Now in our fourth calendar year
1992. The comic book industry was flourishing as the two major publishers, Marvel and DC, found themselves challenged by new mainstream publishers. The creator-controlled Image rampaged to the forefront with Spawn, Youngblood, Savage Dragon, Shadowhawk and WildCats. Valiant, led by Jim Shooter, was releasing well-written, well-drawn comics that were rare and skyrocketing in price. Marvel sat securely at the top increasing the number of titles and riding the popularity of Ghost Rider, Hulk, Wolverine and Spiderman. There was a guest appearance in nearly every issue. DC saw its sales dwindling faster than it could regroup - the result: panic, saturation, and then the bottom fell out.
Maybe this sounds extreme to you. Let’s review some facts:
Ghost Rider (and all of the other Sprits of Venegeance titles), Darkhawk, Death’s Head, Moon Knight, New Warriors, Infinity Gauntlet spin-offs (especially Adam Warlock), and about a half dozen Spidey and X-titles apiece were all extremely popular. They’re now garage sale fodder.
Valiant, praised at the time for not having cheap gimmicks, were in fact, their own worse enemy. There were red and gold variants and the infamous coupon offer. Yep, cut out a coupon from several issues to get a special comic. Sounds great? Guess what, now you’ve created the "with and without" the coupon variant. Loss yet? Valiant is, check the quarter bin at a local comic shop and you might find some old Turok, Bloodshot or Shadow Man issues.
Image was cranking out the comics (remember Wetworks?) but very little has survived. Besides Spawn, only Savage Dragon maintained and that was Erik Larson’s baby. The creators couldn’t stop themselves and the "number ones" were flying off the shelves. People believed that their $2 first issue was going to skyrocket in value.
Then there’s poor DC. While Spawn #1 was hitting newsstands, Shadow of the Bat was ruining a DC icon. The panic stricken DC was losing out to the poly-bagged X-titles and Marvel’s 2099 storyline. So, what happened - they killed Superman. Superman #75 (the black-bagged "Death of Superman") sent shockwaves through the industry and was even featured on the nightly news. Everybody wanted to "invest" in the issue of Supe’s death. But what do we know - only Bucky stays dead and DC screwed it up.
Subsequently, while awesome comics like Love and Rockets, Eightball, Long Wolf and Cub, Akira, and Taboo were lost in obscurity. Batman’s broken back, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the latest Image number ones sold vigorously. As the "investors" outnumbered collectors and everybody got ripped off. Valiant fell apart without Jim Shooter and people realized that "The Death of Superman" wasn’t so special once he came back to life. Spider-Man and Wolverine could only make so many guest appearances and Marvel went reeling.
Greed, Marvel’s monopoly, greed, stupid storylines, lame crossovers, greed, Wildstar - and more greed, led to downfall of comics (note that I didn’t even mention Rob Leifield). Sure it wasn’t book burning like the '50s, but maybe there should have been - I’m certain Avengers #360 is not flammable.
The comic book industry is back on the rise the last couple of years. Marvel has paved the way showcasing their characters with motion pictures. The difference, thus far, is that there hasn’t been the explosion of the '90s. There are no lists of number ones, no one-shots for every X-character -- did we learn from our mistakes? Is everyone still nursing their wounds from the '90s? Or is it just too early to say? Time will tell.
THE SLUSH PILE
Review: Akiko on Planet Smoo, on the Akiko ongoing series
This is a hell of a lot better than the superhero, men in tights action adventure comics. Forget the big boobs and grotesque violence that is a staple in nearly every comic (sorry all you hormonal driven comic readers.) Akiko is a fourth grade girl who travels to the planet of Smoo leaving behind a robot duplicate to do her schoolwork. The cast is diverse band of characters: Poog (a blob with eyes), the scholar Mr. Beeba, Spuckler Boach (the poor man’s mercenary) and Gax (a robot that looks like it came out of the Jawa’s sandcrawler) - this is light years from superhero action or big busted heroines. This is Alice in Wonderland meeting Wizard of Oz: full of charm and Mark Crilley’s heart. I prefer the black&white original to the colorized reprint.
The series has been reprinted and more widely available. Jump in and enjoy the Dr. Seuss stylizations, the robot Akiko storyline, and the amazing artwork. Akiko remains a young girl asking the innocent questions and pursuing adventures with interest. With cliffhangers and humor, Crilley always baits us for more as Akiko grows and matures with each passing story.
