The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

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presterjohn
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by presterjohn »

Comics on postage-stamp size computer chips that you slot into the spine of a "book" which has flexible LCD pages. The pages of the comic then appear on the LCD pages and you read it like a mag/ book. Simply slot the next issue into the same device to read that etc.

Similar things are already with us. Marvel sell complete runs of some comics on DVD (Spider-Man, Fanastic Four, Avengers) for around $45.00 They can then be read on any PC as a PDF file. If you don't mind pirated stuff you can download virtually any run of comics ever made onto a disc or memory stick and read them on any handy computer.

Jimmy Screw
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Jimmy Screw »

Captain Storm wrote:Comics were definitely my teacher.I began by reading Toby,with its perfect grammer and first rate illustrations,graduated to Hotspur,Victor and Battle and finally was blown away by Starlord which took me to strange new worlds.I was never the same again!I believe the proliferation of Mobile Phone "texting" e.g. L8r = later.etc...has stunted youngsters grasp of basic English grammer....C U L8r :twisted:

A very good point. Apart from everything else mentioned, the 'txt' culture has further disrupted the development of grammar in children (and many adults).

It is no surprise to see that many others on this thread have agreed that reading comics from an early age has helped develop their spelling, grammar, imagination - and, of course, led onto a healthy appreciation of books in later life.

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presterjohn
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by presterjohn »

One of the big problems comics have had over the last 20 years or so when it comes to helping kids learn to read is the use of upper case letters in word balloons. Teachers nowadays much prefer youngsters to learn reading using lower case letters. I think educaters and parents would be much happier with kids reading comics if only they were lower case.

Lew Stringer
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Lew Stringer »

presterjohn wrote:One of the big problems comics have had over the last 20 years or so when it comes to helping kids learn to read is the use of upper case letters in word balloons. Teachers nowadays much prefer youngsters to learn reading using lower case letters. I think educaters and parents would be much happier with kids reading comics if only they were lower case.

Marvel Comics tried that for a year or two recently. It just made it look like everyone was muttering and the idea was eventually dropped in most of their titles. Lower case lettering doesn't seem to "sound" right in comics dialogue. It works in text but not in comics, where urgent-looking dialogue is part of the excitement.

However, most (if not all) pre-school comics do use lower case in speech balloons now, and have done for several years.

I don't see how upper case can be a problem for kids learning to read though. Generations have coped fine with it before. I was reading the upper case dialogue in Dandy, Beano, and TV21 from when I was four or five and had no difficulty adjusting to learn lower case at the same time at infant school. (Our teachers approved of comics by the way.)

Why would new generations suddenly have a problem adjusting between upper case and lower case dialogue when millions of us could easily differentiate in the past?

Lew
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Jimmy Screw
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Jimmy Screw »

i Don'T WaNt tO KeEp GoinG oN abOuT ThE PaddyWacK StrIpS, WiTh tHeiR RanDomLY DisTRiBUtEd UpPeR aNd LoWeR cAsE LetTeRs - BuT I sTarTed oFf rEaDinG ChEeKy cOMiCS aT tHe AgE oF FiVe aNd It Did ME nO hArM!

Lew Stringer
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Lew Stringer »

Jimmy Screw wrote:i Don'T WaNt tO KeEp GoinG oN abOuT ThE PaddyWacK StrIpS, WiTh tHeiR RanDomLY DisTRiBUtEd UpPeR aNd LoWeR cAsE LetTeRs - BuT I sTarTed oFf rEaDinG ChEeKy cOMiCS aT tHe AgE oF FiVe aNd It Did ME nO hArM!

He he. :lol:

Y'know maybe, just maybe, it's up to the parents and teachers to steer kids in the right direction. I think we went beyond blaming comics for the attitudes of thick kids 50 years ago. :wink:

Lew
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Jimmy Screw
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Jimmy Screw »

Y'know maybe, just maybe, it's up to the parents and teachers to steer kids in the right direction. I think we went beyond blaming comics for the attitudes of thick kids 50 years ago.

Lew
Very true. As always, parents and teachers are indeed responsible for steering children in the right direction.

However, far from blaming comics for the attitudes of thick kids, the point of this discussion has been to determine wether contemporary schoolchildren would benefit more from reading comics over playing computer games, watching telly, DVDs and falling into the mobile/txt vernacular.

It seems that the only way to encourage this as a popular option would be to present comics as an electronic consumable product (as well as the traditional print-based medium to keep us lot happy!)

Therefore, comics would have a future once more!

Lew Stringer
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Lew Stringer »

Jimmy Screw wrote:

It seems that the only way to encourage this as a popular option would be to present comics as an electronic consumable product (as well as the traditional print-based medium to keep us lot happy!)

Therefore, comics would have a future once more!

