Comics

From time to time a change, in one or more comic book hero’s powers, occurs. There can be a multitude of reasons behind this. Has the comic book hero become stagnant? Has the readership declined over the past several months? Did a metamorphosis happen while fighting? Did a depletion of their power make room for the change? And, of course, the ever popular experimentation. A mad scientist creates an experiment, an ordinary individual gets in the way, and his or her DNA is altered. He or she is then morphed into a super hero or a criminal based upon their disposition. Another version to that is a comic book super hero or villain get in the way of an unsolicited experiment that went awry.

Their molecular structure is mutated, which begs some questions. Does an ordinary citizen received powers? Do the super heroes or villain’s powers stay the same? Do they exhibit the same powers, only augmented? Do their powers change until it is unrecognizable from the original? Is the change a temporary one, or is it a long-term modification? Will their powers ever go back to normal? These issues are explored and examined, sometimes in minute detail.

The details that go into explaining the ever-changing powers of comic book heroes are appealing. In the framework of comic books, where fantasy merges with the imagination, the predicaments in which precipitates the change of the powers suggests that the storyline was born, bred and raised for sometime.

Superman’s powers changed him into two separated beings. One being was red and the other being blue. Each one was a separate hero who displayed different characteristics. They eventually combined and recreated the Superman we are familiar with and love. The account took one year. The semantics behind the change suggested superman needed revamping.
The mighty Thor has seen his share of transformations. He possessed the Odin power for a while. Thor has his share of problems, and will continue to so because the readership can relate to his problems or vices. With Superman’s changes, the reader is confronted with Superman’s problems and can debate the best way to handle them.

Many more comic book heroes have had their power altered in some way. It seems to be a staple in the comic book world. Amending a super hero is necessary in that type of environment. Introducing nemesis’s and other comic book heroes perpetuates the genre. Moreover, if there were no further introduction of contrasting characters, the storylines would fizzle up and new ideas could not germinate. It is therefore sometimes essential to introduce old comic book characters with a twist. They can come back from the dead, or believed to be dead, and emerge to take on a criminal. It has to make some semblance to the discerning comic book reader. If the hero returns under circumstances that would seem suspect, the public response would be swift and ruthless. People expect some sense in the comic book world.

The ever-changing power of comic book heroes advocates a winning attitude for the comic book reader and the people who create them. When the two parties are in unison both sides win and the reader is left with a palpable appetite for more.

The comic book code authority was formed in 1954 because people believed that the comic book industry was becoming too graphic and violent. The content was deemed inappropriate for the populace. Some of the restrictions included the misrepresentation of the police, judges and governmental representatives. In addition, the drawings of vampires and werewolves were prohibited. Titles could not use terminology like “horror” or “terror”.

While the comic book authority had no legal jurisdiction over the comic book publishers, they yielded a large influence. Some comic book companies went out of business while others prospered. The restrictions placed were meant to help society deal with the comic book industry. Society began to loosen some of the taboos of that time, and the furor over the language suggested that the loosened traits needed to be reined in. In such times, it becomes necessary to look at why the comic book code authority was set up. In 1954, McCarthyism was at its peak. Censorship abounded and the who, what, why, where and when all dealt with Communism. A natural branch with that scenario was the printed material. While there are no direct links to such a statement, one must consider what was transpiring during the period. Celebrities were blacklisted if deemed
outside of conventional standards. Comic books could have linked the publisher with Communist propaganda if the material was considered subversive in nature. Again, this is conjecture on my part. Any words or statements can be intentionally misconstrued and false analogies can be applied.

Another prominent explanation is a book written by Dr. Frederic Wertham entitled ‘The seduction of the innocent’. In the book, Dr. Wertham espoused that the super hero genre had helped incite the rise of young people’s misbehavior. The public chorus of disapproval was pivotal in the implementation of the comic book code authority. Both issues helped sustain the need for something to be done.

