Tag Archives: Steve Ditko

October 15, 2013 · 8:32 pm

Review: SUPERHEROES: A NEVER-ENDING BATTLE on PBS

Superman, Fleischer Studios, 1941-1942

“When you strip everything away, what you’re looking at is a stranger in a strange land who doesn’t want to be isolated from the world,” says comic book writer Mark Waid, in summing up what a superhero is all about in a remarkable PBS series, “Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle.” Viewers will be able to watch all three episodes in one feature length presentation tonight, 8pm/7pm Central. Go to PBS for more details here. And, don’t forget, there are super treats after the show: you can purchase the DVD or Blu-ray, with plenty of bonus features, and you can purchase a gorgeous hardcover book companion with a treasure trove of additional material (review here).

Superhero comics are always up for a good fight, especially when it comes to survival of the fittest. As this comprehensive documentary makes clear, it didn’t take long before such early creations as Superman and Batman gained popularity. Once on top, it’s hard to see yourself anywhere else. And so the race was on to stay on top. However, comics aren’t a simple product that you can easily manipulate for maximum profit, or else that wasn’t exactly the plan. For example, when Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, a couple of lonely and poverty-stricken teenagers in Cleveland, created Superman in 1934, they weren’t thinking about demographics. No, they were thinking about heroics in the very best sense of the word. It is that kind of spirit that has made its way through this rather complex world of superhero comics. Yes, it is a business but it is also married to art. Sometimes it’s a happy marriage and sometimes not so much.

The thrust of this documentary, its inevitable center of gravity, spins around this odd mixture of commerce and creativity. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just sell funny books at a handsome profit and keep everyone happy? A win-win, right? But there are no clear-cut win-wins in life. As we progress from the early golden age, we get a greater sense of the challenges that lay ahead for superhero comics. In this documentary, the timeline is split into three: “Truth, Justice, and the American Way (1938-1958),” “Great Power, Great Responsibility (1959-1977),” and “A Hero Can Be Anyone (1978-Present).” This is tidy way of making sense of the evolution of the industry for general audiences. It loosely follows the comic book eras that collectors and fans acknowledge, based on the dominant artists, writers, and trends of the times: Golden (1938-1950), Silver (1956-1970), Bronze (1970-1985), and Modern (1986-Present). Given all the potential detours, this documentary sets a clear path. It tends to be upbeat but it is also honest. Creators are key to getting a product out to market but creators aren’t always appreciated or compensated accordingly.

"Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." by Jim Steranko, 1968

“Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” by Jim Steranko, Marvel Comics, 1968

A very good example of a creator forced to fight for his rights is Jim Steranko. There are plenty of others like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. For the purposes of this documentary, Steranko has been enlisted to represent the A-Team. Steranko proves an eloquent soul with killer chops as an artist and visionary. At just the time when the Pop Art movement was recontextualizing superhero comics, Steranko was using those very same artistic techniques to create groundbreaking comics that undoubtedly rose to the level of art. Without a stitch of dialogue, or captions, he created panel after panel of comics narrative. However, when it came time for payment, Marvel Comics wanted to hold back payment related to writing for any pages without actual text. Steranko had to resort to a macho man confrontation. Marvel Comics chose to pay in full. Ah, the giddy ’60s, a time when you could still threaten to use your fists to settle a dispute and get what you rightly deserved.

“Green Lantern/Green Arrow,” by Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams, DC Comics, 1971

While all of us that follow comics are more than a little familiar with how superhero comics have shifted to a more mature audience, despite its apparent roots as entertainment for kids, what this documentary helps put into perspective are the factors that led to that shift. To the credit of Marvel Comics and DC Comics, commerce and creativity can and do meet in interesting ways. One shining example is at a point in the culture when drug use had reached alarming levels. Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams, at DC Comics, were keen to do a story that spoke to the dangers of drug use. But, at the time, the Comics Authority, a holdover from another era that still policed comics, did not allow any mention of drugs. Stan Lee, at Marvel Comics, also wanted to tackle the topic–and he did in a landmark Spider-Man story. It was a game changer and bust the doors open wide. No more Comics Authority. A new relevance for comics. In time, this new freedom would lead to further experimentation, and bring forth another player into the business, Image Comics.

It is to the credit of filmmaker Michael Kantor for tuning in as well as he did to his subject. You can think of this documentary as on par with a Ken Burns documentary. In other words, it’s a stellar job that digs deep and rewards the viewer with greater insight. Be sure to tune in tonight, same Bat time, same Bat channel, on your local PBS station. Go to PBS for more details here.

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Filed under Comics, DC Comics, Documentaries, Image Comics, Marvel Comics, PBS, Superheroes

Tagged as Art, arts, Batman, comics, Documentaries, Entertainment, graphic novels, Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko, Media, PBS, Pop Culture, Publishing, Spider-Man, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, superheroes, Superman

March 8, 2013 · 8:23 pm

COPRA #4 Review

“COPRA” is a 24-page monthly comic, full of handmade goodness, and a force of nature. And it proves that sometimes the best thing to do is to do it yourself. That is what Brooklyn cartoonist Michel Fiffe has concluded. He is on a quest to create something different and compelling. It is a journey that began with aspiring to the work of Steve Ditko and led to a deeper understanding of Ditko and beyond and…”COPRA.”

Working at a breakneck pace, Michel Fiffe is currently doing what he can, with all his heart and talent, to bring you the very best in monthly original superhero comics. If you like the more balls-to-the-wall offbeat stuff, you’ll love this. Think “Suicide Squad,” for instance. Or “Doom Patrol.” Well, that’s some DC Comics. On the Marvel side, think “Doctor Strange” or…well, you get the picture. Fiffe is after carving out his own niche within that wonderful world of ragtag heroes taking on sinister forces.

