A Downward Spiral to Oblivion

[dad-migration]

May 3, 2003, was "free comic book day". Many of us can remember a time when comic books were considered less-than-desirable reading for children. In 1954, the US Senate held hearings for the purpose of inquiring whether comic books contributed to juvenile delinquency. Well, I suppose we have come a long way. For fifty years, children's reading proficiency has declined. These days most children are passive receptacles for the addictive and degrading entertainment offered by video games and television. They would be better off nurturing their imagination and building their vocabularies by reading comic books. Unfortunately, the gateway to reading has been closed.

 

There is a sad truth behind "free comic book day". The promotion was a desperate and misguided attempt to get kids to start reading comic books again. Comic book sales are now lower than they were in the 1960s, when revolving racks of comics could be found everywhere. Today, just about the only place to buy a comic book is in a specialized comic-book store. Chuck Rozanski, who owns Mile High Comics in Denver. recently wrote "for the past 15 years the comics business has been in an accelerating downward spiral to oblivion."

 

What happened? Its really quite simple. Few kids want to read modern comic books because the quality of the books is so poor. Most modern comic books are not even written for children. The art is execrable, the colors are garish, and the plots and dialogue are full of adult themes. The comics that I used to buy for twelve cents are now two or three dollars each. They don't even look like comics. Trying to read one is an unpleasant and tense experience. The innocence, charm, and fun that constitute the heart of the comic book are missing. My eight-year-old son put it succinctly: "I like the old comics a lot better". One of the comics given away as part of "free comic book day" was a reprint of a 1947 Donald Duck story by Carl Barks. It was the best book of the lot, by far. In what other business is the quality of the product now lower than it was in 1947?

 

The tobacco industry, which manufactures a product for adults, has been accused of targeting children. The comic book publishers--who produce a product for children--are now targeting adults. Is it any surprise their product doesn't sell? How much longer can they continue to publish books that no child reads? Where will the next generation of readers and collectors come from?

 

--dad

 

[OldGuy]

My eight-year-old son put it succinctly: "I like the old comics a lot better".

 

My daughter loves my Masterworks collection, but she's not into any new books at all.

[Foolkiller]

thanks for the doom and gloom dad...

 

and in fact... there's several things where the quality of the product is arguably lower than years ago... take furniture for example... or other things that used to take time and craftmanship...

 

I love the older books, but have you tried reading some of those golden age stories? they're hard to read... give me a break... there's a lot of great art and great stories and percentage wise, years ago, there was a lot of garbage then too.

 

This is basically just blowing another trumpet of what's wrong that I've heard before.

 

Kids don't read as many books because they're relatively expensive for what you get in comparison to other forms of entertainment. Comics aren't as interactive as video games, or movies or other toys...

 

But this type of gloom and doom post is counter productive because it's been said a million times before... there's nothing revolutionary here... what we should, and have to length, discussed are solutions and what can be done... if anything.

[JLA_ALL_THE_WAY]

"Dad's" very first post goes into length regarding negativity towards comics.....hmmm.

 

Well, if this doesn't smack of a shill account, what does?

 

Who wants to go first in guessing who Mr Sunshine really is?

 

Oh, and welcome to the boards, Pops; you'll fit right in with a certain niche.

 

Rick

 

 

[aardvark88]

Dad's commentary is legit. 5 years from now, there may be no more flimsey 22 page comics. Will hopefully see more squarebound compilation comics. Perhaps 1/2 reprint, 1/2 new material. e.g. Disney comic books.

[drbanner]

Been hittin' the MD 20/20 again dad?

 

Whoever gave you a star a being generous...but on the other hand, WHO you are...that is a good question!

[Bugaboo-migration]

Whoever you are "dad".......you're not getting your damn avatar back.

[drbanner]

you're not getting your damn avatar back.

 

Too bad you can't give 'em back the genes it looks like he passed down, eh?

[clobberintime]

Every time I look at Bug's new avatar, the theme from Shaft starts playing in my head! Damn you bug - but wolvie hasd never looked better than with that pic in his fro.

