June 22 - The day JMS takes over the comic store

[Jan]

From JMS's lates post on the moderated newsgroup, he's got three items all coming out next week:

Fantastic Four - expanded version of his first issue.

Supreme Power - Issue 17.

Dream Police - At last! Been waiting for this one literally for years. It sounds like fun.


There's also some other news including a new monthly title and two miniseries. The post can be found:

http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17359

Jan

[frulad]

Don't you mean "The Day JMS Takes Over My Wallet?"

[David Panzer]

With Dream Police, I just might actually buy a single comic book. With Supreme Power, I'm just waiting for the third tradeback to come out.

[Jan]

Don't you mean "The Day JMS Takes Over My Wallet?"

Nah, that's next year when he adds still another monthly title! Of course, he's spoiling us. Can you imagine going more than a month anymore without some new JMS story? Even if comics are a little on the short side.

With Dream Police, I just might actually buy a single comic book. With Supreme Power, I'm just waiting for the third tradeback to come out.

I wish I had the patience to do that, actually. It'd be kind of nice to have nice big chunks of story to read, not to mention the advantage of no ads. There's a lot to be said for instant gratification, though, too.

Jan

[alex_t]

Prove me wrong, but aren't comics for kids?

[Jan]

Prove me wrong, but aren't comics for kids?

Some are, sure. But these days, not their exclusive property the way it once was perceived.

First off, comics aren't nearly as affordable as they used to be. As the 60's and 70's readers grew up, the writers, artists and quality of the books became more important to them. Add in inflation and only the amount of advertising in them keeps them in to $3-4 range. Many adults only read graphic novels which collect several issues on a much better paper and binding package. From what I've seen at comics conventions, comics seem to be an activity parents (mostly fathers, from observation) can share with their kids.

Next you've got a phenomenon of writers like JMS, Neil Gaiman, Joss Whedon, Peter David and others returning to the format they loved as kids. The stories and battles are things that many teens might appreciate but adults can appreciate the stories and less obvious aspects.

For me, it was quite easy to get back into the comics habit even though I was in my mid-40's when JMS returned to comics because what's important to me is the characters whether I'm reading a comic, a novel, watching TV or seeing a movie.

As for proving you wrong...are you willing to be proven wrong while (IMO) being exposed to a great story? If so, I highly recommend you picking up "Midnight Nation" by JMS. One place to get the graphic novel version is:
Amazon.com-Midnight Nation The graphic novel version puts all of the issues together without interruption. The covers come later and JMS even writes an afterword telling how he came to write that particular series of comics.

I'd be interested in hearing back from you if you try this.

Jan

[Spoo Junky]

With all you saying good things about JMS and his comic book work, I'm hoping to pick up a few things when I go to the Comic Book Expo in Toronto in August.

I haven't really followed comics since I was a kid (and then only Archie ). There aren't any comic book stores in my town and ordering on line usually isn't possible. With any luck I'll find Midnight Nation and maybe some other things too. I'm not expecting much, but I hope there'll be some old B5 graphic novels there and if so, that I'll be able to afford it

I of course also want to see JMS when he's there. I did manage to get a ticket to see Spike from Buffy. Better not be a conflict of interest .

It's funny, I normally stay far, far away from convention stuff (ever since this crappy soap opera thing I went to many years ago). Now I can't wait! I'm outta control !

[Jan]

With all you saying good things about JMS and his comic book work, I'm hoping to pick up a few things when I go to the Comic Book Expo in Toronto in August.

Have fun! Since you don't have a comic shop nearby, check out trade paperbacks of the JMS stuff you've heard about.

I haven't really followed comics since I was a kid (and then only Archie ). There aren't any comic book stores in my town and ordering on line usually isn't possible. With any luck I'll find Midnight Nation and maybe some other things too. I'm not expecting much, but I hope there'll be some old B5 graphic novels there and if so, that I'll be able to afford it

There are usually so many dealers around that you can haggle some. I know what you mean about ordering online. I only found my shop about a year ago. Until then I had to deal with online ordering.

