Friday, August 26, 2005

Brief Thoughts



I seem to be going through a weird period right now and I don't really know why. While one of the biggest conversations pieces going around the blogosphere is about some growing bored with comics. I find myself enjoying comics more than ever, yet find myself in the odd place of not having much to say.

DC and Marvel's offerings are mostly of little interest to me, but rather than being put off by that, I actually find it nice to make such a clean break from them. Yet that doesn't leave me much to talk about when it comes to them.

Yet when I try to ponder a question like Lyle's "What excites you about comics today?" I'm left momentarily flustered to come with a simple answer.

I love series like HOT GIMMICK, SGT. FROG, OWLY, etc., and how every month there seems to be at least one new project that I want to read.

Yet I think the thing that excites me most, is that I know longer worry about comics as a medium. Whether DC and Marvel or all comic shops across the country closed their doors tomorrow. I know I'll still be able to read great comics, because there is so much variety of material and wealth of options to find them at.

Perhaps that's why I'm in sort of a funk in finding a desire to write though. I don't feel like comics need help or saving, so my "activism" feeling just isn't there anymore.

Or perhaps it is just a relationship I'm in that takes much of my creative juices and puts them elsewhere.:)

1 comment:

James Meeley said...

Yeah, I'd say it's the relationship, James. Especially if she isn't into comics.

As for your feeling no need to "save the industry", well, I can understand that. But don't look at it as "saving" it. Look at it as helping it to grow.

While the downward spiral of the mid-late 90's is over, that doesn't mean comics couldn't uses some help from her fanbase in getting more folks interested. You can never have too many readers, my friend.

So, take your activism in a different route. Don't think of yourself as someone trying to be a savior. Think of yourself as witness to the great stuff that comics are producing today. Use your voice to point out the good stuff (especially to those who might not have the love of it that you and I have). You still might not be writing a lot, but I bet it would make the times you do feel really worthwhile.

And then maybe you won't get so stammered when you are asked about what you like in comics right now. ;)