EVERYTHING BUT IMAGINARY #278: THE HEROES FOR TOMORROW

[Blake Petit]

In last week’s column, I put forth a challenge to my readership, and although no one has reported in yet, I sincerely hope that at least a few of you took it to heart. I encouraged (and still do encourage) everyone to go out and find one new superhero comic to sample. And by “new,” I mean that it should be a title that they’ve never read before, and one that isn’t a spin-off or relaunch from a pre-existing title. Something they’ve never tried before.

And, being someone who puts his money where his mouth is, I took up the challenge myself. The new book I picked up was the first issue of the miniseries The Family Dynamic. This is an all-new concept by J. Torres and Tim Levin. The idea behind the book is that a family of superheroes – mom, dad, and their two sons – come out of nowhere and become instant hits with the public. The city’s top hero – a reporter in his secret I.D. – seeks them out for an interview, and we learn that this is actually the second team to use both the Family Dynamic name and the four rings that give the members power over the elements of the Earth.

Here’s the thing that surprised me. The book is put out as part of DC Comics’ Johnny DC line for younger readers. Up until now, Johnny DC has only really done two things: comics based on cartoons, and young-reader versions of DCU characters. And don’t think I’m disparaging either of those; they’ve done great comics that fit into both categories – the totally brilliant Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam is the first thing to come to mind. But now, for the first time, they’re taking a chance on something new.

Conventional wisdom says that this is risky. After all, we live in the video age. If you give kids a character they already know from TV or a video game, they’ll be more inclined to give him a chance. It’s hard enough to get kids to read these days. If you’re going to ask them to read something that’s brand-spanking new, it’d better be a knockout. Fortunately, I think The Family Dynamic has the potential to be one. The characters are fun, the designs are great, and the world in which is takes place is a lot of fun.

It’s also a genuine all-ages book, by which I mean it’s not just for kids. Oh, kids most certainly can read it and enjoy it, but parents can give it to their children without fear of exposing them to inappropriate content. But there’s also a degree of sophistication to the story that will make it interesting to adults as well, such as a mystery involving the demise of the original Family Dynamic.

Even the artwork is atypical for Johnny DC. Tim Levine doesn’t use a standard animated series style to tell the story. His art is that of a straightforward superhero artist: solid and energetic. Ten or 15 years ago, this title would have fit in perfectly with the regular DC Universe, and in fact, if it weren’t for the fact that it features the Johnny DC trade dress on the cover, I never would have realized the book was intended to be part of the “kids” line.

Which, to me, makes it one of the best comics for kids I’ve seen in years. Kids know when they’re being patronized, and bad kids’ comics do just that. Heck, even some good ones do that. The Marvel Adventures comics, for example, are generally of pretty high quality, but the kids reading them can tell they aren’t reading the adventures of the “real” Spider-Man or Iron Man, no more than when they’re reading a comic based on the animated Batman or Justice League cartoons.

This is the Catch-22. If you do an all-ages comic with an iconic character, it’s going to be out-of-continuity, and the kids will know it (even if they don’t know the term). If you tone down the in-continuity stuff to make it all kid-friendly, you risk alienating the existing fan base. Not that I’m saying Superman should be a hard R-rated title, but most quality mainstream comics these days are aimed at the teenage demographic or higher, and dropping some of the darker themes would make them less entertaining. C’mon, how could Blackest Night be told in a way that’s easily accessible to seven-year-olds?

New characters, like the Family Dynamic crew, may be the best compromise. And they certainly aren’t alone. Show of hands, here, how many of you regular readers have heard me talk about how fantastic Jimmy Gownley’s comic Amelia Rules! is? It’s a wonderful title, suitable for any low-to-mid-level reader and higher. (The vocabulary may be a tad intimidating for the beginning reader, but they can graduate to this book quickly. The important thing? Gownley doesn’t talk down to his readers.) It’s also a book that is totally free of outside continuity, and while there are continuing story threads, each issue reads quite well as a whole.