Fiffe is aware of what he’s trying to conjure up. The world of independent alternative comics and mainstream superhero comics are two separate worlds that, over the years, have made some very compelling interconnections. The term, “fusion comics,” was coined by Frank Santoro to define this melding of indie with superhero. Fiffe writes about it here.

As a fusion cartoonist, Fiffe rides the new wave with just the right understated gusto. Characters, for example, in his hybrid of indie and superhero are decidedly uncharismatic. They are everyday people, at their core, rather than glamorous and sexy. You might think of Peter Parker, for instance, as being a classic everyman but no, he’s not really. He’s just too likable. He’s just too cute and well put together compared to what’s possible. This is not to needlessly slam Spider-Man since the love for the guy remains for Fiffe and, most likely, for you, dear reader. It’s more a desire, I think, to subvert expectations and insert something raw and new that motivates Fiffe.

Art is a complicated thing. It is not delicate. It is not aloof. Art is heroic and dramatic as well as purposeful. Fiffe is answering that call. “COPRA,” I suspect, is intentionally messy and cluttered. Just like a house packed with housemates, and their uninvited friends, creating confusing and frustrating chatter, random and unfiltered, so goes “COPRA.” This comic welcomes that mundane reality. The characters are constantly bickering like malcontents, like run of the mill housemates. No one stands out. The plot takes on that shaggy dog vibe too. It can be hard to follow all the way and that, according to your taste, can be fascinating or not. Too much text crammed into too small spaces doesn’t help the cause either. That said, I tend to want to fall in with being intrigued by it all.

Basically, you’ve got a bunch of the most strange and unlikely heroes doing battle with another bunch of the most strange and unlikely villains. That alone, can be a lot of fun. Yes, this comic has a certain something about it. I was about to say, “energy,” but it’s of a subversive kind. These characters, this plot, the action, the ass kicking, all move at a snail’s pace. Is it offbeat simply for the sake of being offbeat? Well, try it on for size and see what you think. The lack of clarity will prove a stumbling block. Based on his observations on the back page of “COPRA,” Fiffe states that he’s not afraid to run with an idea and just go with, not edit himself. To create on the fly is like walking on a tight rope..without a net.

Getting back to “fusion comics,” Marvel and DC Comics, to their credit, have brought in cartoonists from the “underground” and put them behind the wheel of some awesome stuff. It doesn’t get any better, for instance, when DC Comics gives Paul Pope the keys to the Batmobile. One of the most notable experiments was some years back when Marvel Comics did a remake of “Omega the Unknown” with Farel Dalrymple as artist and novelist Johnathan Lethem as writer. Most unusual and yet it has become an accepted practice to mix things up, from time to time, when finding talent for mainstream superheroes. Maybe it is just a matter of time before Marvel and DC Comics come calling Fiffe. Frankly, it probably won’t be soon but you never know. Whatever the case, Michel Fiffe should come out alright.

In conclusion, “COPRA” is a highly imaginative and daring comic. The plot remains too insular, seeming to follow its own internal logic. It should be opened up more for readers. I am betting that will happen. And I welcome your viewpoint if you believe that to already be happening. Experimental comics are a unique nut to crack. That said, I also believe this comic deserves a continued look. Who knows where “COPRA” or Michel Fiffe, for that matter, will be in a few years. No doubt, it will be some place interesting.

Visit Michel Fiffe’s site here. You can order copies directly through Fiffe. And to make it more fun, let your comics shop know about “COPRA” if they haven’t gotten the word yet.

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Filed under Alternative Comics, Comics, Comics Reviews, Comix, Fusion Comics, Michel Fiffe, Steve Ditko, Superheroes, Underground Comics

Tagged as alternative comics, comic books, comics, Comix, doom patrol, Entertainment, frank santoro, Fusion Comics, Pop Culture, Steve Ditko, superheroes

August 5, 2012 · 5:37 am

STAN LEE, THE MARVEL METHOD, AND THE AUTEUR THEORY OF COMICS

It’s hard not to like Stan Lee. At 90, he’s an inspiring figure of energy. But, folks, you ought to know, if you don’t already, there’s Stan Lee but there’s also Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby. For anyone versed in comics, they have some idea of how this story goes. Stan Lee collaborated on creating Marvel Comics characters and stories. But, at the end of the day, the payday, it was Stan who got sole credit for writing. Even when you have clear-cut examples of a 50/50 collaboration, Stan Lee got all the credit as writer and creator. Enter Arlen Schumer, who would like to share with you the true history of how things went down. You can read Michael Dooley’s piece on Schumer here. And you’ll want to read carefully and not miss out on these examples of Schumer’s lecture from Comic-Con. Click to expand! Yes, you can easily read them:

In an illustrated lecture, “The Auteur Theory of Comics,” presented at this year’s Comic-Con, Schumer explains the Marvel Method which, as a working method was cool and revolutionary: The artist lays down the art first and then the writer goes back and adds the words! Great. But not so great when it comes to crediting the artist. Schumer expands his argument in favor of Ditko and Kirby by explaining the auteur theory which holds that the artist was in charge of far more than mere illustration of the writer’s words. It’s more like the artist is in charge of all the details in a movie which overlaps into actual storytelling. There are numerous examples, to be sure, where the roles of writer and artist are more fixed but, in the case of Stan Lee working with Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby, Schumer maintains it’s more like the early years of collaboration between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. There’s a wonderful recap of this lecture at the Jack Kirby Museum site.

So, that is not to put a damper of Stan Lee. Just a look at what history has to show us. You can take it any way you like. You can also enjoy more of Arlen Schumer’s explorations into pop culture at his site.