The mentality was in place until the 1960′s with the advent of the flower child era. Without the suppression, underground comics took on a life of their own. They developed comic books that were distributed through unconventional means. That process enabled the fledging comic book industry not to adhere to the restrictions the comic book code suggested. In 1971 Stan Lee, the editor- in -chief did a three part mini series of Spiderman that depicted banned drug use. The code stated that the topic of drug use was prohibited, so Stan Lee took the seal off for the three issues and then put it back on. That took a lot of courage to defy the code. Considering the wide spread use of illicit drug use, that was an important step. If a topic that is controversial is banned in comic books, then how do you draw attention to its negative side affects? That was the quandary the comic book code authority faced. It did not want to become irrelevant.

In the 2000′s the influence of the comic book code started to diminish. More and more publishers wanted to branch out and create comic books that illustrated topics that were more controversial.

The comic book code authority of today is not what it used to be. Marvel comics no longer align themselves. Instead, they created their own code. Some of DC comics still submit to the comic book authority, but will publish it despite their ruling. Archie comics regularly send their comic books to the comic book authority for approval.

What was once a powerful and prominent organization has been reduced to a minor player in the comic book world.

The bronze age of comic books is generally considered from the early 1970′s to the mid 1980′s in the American culture. This period saw a continuance from the silver age. However, during this time the comic book publishers were introducing a darkening of plots with more adult themes.

One of the most central events that characterized the darkness inception was the death of Gwen Stacy. She was Peter Parker’s long time girlfriend. For the first time in comic books, the arch- villain (in this case The Green Goblin) took a life. Gwen Stacy epitome was cut short. Now the public knew that realism in the comic book world had taken a bold new course. Never again would the comic book world be the same. That occurrence underscored the end of one era and the beginning of another.

The mature content was a wake up call. Comic books once again took on social issues.

The social problems were dealt with the appearance of minority comic book heroes. The heroes for hire co-starring Luke Cage embodied the industries intent on implementing African-Americans despite condemnation claiming he was just another ethnic typecast. Prior to Luke’s entrance, the Black Panther and Falcon were a staple in the comic book world. Both the Black Panther and the Falcon were more resistant to the social outcry of Luke Cage. Perhaps it was because there were no stereotypical portrayals within their respective comic books.

Another important addition, lending the credence of minorities in comic books, were the X-Men. Humanity was shown to be prejudiced against the X-Men because they were mutants. Apparently, the next step in human evolution was hard to swallow in the Marvel comic book universe. When people do not understand something, or are in fear of it, then they rebel. The representation of X-Men seemed analogous to the minority concerns. On a collective scale, the issues surrounding the X-Men portend a shift in the perception of the human race. If civilization cannot handle, or accept the mutants as they are, then how are we, as a whole, able to accept minorities? The bronze age of comic books addressed those concerns, and others, with realism (as far as realism can be attained within that context). On an individual level, people were not accepting of the X-men. They feared what they could not comprehend. When that transpires then fear turns to rage then to violence. Violence usually ensues when ignorance runs rampant. The analogy of the X-men to minorities is a first-rate one. The prejudices faced by both the X-Men and minorities may have taken different paths but the result is the same. The Bronze Age of Comic books helped define what America was thinking at the time.

The end of the Bronze Age of comic books is littered with speculation. Some suggest that the “Crisis On Infinite Earths” was the beginning of the end, but there is no definitive proof. Other people claim that the Bronze Age of comic books never really left and that it continues with the dawn of the Modern Age of comics. By either account, the Bronze Age of comic books was an important one where social change took place on more than front.

One of the primer changes in comic books today is that they address social issues. Social issues in comic books became prevalent in the last thirty-five years. The revamping occurred when society decided to address social concerns. Some of the comic books of today tackle homelessness, drug use, minorities, gayness and the homophobic consequences.

It is important to note that such a slant toward portions of society in comic books make people conscious of alternate ways of living. The concept of homelessness has always been in the forefront of humanity but never depicted in comic books. The idea of comic books portraying people living in the streets or in some other seemingly derogatory means should not escape notice. Civilization is growing up, albeit more slowly than what is needed. Comic books reflect what emerges through an underground current and washes into mainstream. Those changes happened slowly, but with the advent of controversial issues being tackled, the changes are happening at an accelerated pace. Today comic books mirror what society is thinking. If an issue becomes germane to warrant people’s attention, then the comic book industry will usually incorporate it into their storylines.

