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To Superhero or not to Superhero.
4 min read
A recent online discussion over what defines a "Superhero", inspired me to take those ideas and drag them out as a journal post here.
It started with me discussing that while the main character of my comic, "The Wellkeeper", has incredible powers that she uses in heroic ways, I don't think of her as a "superhero". If you simply that the word itself and break it down, it's definition should simply be that. A hero with "super" abilities. Andi it's implied in the term that these abilities should be beyond the scope of a normal human.
But that's not the cultural definition of a superhero, is it? Batman is called a "superhero" in spite of having zero powers. The only real thing that separates him from James Bond is the costume, (And the habit to recruit teenage sidekicks) but nobody would ever think to call Bond a superhero. Why not? His identity as an MI6 agent is not public knowledge, he uses intense fighting skills and gadgets to fight crime and stop evildoers. He just tends to wear nice suits rather then tights and a mask.
The more I think about what defines a "superhero", the more I realize that the defining traits are totally superficial and have nothing to do with what the word itself describes. The distinctions are largely subtle (an interesting word combo, to be sure) and often arbitrary. There are a ton of very popular heroes with fantastic powers that aren't considered "superheroes", mostly because of superficial tropes that have become permanently linked with the definition of a superhero.
By all accounts, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Frodo and even characters like "The Wellkeeper's" Zoe are by every literal translation of the term, "Superheroes". But they don't have melodramatic costumes, secret identities or any of the other trappings that define the cultural idea of what is a superhero. It's strange and slightly disrespectful of the term to limit it like that.
Hell, by the most straight forward interpretation of the term "superhero", even the ever-so-hated Edward Cullen from "Twilight" is one. He has special powers that he uses in a variety of heroic ways. But it's interesting to note that if you used this criteria to define him as such, you'd probably raise the ire of both superhero fans AND Twilight fans as each tends to consider their interest as somehow better then the other, when they're really the same damn thing.
Are the superficial trappings of a silly costume and secret identity THAT essential? Or is it more tied to the medium of comics? Most people don't define characters like the Power Rangers as "Super heroes" when they meet ALL the criteria, both literal and cultural. Except that that was a TV show and not a comic book first and foremost. (I admit that unlike most of the other examples I've made, there are far more people that DO include the Power Rangers as "superheroes" then, say, Bond or Harry Potter) It seems to me, that for American superhero fans, a superhero is defined as someone who wears a costume to fight crime/evil as created and seen first and foremost in an American comic book.
Now, sometimes, the media will cover something like a comic book movie and get it right, but still infuriate comic fans because of the arbitrary definitions. I recall news stories about "Hellboy II: The Golder Army" that defined Mike Mignola's iconic character as a superhero. And damn it, he TOTALLY is. But some comic fans I know cried foul because... well... I don't quite get why. Because heroing is actually his job? Because he doesn't wear tights? Why are these distinctions so dang arbitrary?
It's like some kind of infinity loop of nonsense designed to BE purposefully difficult to understand.
It started with me discussing that while the main character of my comic, "The Wellkeeper", has incredible powers that she uses in heroic ways, I don't think of her as a "superhero". If you simply that the word itself and break it down, it's definition should simply be that. A hero with "super" abilities. Andi it's implied in the term that these abilities should be beyond the scope of a normal human.
But that's not the cultural definition of a superhero, is it? Batman is called a "superhero" in spite of having zero powers. The only real thing that separates him from James Bond is the costume, (And the habit to recruit teenage sidekicks) but nobody would ever think to call Bond a superhero. Why not? His identity as an MI6 agent is not public knowledge, he uses intense fighting skills and gadgets to fight crime and stop evildoers. He just tends to wear nice suits rather then tights and a mask.
The more I think about what defines a "superhero", the more I realize that the defining traits are totally superficial and have nothing to do with what the word itself describes. The distinctions are largely subtle (an interesting word combo, to be sure) and often arbitrary. There are a ton of very popular heroes with fantastic powers that aren't considered "superheroes", mostly because of superficial tropes that have become permanently linked with the definition of a superhero.
