Comments on: Comics are for kids (well, these are) http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/ The Blog@ Team and prominent comics personalities share what’s on their minds. Wed, 22 May 2013 20:49:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: david brothers http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/comment-page-1/#comment-15037 david brothers Mon, 11 Sep 2006 16:57:37 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/#comment-15037 The problem with saying "Manga does this, where comics do this other thing" is that it's a generalization that only takes into account a small sampling of either group. I hesitate to say medium, because manga = comics. Manga is for girls-- but there's also a subset of manga dedicated to showing disturbing things happening to pre-teen girls. Manga has different kinds of art-- but comics have Flight, CP Smith, Scott Kolins, Amanda Conner, etc etc etc Manga has different genres-- comics don't? Even a lot of tights'n'fights comics tend to run romance (Spidey Loves MJ), superspy/intrigue (Captain America under Bru), noir (Daredevil under Bendis, Bru, Miller), etc. People have set up this kind of false divide between manga and comics like they're two totally different things. One isn't inherently more kid-friendly than one is more creative or deft or whatever. They're the same. Both of peaks and valleys, crap books and good books. For every Avatar Comics and La Blue Girl, we've got an Daredevil and One Piece. Also, 30 new series every month? Are they <i>serious</i>? That's going to lead to a killer amount of oversaturation and then correction. The problem with saying “Manga does this, where comics do this other thing” is that it’s a generalization that only takes into account a small sampling of either group. I hesitate to say medium, because manga = comics.

Manga is for girls– but there’s also a subset of manga dedicated to showing disturbing things happening to pre-teen girls.
Manga has different kinds of art– but comics have Flight, CP Smith, Scott Kolins, Amanda Conner, etc etc etc
Manga has different genres– comics don’t? Even a lot of tights’n'fights comics tend to run romance (Spidey Loves MJ), superspy/intrigue (Captain America under Bru), noir (Daredevil under Bendis, Bru, Miller), etc.

People have set up this kind of false divide between manga and comics like they’re two totally different things. One isn’t inherently more kid-friendly than one is more creative or deft or whatever. They’re the same. Both of peaks and valleys, crap books and good books. For every Avatar Comics and La Blue Girl, we’ve got an Daredevil and One Piece.

Also, 30 new series every month? Are they serious? That’s going to lead to a killer amount of oversaturation and then correction.

]]> By: Kat Kan http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/comment-page-1/#comment-15029 Kat Kan Mon, 11 Sep 2006 15:47:13 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/#comment-15029 Manga art depicts motion in a way I haven't seen done in most superhero comics. There's a very kinetic esthetic going on in the action comics, you can almost feel the motion going on, whether characters are running or fighting or spaceships are traveling in space. And there are different styles of drawing in manga. Azuma Kiyohiko can never be mistaken for Rumiko Takahashi, who can't be mistaken for CLAMP, etc. And frankly, most manga appeal to girls who don't want to see superhero bimbos with impossible physiques clad in spandex, nor are most of them enamored of the male super heroes, either (although I know some who love Robin and Nightwing). A lot of teen girls love manga because of the stories, because they stay away from super hero fights and might focus more on romance or simple interpersonal relationships. There are manga with lots of mecha (giant fighting robots), martial arts action, or racing cars, comedy manga set in high schools, horror manga that depend more on atmosphere and psychological suspense than slasher stuff, mysteries, sports, rock music, history, ... the list goes on and on. People love manga for the same reasons people love comics - the stories, the characters, the creators ... Manga art depicts motion in a way I haven’t seen done in most superhero comics. There’s a very kinetic esthetic going on in the action comics, you can almost feel the motion going on, whether characters are running or fighting or spaceships are traveling in space. And there are different styles of drawing in manga. Azuma Kiyohiko can never be mistaken for Rumiko Takahashi, who can’t be mistaken for CLAMP, etc. And frankly, most manga appeal to girls who don’t want to see superhero bimbos with impossible physiques clad in spandex, nor are most of them enamored of the male super heroes, either (although I know some who love Robin and Nightwing). A lot of teen girls love manga because of the stories, because they stay away from super hero fights and might focus more on romance or simple interpersonal relationships. There are manga with lots of mecha (giant fighting robots), martial arts action, or racing cars, comedy manga set in high schools, horror manga that depend more on atmosphere and psychological suspense than slasher stuff, mysteries, sports, rock music, history, … the list goes on and on. People love manga for the same reasons people love comics – the stories, the characters, the creators …

]]> By: Jesse http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/comment-page-1/#comment-15021 Jesse Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:29:05 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/2006/09/11/comics-are-for-kids-well-these-are/#comment-15021 Is manga really that much more visually dynamic? I guess the question is what does he mean by visually dynamic. If he just means "action" then I would have though your avereage managa is about equal compared to your average superhero book. If he means a larger variety of styles then I'm still kind of dumbfounded because most of the Manga I've seen (which is admittedly a very small amount) looks like it's been drawn by the same guy. Is manga really that much more visually dynamic? I guess the question is what does he mean by visually dynamic. If he just means “action” then I would have though your avereage managa is about equal compared to your average superhero book. If he means a larger variety of styles then I’m still kind of dumbfounded because most of the Manga I’ve seen (which is admittedly a very small amount) looks like it’s been drawn by the same guy.

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