How about Red 5 Comics’ Atomic Robo? It’s a comic about a robot fighting Nazis and monsters. Come on, that sells itself. Robo is a sleek, cool-lookin’ fighting machine, and the art is wonderful. While Amelia’s tales may be slightly more suited for the girls, it’s hard to imagine any boy who could read this comic and not run around imagining storming occupied France as a super-steampunk warbot. Geez, I'm ready to put on a helmet and start running around right now. Issue two of the second miniseries came out today, so hunt it down.

Arcana Comics recently put out a magnificent mini-series (recently released as a hardcover graphic novel) called The Clockwork Girl. It’s a kind of fantasy re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet. Families, in this world, are divided based on their devotion to a specific branch of science, and the plot hinges on the forbidden friendship between a robot girl and a werewolf boy. It’s rare to see such a great comic with such deep literary allusions aimed at such a young age group. Heck, as a teacher, I would be over the moon if, one year, I started teaching Romeo and Juliet to my ninth-graders only to have a kid raise her hand and say, “This reminds me of a comic book I read once.”

Last week, I implored you guys to go out and sample some new superhero comics you haven’t tried before. This week, I’m asking you guys to look for an all-ages comic. In fact, those of you who have children, nieces or nephews, or any other young readers in your life, try to find a comic for them. And read it yourself, too. Find something you can read together. Help cultivate not just the comic book heroes of tomorrow, but the readers too.

Favorite of the Week: September 10, 2008

It’s my favorite Stephen King novel, and last week, it was my favorite book of the week. The first issue of The Stand: Captain Trips did a great job of beginning the adaptation of an epic, apocalyptic novel. The story, adapted very well by Roberto Acquirre-Sacasa with fantastic art by Mike Perkins and Laura Martin, paints a very bleak, chilling portrait of a world that doesn’t yet realize its time is up. We meet three of our main characters right off the bat, and I really like the interpretations of all three. This adaptation got off to a fantastic start.

Blake M. Petit is the author of the superhero comedy novel, Other People's Heroes, the suspense novel The Beginner and the novel-in-progress ”Summer Love” at Evertime Realms. He’s also the co-host, with the inimitable Chase Bouzigard, of the 2 in 1 Showcase Podcasts. E-mail him at Blake@comixtreme.com and visit him on the web at Evertime Realms.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

It’s my favorite Stephen King novel, and last week, it was my favorite book of the week. The first issue of The Stand: Captain Trips did a great job of beginning the adaptation of an epic, apocalyptic novel. The story, adapted very well by Roberto Acquirre-Sacasa with fantastic art by Mike Perkins and Laura Martin, paints a very bleak, chilling portrait of a world that doesn’t yet realize its time is up. We meet three of our main characters right off the bat, and I really like the interpretations of all three. This adaptation got off to a fantastic start.

You said it, man. That series is off to a fantastic start. In fact, I didn't imagine the story in my head as well as this comic portrayed it. Did you catch the Stephen King cameo?

[B. Schatz]

Got some, uh... not so keen news for you there, Blake.

Family Dynamic was intended to be a 6 issue mini... but low orders hacked that in half by the time issue 2 was solicited. Made me sad. Torres and Levins are just dynamite together. They've probably outgrown it, but I would kill for some more Copybook Tales from them.

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by B. Schatz

Got some, uh... not so keen news for you there, Blake.

Family Dynamic was intended to be a 6 issue mini... but low orders hacked that in half by the time issue 2 was solicited. Made me sad. Torres and Levins are just dynamite together. They've probably outgrown it, but I would kill for some more Copybook Tales from them.

Man, that blows even harder.

Hopefully the reaction to the stuff as it comes out will convince DC to move forward with more.

[chrismozer]

Enjoyed the Stand, too. No real surprises storywise as i've read the book several times but loved the panel saying that Larry came home because he wanted his Mother. Been there myself once upon a time.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Originally Posted by chrismozer

Enjoyed the Stand, too. No real surprises storywise as i've read the book several times but loved the panel saying that Larry came home because he wanted his Mother. Been there myself once upon a time.

And the way they portrayed that dead mother and child really showed that Perkins was the perfect pick to handle the art for this title.

