tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6826468.post110211646800259384..comments2023-10-08T04:21:44.132-05:00Comments on Reading Along: James Scheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07718770290324391630noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6826468.post-1103149041945575732004-12-15T16:17:00.000-06:002004-12-15T16:17:00.000-06:00Frankly, I think this is also a lot of what helps ...Frankly, I think this is also a lot of what helps manga to stay healthy both in Japan and in the US. Sure there are plenty of concepts that are done over and over again, but it is always at least a bit different.<br /><br />Many many stories have a similar track of say a boy hero who is cranky and wants to be the best "something". He has to train, has rivals and setbacks. Ends up finally besting the best at the thing. That can be changed up in so many ways. Even if it was nearly identical in almost every way but had a different setting, it makes a difference. Maybe someone loves pirates and someone else loves ninjas.<br /><br />An example might be one manga this one title about a yo-yo player. The thing is just terribly generic, but since I'm a yo-yo player, it is great cheesy fun.<br /><br />When you think about how many ways a new series can change things up with various combiations of ideas, you can have a real sense of vitality even with some typical ideas present. When you combine that with a author that sticks with the title the whole time, that opens up even more possibilities. Someone may start off copying their favorite author but then diverge over time...<br /><br />I think the universe concept in superheros is pretty interesting and pretty unprecidented really in terms of scope for any medium, but at least the way it is currently being done, has a lot of issues.<br /><br />I think Spider-man is a cool concept. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing re-vamps at times (like Ultimate Spider-man) or some spin-offs. But constant re-invention? And a ton of simultaneous titles that might have different continuity? I think it is just too much and keeps new ideas from thriving in other areas.<br /><br />Also, frankly I think it'd be interesting if say Spider-man's original team had kept working on it for a good amount of time, built up to something and actually ended. Imagine the power the Spider-man story could have as a whole if Peter was allowed to grow as a person and come to some resolution or real change?<br /><br />Perhaps in those years that wouldn't have been possible granted the extreme compression and serial stories, but if it had ended some other story could have taken the concepts and ran with it until you finally got something like Ultimate Spider-man either as a product of occational re-workings or some totally new title.<br /><br />Any super-popular title in manga like Akira or Dragon Ball or Rose of Versaille is going to cast a long shadow over titles to come, but those titles don't have to try to compete with the originals (in terms of new releases). The creator of Naruto might have become a manga creator because of Dragon Ball, but the series certainly has its own voice...<br /><br />Anyway...Shawn Fumohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13919870579880694478noreply@blogger.com