By all accounts, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Frodo and even characters like "The Wellkeeper's" Zoe are by every literal translation of the term, "Superheroes". But they don't have melodramatic costumes, secret identities or any of the other trappings that define the cultural idea of what is a superhero. It's strange and slightly disrespectful of the term to limit it like that.
Hell, by the most straight forward interpretation of the term "superhero", even the ever-so-hated Edward Cullen from "Twilight" is one. He has special powers that he uses in a variety of heroic ways. But it's interesting to note that if you used this criteria to define him as such, you'd probably raise the ire of both superhero fans AND Twilight fans as each tends to consider their interest as somehow better then the other, when they're really the same damn thing.
Are the superficial trappings of a silly costume and secret identity THAT essential? Or is it more tied to the medium of comics? Most people don't define characters like the Power Rangers as "Super heroes" when they meet ALL the criteria, both literal and cultural. Except that that was a TV show and not a comic book first and foremost. (I admit that unlike most of the other examples I've made, there are far more people that DO include the Power Rangers as "superheroes" then, say, Bond or Harry Potter) It seems to me, that for American superhero fans, a superhero is defined as someone who wears a costume to fight crime/evil as created and seen first and foremost in an American comic book.
Now, sometimes, the media will cover something like a comic book movie and get it right, but still infuriate comic fans because of the arbitrary definitions. I recall news stories about "Hellboy II: The Golder Army" that defined Mike Mignola's iconic character as a superhero. And damn it, he TOTALLY is. But some comic fans I know cried foul because... well... I don't quite get why. Because heroing is actually his job? Because he doesn't wear tights? Why are these distinctions so dang arbitrary?
It's like some kind of infinity loop of nonsense designed to BE purposefully difficult to understand.
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Attention getting device: ROB GRANITO!
7 min read
There, did that get your attention? Is this little rant actually about Rob Granito or the nonsense that surrounded him this past weekend at Megacon? Not really. In fact, it's only a part of the inspiration of perhaps the TONE of what I feel like saying here.
For those of you who need some back story, there was a lot of invented drama surrounding the artist Rob Granito at this past weekend's Orlando Megacon. Rob Granito is an artist known for swiping the work of others and passing it off as his own with almost no alterations or true creative spin of his own. Apparently, the internet finally noticed what those of us who populate artist's alleys across the nation have known for a while. Now, I've never met the man and have not actually had any of my own art swiped by him to my knowledge, so I'm not going to call him names or tear him down any more then he's already BEEN torn down. That's not what this rant is actually about.
This rant is about all the OTHER artists in the Alley this year at Megacon that DIDN'T get what seemed like the totality of Bleedingcool.com devoted to them and their worthy work because of a public's unending desire to watch other people's misery. In my all too brief time wandering the hall, I discovered far more excellent work then I can mention here. I discovered "SKYWARD" by Jeremy Dale and "RAINBOW IN THE DARK" and "The UNIQUES" by Comfort Love and Adam Withers. I picked up flyers and cards from artists with inspiring and diverse styles like Shawn Alleyne's PYROGLYPHICS art and "La Macchina Bellica" from Deanna Echanique. I also met up with friends like Steve Kozak, the publisher of David McAdoo's "RED MOON" which is the best comic you've probably never heard of.
Any you probably haven't heard about any of these excellent creators and oh so many more because everyone talking about Rob Granito and his swipe art.But that's just one small part of the problem that creators like myself face. There are so many hurdles before those of us insane enough to try and do this on our own that we should have calves as overdeveloped as Popeye's forearms for all the jumping we do. In the comic industry, if you want to be noticed, the best way to do that is to be the latest and greatest artist to tell the umpteen thousandth adventure of Spider-Man, Batman, Superman or whoeverman.
