Beauology 101: Something is missing
Beau Smith
by Beau Smith
That’s the way I feel about a majority of the current, mainstream superhero comics. I had a stack of Marvel and DC Comics here in my office that had been piling up for me to read. Comics I paid a lot of money for. It took me a week, but I read them all, one after another. I came away from that marathon with a nagging feeling that there was something missing from all these brightly colored comics that I had just finished off.
There was a true lack of story structure. The foundation of good story telling was not there, it had cracks, the kind that can topple characters that have been standing for over 70 years.
To this day, I think some of the very best superhero comics consistently written were from Marvel Comics circa 1961 through 1969. Pick up almost any edition of Marvel Essentials and see what I’m talking about.
Essential Fantastic Four Vol. 4
When you read these stories from the 1960’s you’ll find characters addressing each other by name. That makes it easy for the reader, especially a first time reader, to know the character and where the dialog is supposed to go. It gives motion to the words and character direction.
You’ll find purpose in the flow of the panels. Your eyeballs will be drawn from one connecting panel to the next. The flow of the story will take you on a very entertaining and enjoyable ride. With character dialog, a past issue will be recapped without stealing you away from the action being given at the present time.
Stan "The Man" Lee
Through the words of the bad guy you will feel the hero being constructed. That’s a true comic book craft. The same goes in reverse for the hero. In just a few well thought out words, he will sum up the wants of a bad guy, enough to let you know why he IS the bad guy.
Chuck Dixon
Brian Michael Bendis
Not enough writers are doing this. Noted comic book writers, Chuck Dixon and Brian Bendis are very good at presenting exceptional comic book writing. You can see how they were raised on a well rounded study of scripting, dialog and story construction. Both Dixon and Bendis add just enough edge and modern sensibility with the traditional craft of comic book writing to make each story they do relevant and entertaining. Too many writers today take the short cut. In doing so, they cheat the readers who have plunked down an average of $4.00 cover price for their comics. That ain’t cheap, amigos.
Robert Kanigher portrait by Joe Kubert
Stan Lee and Robert Kanigher are two prime examples of writers that had a way of giving you a complete story, even in a three issue story arc. They had no need to drag a story line out over six to eight issues. The only padding they used was the cushion they were sitting on as they typed. Characters were set up without distracting from the moving story line. Panel grids were used to a maximum for uncluttered storytelling, and still they managed to make key story points payoff with more innovative splash pages as well as unconventional panel layouts…when needed.
Their stories moved at a pace that had you holding on to your seat for dear life. You always got your emotional investment back with interest. Never were you cheated out of the money you had put down.
I’d love to see more character substance get shoved back into superhero comics. There is a craft to writing comics. A lot of current and aspiring writers need to learn to deliver when they get their shot at the plate. We’re comic book READERS, not mind readers. Set up your characters and your stories. Give us our money’s worth. We as readers demand it and have the right to do so, it’s not the other way around.
I ask you to pay attention to the superhero books that you’re buying and reading. Make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Write to the editors and let them know how you feel , good or bad, about your purchase. Let the publishers know what YOU want to buy, and what you’re not. It’s time for them to stand and deliver on their promise to entertain.
Your demanding amigo,
Beau Smith
The Flying Fist Ranch
November 18th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Nice. Well said.
November 18th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Great analysis, Beau! I feel that a small part of the problem is the change in the structure of publishing comics. Sales departments are vetting scripts. Editors don’t really exist, in the sense of a person educated in the foundations of both the language and literature, and comics, and working to help the writer/artist bring out the best in his/her story. These elements leave the comics unsatisfying, much the same way that processed, chemically-altered fast food doesn’t fill the stomach quite like real food. No offense to editors who really try to practice their craft correctly–I just see a dearth of that these days, most evident in the comics themselves.
November 18th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
So true, Beau! Thank you for bringing up what many of us fans have been feeling for the past decade (or more.) Wanting to read a comic story shouldn’t require an 8 month investment. I’ve wondered why so many titles start and stop with “new #1s,” or last for 6 months only to be rebooted with a new volume… From my reading experience, it’s one of two things: Either the story didn’t go as intended and readers weren’t responding, OR the writer knew that he had a GREAT 6 issue storyline and used those issues to tell it. What ever happened to the limited series? I’m talking about the ones used to tell an arcing story that was too long to fit in ONE ISSUE! Today’s titles seem to be continuing limited series just waiting to be rebranded as graphic novels 4 months later. Bring back the self-contained book! Set up plot devices that run (intelligently) through the series, but don’t bog it down with needless exposition. Take a writing class. Learn from the past. Listen to your fans.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Whittington
November 19th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
I totally agree with you. Another problem of having stories going through 6 to 8 issues is that I don’t remember what happened in the previous issues every time I pick up a new issue. This is a pain.
I hope the industry will change. I hope people like Jim Shooter, who knows how to write a comic book, will come back massively in the industry and I hope that Stan “The Man” Lee will write some new stories, instead of just signing his name on stories written by other writers.
November 20th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Are you kidding? Yes, things could be better but comics don’t need the return of exploitative hacks like Stan Lee, Robert Kanigher and Jim Shooter.
November 20th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Thanks for your honest comments. The change in editorial has really hurt the comic book story. There’s a difference between a true editor and someone that merely traffics art & story. Not only is the craft of comic book story telling being lost, but so is the teaching of being a real editor.
Sales in comic book reflect this loss.
Not having a more wide ranging reader base also reflects this.
Thanks,
Beau Smith
The Flying Fist Ranch
November 21st, 2011 at 2:35 am
I just love the comics of the 60′s and 70′s when I grew up. They just lost their innocence after the 80′s with their cover gimmicks. I think when Marvel went on the stock market the company lost its focus. I just hope that the Kirby decision is appealed. Jack should be known as a co-creator and the family gets some type of financial compensation for putting Marvel on the map.