[Shield]

He's right. He didn't come on here and say "What I'm about to say is revolutionary...". He only spoke the truth about how bad modern comics are. Just for fun, I recently looked through a modern book. Well, I was very sad to see, out of 32 pages, about 15 House Ads in the book. For those of you cracking on Golden Age books, the Golden Oldies certainly weren't littered with ads. I'd take a 1947 Barks 1000 to 1 over and book post-1980. Heck, I quit collecting myself once the price hit .75 per new issue; it was just too much money for a 14 year old to scrape up. I had the "buy all of the new issues that I wanted or none" mentality.

 

Dad, you might want to look into Archie Comics if you're wanting some of that easy to read, wholesome appeal. Just watch out for the high price tag and all of the ads.

 

 

[Bugaboo-migration]

Too bad you can't give 'em back the genes it looks like he passed down, eh?

The only genes I'm sporting are my bell bottoms, Jive Turkey.

[Bugaboo-migration]

Every time I look at Bug's new avatar, the theme from Shaft starts playing in my head! Damn you bug - but wolvie hasd never looked better than with that pic in his fro.

That 'fro pic is a hard core weapon, MoFo.

 

I've killed 9 speculators and wounded 14 others with it.

 

They learned real fast that it's not wise to interupt me as I'm talking about the graded comic market crash.

[HarrisonJohn]

Comics are/were in the weird situation of maturing with their audience and leaving little to offer the kids... BUT kids are also a lot smarter now than back when some of us were kids. Everything's more sophisticated. When we were kids we passed the time with comic books, most kids today would rather play a video game. 20 years from now video games will be ditched for something more exciting. I don't think there is a way for them to appeal to todays kids.

[murph0]

If this was true, then NES...Atari and all the gaming systems of 10 years ago wouldn't be as popular with the 15-23 crowd? They're all obsolete as far as games, ideas, and graphics are concerned. Their staying power is the enterainment provided...it doesn't matter that it's 10 years old and very much behind the times.

 

Brian

[hobbes]

For fifty years, children's reading proficiency has declined. These days most children are passive receptacles for the addictive and degrading entertainment offered by video games and television. They would be better off nurturing their imagination and building their vocabularies by reading comic books. Unfortunately, the gateway to reading has been closed.

 

 

Quite the contrary, the gateway to reading has not been closed. The gateway to reading is what it has always been, the job of parents. Don't like what you see in comics? Hit the kids section at Barnes & Nobles. Book too difficult for the little person to read? Read it to them.

The mantra "comics are for kids" is just another example of American misconception. Comics are and should be for anyone. So what if some comics carry adult themes. Guess what, those particular comics were written for adults. Comics have never been the sole domain of kids. Look at pre code horror.

Face facts "dad", you have to do with comics what you do with every other form of entertainment: censor, pre-screen.

Here's a question: why don't parents buy their children comics? Because a TV or video game will baby sit them longer.

I have kids passing through my house on a regular basis and I leave appropriate comics out for them to see and hopefully pick up and read. I want as badly as you for kids to read comics; however, I do not expect an industry meant to entertain the masses to do a 180 and market itself solely to the little people. That would be a complete waste of their time. Kids want big time entertainment and parents/society are giving it to them.

 

hobbes (a dad)

 

 

p.s. I would recommend the books "Hoot", "Throwing Smoke", and "Harris and Me."

 

[Bugaboo-migration]

Sniff.......I miss dad.

 

Sure......he sends me Christmas cards.......always manages to mail me a ten spot for my birthday........and creates a shill account once a year to make a post in here.......but that's just not enough anymore.

 

Dad........come home to mom and all of us kids.........we won't be bad anymore.........and that secretary can't love you like we do.

[JLA_ALL_THE_WAY]

.........and that secretary can't love you like we do.

 

Perhaps not, but can you love Dad the way that secretary does ?

 

Rick

[JeffMason-migration]

David Deming, why did you decide to be "surprised" again in 2004 for Free Comic Book Day when you had the same problem in 2003?

 

I think you are, at best, disingenous.

 

See: http://boards.collectors-society.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=531829&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=all&vc=1

[rob_react]

David Deming, why did you decide to be "surprised" again in 2004 for Free Comic Book Day when you had the same problem in 2003?

 

[Zonker]

Busted!