A Downward Spiral to Oblivion

[musicmeta]

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

 

Very well stated and sadly mostly true.

[rob_react]

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

 

Very well stated and sadly mostly true.

 

Except for most of of what he wrote.

[hobbes]

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

 

I said it in 2003 and I'll say it now. That is total [!@#%^&^].

[chromium]

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

 

Is this the same David Deming ?? The one with the ill-chosen "[!@#%^&^] statement" ?

 

 

first link

[JeffMason-migration]

Yes, this is the very same Professor David Deming.

[burntboy]

Yes, this is the very same Professor David Deming.

 

OK, now it's gotten real interesting

[FlamingCarrot]

Here's a pic of Dear Old Dad at the PC after he realizes he's been exposed.

 

[DiceX]

 

first link

 

What a nutsack, this guy is.

[Zonker]

dad = D.A.D. = David A. Deming? (unknown middle name, just a guess)

[JeffMason-migration]

This is David Deming, aka dad: http://geosciences.ou.edu/dean/deming/

[Red Hook]

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

 

 

Super Catch, Jeff!

[chrisfuccione]

On February 18, 2000, Professor David Deming picked up the University of Oklahoma's daily newspaper. That day's edition showcased a syndicated article by gun control advocate Joni Kletter, written in a matter that immediately chafed with Deming. Current gun laws, wrote Kletter, allowed "criminals, youth, and the mentally disabled to quickly and easily kill as many random people as they want."

Deming dashed off a letter in response that was printed three days later. "I just want to point out," he wrote, "that Kletter's 'easy access' to a [!@#%^&^] enables her to 'quickly and easily' have sex with 'as many random people' as she wants." The professor thought his satire was clear enough, but that was before he came close to losing his job.

In the days after Deming's letter was published, more than 25 students filed complaints with the U of O administration. Aggravated in part by the title given to the letter by the paper ("The [!@#%^&^] just as threatening to society as firearms can be"), the students, as well as the director of the Womens' Outreach Center, accused the professor of "polluting the world with his knowledge" and violating U of O's sexual harassment code. In truth, Deming hadn't harassed anyone personally, but the accusation that he had created an offensive enviornment carried weight at the college. Deming criticized the activists and students for having "no more respect for the first amendment than they do for the second." Deming contacted CIR in the first weeks of March.

On March 16, Deming checked his mailbox to find a letter from the University absolving him of any redress for writing the letter to the editor. The University confirmed that he had not violated any harassment policy. But after a number of calls for Deming to apologize, the Dean of the College of Geoscience, John Snow, wrote a letter reprimanding him. Deming's future, wrote Snow, was "unclear." Deming was called to an "informal discussion" on April 27, its proceedings classified as confidential.

CIR questioned the decision to bar lawyers from speaking at the April 27 hearing. In response, the University set up a hearing for May 5. But, with an imminent lawsuit by CIR hanging over the University, general counsell Joseph Harroz abandoned the proceedings against Deming. CIR pressed for an apology and a pledge that letters and the like would never again be susceptible to sexual harassment proceedings.

On October 25, the University signed a CIR settlement and dropped all charges against Professor Deming.

 

http://www.cir-usa.org/recent_cases/deming_v_oklahoma.html

[joe_collector]

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?

 

Did you people even bother to READ the original post. It was complaining about the lack of kid's books, and had nothing to do with some child picking up smut.

 

Busted indeed.

 

Note: This has nothing to do with DAD personally, just the original message contents and the stupidity of a "BUSTED" post.

[FlamingCarrot]

I think the 'busted' in this case would be the fact that the 9 year old son of 'Dad' did not get adult themed books on FCBD and it was just some BS story made up by 'Dad' to troll.

[musicmeta]

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

 

Very well stated and sadly mostly true.

 

Except for most of of what he wrote.

 

Well, what is true for me is that modern comics are poor quality on most of them, they are too expensive and I enjoy reading comics from the 60's and 70's and early 80's compared to today's comics. Why are print runs of modern comcis so low?

I think a lot has to do with the poor quality coupled with a high price tag. Who wouldn't want to play video games or do something else for your money.

[rob_react]

Very well stated and sadly mostly true.

 

Except for most of of what he wrote.

 

Well, what is true for me is that modern comics are poor quality on most of them, they are too expensive and I enjoy reading comics from the 60's and 70's and early 80's compared to today's comics. Why are print runs of modern comcis so low?