Similar to the Harry Potter appeal, this tells an excellent story with amazingly detailed artwork. Published by Sirius - who also distributed the slutty Dawn titles and the screw the world Lusipher, Crilley’s Akiko deliver the diverse mythological universe that engages us all.
ONE SHOTS
A variation of Fables: The fairytale universe unfolds in an engaging comic book series called Fables. Bill Willingham’s tale transforms magical characters with a believable plot and modern-day characterization. From Pinocchio, Snow White and the three pigs, the story brings this fantasy to life in a crime drama. Similarly, John Wells, Nick Davis and J.J. Simone are working under the same guise with a big screen comedy about Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty living unhappily ever after in New York City - details pending.
"Deathlok" gets greenlight: This Marvel sendup is a little different than the source material as a soldier finds himself part of an experiment that is transforming him into a cyborg. Lee Tamahori ("Die Another Day") heads the list of candidates to direct. Ari Arad at Marvel is emptying the comic book shelves with this concept that is more Jean Claude Van Damme, military conspiracies than the current Marvel successes. I am equally apathetic about "Man-Thing" and Ray Park as "Iron Fist". On a positive note, New Line has announced DC’s "Shazam!" is to be written by William Goldman: "The Princess Bride", "Hearts of Atlantis", "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and other greats.
Teen People’s Top 25 under 25: Oh nevermind.
Little chocolate donuts for breakfast? In 1979 John Belushi gave us this awesome parody of Bruce Jenner’s decathlon success with "Little Chocolate Donuts: The Breakfast of Champions." The overweight Belushi, with cigarette in hand, attributed his morning chocolate donuts to his athletic success. I’m especially fond of his lumbering high jump. Fast forward to today and the Captain Crunch. The Captain has brought our youth "Cap'n Crunch's ChocoDonuts". Sure, there are worse cereals out there, but I thought my kids were joking and my wife even had a coupon. How out of touch am I?
Own Paula Abdul’s ass-print: FOX has announced that the judge’s chairs from the hit show American Idol will be auctioned off for charity. Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, the three judges, will sign their chair and the proceeds will benefit cancer-related charities. The recliners from "Friends" sold for $125,000 on eBay to benefit a Michigan AIDS charity. Imagine what they will get for Ryan Seacrest’s wardrobe?
Keanu’s underwear gets soiled: The MJ Morningshow’s eBay auction of underwear autographed by "Matrix" star Keanu Reeves has hit a snag. (see last issue for more details) Neither the winning bidder nor the high-end losing bidders have yet to close the deal for the ten-grand pair of tidy whities. The morning show has decided to re-post the briefs, as well as other auctions, to raise money for charity.
Bob is back. "Baby Bob" returned to the airwaves this week. Talk about poor use to CGI - that blank baby stare with the mouth just gabbing away -- creeps me out. Just a reminder how much summer television both sucks and blows.
UP NEXT
"LGX" and Moore - Alan Moore, one of the greatest comic writers of all time.
Marvel increased their revenue by adding the foil, die-cut and hologram covers which raisied cover prices. The gaudy foil covered Avengers #360 would set off metal detectors at airports around the world. The evil comic book variant was common place beginning with Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #1, Jim Lee’s X-Men #1-and of course, Valiant.
Smoo led into the Akiko series, which follows Akiko leading an attempt to save the prince and deals with authority issues. This is where Akiko begins its truly epic journey and engages the readers (both adults and kids alike.) Mark Crilley reveals more about the character’s and their back stories with dedicated time and narration. There are no stones left unturned and we become attached to this ragtag bunch.
CrossGen gets recognition: Recent articles in the June's Cinescape, BPM (the magazine of "The Electronic Lifestyle") and the May 26 issue of Publisher's Weekly ("The International News Magazine Of Book Publishing and Bookselling") will hopefully bring the spotlight onto the exciting work at CrossGen. The Florida-based company has added the talents Joe Staton to the creative team of The Crossovers. Also, Laura Martin has received the 2003 Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for "Favorite Colorist." Finally, check out the latest as Brandon Peterson's sci-fi thriller Chimera concludes while Chuck Dixon and Dale Eaglesham deliver another amazing book in Sigil #37. (A special thanks to Bill Rosemann at CrossGen for his time)
"Splash Page" is ©2003 by Brandon Jones. Webpage design and all graphics herein (except where otherwise noted) are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2003 by Nolan B. Canova.