boyajian@akov68.DEC (JERRY BOYAJIAN) (12/10/85)
> From: ucbcory!cc-30 (Kathy Li) > Why is it that the numerous film genres have survived, while > in comics, only the superhero seems to be alive and well? Good question. Of course, there *are* other genres. The Archie comics are still thriving, and the independents have been tossing out more non-superhero comics as time goes on, comics like JOURNEY and MS. TREE, graphic novel series like TORPEDO and KELLY GREEN, and comic strip reprints like MODESTY BLAISE and DICK TRACY. But compared with what was available 25 years ago, it does seem like there isn't much besides superheroes these days. Why is this so in comics, but not in other media. Mostly for the same reason why I prefer to read superhero comics (though I'll point out rather forcefully that I don't turn my nose up at non-superhero comics). The simple answer is that the other genres can fit well into the other media, but super- heroes cannot. Special effects technology is not even close to the point of being able to realisticly duplicate superpowers. And don't throw out SUPERMAN as a counter-example, because, as strange as it sounds, Superman's powers are a walk in the park compared to most. And the prose medium doesn't work well because the superhero genre needs to be visual for its impact. Comic books and cartoons are the only media that are truly suited to the superhero genre. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Acton-Nagog, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...} !decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.DEC.COM