Comic Books With Political News

Some say that "Captain America" and "Superman" were little more than symbols of American patriotism, calling citizens to accept the call of duty for their country and do something larger than life.

Superman fought the Japanese during WWI and Captain America punched Hitler in the face during WWII. However, today's political news resounds through the comic graphic novels world in an entirely different way now.

Some dark comics came out of the Reagan years, but superheroes have been plunged into all-out civil warfare against their own governments.

Political news isn't always so directly reported through comic book art, though. Sometimes, events in modern life are paralleled through events in the comic book heroes universe.

For example, Marvel Comic's "Civil War," released in 2007, introduces an epic battle following the passage of "the Superhuman Registration Act" (much like the Patriot Act in our world), which asks that people trade in some of their liberties for security.

The Registration, more specifically, requires all costumed heroes to be licensed and trained, disclosing their secret identities to the government. While some characters in the DC Universe, like Fantastic Four's Reed Richards and Iron Man support the registration, others like Captain America develop an underground resistance.

Spiderman initially supports the idea so much he unmasks himself on live television, but later recants when he sees the Abu Ghraib-like prisons. Whether these obtuse allegories are an effective way of making a political statement or not remains to be seen.

There are also political news people like K. Thor Jensen and Jenny Gonzalez who focus on war stories. In "House of Twelve Goes To War," the depictions focus on little-known aspects of the War on Terrorism. "Some sad, some action-packed, some unfathomable, but I promise you each and every one is 100% true," the website declares.

"Team 12 was drafted by the government and forced into working towards its war effort. When we returned, we decided the truth must be told in the most effective way possible; auto-bio comics! These are our stories of our experiences during the Great War."

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Exploring Universal Themes With Comic Books

Call it a friendly rivalry, but DC Comic Books and Marvel Comic Books have been on top of the graphic novels world since the 1930s. Despite newer labels, like Dark Horse Comics and IDW, it's unlikely that any other major publisher can supersede these leading giants.

While both graphic novels series explore universal themes, like the conflict between good and evil, the natural human aversion to anything that rebukes the status quo, and what drives human behavior. Yet there are also many clear distinctions that set the two publishers apart.

There are subtle but noticeable differences between Marvel and DC comic books. DC superheroes are focused on their own lives and purpose, whereas Marvel heroes are being hit with villains and extreme situations at every turn.

DC characters are proud of their abilities and strong in their beliefs, often delving into superhero life because they feel tremendous emotional/psychological drives to do what's right and seek justice. In contrast, Marvel comic characters struggle with the burden of their powers more often than not and long to pursue other ambitions.

In the end, it's hard to really say which comic book series reigns supreme. DC, the old dinosaur, has the oldest legacy of all comic books and can rightfully claim the invention of superheroes as we know them (with Superman debuting in 1938).

Their characters were perfect, supreme, and almost god-like in their abilities and powers. However, Marvel Comic Books brought a whole new spin on superheroes with their modern take; that many superheroes were just ordinary people with day jobs and complex emotions, yet wound up finding their callings as heroes (or villains) following a series of unusual events.

Many comic fans will read both so the rivalry has always been friendly, but a person's favorite character may say a lot about why he or she reads.

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Finding A Job As A Comic Book Artist

The life of a comic book artist is much like any other in the creative field, such as writing, acting, fashion design, animation, in that it requires a certain kind of person to endure the arduous process.

If you can create a dynamic portfolio that showcases diversity and talent, then you're well on your way to being "marketable" to the comic book industry. Although, there will also be a lot of self-motivated networking at comic conventions, pitching to publishers, meeting new people and applying to freelance jobs online.

The good news is that dedication often pays off with more secure contracts over time and you'll find yourself with a rather rewarding, creative career ahead of you.

Your success is often dependent on your own personal motivation. Mike Mignola, Hellboy's comic book creator, says he works seven days a week from 9am - 9pm at his home studio, taking breaks throughout the day as needed.

