, but knew that Darkseid was a DC character. He only had a vague idea who Thanos was, but asked "doesn't he wear this giant glove?"

People who have nothing to do with comic books and never did can now distinguish between Marvel and DC superheroes. What did we spend all those years reading?

I'm finding this really is a golden age for reprints. I'm working my way through, or looking forward to books from Kirby, Simon & Kirby, Everett, Ditko, Meskin, Barks, Segar, Gottfredson, Herriman, Kurtzman, Crane, Crocket Johnson, Wolverton, Foster, Schulz, Kubert, Toth and others in their prime.

So while the "big two" suck harder than they ever have, I'm actually having more fun with comics than I have in a really long time.