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SPECS and the Venn of Modern Comics





Vidhu Aggarwal, editor of specs asked me to write a review for volume III. specs is...well, specs. From the webpage:

specs a journal that aims to produce a charged atmosphere around artistic and critical approaches. Hence, specs is willing to live in a constant state of flux, with the mission of propagating strange and involved sympathies between disparate genres and forms. We want to break down hierarchies between poems, fictions, and critical writing. We hope for see pages, warped conversations, and misappropriations between areas of content.

Vidhu, like a lot of my colleague at Rollins, is extremely smart and when I listen very hard I can kinda follow what she says. Case in point, I am helping out with volume III, which has a theme of "toys" in contrast to volume II, which had a theme of "faux histories." It will actually be a very interesting issue. She knows my interest in comics--it is not some dark secret I hide from the world--and she suggested I review comics for the issue. Since as she pointed out, "You are already identified with comics." At the time I didn't think anything about it. Now, thinking about it a little more, I'm worried what it means to be identified with comics. It bad enough I'm African-American, the identified with comic thing might be a deal killer.

I'm kidding (I hope). In any case, I have been thinking about what to review. To her credit, she had a comic in mind. Sky Doll by Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa is an English translation of a french comic published in 2000. This English language version is the result of a partnership between Marvel Comics and French publisher Soleil. A comic with a firm science fiction aesthetic, it differs from the creator's previous collaborations. The story centers on Noa, a so-called Sky Doll; a life-like female android without rights, who exists only to serve the State's needs and desires. When Noa meets "missionaries" who help her escape, begins a journey that suggest she may be more than a toy. This story fits nicely into the specs theme. She didn't have any other ideas, but I wanted to cover more ground in the review. Which is why I thought of a Venn diagram. Venn diagram show all hypothetically possible logical relations between a finite collection of sets. We are exposed to Venn diagrams in math class to teach elementary set theory, as well as illustrate simple set relationships in probability, logic, statistics, linguistics and computer science. Using the Venn diagram model, my goal is to try to find the overlap between what you know about comics and what you don't. There is no doubt I'm a big fan of superhero comics, but most comics published are not superhero comics. That section of the market gets the most attention (and sales), but actually there is a great variety in the comic medium. Every story genre can be found in comic form. Any good Venn diagram can help you learn something about the set. The review is a chance to explore some of the diversity and similarity in comics. So, at some level, the review will represent a kind of comic affirmative action (Ok you groan, but that is funny on so many levels). At the same time, it will touch on the share values that bind the comic family together (conservatives can feel a warm and fuzzy glow now).

Anyway, force to find other points of interest, I decided to look at Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli. Published in 2009, Asterios Polyp was lauded by critics and fans alike. Some of the praise was Watchmenesque in scope. A "masterpiece" with "subliminal" color and command of style, AP is the story of an architect name Asterios Polyp who just turned 50 and his life falls apart. Reading it, I am not surprise that one reviewer compared it to John Updike, nor am I surprise that some people describe it as the new standard for comic creators. It does demonstrate how comics can bring together words and picture to provide a singular experience.

For this little experiment to work I think I need another comic to review and yes, it will need to be all about the superhero. Yes, I need to find a nice, big superhero story to balance out the comic landscape. Maybe, I will throw in Blackest Night or Siege or maybe something else.

What comic?

Any suggestions?

Give me your pick for a great superhero comic to review. You can leave a comment and I might take your advice.

Regardless, the intersection of these very different comics will be interesting for the reviewer and the reader alike. The goal is to challenge our collective assumptions about the comic medium. At first glance, Sky Doll and Asterios Polyp show us that modern comics are not just about adolescence power fantasy.

So what are modern comics?
What can the modern comic form achieve?

Make sure you pick up volume III of specs this fall to read my review (and the many interesting essays, poetry, and assorted creative pieces:-)
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