as eclectic as it gets

Discuss Scott McCloud's current online comic project. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.scottmccloud.com/comics/mi/mi.html">the latest improv</a>!

Moderators: Scott McCloud, Moderators

Locked
sillyfran
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:13 pm

as eclectic as it gets

Post by sillyfran »

I've read and liked the 100 things about comics that Alan David Loane loves and that got me thinking. And since it was from this site that i linked, i thought maybe i'll write some of that over here.

The list is very eclectic, that's true, but it perfectly ilustrates something i've been thinking about latley.
Some british artist made a piece that was called something like "The History of Art", that consisted on a list of about 100 artists and works of art that she considered the most important in the world.
Later on, some Argentinean artist made another pice, called "Your memory finishes while mine begins", wich consisted in some other 100 items that the british artist omited, mostly from Latin America and Africa.
The funny thing was that while the Argentinean guy knew most of the items from the british thingy, the british artist knew only a very few of the other list.

I know that this was just a personal list of fauvorites, but i cannot avoyd thinking that i know all the items on he's list and, probably, Alan David Loane won't know a huge part of mine.


Most of the people in Argentina don't know any comics because they are poor. What's you excuse?
I mean, the lucky few of us in Argentina that can be into comics are readers of North AND South American Comics, Manga, Band Desinee, italian and spanish comics, etc.
The lucky few people of the United States who are into comics are mostly aware only of north american comics and some manga.

The question is: why is that? Is north american audience just not interested in looking more into anything that's not so self centered? Comics are published only by the republican party?

I don't know, maybe i'm wrong, but that's the feeling i get from where i'm standing (a third worlded country with a huge tradition in comics),

Bye bye,
-Fran Lopez (the questions are there because i would like to know what north american readers think about it. why is it that SO few foreign comics are published in english? you people are missing out a whole lot)

PD: Now that i think about it, maybe that's THE good thing about being on the economical and cultural periferia, you don't miss out on certain things
User avatar
Greg Stephens
Forum Founder
Posts: 3862
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 7:00 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Greg Stephens »

I didn't really think much of Alan David Doane's list, but I thought it was just because I'm contrary. Or maybe a snob. It's hard to tell the difference, sometimes.

I also thought that a list of 100 things somebody likes about comics should have contained fewer blanket references to comics or comics creators and more specifics. I mean, for example, instead of listing "The Ultimates," say something about it- "Val Kilmer's appearance as Hank Pym in The Ultimates." Instead of listing "Barry Windsor-Smith," say "Barry Windsor-Smith's pre-Raphaelite figures in Jack Kirby worlds."
Good morning! That's a nice tnetennba.
William G
Reinvents understanding
Posts: 560
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 4:06 am
Location: South central...Korea. Word.

Re: as eclectic as it gets

Post by William G »

sillyfran wrote:The question is: why is that? Is north american audience just not interested in looking more into anything that's not so self centered?
Because in North America, a very, very, very small percentage of people still read comics. Comics are a niche market now, much like making velvet elvis paintings. And like all niche markets, they cater to specific tastses.

To put it more cynically: They're not entertainment in North America like they are in the rest of the world. They're a product for geek obsessiveness.
sillyfran
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:13 pm

Post by sillyfran »

Comics are a niche market now, much like making velvet elvis paintings. And like all niche markets, they cater to specific tastses.
As far as i know, argentinean comics market is a much much much smaller "niche" than north american. A fact: Argentinean comics usually print 2000 copies, except a very very very few rare popular exeptions.
Spain has a niche market too, but the diversity is astonishing.

What's the difference between spanish small comic audience and north american small comic audience?
Or maybe it's just north american publishers who are missing out on stuff the audience would be interested in?
Tim Tylor
Consistant Poster
Posts: 168
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2003 5:24 pm
Location: Cornwall, Great Britain

Re: as eclectic as it gets

Post by Tim Tylor »

sillyfran wrote:I mean, the lucky few of us in Argentina that can be into comics are readers of North AND South American Comics, Manga, Band Desinee, italian and spanish comics, etc.
The lucky few people of the United States who are into comics are mostly aware only of north american comics and some manga.
Are the North American comics available in translation, or do you read them in the original english? I was wondering how much language barriers affect things.
sillyfran
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:13 pm

Post by sillyfran »

Are the North American comics available in translation, or do you read them in the original english? I was wondering how much language barriers affect things.
Both.
There are argentinean editions of Marvel and DC stuff. But all the rest can easily be found from spain's publishers. And there are a lot of things published in spain. A lot of things. They are publishing anything from James Kochalka to Vertigo. From Blankets to Understanding comics...
Locked