Which American Comics?

In yesterday's ¡Journalista!, Dirk hilights an 1.5-year-old post on Manganews, a translation of an essay by Yoshikazu Hayashida: "What makes Globalization of Japanese Comics Successful?" Go read it; I'll wait here...

Back? Okay!

The essay starts out well, with Hayashida making the accurate argument that the format of American serial comics (24- to 32-page monthlies, full-color, good quality paper) has driven the artform into a niche; whereas the Japanese standard format (large anthologies printed on the worst paper possible) has allowed manga to prosper and acquire a critical mass of content that is being exploited throughout the world.

There are historical reasons for this. At one time American comics were lengthier, had multiple stories per issue, etc. But as price pressures hit, American publishers struggled to keep the price at 10¢, lowering the page count (and ramping up the ad space) to keep the price of comics at a perceived sweet spot that could be afforded by children. In doing so they priced themselves right out of the newsstand and into comics specialty shops.

However, later in the essay, Hayashida goes off into flat-out wrong territory.

There is another reason why American comics stick to super heroes, aside from the page limit. It is because it is convenient for publishers to keep copyrights to themselves. Comics dealing with super heroes aren’t drawn by one author only. Numerous comic artists and writers draw the characters. The end result of this is that publishers insist that the creators can hold no copyrights. This an obstacle to the development of American comics and prevents improvements in quality.

I'm sure that this will come as news to comics creators like Dave Sim, Wendy & Richard Pini, Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird, Jeff Smith, Terry Moore, Chip Ware, Alison Bechdel, Sergio Aragones, Kevin Huizenga, Colleen Doran, Frank Miller, Brian O'Malley, etc.!

The statement that "publishers insist that the creators can hold no copyrights" is demonstrably wrong, even for the big two.

Hayashida makes the common mistake that American Comics = Super-heroes. They're not. Outside of comic specialty shops, they're not even in the majority.

Oddly, it was the exact same historical market conditions that led to the slimming and ghetoization of American comics which also led to the small-press and self-publishing movement. This movement has led not only to greater creative control and ownership, but also to great creativity and experimentation. I would argue that the past 30 years has seen at least as much experimentation and creativity in North American comics as in Japanese Manga (though admittedly my knowledge of the underground and art-manga movements in Japan is spotty at best).

While we're at it, let us put to rest the argument that there is no creativity or quality in corporate-owned super-hero comics. Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, Morrison's Doom Patrol, Gaiman's Sandman; all American corporate-owned comics, and all quite successful on both a creative and commercial level. Sure they are the exception rather than the norm, but they do exist and we'll continue to see the occasional gem surface.

The Japanese, North American, and European comic markets all took different paths of development over the past forty years. With the advent of globalization we're now seeing that divergent paths starting to cross again; a situation that I think will be beneficial to the art of comics as a whole. But to claim that one market is inherently more creative than another is sheer folly.

New Library Comics: Week of May 21, 2007

Here's a list of the comics that we added to our library collection last week:


The Adventures of Robin Hood /Poughkeepsie, N.Y. : Western Pub., 1974-1975. no. 5

Allison, Will. Pervert club /San Antonio, Tex. : Radio Comix, 2003. vol. 1

Anarchy comics (Berkeley, Calif.) Anarchy comics. /Berkeley, Calif. : Last Gasp, c1978- nos. 1-2

Animerica extra. /San Francisco, CA : Viz Communications, vol. 1 nos. 1-2, vol. 2 nos. 1-2

Anno, Moyoko. Happy mania /Los Angeles, Calif. : Tokyopop, c2003- vol. 1

Arcade (Berkeley, Calif.) Arcade : the comics revue. /Berkeley, Calif. : Print Mint, 1975- vol. 1 nos. 1, 5

Asprin, Robert. Thieves' world graphics /Norfolk : Starblaze Graphics, 1985-1987. vol. 3

Athonk. Bad times story /Yogyakara, Indonesia : Athonk Productions, 1995- nos. 1-2

Atumoe! : el fanzine infinit8. /Madrid : Produkziones Infinitas, [2004]- no. 2

Azuma, Kiyohiko. Azumanga Daioh /Houston, Tex. : ADV Manga, 2003- vols. 1, 3-4

Baker, Kyle. The Bakers /New York : Kyle Baker Publishing, 2005- no. 1

The Barn of fear. /Irvington, N.J. : Comic Art Gallery, c1977. no. 1

Bell, Gabrielle. Lucky /Montréal : Drawn & Quarterly Books, 2006.