And it's not even so much that comic readers just like the characters they like. The often seem to be directly offended when their favorite creator wants to create something personal and creator owned. I read a post the other day right here in Facebook where a reader longed for Mike Mignola to do more DC work and my mind wobbled. Are our interests so skewed that we'd rather see genuinely unique, creative talent tell yet another "Batman" comic that's only marginally different then the countless ones made before it so as to appease our nostalgic love for the toys of our childhood when they could be unleashing their talent on TRULY original creations they actually CARE about!? (Obviously, if a creators driving passion IS to draw Batman, then that's different.)
And don't get me wrong, I love Batman. I'm as guilty as anyone else of feeding the monster over and over again. I know I'm part of the problem, but I'm trying to be part of the solution. And part of that solution is for those of us who CAN actually trying to tell our own stories. Create our own characters. Make our OWN path.
And it's CRAZY hard. I've been unemployed for over 2 years getting by on inconsistent freelance work and constantly hobbled by the economy, health problems and the liberal application of Murphy's law. But all the while, I spent what free time I had on building my OWN dream and not letting it go. Right now,t hat dream is the completion of "The Wellkeeper". It's a story I've been wanting to tell for YEARS and while those that discover it have fallen in love and keep coming back, it's not something I can make a living off of. Not yet, anyway. Following your dreams is almost ALWAYS hard but it's almost ALWAYS worth it.
Like many in the field of comics, I greatly admired the work of Mike Wieringo. I'm also among those that feel blessed to have met and known him as both a creator and a wonderful human being. In my heart, I will always consider him a friend even though our relationship was short and limited to talking at shows and exchanging the occasional emails. Mike was a great guy and an INCREDIBLE creator. I dare anyone who loves comics to read his own creation (along with Todd Dezago) TELLOS and not fall in love. You could see the passion on every page of that series. But like most creator owned comics, it suffered from costing too much to make compared with what it brought in financially and it ended far too soon. In time, Mike returned to Marvel drawing Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four again prior to his untimely passing. But the reason I'm bringing him into this post is to make a point. Listen to the interviews he did on Fanboy Radio prior to his passing. He felt TRAPPED by work for hire. He didn't want to draw the same old stories with the same old characters. He LONGED to return to his patchwork world of fantasy and adventure and make a living following his own passions, but he never got that chance and was taken from us far too soon.
There are lessons that need to be taken from that story: If you're a comic reader, take a chance on your favorite creators own creations. They can only walk those paths with OUR support as readers. Take the "HIGH ROADS" with Leinil Yu and go "OUT THERE" for Humberto Ramos. I'm out of metaphors that incorporate book titles into sentences, but you get the point. Try John Byrne's "NEXT MEN" if you dig his work. Read "Kick Ass" or "The GREY AREA" if your a John Romita Jr. fan. There are a lot of creator owned, ORIGINAL comics out there to be enjoyed. We DON'T need another Batman comic by Mike Mignola when there are so many "HELLBOY" and "Amazing Screw-On Head" adventures waiting to be told.
And also don't be afraid to try something from a creator you may never heard of. You might discover something ELSE like "The Wellkeeper" or "Red Moon" or "Rainbow in the Dark". And when you DO discover these gems, TELL your friends. Tell you local comic shops. If you have a blog, write about it. It takes work, but the rewards are beyond imagination.
And ultimately, don't waste your time or energy tearing down false straw men. The hack, swipe artists WANT you paying attention to them even if it's to bash them. The one thing every crappy, swipe artist you've ever heard of has in common is that you've HEARD of them. They're boogy men and like all such creatures, only have as much power as you give them with your attention. Spend that attention on things that actually DESERVE it.
P.S. I do appreciate the irony of evoking Rob Granito to attract attention to a rant about Rob Granito distracting attention from more worthy creators.
For those of you who need some back story, there was a lot of invented drama surrounding the artist Rob Granito at this past weekend's Orlando Megacon. Rob Granito is an artist known for swiping the work of others and passing it off as his own with almost no alterations or true creative spin of his own. Apparently, the internet finally noticed what those of us who populate artist's alleys across the nation have known for a while. Now, I've never met the man and have not actually had any of my own art swiped by him to my knowledge, so I'm not going to call him names or tear him down any more then he's already BEEN torn down. That's not what this rant is actually about.