An additional important element to consider in comic books is the rampant drug use. If a person is a drug user, the comic book industry takes notice. The prevailing notion is if it affects society, then it should affect how the comic books echo modern day life. Drug use is widespread and needs to be dealt with. What better way than to integrate it into a comic book. Let the superhero, the villain, or an ordinary citizen have a drug problem and see how the issue is handled. Not all resolutions are handled correctly and that is the realism that makes social issues in comic books important. Not even the good guys come out ahead all the time.

The homelessness and the drug usage are modern day blights. The topic of minorities is dealt with realistic implications. By the same token illegal aliens are minorities and they take great pains to make our culture sensitive to both their plights. In a sense comic books are our watch dogs of our way of life.

Moreover, the concept of homosexuality in comic books has had their share of controversy since the public’s perception is skewed by the theological mindset. The topic is mentioned, but the comic book industry has treaded lightly since a backlash could crop up. Despite the long held view that controversial views should not be addressed in a public format, and best left at home, a new prevailing thought has emerged. The comic books of today take torrid subject matters, encase them in a comic book format, then let the paying public decide if their gamble paid off. The result is a new significant way of looking at public perceptions and gain insight to a varying way of looking at those issues.

The comic book industry realizes the customer is the real hero. They can decide whether a character lives or dies. By giving the characters depth and exposing them to real life dangers, the comic book industry can be assured on continual readership.

Rare and first printing comic books are an industry that comprises serious minded individual’s intent on getting their moneys worth. There is a great deal of information that needs to be understood prior to getting into the business. The values placed on comic books are based on rare the comic book is, was it a first edition, and most importantly the condition of the comic book. A good comic pricing guide is essential to determine how much, if any, your comic book is worth.

A prime example of this is my comic book collection. When the Batman’s Dark Knight Series came out, I bought the first issue. I purchased it because I liked the concept of an old Bruce Wayne trying to gain back his lost youth. The streets had fallen to the younger generation. In one segment he fought, and barely won, a young person. In his prime, Batman would have had no problem taking the young man out. However, old age crept in and he had to deal with his lost youth, and his mortality. I never took into the account that it would end up being worth anything. Imagine my surprise when I learned DC had only made a certain number of issues, never dreaming the popularity would ensue. I bought the three remaining first printing issues. They were worth, to me, a lot more than I paid for them. When they were stolen, I was devastated. I was crushed because I loved the comic books and not because they were worth a little money.

The pricing guide’s most famous company is The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. It has an extensive list of every comic book and a guide to its value. Some of the grades of the comic book affect the pricing. Here are a few brief examples.
Mint- Mint condition comic books are probably as good as the comic book will ever be. Everything from the fresh colors, to the absence of rust from the staples, to the different shades of white the paper is. Who can say if such a condition exists? I would love to see someone’s version of a mint comic book.
Near mint-, this condition has somewhat lower standards than the mint. Negligible flaws are to be expected, but none that would hamper the price.

Very fine- very fine condition has outstanding looks that are entreaty in nature.
There are many more categories to take into consideration when buying comic books for their value. The monthly magazine, Wizard, also has a pricing guide for comic books but I do not believe they are as comprehensive as The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.

Rare and first printing comic books can be very lucrative if you know how to play the game. It takes patience and a keen, discerning eye, coupled with knowledge of the market. Without the knowledge of the comic book market, the rest of the objectives become useless. A great deal of research is required. Going into a situation blind is not recommended unless you have deep pockets and a jovial disposition.

Check out the search engine Google and see how many message boards, discussion groups and general forums there are for comic books and you will be amazed. There are close to two million hits. There are many redundancies in the hits but you get the point.

Message boards for comic books is a place where like minded people can discuss what is coming out new in the comic books, what you don’t like, or what you are fond of. Comic book forums are also a place to pool your resources and find out tidbits of information. You can find sneak peaks of issues of comic books that have not come to the stores yet, and catch a glimpse of where the main character’s storyline continues.

One of the more interesting message boards for comic books is where comic book heroes and villains alike are faced off against each other. It does not matter if they all come from one comic book universe or not. A multitude of entries pit individuals battling it out or they have clusters of comic book characters battling it out against another group. What is interesting to note is the passion the person who initially wrote the message and the responses. People take this subject seriously. I have read arguments between adults on who can win whom.

