For over 70 years, graphic novels and comic books have been entertaining young and old alike. In the twenty-first century are quite different since its inception nearly a century ago. The industry has matured and the characters tend to be more fully developed. In some ways, the characters and storylines took a step back to the 30s and 40s at a time when a lot of the characters were dark and violent; the villains word on the sociopathic and the hero's code wasn't always black and white.
Comics nowadays appear to possess much more complicated storylines. Sometimes subplots are incorporated in the story so when a future occurrence materializes, you are cognizant of it. This new level of sophistication have drawn the attention of Hollywood as more graphic novels are snapped up an adapted for motion pictures. This symbiotic relationship between comics and film has drawn fans from both media together to share the excitement of this amalgamation.
Highly creative movie making professionals have constantly botched the process of translating comics to the silver screen over the years. Filmmakers just did not grasp the proper technique for translating the unique storytelling style of comics to their medium. Comic books in the twenty-first century allows readers to read and conceptualize the story, then watch the big screen to see if the writer and director had the same perception as you did. Having worked in the comics field as well as film and television, I was well aware of the boundaries and limitations placed on creative talent but I knew a number of them did not understand what they had.
In today's world of comics and graphic novels heroes are born and often die in their own series. The demise doesn't usually last long by human standards, but in a comic book's life, years could have transpired. The realism sought by the writers and artists are a testimony to the alteration that have taken place. If a character dies, you feel their death. The injustice of their passing leaves you feeling a sense of shock and sadness Evil may have temporarily triumphed over good in spite of the noble efforts of the survivors. Like any police officer or firefighter, these heroes understood the risk they were undertaking; the writers understood those risks as well and continue to play them out to the bitter end. A sense of drama often pulls you in to the point at which you feel present at the tragedy. One of the most telling features of the new stories is the incorporation of continuity of events from one book to the next; women became pregnant and had their children while battle scars and trauma continued throughout the story arcs.
The costumes changed as well, the garish colors of tight spandex began to give way to the paramilitary tones and designs.
Aging has never been much of a factor in the comic book universe, it only matters when the writers need to try something creative. Quite often the characters look and feel is updated to conform to popular sentiment; the influence of blockbuster versions of themselves in the theaters will influence the editors and artists at the company. Outside of the iconic images of certain comic book legends, heroes and villains are allowed to change their clothing every once in a while. Maybe an update was needed because some of his or hers costume or hairstyle looked out of place, or do not reflect, today's styles or trends. In fact, it is difficult to recognize some of the classic characters if you're just reentering the comic book market after a decade or two.
The medium have always managed to weather the storm of criticism neglect or even greed and politics. I applaud the
decision to update the comic books so stagnation does not serve the industry by any means. I continue to
read comics for those very reasons and will probably continue for decades to come. In the good old days we sat outside the candy store every Wednesday afternoon and read our books before taking them home; today I read them from my computer and even my smart phone. The material is every bit as captivating now that I'm an adult as they were back in the day of Bazooka bubblegum and Keds sneakers. I admit that the most consistent element in the medium has been the amazing imagination of comic creators and their ability to draw you into their world.
I'm currently producing an online series called Jax and Hellhound.