That is one perk of this job; that you are relatively free to craft your own schedule, although there are deadlines.

"If you're working for a comic publisher like Marvel or DC Comics, you usually have to turn around a five to six page strip in about three weeks," says British comic book artist Jim McCarthy. "A graphic novel takes much longer – it might be eighteen months to two years from the original inception to a finished book."

Unfortunately, finding a comic book artist job isn't always easy. DC and Marvel Comic Books are considered very competitive to get into, so most newcomers will have to prove themselves and seek out smaller, independent jobs first.

Job sites like www.digitalwebbing.com, www.coroflot.com, www.simplyhired.com, www.getafreelancer.com and www.craigslist.org are becoming increasingly popular ways to find work. Yet the best way is said to be good, old-fashioned leg work and towing your portfolio to convention after convention and dazzling publishers with your resume and eye-catching illustrations.

For more resources on getting started, be sure to check out www.comicbookresources.com and www.theaoi.com.

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The Universe Of Marvel Comics

Marvel comic books have truly endured the test of time, with nearly seventy years in the comic book industry. What started as a few niche pulp magazines sprouted into an entire Marvel Comics Universe, including comic books, trading cards, films, merchandise and "Motion Comic" DVDs.

While technology has thrust comic book heroes from the glossy pages of a magazine to computer screens, cell phones and the big screen, the characters and storylines have proved to be timeless.

In the 1960s, editor and visionary Stan Lee was given complete creative control in the studio. He enlisted the comic book art of Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby, who created comic book heroes like X-Men, Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Dr. Strange and the Silver Surfer.

What makes Marvel Comics distinct from DC Comics is that the characters have a more human appeal. Unlike comic book heroes like Superman or Wonder Woman, who were born with super powers, the Marvel heroes were created through science accidents or dramatic events.

The settings were in real places like New York City, Los Angeles or Toronto and the struggles were very real as many of the "anti-heroes" struggled with vices (like explosive anger) and psychological tension.

Many of the Marvel heroes didn't really want to be heroes and longed for normalcy. In later years, some comic book characters even struggled with drug addictions or turned from good to bad.

Marvel Comics publisher Dan Buckley is looking to the future. He hopes that people will continue reading comic books using new formats like motion comics, as well as cell-phone and iPod comics or downloadable issues.

He does worry about the loyal little comic book store owner, though. "We don't want to do anything to hurt anyone in the short term. We're still quibbling about what the primary form of revenue will be," Buckley said, relaying that some comics can be found online for free.

So far the internet has been a great promotional tool for the comic book industry.

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DC Comics With Popular Superheroes

Perhaps no one understands the concept of "heroes and villains" or "good versus bad" as well as Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. Malcolm was born into a highly regarded Portland family who entertained guests such as Teddy Roosevelt and Rudyard Kipling.

He found his calling as a young army officer, serving around the world in Japan and Russia. According to Wheeler-Nicholson, he "chased bandits on the Mexican border, fought fevers and played polo in the Philippines, led a battalion of infantry against the Bolsheviki in Siberia, helped straighten out the affairs of the army in France [and] commanded the headquarters cavalry of the American force in the Rhine."

It was only fitting then, that he would go on to found DC Comics, leaving behind a legacy of graphic novels that took a closer look at the struggle between heroes and villains.

Following the "Golden Age of comic books" came the "Silver Age" of the 1950s and 1960s, where DC Comics superheroes became a little more human. The Flash was the first DC character that wasn't created by supernatural or alien means.

He had been human, until a lab accident imbued him with superhero powers. While many more characters would follow this model, particularly by Marvel Comic Books, The Flash was the precursor and inspired an amalgamation of science fiction and superheroes that persists even today.

DC Comics may be the oldest of the "superhero" genre, although it's certainly not the only one. Its rival, Marvel Comics, has seen decades of illustrious success, picking up its steam in the 1960s, pushing comics graphic novels to new heights as a way to grapple with psychological issues and purge frustrations with oneself and society at large.