Blab! (Princeton, Wis.) Blab! /[Chicago, IL : Monte Comix Productions, c1986- no. 16 2006

Bodé, Vaughn, d. 1975. Cobalt 60 /Northampton, MA : Tundra Pub., c1992. no. 1

Butler, Chris. Tick-tock follies /San Jose, CA : Slave Labor Graphics, c1996.

Caniff, Milton Arthur, 1907-1988. Terry and the pirates /New York : Flying Buttress Classics Library, c1986- vol. 1

Chain. /Philadelphia, Pa. : Temple University Dept. of English ; Berkeley, Calif. : Distributed by Small Press Distribution, c2001. no. 8

Chaykin, Howard V. Black kiss /Seattle, WA : Eros Comix, c2000.

Chiba, Jiro. The best of Sexcapades /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2004.

Chiba, Jiro. Were-slut /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2004.

Chin, Oliver Clyde, 1969- 9 of 1 : a window to the world /Berkeley, CA : Immedium Comics, 2002- no. 1

Cloonan, Becky. East coast rising /Los Angeles, CA : Tokyopop, c2006- vol. 1

Corona, Marco. Reflections /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics : Coconino Press, c2006- no. 1

Crumb, R. Big ass comics. /San Francisco : Rip-Off Press, c1969-1971. no. 2

Fearing, Mark. Cenozoic /Redondo Beach, Calif. : O-P-P, 2004- no. 1

Funabori, Nariaki. S&M university /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2003.

Geary, Rick. The case of Madeleine Smith /New York : NBM ComicsLit, 2006.

Griffith, Bill, 1944- Griffith observatory : the classic strips from 1977-1980 : with 16 previously uncollected pages /Seattle, WA : Fantagraphics Books, c1993.

Grist, Paul. Burglar Bill /England : Dancing Elephant Press, p2003- no. 1

Hergé, 1907-1983. Coke en stock /Paris : Casterman, 1986, c1958.

Hergé, 1907-1983. L'affaire tournesol /Paris : Casterman, c1984, 1956.

Hergé, 1907-1983. L'étoile mystérieuse /[Tournai] : Casterman, c1974.

Hergé, 1907-1983. L'ile noire /[Tournai] : Casterman, 1984, c1956.

Hergé, 1907-1983. L'oreille cassée /[Paris] : Casterman, c1974.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Le secret de La Licorne /[Tournai] : Casterman, c1974.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Le temple du soleil /[Tournai] : Casterman, c1977.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Le tresor de Rackham le Rouge /[Paris] : Casterman, c1973.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Les 7 boules de cristal /[Paris] : Casterman, c1975.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Les bijoux de la Castafiore /[Tournai] : Casterman, c1963.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Les cigares du pharaon /Paris : Casterman, 1983.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Tintin au Tibet /[Paris] : Casterman, [c1960], 1991.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Tintin en Amérique /[Tournai] : Casterman, c1973.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Tintin et les picaros /[Tournai] : Casterman, c1976.

Hernandez, Jamie. Ten years of Love and rockets /Seattle : Fantagraphic Books, c1992,.

Himuro, Isao. Albert Einstein /Gardena, CA : Digital Manga Pub., 2006.

Hoke, Ahmed. @Large /Los Angeles : Tokyopop, c2003- vol. 1

Huizenga, Kevin, 1977- Curses /Montréal : Drawn & Quarterly Books, 2006.

Ishida, Ira. Ikebukuro West Gate Park /Carson, CA : Viz Media, c2004-2005. vol. 1

Jansson, Tove. Moomin : the complete Tove Jansson comic strip /Montréal : Drawn & Quarterly ; New York, NY : Distributed in the USA and abroad by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006- vol. 1

Jyuubaori, Mashumaro. Voice of submission /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2004.

Kaplan, Arie. Masters of the comic book universe revealed! /Chicago : Chicago Review Press, 2006.

Kelly, Jake. Crosston /New York : J. Kelly, c2002.

Kondom. The best of The original bondage fairies /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2004

Kondom. The new bondage fairies : fairie fetish /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2003.

Kondom. The new bondage fairies /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2000- vol. 1

Kovik. Bazongas /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2002- vols. 2-3

Lee, Youngran. Lie to me /Jersey City, NJ : Net Comics, c2006.

The mammoth book of best new manga /New York : Carroll & Graf, 2006.

Mickey Mouse and Goofy explore energy conservation. /Burbank, Calif. : Walt Disney Educational Media Co., c1978.

Mickey Mouse and Goofy explore energy. /Burbank, Calif. : Walt Disney Educational Media Co., 1976.