[Dirge]

I'll report in: This week I picked up my first issue of Invincible. I would have liked to get Issues 50 and 51 in addition to 52, but I mostly enjoyed the issue, despite not knowing thing one about the character (except that he is probably invincible). I have heard a lot of good things about this title, and I may stick with it.

[virtuadept]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

Last week, I implored you guys to go out and sample some new superhero comics you haven’t tried before. This week, I’m asking you guys to look for an all-ages comic. In fact, those of you who have children, nieces or nephews, or any other young readers in your life, try to find a comic for them. And read it yourself, too. Find something you can read together. Help cultivate not just the comic book heroes of tomorrow, but the readers too.

Last week I started putting together a box of comics I am going to send to my 8 year old nephew. I got some Marvel Adventures in there and some Teen Titans Go! and such. I don't get to the actual comic shop much anymore but I have read all of the issues I'm sending him. :-)

[ErinPatricia]

Considering that I'm on about my 30th re-read of The Stand...I cant wait to get my hands on the comics

[Blade X]

A few quick points.

1. Blake, I'm glad that you have read,enjoyed,and writing about THE FAMILY DYNAMIC in this column. FD is a GREAT book and I am happy as a pig in slop that someone at this fine site finally wrote a column about this very fun and exciting comic.

2. Books like THE FAMILY DYNAMIC,AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL,BIG HERO 6,and just about any pre Quesada/Jemas regime code approved Marvel superhero comic is how to do TRUE all ages comics that talk to and appeal to readers of all ages on many different levels. These are the types of all ages stories and comics I expect from the Big 2, not stuff like the MARVEL ADVENTURE books (which is NOT to say those books are bad, because they are NOT).

3. I haven't read BLACKEST NIGHT, but I'm pretty sure that a CREATIVE creator could make that story both suitable for and appealing to people of all ages. What was in the over all CONCEPT of BLACKEST NIGHT that wasn't suitable for and appealing to kids/all ages?

[Blake Petit]

Originally Posted by Blade X

A few quick points.

1. Blake, I'm glad that you have read,enjoyed,and writing about THE FAMILY DYNAMIC in this column. FD is a GREAT book and I am happy as a pig in slop that someone at this fine site finally wrote a column about this very fun and exciting comic.

2. Books like THE FAMILY DYNAMIC,AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL,BIG HERO 6,and just about any pre Quesada/Jemas regime code approved Marvel superhero comic is how to do TRUE all ages comics that talk to and appeal to readers of all ages on many different levels. These are the types of all ages stories and comics I expect from the Big 2, not stuff like the MARVEL ADVENTURE books (which is NOT to say those books are bad, because they are NOT).

3. I haven't read BLACKEST NIGHT, but I'm pretty sure that a CREATIVE creator could make that story both suitable for and appealing to people of all ages. What was in the over all CONCEPT of BLACKEST NIGHT that wasn't suitable for and appealing to kids/all ages?

The thing about Blackest Night that makes me think it may be too much for younger readers is that the basic concept is people rising from the dead and heroes having to battle their own deceased loved ones. I'm not expecting any gratuitous sex, language, or even violence (well... maybe a LITTLE violence), but as a theme, I think that to tell the story really well you'll have to deal with concepts that younger readers just don't comprehend yet. Sometimes it's not about inappropriate content, it's about themes that kids just don't yet understand.

[Blade X]

Originally Posted by Blake Petit

The thing about Blackest Night that makes me think it may be too much for younger readers is that the basic concept is people rising from the dead and heroes having to battle their own deceased loved ones. I'm not expecting any gratuitous sex, language, or even violence (well... maybe a LITTLE violence), but as a theme, I think that to tell the story really well you'll have to deal with concepts that younger readers just don't comprehend yet. Sometimes it's not about inappropriate content, it's about themes that kids just don't yet understand.

I completely understand where you are coming from. That being said, I don't think heroes fighting their dead relatives is too much for young kids to handle. Heck, IIRC, similar types of stories have been told a few times in all ages code approved comics before. Of course, what I might feel is perfectly appropriate for little kids to read, others might totally disagree with me (and vis versa).

I'm a firm believer that with a little creativity and slick editing, almost any type (but NOT all types) of stories or subject matter can be written in an all ages matter.