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Roger with George Wendt (Norm!) at Wizard world Madison
by Roger Ash
This past weekend was the first Wizard world convention in Madison Wisconsin. I hadn’t been to a Wizard show in a while and because I could get there in a matter of minutes versus hours, I chose to check it out. I had a good time. though they market it as a comic con, it really isn’t. It’s much much more a pop culture convention. You do have some comics and creators, but you also have media guest, gaming, cosplay, weapons (I don’t understand this one, but there were a few booths that sold knives and swords and such), toys, and more. As such, you can go and focus on what you delight in and disregard the rest.
That got me thinking about comics. like the Wizard show, there’s a terrific variety within comics themselves. Sure, superheroes still guideline the day, but you’ve also got science fiction, fantasy, funny animals, horror, comic strip reprints, film and TV tie-ins, and more. So what do you delight in in comics? What excites you? Here’s some of the things I’m enjoying at the moment.
Four color #981 featuring Ruff & Reddy
Hanna-Barbera Back issues – When I’d go to comic conventions in the past, I was always on the lookout for marvel and DC back issues to fill in my collection. These days, so much of that material is collected in trade paperbacks and hardcovers that I stopped back issue hunting a few years ago. then I learned/remembered how much I love the old Dell and Gold essential Hanna-Barbera comics like Yogi Bear, quick draw McGraw, Huckleberry Hound, and others. These are terrific comics that stand, at best, a slim chance of being reprinted. While good copies of them can be expensive, you can get reading copies for fairly sensible prices. Heck, I purchased a bunch at Wizard world (I was amazed to find them there) for $2.00 each. I delight in the hunt for back issues and these comics give me something to hunt for.
Velvet
Image Comics – image is putting out some exceptional comics in a broad variety of genres. When image started, there was the guarantee that this could happen but it was mostly superhero comics. I’m pleased that guarantee has come to fruition. I’d be amazed if someone didn’t find something they liked from Image. Personally, I’m a big fan of the spy adventure velvet by Ed Brubaker & Steve Epting, the epic fantasy of Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw by Kurt Busiek & Benjamin Dewey, and the science fiction soap opera of Saga by Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples. They also publish the mega-popular walking Dead. I suggest you give image Comics a look and give something a try.
Berkeley Breathed’s Opus
Classic Comic strip Collections – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – we’re living in a golden Age of classic comic strip reprints. good collections of comic strips are available that explore all sorts of eras and genres. want something from the early years of comics? There’s Bringing Up dad and Krazy & Ignatz. want adventure? try Buz Sawyer or X-9: secret agent Corrigan. want a classic? There’s The complete Peanuts and Dick Tracy. There’s even likely some exceptional comics you’re not familiar with like Skippy and Sam’s Strip. I’m a big fan of IDW’s collections of Berkeley Breathed’s comics (Bloom County, Outland, and Opus) and eagerly await the Academia Waltz volume, a collection I never thought I’d see that features Breathed’s college comic strip. Fantagraphics’ Walt Disney’s Mickey mouse is a fantastic series that collects the classic strips by Floyd Gottfredson. I’ve only read many of these as reformatted stories in Disney comics and it’s fantastic to ee them as they were intended to be read. I also love Fantagraphics’ collections of Crockett Johnson’s Barnaby. I was not familiar with this strip, but heard so numerous good things about it that I chose to give it a try. I’m pleased I did because it’s a wonderful, lovely strip that I really enjoy. This is just a small sampling of the classic comic strip collections that are available. I’m betting there’s one (or more) out there that you’d enjoy.
There are other things I’m thrilled about in comics, but I’m going to stop myself and throw the question to you, the reader. What are you enjoying in comics? What in comics excites you? comment below and share the fun with all of us.
Now, go read a comic!