In order to relate to the message boards for comic books, you should either delve into the comic book heroes and villains history, or already have at least a basic knowledge of who is who. In an archetypal scenario, you have two super heroes and a criminal versus two criminals and one super hero. The battle is drawn and in your mind, you try to ascertain who is likely to beat who based on their power levels, their intelligence and the weapons they employ. When you take into consideration those factors and add location, or which universe they would be fighting in, it can draw dissimilar conclusions to many different people who know the comic book arena. If someone disagreed with your conclusion, that person based it on his or her perception.

In some message boards, people can get mean. They will taunt you on your apparent lack of knowledge of the characters and call you derogatory names. Since message boards are not an exact science and comic book personas are not real, it makes little sense for that type of behavior. A great deal of the administrators that oversee the message boards allow this because of freedom of expression. There should be a point where someone steps in and either strips them of their privileges, or give them a stern warning. Having divergent opinions in a comic book forum, or any forum for that matter, is a healthy way to debate on topics you are interested in. Why make fun of someone that has a difference of opinion? Variation is a good thing.

It is a necessary ingredient to maintain a healthy regard for other peoples view.
Message boards for comic books should be fun and with the intent to inform and to learn peoples views. Like-minded people share a responsibility to keep forums pleasurable while being careful to respect others and their ideas.

When someone thinks of comic books, they probably don’t take into account the cache of words that are displayed on each page. Most people think comic books are for kids and a waste of time for adults. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I have been a comic book fan since I was a child. Many of the words I’ve learned through the years were the direct result of reading comic books. When I was young and had comic books to read, I had the dictionary with me. My copious vocabulary is, in part, due to reading comic books.

How can someone expect to decipher what was be revealed when you can’t understand words and their usage? The same is applicable with regular books, but comic books are shorter in length so the words being used have to be chosen carefully. The square that the characters are contained in can only have so much dialogue. The selected words have to be descriptive, yet alluring to make the reader remain interested.

To augment your vocabulary, comic books are a great place to start. I vividly remember not knowing a particular word. I could not translate the meaning from the context of the sentence. A dictionary proved invaluable.
Learning new words from comic books entails very little work. You have to have and know how to use a dictionary and thesaurus, and you have to have the desire to find out what the words mean.

The accumulation of words through reading of comic books can help in tests for school. The vocabulary section of some of the levels of educational requirements would elevate the national average, if everyone who read comic books did the required look up of words they did not know. Some would view that as a grandiose statement. Even an ignorant and ludicrous proclamation. If a person has an insatiable curiosity and an eagerness to learn, comic books are a great format to get started.

Children aside, a great deal of adults read comic books. From white collared to the blue collared, age and work statuses are irrelevant. When I go to a comic book store I often see men wearing ties and people wearing tee shirts. In addition, I often hear conversations on what new things are happening in the comic book world. It takes a life of its own when you stand there and listen in on other people’s discourse. The exchange may help you understand where a mini series is headed or what happened to a certain villain or superhero. If you’re not sure of something the clerk usually is more than knowledgeable in that genre. I have asked several questions on a particular super hero. One of the clerks knew nothing about the character I asked about.

The other clerk was well versed and helped explain what I was not understanding.
In the final analysis one can find enjoyment reading comic books. And you can learn new words from reading comic books. If you happen to have a large vocabulary, then you can still benefit from reading comic books. It would take you a shorter amount of time to read them and still learn in the process. I have learned words from reading comic books and I believe that anyone can if they have the yearning to take the little extra time it requires.

Heroes and villains in comic books have made their mark in society. Not just in comic books but in literature throughout the ages. Essentially literature and comic books bring to life the drama associated between good and evil, and it is that premise that becomes an indispensable guide to understand human nature.

In a nutshell, you will not know evil if you have never experience goodness. The antithesis holds true. If you never experienced good, you have never experienced evil. In comic books, the heroes and villains try to ante up the stakes by pitting their resources against one another for the sake of besting the other. The heroes usually come out victorious but criminals can be just as successful. If the heroes always won, it would make comic books dull and uninteresting. The villains have to be counted on to cause ruckus and mayhem otherwise; the storyline does not coincide with a balance that must be struck.