This rant is about all the OTHER artists in the Alley this year at Megacon that DIDN'T get what seemed like the totality of Bleedingcool.com devoted to them and their worthy work because of a public's unending desire to watch other people's misery. In my all too brief time wandering the hall, I discovered far more excellent work then I can mention here. I discovered "SKYWARD" by Jeremy Dale and "RAINBOW IN THE DARK" and "The UNIQUES" by Comfort Love and Adam Withers. I picked up flyers and cards from artists with inspiring and diverse styles like Shawn Alleyne's PYROGLYPHICS art and "La Macchina Bellica" from Deanna Echanique. I also met up with friends like Steve Kozak, the publisher of David McAdoo's "RED MOON" which is the best comic you've probably never heard of.
Any you probably haven't heard about any of these excellent creators and oh so many more because everyone talking about Rob Granito and his swipe art.But that's just one small part of the problem that creators like myself face. There are so many hurdles before those of us insane enough to try and do this on our own that we should have calves as overdeveloped as Popeye's forearms for all the jumping we do. In the comic industry, if you want to be noticed, the best way to do that is to be the latest and greatest artist to tell the umpteen thousandth adventure of Spider-Man, Batman, Superman or whoeverman.
And it's not even so much that comic readers just like the characters they like. The often seem to be directly offended when their favorite creator wants to create something personal and creator owned. I read a post the other day right here in Facebook where a reader longed for Mike Mignola to do more DC work and my mind wobbled. Are our interests so skewed that we'd rather see genuinely unique, creative talent tell yet another "Batman" comic that's only marginally different then the countless ones made before it so as to appease our nostalgic love for the toys of our childhood when they could be unleashing their talent on TRULY original creations they actually CARE about!? (Obviously, if a creators driving passion IS to draw Batman, then that's different.)
And don't get me wrong, I love Batman. I'm as guilty as anyone else of feeding the monster over and over again. I know I'm part of the problem, but I'm trying to be part of the solution. And part of that solution is for those of us who CAN actually trying to tell our own stories. Create our own characters. Make our OWN path.
And it's CRAZY hard. I've been unemployed for over 2 years getting by on inconsistent freelance work and constantly hobbled by the economy, health problems and the liberal application of Murphy's law. But all the while, I spent what free time I had on building my OWN dream and not letting it go. Right now,t hat dream is the completion of "The Wellkeeper". It's a story I've been wanting to tell for YEARS and while those that discover it have fallen in love and keep coming back, it's not something I can make a living off of. Not yet, anyway. Following your dreams is almost ALWAYS hard but it's almost ALWAYS worth it.
Like many in the field of comics, I greatly admired the work of Mike Wieringo. I'm also among those that feel blessed to have met and known him as both a creator and a wonderful human being. In my heart, I will always consider him a friend even though our relationship was short and limited to talking at shows and exchanging the occasional emails. Mike was a great guy and an INCREDIBLE creator. I dare anyone who loves comics to read his own creation (along with Todd Dezago) TELLOS and not fall in love. You could see the passion on every page of that series. But like most creator owned comics, it suffered from costing too much to make compared with what it brought in financially and it ended far too soon. In time, Mike returned to Marvel drawing Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four again prior to his untimely passing. But the reason I'm bringing him into this post is to make a point. Listen to the interviews he did on Fanboy Radio prior to his passing. He felt TRAPPED by work for hire. He didn't want to draw the same old stories with the same old characters. He LONGED to return to his patchwork world of fantasy and adventure and make a living following his own passions, but he never got that chance and was taken from us far too soon.
There are lessons that need to be taken from that story: If you're a comic reader, take a chance on your favorite creators own creations. They can only walk those paths with OUR support as readers. Take the "HIGH ROADS" with Leinil Yu and go "OUT THERE" for Humberto Ramos. I'm out of metaphors that incorporate book titles into sentences, but you get the point. Try John Byrne's "NEXT MEN" if you dig his work. Read "Kick Ass" or "The GREY AREA" if your a John Romita Jr. fan. There are a lot of creator owned, ORIGINAL comics out there to be enjoyed. We DON'T need another Batman comic by Mike Mignola when there are so many "HELLBOY" and "Amazing Screw-On Head" adventures waiting to be told.
