James's Weblog

For the third year in a row, Mitch and I lost track of time and missed the APE comics convention. Argh!

That reminds me: I’m not exactly sure why, I don’t like most modern comic books. I’ve flipped through a number of issues of various titles, but none of the mainstream superhero stuff looks interesting to me.

Have I merely outgrown them? Perhaps, but I still like watching shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League. I have no problems buying trade paperback collections of 1970s and 1980s superhero comic books.

Is it nostalgia? Am I merely out-of-the-loop on current storylines? Am I totally confused because they’ve turned the worlds I knew upside-down and inside-out? Are my expectations simply higher because comic books are now at least three times as expensive as they were when I fell in love with them? Probably all of the above.

Nonetheless, when I look at the pages of modern superhero offerings, I can’t help but think: “Wow, yet another Jim Lee or Todd McFarlane wanna-be.” Comic books certainly look a lot better than they used to; the artwork is crisp, detailed, and stylish. Colors are no longer limited to flat sections of uniformity; better paper and better printing technology now allow spectacular, rich gradients and subtle shading.

But somehow it all feels so soul-less. Comic books have gone the way of MTV with flashy art, extreme closeups, and gratuitously skimpy outfits on abnormally buoyant women.

Get rid of the expensive, glossy paper and the flashy CG coloring. Bring back the cheap newsprint and flat colors. Sometimes less is more. Airbrushed colors don’t belong with iconic art. And stop aping Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane.

And bring back the Charles Atlas and x-ray specs ads too. Those kicked ass.