I think a lot has to do with the poor quality coupled with a high price tag. Who wouldn't want to play video games or do something else for your money.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again, the quality of books now is better than it's ever been. Maybe if you're a pure Marvel Zombie then maybe there was some vague "Golden Age" twenty years ago that will never be replicated, but for people that are willing to branch out beyond the house that Stan and Jack built it's an embarrassment of riches. Of course, everyone is entitle to their own opinion, but to call a landscape that includes books like Sleeper, Planetary, Global Frequency, Superman/Batman, Y The Last Man, Plastic Man, Identity Crisis, Ex Machina, MK Spider-Man, Supreme Power, Daredevil, She Hulk, Ultimate FF, Wanted, Conan and the 30 Days Franchise "poor quality" is, to me, not representative of what's out there.

 

That's discounting some of the true classic series that are no longer being published or aren't truly ongoing like Transmet, Preacher, LOEG and Sandman.

 

Did I mention any of the Alan Moore ABC books which I'm years behind on?

 

It's also NOT including a vast sea of amazing "alternative" work that I'm not at all qualified to comment on overall (of course, if the stuff I do read is any indication I'd give it the big thumbs up, but I hate to generalize based on a small sample set. It's like someone complaining about new comics after having read three Ultimate Spider-Man trades.)

 

I love a lot of what went on in the 60s and 70s (I also love a lot of what went on in the 30s, 40s and 50s, but that's another topic entirely) But I also love equally the great stuff that's on the shelves each and every week RIGHT NOW.

[joe_collector]

I think the 'busted' in this case would be the fact that the 9 year old son of 'Dad' did not get adult themed books on FCBD and it was just some BS story made up by 'Dad' to troll.

 

Yes, and if this original message had anything to prove this, then it would be a BUSTED in my book. Unfortunately, it has nothing in it that many other forum members (myself included) haven't posted on occasion.

[Zonker]

Did you people even bother to READ the original post. It was complaining about the lack of kid's books, and had nothing to do with some child picking up smut.

 

Busted indeed.

 

Note: This has nothing to do with DAD personally, just the original message contents and the stupidity of a "BUSTED" post.

 

 

Joe, you're a lot of things, but until now, I didn't think naive was one of them.

 

Here, let me break it down for ya: From Dad's post from two days ago:

 

I was reading a book this evening when my nine-year-old

son brought in a stack of comics and said, "Dad,

look at the comics I got today during Free Comic

Book Day."

 

Amongst his stack, I was surprised to find a disgusting

piece of trash titled "Alternative Comics."

 

 

He's caught off guard by adult themes and (by implication) that his 9 year old had access to them via Free Comic Book Day? OK, may be so, but why did he post last year, 2003, at the top of this here thread:

 

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.

 

...

 

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.

 

(bolded emphasis mine)

 

So, "busted" in the sense that at least he had a pre-existing agenda here, and since he knew about FCBD and adult-themed comics for the past friggin' year, why in hell did he let his 9 year old wander in to the store this year unsupervised? Or is Junior undercover narcing for dear ol dad's crusade? Sorry, Joe, it doesn't pass the smell test. Busted, dammit!

[fantastic_four]

Well, what is true for me is that modern comics are poor quality on most of them, they are too expensive and I enjoy reading comics from the 60's and 70's and early 80's compared to today's comics. Why are print runs of modern comcis so low?

 

I agree with Rob--comics are better than ever with respect to writing, art, and coloring.

 

You both hit some of the reasons that print runs are lower, but another huge reason is that almost none of them are returned anymore like they used to be since the vast majority of sales are to the direct market. What was the average print run in the 70s and 80s--something like 200,000 to 300,000? Half of those end up getting returned by retail outlets and destroyed. Readership is definitely down from back then, but sales to the direct market account for a huge amount of the decreased print runs.

[musicmeta]

but to call a landscape that includes books like Sleeper, Planetary, Global Frequency, Superman/Batman, Y The Last Man, Plastic Man, Identity Crisis, Ex Machina, MK Spider-Man, Supreme Power, Daredevil, She Hulk, Ultimate FF, Wanted, Conan and the 30 Days Franchise "poor quality" is, to me, not representative of what's out there.

 

That's discounting some of the true classic series that are no longer being published or aren't truly ongoing like Transmet, Preacher, LOEG and Sandman.

 

Did I mention any of the Alan Moore ABC books which I'm years behind on?

 

OK...I'm going to pick up some of these and see if I like them.

Sandman IS good. I have read some of those.

The Valiant comics in the early 90's were just awesome.