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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Sunday 12 August 2012

Hooper’s Sunday Sermon: I Want Respect Even If It Is “Just” Comics!


There is, as I have pointed out many times in the past, a totally different attitude towards comics and comic artists in Europe.

Yes, there are the very snooty types who do not “draw comics” but are “graphic illustrators.”  Let me tell you, darlings: you want to you can use all the arty farty terms you want but you are still drawing comics.

We have plenty of those types in the UK and UK to whom the words “comic writer” or “comic artist” are an offence.  It is as if “graphic illustrator” or “graphic novelist” somehow make you more respectable and palatable to the snobs.

In a BBC radio interview the interviewer twice said that I was a “graphic novelist/illustrator” and on both occasions I interrupted and responded: “No, I write and draw comic books” -to which  he looked horrified.

I explained.

“Look -Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.  A 12 issue comic book series that was then combined into a trade paperback.  It started -as have a couple of my own series published by others- as a series of comics.  The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen -also by Moore but drawn by Kevin O’Neill- was a comic book limited series combined into a trade paperback.”

The radio man held up The Bat Triumphant! and waved it at me: “This is yours and it wasn’t a series but is a graphic novel?”  He was irritated (!) I pointed out: “No. It’s 50 odd pages and A4 and is a comic album not a graphic novel.”

According to the English dictionary:

Definition of novel

noun

  • a fictitious prose narrative of book length, typically representing character and action with some degree of realism: the novels of Jane Austen a paperback novel
  • (the novel) the literary genre represented or exemplified by novels: the novel is the most adaptable of all literary formid 16th century: from Italian novella (storia) ‘new (story)’, feminine of novello ‘new’, from Latin novellus, from novus ‘new’. The word is also found from late Middle English until the 18th century in the sense ‘a novelty, a piece of news’, from Old French novelle .

Now, I do hate to upset people but a “graphic novel” was a term coined to give supposed respect to extra-thick comic books -the Trades.  I have met and heard people say: “I buy the graphic novels because then I can put them on the bookshelf and it looks like I’ve got a lot of books!”  There is also the “It’s far less embarassing if someone catches you reading a graphic novel -it’s thick and looks like a book whereas a comic…well, it looks like a comic!”


That is rather sad. There is a definition for “graphic novel”:

“noun
a novel in the form of comic strips.”


So, “comic strips” and I have no problem in calling anything that is a single drawn story a “graphic novel” if -if- it is over 150 pages in length which, in prose is nothing more than a novella.

That is not in any way being demeaning.  It is trying to be accurate and getting rid of this rather stuck-up attitude of certain creators. And fans.


I had -almost- an argument online with someone who took exception to my calling Alan Moore a great comic book writer. The response was “Idiot! Alan Moore is probably the greatest novelist of this generation -Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Think it through!”


I pointed out that I had thought it through but he had not. Both books he mentioned were originally comic book series so were, in effect, trade paperbacks and certainly not “novels.”

His response: “You are like a comic Nazi…..”

Anything else he wrote after that was irrelevant. Internet etiquette is that if anyone, in a discussion, uses terms such as “That’s just like the Nazis”/”That’s like Hitler” etc., etc.. then that person has lost the argument.

Facade du centre belge de la bande dessinée
Belgium Comic Strip Museum, Brussels
Alan Moore has written some great comics and I just hope that he takes all this “Alan Moore is god” stuff as a joke.  When the New York Times states “Alan Moore has transcended the graphic novel” I have to yell out “W*****!” (not Moore but the journalist).


Both my grandparents, Rose and Bill, were quite proud that I could draw and write comics and often showed visitors to my room and pointed: “There he is -see? Drawing again. Show them your drawings!”


Of course, looking over the artwork you might get the occasional: “Hmmm. No girlfriend yet?”


But the support was still there.  Of course, my grandmother encouraged me by bringing home old blank receipt books so I could draw as a kid and my grandad bought me the comics.


It was odd in Germany where my grandmother had npo problem getting my uncles’ uh, ‘blue mags’ but was a bit more embarassed about buying Micky Maus or Donald Duck comics.  But, thankfully, the respect for comics in Germany seems to be growing and smaller companies such as The NextArt are producing new material.


I find it interesting to watch German TV news items on comics that seem to emphasise the “growing up” of comics (yeuch).


We know that the UK has no real comic publishers now.  Everything is, basically, Small Press.  Now this means that the number of Small/Alternative Press events has increased -there are far more than “mainstream” comic events.


In Bristol the annual International Comic Expo used to coincide with the South Bristol Arts Trail event. Now, two art/media events in the same part of Bristol over the same weekend if combined would be a major attraction -a big event where those visiting the expo with an interest in art could visit artists open houses and those involved in art could visit the Expo.


Such an event might get local government grant-funding and greater publicity.  The comic people thought it was a good idea.  So I broached the Arts Trail people and went over the idea.  “Comics. We’re about art not…comics!” (they then wiped the smelly word off of their shoes).


I should have known better.  At a zine event on Spike Island, just down the road from where the Expo is held, I was introduced and started talking to the seemingly intelligent organiser who was very “into Zines”.  Then she asked what I did?  “I write, draw and publish comics” -her eyes opened wide as she looked shocked and, I’m not kidding, quickly said: “I have to go and speak to someone” and rushed away to a group of friends.


I did check and my trouser flies were done up.

I then spoke to another young lady who waxed on about creating zines (but had no idea what I meant by “small press”) as “an art form.”  Then came the question: “Do you make zines?”  To which I responded: “I write, draw and publish comics.” to which responded “Oh. Right.” and without another word walked off.