I of course also want to see JMS when he's there. I did manage to get a ticket to see Spike from Buffy. Better not be a conflict of interest .

I'm pretty sure that no con would be dumb enough to schedule a conflict like that! I enjoyed seeing James Marsters in person a couple of years ago at DragonCon. Just don't ask him to take his shirt off! <g> JMS is always fun.

It's funny, I normally stay far, far away from convention stuff (ever since this crappy soap opera thing I went to many years ago). Now I can't wait! I'm outta control !

LOL! There's all sorts of cons out there. Most of the time I go to media cons where there are lots of actors. Those also often have nice art shows. Comic cons sometimes feature media guests but the main concentration is on comics past and present as well as a fair amount of gaming. It was fun at thw Wizard con to go around to different gaming booths with a friend and learn about games and get free stuff. My friend got a lot of valuable 'mommy points' and 'wifey points' that weekend.

Jan

[Radhil]

As for proving you wrong...are you willing to be proven wrong while (IMO) being exposed to a great story? If so, I highly recommend you picking up "Midnight Nation" by JMS.

Double, triple, quadruple recommended.

This was the first "comic book" (as I still thought of them) I picked up in my life, and I did it solely on JMS's rather eloquent (and rare) recommendation of his own work. I read it front to back, in less than a week, and didn't really recover my brain until a month later. I still read it - I'm afraid I'll start to wear it out too soon. It easily rivals Babylon 5 in sheer quality storytelling, even though it's nothing like it plotwise.

Since then, I've tried to get into other graphic novels as they come - the others from Joe, Supreme Power and Rising Stars, and I've started into Sandman by Neil Gaiman too. While I'm still a little leery of the whole superhero genre plague and the flimsy daily issues, I'd never make the mistake of thinking them kids books again.

[David Panzer]

I'd also recommend Art Spiegelman's "Maus: A Survivor's Tale". I first read it in junior high. It was the first comic to ever make me cry, and also the first comic that showed me comics aren't just for kids.

Also, Alan Moore. His run on Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, From Hell are some of my favorite comics. I've not gotten into League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but I've heard the comic is superior to the movie.

[frulad]

Prove me wrong, but aren't comics for kids?

Dr. Seuss and Ernest Hemingway both wrote books...

[Andrew_Swallow]

Prove me wrong, but aren't comics for kids?

They are the only mass-market group sufficiently grownup to read them.
Most adults are so dumb that TV dramas like soap operas have to be written in English so simple that 9 year olds can understand it.

[SpooRancher]

Comics only for kids? Tell me (39) and my wife (31) as well as her ex-husband (32). For that matter, tell her mother (52).

We grew up reading comics. Back in the 60's and 70's, the story lines were pretty much kid play, but some had decent writing. Going into the 80's and 90's and the new century, the writing in many of them (dare I say Hellboy, Faust, just to name two) is not only adult, but plainly inappropriate for children.

Pick up some of the ones on the market today. There are ones with erotic themes, ones that are plainly erotic, hentai, and extreme violence and drug use. Care to explain those comics to your 8 year old? I don't.

[Darth_librarian]

They are the only mass-market group sufficiently grownup to read them.
Most adults are so dumb that TV dramas like soap operas have to be written in English so simple that 9 year olds can understand it.

Bang on Andrew. I've given up trying to explain the subtle power of the medium to others brainwashed by Eastenders etc, as its just not worth it. Society has killed their imagination.

Comics are one of the best mediums for sci-fi there is.

[David Panzer]

I've been a comic fan since I was a baby. When I learned to read, I got a comic book. It was an issue of the Incredible Hulk and I read the entire thing including ads, and the small print on the first page. The 90's gimmick era turned me off of buying individual issues. I prefer the tradeback for reading enjoyment and it looks better on a shelf instead of individual bagged comics.

I do find it sad that for the majority of Americans, the comic medium is still viewed as only for kids, despite the variety of tastes and different styles of comics. In Japan, you can go on the trains and see the same number of businessmen reading a paper or reading manga.