LOGIN
REGISTER
RSS
HOME
why can't we be friends why can't we be friends why can't we be friends
Christopher Butcher at Comics212.net often conveys interesting thoughts that would otherwise never cross my dull little mind. For example, in a recent post titled 5 Thoughts About Mainstream Comics, he muses:
<i>”I have no problem at all selling manga, specific manga, to non-manga readers at [my] comics shop. Stuff that would otherwise fit their tastes of course… But I will never sell a manga to a “superhero” reader, because I don’t think they’re interested in the medium of comics so much as the superhero content via any delivery system. Maybe this is obvious, but the sales of recently-completed series’ Death Note, Dragon Head, and Drifting Classroom to a wide array of people who would say or have said that they “hate manga” really put that into perspective for me.”</i>
It does seem as if fans of superhero comics and manga lovers have completely differing tastes and rarely agree upon a universal definition of “good.” If the two sides would open their hearts anime-style and truly listen to one another, everyone could take away much from the experience.
Part of the clash lies with the tendency to not look beyond the shallow points of manga or superhero comics. The first glance you take at a superhero comic will undoubtedly focus on the brightly-coloured (and often skin tight) costumes the characters wear. Something about superhero costumes is archaic to the point of silliness. Not much has changed in that department since Superman's red and blue underwear.
It's a trademark, fans argue, and it's also the basis for some interesting psychology. Superheros often act completely different when they shed their costumes to become civilians. The constant struggle to remain anonymous also adds tension.
A superhero without a costume is like a shonen hero without spiky hair or a can-do attitude. Now <i>there's</i> some overused material, according to superhero comic fans. They argue that manga looks the same, recycles the same plot and characters. They don't know about the epic fight scenes, the close friendships, the sheer sense of fun that manga can deliver. What's more unfortunate is that shonen manga tends to be grouped with all manga, thereby ignoring the fact that the medium is the most varied in the world. Hence the surprise when superhero fans pick up Death Note or Dragon Head and are blindsided by the fantastic story and detailed art.
The first step in reconciling differences is attempting to see eye-to-eye. Shonen manga, which is by far the most popular genre on American shores, is oriented towards younger boys. Anime and manga bring to mind (often disgusted) thoughts about Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and other over-marketed fare for this reason. Fans of superhero comics meanwhile tend to be of the older sort that's outgrown toilet jokes and even (gasp) fighting robots. While they shun shonen work, they don't realise the gold mine that is the seinen genre, which includes titles like The Drifting Classroom and Death Note.
The seinen genre is published with adult males in mind. There are no big glowy eyes or orphaned teenagers who are destined to Become a Man. Instead there is murder, intrigue, horror and sex. The stories are often dark, not unlike what Vertigo tends to publish, but somehow more worldly and down-to-earth. Seinen titles are not advertised with the loud Saturday morning fanfare that shonen titles receive, so some digging is an order. Consult your friendly comic vendor.
What can manga fans learn from superhero comics? An appreciation for colour, for one thing. Black and white is mighty fine, but sometimes there's no substitute for green skies and blue grass. There is also a great deal of history and development behind American-made heroes. Spider-Man, The Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, Thor...these characters have been around for decades and they're still household names. Writers and illustrators have experimented with them over the years to take them to new and interesting (emphasis on “interesting”) places. The journey isn't always a kind one, but sometimes the different stimuli is beneficial. Spider-Man may have sold his marriage to the Devil in one of the most hated story arcs ever, but it sure got the fans talking. Everyone will be watching for what happens next.
It's worth keeping in mind the fact that many manga-ka are inspired by superheros. It's never a bad thing for artists and writers to keep their minds open to new and different source material. It doesn't hurt readers to likewise tread new territory.
