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View Full Version : July 4th and a true American Art Form



Emerald Archer
07-04-2002, 01:37 AM
Happy Birthday America!

I don't want to sound jingoistic here, so please I do not mean to offend anyone who happens to disagree with this post as far as personal opinions go, but as far as facts, well as Paul Harvey would say, here's the rest of the story.

The comic book, that which all of us who come here have a deep love affair for, is a unique American institution. While in other countries compilations of the "Sunday Funnies" were printed in a book form, original stories were not. That was an American invention. To be honest, and I am ashamed to admit this, I don't remember what the first all new comic book was about, but I do know that it had little resemblance to what we cherish today.

This is the first 7/4 since 9/11. And the events of that most singular of days, have changed all of us, for better or worse that is up to the individual to decide. But I have to say how proud I was of the comic book industry for releasing all those marvelous volumes that spoke to the events of that day. In some small way, perhaps some of us took a little comfort in our old four color worlds.

So today, the birthday of one of the greatest countries on the planet, and a hopeful symbol to millions around the world, I just want to say thank you. First to this land that I have grown up in. We may not be perfect, god knows, and we make more than our fair share of mistakes, but we do in general try to do that which is right. And I also want to say thank you to those of you here at the Comics forum who have read my stuff and commented on it since I first started posting here in April. For this forum, and the tens of thousands like it on the internet, are perhaps some of the finest examples of why our forefathers decided to create this nation, dedicated that all men are created equal.

And a final thanks to my friends that I grew up with. Thank you Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Flash, Green Lantern, The Original Captain Marvel, Iron Man, the list goes on................

Let's hope in another 226 years our desendets will be coming here, or a place much like it, to discuss yet another clue in the Bruce Wayne Fugative Story line (wink wink, nudge nudge), or the equally compelling real life story of Kevin Smith VI as he leaves Marvel to go to work for DC for the 19th time:)

As Stan the man would say:

Excelsior True Belivers.

Emerald Archer

jm5150bc
07-06-2002, 11:37 PM
Great Post, Dude... You really hit it right on the head...

I too am proud to be a 30-plus-years comics fan, and an animation fan- the OTHER true American art form. We were the first to do animation as well... even though Japan is doing great stuff these days, too, they also acknowledge that fact- The "Big-Eyes" that you see on most of those characters started out as a tribute to Walt Disney (they were modelled after Bambi's !!).

I am also happy to say that my kids (8 and 6 years old) are quite the fans, too... something that I hope they will pass on to their kids, someday...

Salvor
07-08-2002, 07:35 AM
Originally posted by emeraldarcher
Happy Birthday America! The comic book, that which all of us who come here have a deep love affair for, is a unique American institution. While in other countries compilations of the "Sunday Funnies" were printed in a book form, original stories were not. That was an American invention.
No offense, I have nothing against America, but saying the comic book is "an American institution" is quite unfair. Granted, Little Nemo was an American comic book, but Tintin traveled in Congo and in the USSR long before Superman or Batman were even born. In the early 20s, many Belgian and French artists and writers came up with "original stories" published in what we call albums, which entailed the possibility for much longer stories than what the basic comic book format offered at that time.

So let's not forget the Europeans :)

Emerald Archer
07-08-2002, 09:46 AM
I was hesitante to post my musing on the nature of the art form. According to Mike Benton's "The Comic Book in America" published in 1989 ISBN 0-87833-659-1, the full color original comic book story was unique to America. I don't want to be contrary here, but at least the research I have done states that the comic book as we now know it was an original American invention. As far as it being an American Instituition, it is. Anything that becomes an intregral part of a culture is considered an instituional part of it. Comics have become an inergral part of the American Cultural scene, so that makes them an institution. They can also be a British Institution or a French one as well, if they have become highly intergrated into the society.


A little clarification goes a long way

Emerald Archer