And also don't be afraid to try something from a creator you may never heard of. You might discover something ELSE like "The Wellkeeper" or "Red Moon" or "Rainbow in the Dark". And when you DO discover these gems, TELL your friends. Tell you local comic shops. If you have a blog, write about it. It takes work, but the rewards are beyond imagination.
And ultimately, don't waste your time or energy tearing down false straw men. The hack, swipe artists WANT you paying attention to them even if it's to bash them. The one thing every crappy, swipe artist you've ever heard of has in common is that you've HEARD of them. They're boogy men and like all such creatures, only have as much power as you give them with your attention. Spend that attention on things that actually DESERVE it.
P.S. I do appreciate the irony of evoking Rob Granito to attract attention to a rant about Rob Granito distracting attention from more worthy creators.
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My fan-art Wish list!
3 min read
When I'm not working on freelance projects or commissions, I try and keep up with my latest comic, "The Wellkeeper". As I write this, I'm within 3 pages of being done with the 5th issue on schedule and I love working on this book. And like a lot of artists out there, I like to imagine what my cast of characters might look like if drawn by my favorite artists. And that's what this post is. My silly little wish list of artists I'd kill to see draw Zoe, Sebastian, the Withering Man or any of the cast of "the Wellkeeper". Now, in all reality, I could probably keep typing names until my fingers fell off, but I'm limiting this list to 10 names in no particular order.
#1) DREW STRUZAN.
If you don't know who this guy is, turn in your art lovers badge. Mr. Struzan is responsible for some of the best movie poster are EVER and is the master of composition, light and mood. I'd easily perform any number of horrible tasks to get a movie-poster style "Wellkeeper" piece from the master.
#2) ARTHUR ADAMS.
Probably the comic artist I can site as the most influential to me and my overall approach. His early work in titles like "Longshot" and his "Uncanny X-Men" annuals were a watershed moment for me where I really started noticing comic book ARTISTS. And his work has only gotten better over time.
#3) MIKE MIGNOLA.
It's not hard for me to visualize the evil Withering Man or his burning thrall rendered in the inky moodiness of Mike Mignola.
#4) JEFF SMITH.
"Bone" is one of the most beautifully drawn comics in the history of the medium and was a HUGE influence regarding the TONE of "The Wellkeeper".
#5) ALEX ROSS.
Of all the artists on my list, he's the one I really can't picture in my mind. But I adore his work and would love to see it.
#6) MIKE ALLRED.
I love the simplicity and fun in his work and think he could really make a snazzy "Wellkeeper" image.
#7) TED NAIFEH.
All the dripping mood of Mike Mignola with an organic, flowing quality that I adore.
#8) TERRY MOORE.
I'd kill to see his take on Zoe.
#9) PAUL SMITH.
I was in love with his fluid work from when I first discovered it in "X-Men" back in the 80's and his work on "Leave it to Chance" is still among my favorites ever.
#10) CHARLES VESS.
The mystical elements and natural settings of "The Wellkeeper" couldn't be realized any better by this guy.
Now, in this list, I didn't include any artists that I'd love to see draw something for "The Wellkeeper" that I actually know and could ask. This is more the blue sky WISH list. Enjoy!
#1) DREW STRUZAN.
If you don't know who this guy is, turn in your art lovers badge. Mr. Struzan is responsible for some of the best movie poster are EVER and is the master of composition, light and mood. I'd easily perform any number of horrible tasks to get a movie-poster style "Wellkeeper" piece from the master.
#2) ARTHUR ADAMS.
Probably the comic artist I can site as the most influential to me and my overall approach. His early work in titles like "Longshot" and his "Uncanny X-Men" annuals were a watershed moment for me where I really started noticing comic book ARTISTS. And his work has only gotten better over time.
#3) MIKE MIGNOLA.