Today’s comic books have smarter criminals, weaponry that is more sophisticated and more behavior that is aggressive. Does this make the hero more steadfast in his or hers reaction to the villains aggressiveness? It depends on the hero. You do not have to possess superhuman powers to outsmart a villain. In today’s comic books, a hero can employ a great deal of cunning to outsmart a villain. The comic books of today offer a recipe for the balance of power.

A villain usually takes on a key role and if the hero does not thwart the diabolical plan, the hero may lose confidence. In that vein, the comic book looks at the human condition. Why was there failure? What could have prevented the villain from escaping? With the loss of self-belief, the hero of the comic book must take necessary steps to assure success or the villain, sensing something amiss with the good guy, can utilize plans that are even more ambitious. With the balance askew for the time being, the hero must reassert his or her authority to impede the villains plan. The hero does not have to be in the superhero genre. It could be any comic book that pertains to the right or wrong in making a decision.

Heroes and villains in comic books enable the reader to make choices, and within that framework, can get a better understanding of what both the villain and the hero had to do to succeed. However, success is only a temporary distraction. It permits a continuation of the story. So then, who is really the victor and the loser? If both hero and the villain continually face off against one another, where and when will it end? Quite possibly nothing short of the demise of one or the both of them. Perhaps the villain may go to jail, but eventually he or she will be released and the comic books prevail. There is clearly no winner or loser. The only winner will be found out in the next installment. Moreover, the only loser is the person who does not read the next issue.

One of the most popular and noteworthy of the comic book business is the crossover between DC comics and Marvel comics. The crossovers commenced in 1975 with a tie in with the wizard of oz. In that comic book, it was Superman and Spiderman. Whether you like the comic book crossover or not, the sensation it caused reverberated throughout the comic book world.
Many more crossovers continued with the intent on bringing up lackluster sales. Their popularity proved that the concept of incorporating both universes into one storyline was feasible and profitable. However, issue abounded. Whereas in one crossover Superman had heard of the super hero Spiderman. In another crossover, both had never heard of each other. That should not have happened. There is no fluidity. Each comic book heroes envelop a very different universe. There could be no way Superman ever heard of Spiderman.

In 1996, the two comic book companies tried again with the four part series. In this crossover, two cosmic beings that were identified as being some sort of brothers became aware of each other existence. The testosterone coursed through the brother’s veins and he would not accept the other. They challenged each other through their respective universes super heroes. The comic book readers decided five of the winners of the eleven main contests, with various clashes taken place within other super heroes. The Marvel and DC writers determined the outcome of the other six battles. The five battles that the fans voted and decided the winners were Spiderman versus Superboy with Spiderman being victorious, Superman beat the incredible Hulk, Wolverine defeated Lobo, Storm defeated Wonder Woman and Batman defeated Captain America.

Eventually the brothers accepted each other’s presence to thwart the destruction of each universe. The acceptance concept in the end placates the comic book writers. The comic book readers (in my humble opinion) were left a little flat. There will never be a clear winner because it is up to the reader which comic books they like. Opinionated people will always choose their favorite heroes. The scenario of comic books battling it out makes financial sense. There can be no clear victor since opinions are subjective.

Both Marvel and DC attempted to rectify the dilemma of characters not knowing each other by employing two things; creating a character that could breach both universes. His name was aptly called Access.

The other event was the creation of an amalgam universe where two super heroes merged into one being. An example was the merging of Spiderman and Superboy. That created the amalgam character of Spiderboy. Access created the amalgam universe to try to stabilize the two universes.

The popularity of the comic book heroes prompted the two main companies to continue with the crossover concept. Superman met the Silver Surfer. The Green Lantern met the Silver Surfer too. Galactus and Darkseid met. Galactus attempted to devour Darkseid’s planet (known as Apokalips). Galactus easily defeated Darkseid’s minions and Darkseid’s Omega Beams, but he could not consume the planet because it did not have any living force to it. Galactus was amazed by Darkseid’s attempt to thwart him knowing he would not be able to garnish power from his planet. Darkseid make clear that Galactus would have done the same thing if the position were reversed.

The financial aspect to the crossovers that had been looked at. The reader’s loyalty also helped propel the continuation. Since you cannot please everyone in the comic book genre, the introduction of comic book heroes visiting each other in their respective universe makes sense.