I have loved comic books since I was first introduced to the medium, yet somehow I managed not to catch the collector bug. In retrospect, this is rather surprising considering my obsessive-compulsive proclivity for collecting other items such as sports memorabilia, action figures, books, movies, and music. I have sold many items in my collections (and much remains to be sold), but my collection of comic books is (and will remain) fairly limited.
Just as my collection of comics has been limited, my interest within the medium has been as well. Despite my love of all things Batman (excepting the awful movies in the nineties succeeding Tim Burton's adaptations), I have always been more intrigued by the lively characters of Marvel, many of whom were created by the legendary Stan Lee. I grew up desiring and admiring mutation, imagining myself with adamantium claws, psychic powers, spider sense, and an optic blast. However, now that I have grown up, my appreciation for comics and graphic novels has matured. I find myself gravitating towards the stories created by the talented writers at DC, particularly those adult-themed comics published by the Vertigo imprint of DC.
While I still love Marvel, my appreciation for the brand is often now more nostalgic than anything (excepting, of course, the wonderful adaptations of Stephen King stories they have done and are currently doing). Since my discovery of the Vertigo imprint, I have voraciously torn through Watchmen, Frank Miller's Batman revamps, V for Vendetta, A History of Violence, and I am currently flying through Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. All have been utterly fantastic pieces of literature, and I could write for days about each in turn. I have drafts discussing a few of them, so expect to see at least one to show up on here (probably Watchmen).
For those of you who say, "Comics are for kids," I hope you aren't buying your children some of the comics that I read. And for those of you who have never considered the graphic novel to be anywhere in the same league as the classic novel in regards to literary value, just read Watchmen and get back to me. That is, get back to me after you've fully absorbed your newly-enriched view of society and the human condition.
Spring Fancies herself a Literary Fiction writer and if I recall Watchman is considered to be a graphic novel in said literary Fiction category.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to read it but I hear they are beautifully designed pieces of art as well as a good read.