ARTS BLOCK 3: COMICS REVIEW

• • The Joker: Batman’s number one enemy

• • Lex Luthor: Superman’s enemy

• Doomsday: Superman

• • Magneto: X-men’s enemy

• • Galactus: Fantastic four’s enemy

1930-1950: Golden Age

• Comic books blossomed into a distinct entertainment industry after 1938 when Jerome Siegaland Joseph Shuster created Superman, the initiator of the superhero genre that would remain the cornerstone of the comic book industry. When DC comics introduced Batman in 1939, it eventually pushed out the “crime” and “detective” stories from DC’s title.

1956-1971: The Silver Age

• The silver age began with superhero comic books acting to convey the prevailing social ideology.

• The superhero genre which had been used to build consensus and morale during WWII was now questioning America’s role as the world’s superpower, due largely in part to the public’s perception of the Vietnam War.

• 1971-1980: The Bronze Age

• The Bronze Age is characterized by a shift from social issues to an emphasis on form and stylistic details.

• • Comic books no longer looked through form to the ideals, values, and conflicts of society but began to look at the form itself. Motivated by persistent criticism that comic book art was not “great” art, comic book artists began to experiment with color and page display.

• 1980-1987: The Iron Age

• • Indeed, in a sophisticated interplay of postmodern intertextuality and self-reflexiveness, many comic book heroes, such as Frank Miller’s Daredevil, began to question their own heroism and often seemed to have a tenuous grasp on their own sanity. In fact, heroes seemed to be the subject of comic book stories rather than the means to tell a story.

• 1987-Present: Modern Age

• Perhaps most importantly, the comic book industry began marketing new issues of comic books, such as Spiderman and X-Men, as future collector items. In fact, during the 1990s comics became top collector items, only less popular than stamps and coins. Even though comic books in 1990s had a smaller audience than in previous eras, this audience was willing to buy more and pay more.

• Alternative Comic:

• Alternative comics is a wide range of comic books and graphics novels that spans various genre, styles and subjects. They are more sensitive stories and are released in small numbers for select audiences. • Examples: Raw (by Art Spiegleman), Wierdo (By Robert Crumb), Acme Novelty Library (by Jimmy Corrigan), Doofus, Mickey Rat Comic

• Manga Comics: Print cartoons. It is a Japanese word. Developed in 1900. Manga compromises a broad range of subjects, action adventure, sports, romance, games, history, drama, comedy, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horros, sexuality, business. Typically in black and white. • Examples: Astro boy, Akira, Dragon Ball, Naruto