Mome. /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, 2005- Winter 2007

Moore, Alan, 1953- Big numbers /Northampton : Mad Love (P.O. Box 61, Northampton NN1 4DD), 1990- no. 1

Mora, Victor. Sunday : mi nombre es Sunday. /Barcelona : Ediciones Glénat, S.L., c2006.

Moriarity, Pat. Big mouth : cartoons /Seattle, Wash. : Starhead Comics, 1992- nos. 1, 3-4

Newmen. Secret plot /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, 2000- vols. 1-2

Nico. Sex Inc. /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 1998.

Nilsen, Anders Brekhus, 1973- Don't go where I can't follow /Montreal, Que. : Drawn and Quarterly, 2006.

Noomin, Diane. Canarsie creeps /[United States? : D. Noomin, 1974]

O'Malley, Bryan Lee. Scott Pilgrim /Portland, OR : Oni Press, 2004- vol. 1

Ogami, Wolf. Super taboo /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 1998- vols. 1-2

Ogami, Wolf. The best of Super taboo /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2004.

Rabindranath Tagore /Bombay : India Book House, c1993.

Saavedra, Scott. Dr. Radium battles Phill, King of the pill bugs! /San Jose, Ca : Slave Labor Graphics, 2004.

Sacher, J. And my also /[Canada?] : Meathaus, c2002.

Savage, Dan. Savage love, the comic. /Seattle, WA : Bear Bones Press, 1994- no. 1

Seth, 1962- Wimbledon Green : the greatest comic book collector in the world /Montreal : Drawn and Quarterly ; New York : Distributed in the USA by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005.

Shintani, Kaoru. Area 88 /Forestville, CA : Eclipse Comics ; San Francisco, CA : Viz Communications, c1987- nos. 1-5

Suzuki, Kōji, 1957- Dark water /Houston, Tex. : ADV Manga, 2004.

Tagami, Yoshihisa. Horobi /San Francisco, Calif. : Viz Premiere Comics, 1990- pt. 1 nos. 1-3

Takahashi, Hiroshi. Worst /Carson, CA : Digital Manga Publishing, 2004- vol. 1

Tamaoki, Benkyo. Sex-philes /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2003-2004. vol. 1

Tanuma, Yuichiro. Princess of darkness /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2001.

TenNapel, Doug. Tommysaurus rex /Orange, CA : Image Comics, 2004- vol. 1

Tezuka, Osamu, 1928-1989. Black Jack : operation down under /San Francisco, Calif. : Viz Comics, c1987.

Tezuka, Osamu, 1928-1989. Black Jack : under the knife /San Francisco, Calif. : Viz Comics, c1987.

Tezuka, Osamu, 1928-1989. Phoenix /San Francisco, CA : Viz, c2003- vol. 9

Thomas, Roy. The ring of the Nibelung /New York, NY : DC Comics, 1989- no. 1

The Tijuana Bibles : America's forgotten comic strips /Seattle, WA : Eros Comix, 1996- vol. 4

Usui, Yoshito. Crayon Shinchan /Fremont, CA : Comicsone, c2002- vol. 1

Van Lente, Fred. Action philosophers! : the lives and thoughts of history's A-list brain trust told in a hip and humorous fashion /Brooklyn, NY : Evil Twin Comics, 2006- vol. 2

Ware, Chris, 1967- Jimmy Corrigan, or, The smartest kid on Earth /Seattle, WA. : Fantagraphics Books, 1995.

Ware, Chris, 1967- Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid on earth /Seattle, WA. : Fantagraphics Books, [1995]

Ware, Chris, 1967- Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid on Earth /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, [1998]

Ware, Chris, 1967- Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid on Earth /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, c1997.

Ware, Chris, 1967- Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid on Earth /Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, c1997.

Ware, Chris, 1967- The acme novelty datebook : sketches and diary pages in facsimile, 1986-1995 /Montréal : Drawn and Quarterly, 2005.

Ware, F. C. Scenes of early childhood. /Chicago : Acme Novelty, c2006.

Williams, Dylan. Reporter : Little black /[Portland, OR] : Sparkplug Comic Books, c2002.

Yaco, Link. Space chicks and businessmen, or, They came for sperm /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2000.

Yamamoto, Hideo, 1968- Voyeurs, Inc. /San Francisco, Calif. : Viz Communications, c2000- vol. 2

Yui, Toshiki. Misty girl extreme /Seattle, Wash. : Eros Comix, 2003.

Yuki, Masami. Mobile police patlabor /San Francisco, CA : Viz Communications, 1998- vols. 1-2