I seriously wondered whether the reaction might have been better had I said: “Oh, I’ve just been released from prison after ten years for sheep buggery and eating my wife.”


I ought to point out that had it not been for comics there would be no zines/small press comics/fanzines/illustrated prose movement.


In Finland, art groups can get local grants to produce comics -Pekka Manninen, Finland’s top creator as far as I’m concerned, even teaches drawing comics.  Funding has helped to some degree with publishing comic-strip newspapers.  I’m not sure whether those behind Kuti (“Shot”?) got funding this way but it is the third such newspaper I’ve seen from Finland.


I need to thank Mr. Brown for nabbing me a copy.




In the UK, Richard Cowdry put together a newspaper style comic paper, The Comix Reader -currently at issue number 4 with a superb Tobias Tak cover.  Content in all these publications varies and the difference is in how they are funded.

Kuti has some nice drawn adverts which I believe paid toward cost (?) whereas The Comix Reader is funded by the contributors paying toward print costs (but they can make more money back by selling their copies of the final paper).


Belgium and France, of course, have great respect for comic creators which is why, despite all the statistics that say they should not, they publish more comic albums/BD than the UK.

I think the nearest we’ve come to the various giant Japanese Manga robot statues or those of famous BD characters in France and Belgium is Desperate Dan and Minnie The Minx in Dundee.  But that’s more a tribute to a dead comic book.



(photo from Michael Laing’s website)


Okay, so that BBC interviewer was even more stunned when he pointed out that it was Dennis The Menace’s ‘birthday’ and I responded by saying that I had no interest in Dennis the Menace -neither the British nor American versions.  Then again, they totally brushed aside the whole purpose of the interview -to highlight a Bristol artist (me) and my comics and comics in general.

There is still, however, the problem that whenever a TV local news programme runs an item on comics up come the “Pow!” “Biff!” “Ka-Pow!” sfx balloons and, more often than not, that ********* TV Batman music!  This is down to the uneducated minds of journalists who can be a rather dim lot really.  I have lots of examples from the last thirty years but let’s not go there.

At the previously mentioned BBC radio event, I was asked to draw something for their guest book. I drew The Bat.  “Oh, Batman -cool!”  I was going to point out that I do not draw Batman but I just thought “what the ****!” and left.

You see, I’ve been interviewed by TV, radio and newspaper journalists over the years and their main -only reference- is the 1960s Batman TV series.  When I point out that there are other comics that have become household and pop culture icons I usually get “Really? I can only think of Batman–” to which I respond: “Batman, Superman, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, The Silver surfer…” and that is when they suddenly exclaim: “oh yes -I forgot about them!”

I was once in discussion with a TV producer and two journalists on a certain matter. I pointed out the facts on this particular matter. Their ‘facts’ were wrong and I asked who they got their information from?  It turned out to be one of those ex-something-or-others who was now a “TV darling.”  This person had no training or real knowledge of the matter we were discussing but had said on TV “I heard..blah blah blah.” I cited my references and the producer looked them up (after much persuasion) on his laptop.  “Oh, you’re right.”  I was a bit puzzled an annoyed.


Talking to two other BBC producers a few weeks later I mentioned this and one nodded: “Yes. They are on TV.”  I asked what he meant?  “Well, if you are on TV people will take what you say as a fact.  Look at QI (the TV panel show) and how many things they have gotten wrong but because Stephen Fry (the host) is seen as a ‘brainy person’ by people watching the show that false fact is taken as genuine, scientific fact.”

Example, and it is basic. I joked to someone that I slept so lightly even cows in the fields nearby woke me if they farted.  A serious expression: “But cows do not fart. They can’t -they can only burp!”  I asked who had told him that?  “It was one QI!”  Even though I pointed out that there was the dubious past-time of lighting cows farts, that I had, whilst milking and in a cattle shed, been very loudly farted upon by cows, this person would not believe me.  Stephen Fry (despite in the series before stating cow farts were a pollutant) had said cows cannot fart only burp.

There are example after example of this type of thing.

If some journalist with no knowledge of comics chuckles and tells his readers/viewers “Kiddy comics creators will be at—”  then those readers/listeners automatically shut it all out because “its for kiddies!”


In comics it holds us back in the respect stakes.  Local press and media ought to be invited to comic events -even something like the Alternative Press fairs, to look around and get info packs.  Another idea might be to say that, from 1pm – 3pm, a number of creators and publishers would be on hand in a “press room” to answer questions/be interviewed.

It might also be a good idea to have someone connected with events to take photographs over the weekend not just of the event but also of exhibitors -these can be sent out with a press release after the event.  And, come on have you seen UK comic convention coverage on You Tube???  “Bugger all” tends to sum it all up.  Get someone to work on putting a video of the event together (and NOT just a five minute jerky motion  clip either) -let people know the event exists, that it is serious and that so is the comic medium.

There is no reason why the more “arty” faction should not link in events to big comic events -it is mutually beneficial and acting like a snob when the word “comic” is used serves no point (other than to prove you ARE a moron).

If there were two art events in a town/city in France or Belgium -one comic and one more arty- the reaction would be to make it one big festival.  To draw more visitors and therefore more visitor money, to your area.  It might take a couple of years to get an event like this really established and on the map but why not?

This is not just to gain respect for creators already struggling in the medium but to encourage others with no previous interest and -and- to encourage youngsters to get involved in art and comics and it is with those youngsters developing such interests that we get our future artistic talent -whether comics or more traditional art.

I’ve gone on too long and you are probably bored now.  However, as Spitfires fly overhead (no kidding), I hope it gives some food for thought.

Keep on drawing!

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