There will always be heroes and villains in the world so it's unlikely that this medium, which is often passed down from generation to generation, will ever die.

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The Popularity Of Anime Comics

Gen-X'ers and older Gen-Y's grew up in the 1980s, when comic book series cartoons like "The X-Men," "Justice League," "Captain America," "Teen Titans," "Spider-Man," "Batman," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "The Transformers."

As these kids aged, they became adults in their 20s and 30s, creating comic book movie blockbusters to keep the legacy going. The next generation of younger Gen-Y's would look to Japan and China for their comic book series.

They grew up with "Dragonball Z," "Pokemon" and "Sailor Moon." Anime comics came to America with surprising fervor and it's not likely to dissipate anytime soon.

Moreover, the messages in anime comics reach today's youth at a level that traditional DC or Marvel comic books missed. Anime focuses more on emotions, relationship struggles, introspection, adventurous personal quests and the hero's journey; all in surreal, magical surroundings.

Unlike cartoons for kids, anime characters will die and complex relationships are formed. Nothing is off-limits in the anime world, not even sex or violence. People are confronted with deep concepts and provoked to think about the meaning of life. In a way, it's the softer, psychological side of Marvel, blended with the magical, omniscient qualities of a DC superhero: the best of both worlds.

For the male fans, some manga comics are adapted to show sexier heroines -- some in their coy school girl uniforms, others with more Westernized curves and futuristic apparel. Yet for the female fans, plots center on soap opera type stories of love, longing and character development. In fact, women make up half the attendees at the anime comics conventions.

Perhaps the reason for AD Vision's success is that they're all fans of anime comics and manga comics themselves. "Everybody here in some capacity loves anime very passionately, or they love manga," admits John Ledford.

Currently, he's looking at more movie opportunities, particularly for "Neon Genesis Evangelion," thanks to rampant demand from anime fans.

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Big Screen Success With Comic Book Movies

The first comic book series to be adapted to the small screen was "Superman," which debuted as a TV series in 1966. It wasn't until 1966 when "Batman: the Movie" came out, later followed by "Superman: The Movie" in 1978, that the genre of full-length comic book movies really took off. The characters were so "real" to audiences that many say there will never be another Superman like Christopher Reeves or another Batman like Adam West.

While the 1995 movie "Batman Forever" (directed this time by Joel Schumacher) proved to be more financially successful than its predecessor, the critics weren't as generous and criticizing everything from the "hard-rubber bat suit" and "obviously fake, computer-generated Gotham City" to Tommy Lee Jones' "Harvey Dent knock-off" performance and the "predictable climax."

Nevertheless, audiences believed in comic book movies and they went to see the 1997 "Batman and Robin" in mass droves, bumping the comic book movie to #1 at the box office that week, and yet the aftermath was such an abysmal failure that "Batman" George Clooney offered to personally "refund anyone who had the misfortune of paying to see it." If it weren't for director Christopher Nolan's brilliant stroke of genius, the Schumacher legacy may have tainted the Batman franchise forever.

"You could tell having seen Iron Man and having seen Batman, that the writers and producers and directors now know how to treat these movies," Marvel Comic creator Stan Lee said.

He added that comic book movies will continue to get better and better with new technology and adaptations. Coming up in 2009 is Marvel's highly anticipated "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" prequel, starring Hugh Jackman, in addition to another "Punisher" movie. "Iron Man 2," "Thor," "The Avengers," "Spider-Man 4" and another "Captain America" are also reportedly in development for subsequent years.

As for DC, "The Spirit" and "The Watchmen" are set for release in 2008 and 2009, the latter of which has many comic book fans talking. Several more movies have been in development for the past few years, including: "Superman (reboot)," "The Green Lantern," "The Justice League of America," "Wonder Woman" and "Batman 3."

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