'Nuff Said: American Graphic Media

One of the great things about having a major convention in town is to see how the events draws every permutation of geek culture to one place. Case in point, the Star Wars booths were big this year and packed with stuff to see.

Carbonerdious, a new documentary about the intersection of culture and identity is an exciting development. To me this resonate with my exploration of the kaleidoscopic nature of culture linked to comics.  Looking forward to seeing this completed. 

Mark Waid has gotten a bit of criticism and praise for his advocacy for digital comics.  My mantra, as always, is that comics are the kaleidoscopic point.  A space where broader sociocultural trends come together. On the page the process is layered and intriguing.  The system around comic book publication also offer similar insights. Comic book are artifacts of modern urban industrial experience.  Thus, the turn toward digital in comics is merely a microcosm of the broader transformation from an urban industrial to suburban service economy. This presentation lays out Waid's argument for why digital comics make sense.  Moreover, he gives us some insights into the monetary impact of his efforts.  There is no question there will continue to be a turn toward digital publication. The question is who will benefit from that transformation.

Rethinking Marvel's Avengers in a bigger sociocultural context We Will Avenge Them Or… Be Avenged?: The Individual in the US Experience

The recent announcement that USA Network is teaming with DC Comics to bring a new series of comics revealing what happen between season four and five of the hit series Burn Notice shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. One of the highest rated shows on basic cable, the partnership makes sense for both sides. While Burn Notice is big hit for basic cable, it still relatively unknown compared to broadcast television. As the Saturday Night Live skit about Burn Notice demonstrates, most of the U.S. viewing audience hasn't seen the show. This fact highlights one of the key realities about modern media. The media landscape is splintered, with small groups of viewers dedicated to shows that most other Americans may have heard about vaguely, but haven't seen. For all the mad love for MAD MEN , the show averages little more than two million viewers per episode. In comparison, the lowest rated broadcast show can easily triple that number. Basic cable's advantage i...