deelysium

Is there any point to the old archetype masculine hero in modernity? Is this something comics should even consider anymore? The formula seems pretty simple on the surface: Strapping male, charges off to save the princess from the clutches of dastardly fiends. This was pretty prominent all the way up through "Sorry Mario, the princess is in another castle" and for some time after. Men were compelled to overcome fear and embrace their masculinity in order to rise to challenges so that they could save her from a horrors which terminally scar. How did women respond when men couldn't deny this deeply held feeling of wanting to overcome odds, to become more, so that a women could be loved and protected? "HOW DARE YOU!" I will not go into a long rant about feminism or weakling men. However, after reading some really enjoyable Tarzan and Robert E. Howard, then immediately picking up a recent title with the "modern man" I have been smacked in the face with the feeling that storytelling itself has been destroyed by the ridiculous mythology of western political idealism. We have become ghosts, our women worthless (someone no one would fight for) and our men utterly without that which makes men who they are (The solar perfected and, inevitably, driven hard back to into sway with the lunar). Can comic books survive "white-knighting" and degraded masculinity? What is there to save in women now that they have been "liberated"? All the superpowers in the world only seem to highlight what is missing. The balance. Can anyone else feel this, or are we all just taking our generational turns in a grand degradation of everything that was once natural?

Sure! These days I lean towards older writers' characters. Robert E. Howard's Kull and Conan (I'm more of a Kull man than Conan, though I love them both). Burrough's Tarzan and John Carter stories. Eisner's "Spirit" and "The Shadow" (Though this one really depends on who's handling it). I'm really enjoying Low right now too. Ummm . . . . Eagle Comics' Judge Dredd run. Loving Brubaker's "Velvet" so far (About 6 issues in). The 1st run of XO Manowar. Metabarons. Six from Sirius. There's a bunch more, but I hope this gives you a general picture. Thanks!

My top two are definitely Gonzo and Sam Eagle. I love Gonzo for being a proud weirdo, but I also like the guy who just randomly pops into the collective madness and declares "You are all WEIRDOS." I think they're both the best expressions of Apollonian and Dionysian Muppetry.

You know, I have, but mostly surface level stuff. I'm generally more inclined towards western art styles, but I'll give whatever a whirl if it's good. Any suggestions that I should check out?

Nicole, I agree in principle that everyone has a specific viewpoint, comics as commentary, expressions of the times, etc. I'm referring to overt political propaganda taking over the characters and storytelling in significance. As I am neither on the (American) left or right, I do not have a voice at all when comics simply become a vehicle for bludgeoning the reader into ideological compliance. I'm not saying nothing can be said, because that makes storytelling pointless, but I am saying that it's exhausting to have to chew through the most obnoxious gristle to get any meat (which often feels like an afterthought at best). Believe me, I'm no stranger to politics. I just think there should be more to a floppy book than forced ideological compliance.

I'm interested in any series (or creator) that manages to steer clear of overt political messaging. I've started reading comics again since the early 2000s and have had some difficulty finding stories that neither devolve into propaganda-like political messaging nor falls for typical grandstanding character and storyline tropes from about 2013 on. ( E.g. "Oh, you see, the person who's all about family values and anti-communism is dundun dun a bad person himself!") I know, I know: "Everyone is biased and brings that subjective truth to their work yadda yadda." I have a hard time believing all writers are incapable of objective truths that are not tainted by heavy-handed partisan politics. Fantasy, Crime, Adventure - the genre doesn't matter. I am looking for a good story, not a lecture from someone who knows less than I do about public governance. Any help/ideas? Thank you.

Hi Nichole, my wife and I are from Jeff City and we're going to be there too! Looks like a good one (our first actually!).