It's not hard for me to visualize the evil Withering Man or his burning thrall rendered in the inky moodiness of Mike Mignola.
#4) JEFF SMITH.
"Bone" is one of the most beautifully drawn comics in the history of the medium and was a HUGE influence regarding the TONE of "The Wellkeeper".
#5) ALEX ROSS.
Of all the artists on my list, he's the one I really can't picture in my mind. But I adore his work and would love to see it.
#6) MIKE ALLRED.
I love the simplicity and fun in his work and think he could really make a snazzy "Wellkeeper" image.
#7) TED NAIFEH.
All the dripping mood of Mike Mignola with an organic, flowing quality that I adore.
#8) TERRY MOORE.
I'd kill to see his take on Zoe.
#9) PAUL SMITH.
I was in love with his fluid work from when I first discovered it in "X-Men" back in the 80's and his work on "Leave it to Chance" is still among my favorites ever.
#10) CHARLES VESS.
The mystical elements and natural settings of "The Wellkeeper" couldn't be realized any better by this guy.
Now, in this list, I didn't include any artists that I'd love to see draw something for "The Wellkeeper" that I actually know and could ask. This is more the blue sky WISH list. Enjoy!
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The Abyss
2 min read
And no, I'm not talking about the movie. Just my life the last couple of years, at least work and money-wise. As I write this, I just got my internet connection turned back on after service was cut for about a week for lack of money. Other services are due to be cut over this coming week and I have zero clue how I'm going to pay the bills. I'm at my wits end and occasional commissions and even less frequent freelance work has been, at best, stop gap measures.
2010 was the worst year of my adult life in many respects. I've burned bridges with friends and family with an almost regular need for help of SOME kind and the resulting depression has caused me to miss deadlines and lose clients. And looking down the line, my only realistic option may actually be moving back in with my mother just to afford me the means of saving up enough money to pull myself out of this ever deepening hole I've dug for myself. As a 36 year old man, I can't think of a greater confirmation of failure then that.
These past few years, the only saving grace has been my relationship and it's probably the only reason I haven't completely given up. As I write this, it's her birthday and I couldn't do a thing for her because we simply have no money and no means to do anything. When I'm at my worst, she reminds me that we have it better then a lot of folks out there and that I'm just one of millions of people struck down by a lousy economy, but it doesn't make me feel like any less of a loser.
I'm exhausted in ways I can't describe other then to say that I just don't feel like waking up in the morning anymore. Because waking up means having to deal with everything that needs to be done and everything that I've put off. It means the weight of the world get to be put back on my shoulders and I'm so tired of carrying it I can't describe it in words. I just want to give up.
Why can't I?
2010 was the worst year of my adult life in many respects. I've burned bridges with friends and family with an almost regular need for help of SOME kind and the resulting depression has caused me to miss deadlines and lose clients. And looking down the line, my only realistic option may actually be moving back in with my mother just to afford me the means of saving up enough money to pull myself out of this ever deepening hole I've dug for myself. As a 36 year old man, I can't think of a greater confirmation of failure then that.
These past few years, the only saving grace has been my relationship and it's probably the only reason I haven't completely given up. As I write this, it's her birthday and I couldn't do a thing for her because we simply have no money and no means to do anything. When I'm at my worst, she reminds me that we have it better then a lot of folks out there and that I'm just one of millions of people struck down by a lousy economy, but it doesn't make me feel like any less of a loser.
I'm exhausted in ways I can't describe other then to say that I just don't feel like waking up in the morning anymore. Because waking up means having to deal with everything that needs to be done and everything that I've put off. It means the weight of the world get to be put back on my shoulders and I'm so tired of carrying it I can't describe it in words. I just want to give up.
Why can't I?
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Commissions
1 min read
I'm currently finishing up a batch of commissions and thought I'd make a post letting folks know I'm open for more. I'm a drawing fool and I can draw almost anything you might want for anywhere in the range of $50 to $125 bucks! Drop me a line and let me know!
derrick@dandyandcompany.com
derrick@dandyandcompany.com
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