I subscribe to the theory that you can sell anything to anyone given enough publicity. Were some Jamie Oliver type "celebrity" employed to push paper comics as being "cool", and the product was affordable and widely available I think we might see kids buying them. Unfortunately as publishers are always cutting budgets now that's not going to happen.

However, it's worth bearing in mind that Manga books (200 page comics in black and white) are being snapped up by kids so they're not adverse to reading comics on paper. (And can even easily adapt to reading from right to left.) It's just a matter of finding the right approach.

Lew
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Steve Bright
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Steve Bright »

Lew Stringer wrote: I subscribe to the theory that you can sell anything to anyone given enough publicity. Were some Jamie Oliver type "celebrity" employed to push paper comics as being "cool", and the product was affordable and widely available I think we might see kids buying them.
Couldn't agree more, Lew. This has been one of my hobbyhorses for over 25 years now. Back then, my 'big idea' was recruiting the celebrities of the day for a billboard advertising campaign spread all over the country, featuring images of hugely popular personalities of the day reading comics, perhaps in the environment for which they were famous. You needn't even have seen who these people were. For example, the corner of a boxing ring, with gloved pugilist sitting on stool reading a comic. Comic covers his face and a speech bubble emanates from behind the comic, reading "HA HA HA, HARRY...." Caption underscoring all of this reads "GUESS WHO LOVES HIS COMICS?".

That was then, though Bruno is still well remembered today. Others back then included the likes of Daley Thompson, Slade and Jon Pertwee (Then Dr Who). Today it would be Mr Oliver for sure, Jonathan Ross (who'd probably jump at the chance, being a keen comics man), Ricky Gervais and...well, I'm sure everyone would have their own ideas. Other mediums may be better used today, but I still have a feeling billboards could play a significant role.

The crucial aspect to the campaign however, would be that it did not target any specific comics, but the genre as a whole, and would be funded by, and include, as many publishers as possible, promoting comics in general, and not just their own comics. Sadly, that goes against the grain in the highly competetive world of publishing rivalry, and until the realisation dawns that it's the genre that's in danger of extinction and not just individual brands, I can't see it ever happening... unless we have the comics equivalent of Jamie Oliver taking up arms and convincing the Government that comics have a vital role to play in not only helping kids to read, but fostering creative processes that don't necessarily require voltage.
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Brendan McGuire
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Brendan McGuire »

I really like the idea of celebrities publicising comics, although I think Jonathan Ross would rather push Preacher-like comics than the Beano sort of thingy. I also like the idea that comics don't require volts in order to entertain. The following line could be pushed:- What do you do during a power cut? Comics work by candlelight!

Jimmy Screw
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Jimmy Screw »

I like these ideas. Jonathan Ross is indeed a keen comics fan and I am sure he would stick up for the British genre in general wether or not he likes The Beano, etc. (does he?)

As for Ricky Gervais and Jamie Oliver, I would be very impressed if anybody could tell me they liked comics, expecially British ones.

I like the slogan "comics work by candlelight", especially in these energy-conscious times we find ourselves. The danger with publicising comics though would be that if the campaign were to gain momentum, any popularity would be immediately jumped on by the book brigade. They would undoubtedly hijack all 'our' efforts to encourage children to read more books instead.

Maybe a safer strapline would be 'comics lead to books'?

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presterjohn
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by presterjohn »

Sadly the youngest big(ish) name I can think of that is a comics fan is Simon Pegg star of Spaced and Shaun of the dead. He might appeal to teenagers but not children.

I suppose Lenny Henry being a comedian and a comics fan would have some pull but how many under 10's know who he is these days? The yanks seem to mention comics much more readily in TV shows than we do many writers seem to be huge fans of the superhero genre especially. I remember that Seinfeld often mentioned Superoes in some episodes and the OC does too.

I would go so far as to say a lot hollywood types are moving into comics the writers/creators of Babylon 5, Buffy the vampire slayer and The OC are all writing comics now.

Lew Stringer
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Re: The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Lew Stringer »

presterjohn wrote:Sadly the youngest big(ish) name I can think of that is a comics fan is Simon Pegg star of Spaced and Shaun of the dead. He might appeal to teenagers but not children.

Likewise Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Hamill, Nic Cage and Kevin Smith; all high profile comic fans (albeit of US comics).

Perhaps the forthcoming BBC documentary on British comics might boost their profile a bit.

Lew
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Steve Bright
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by Steve Bright »

Mark Hamill is a member of the Beano fan club since his Luke Skywalker days.

That's an impressive list, Lew, but despite their huge names, I suspect they're all already past their 'cool by' dates with the main comic-reading target audience.

Euan McGregor maybe?
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NP
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The Future Of Comics - Do They Have One?

Post by NP »

Orlando Bloom is a big Beano fan. Before you ask "Who he?" ask your nearest 18-32 year old female. Apparently.

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