Although a culture that has influenced so much, comic books can be misunderstood. Here, we dive into this vivid world and ask how relevant they are today?
There is one tricky thing about comics we probably never know, and it is honestly hard to believe. Reading comic books requires effort twice more, rather than watching movies or spending time with your favourite book.
Professor Dale Jacobs from the University of Windsor explained that with a special meaning – `multiple modalities`, considering our state while reading as progressive in three dimensions – visual, spatial and textual.
But even that proven fact can`t compare with the mistakes we make, accepting the comics as an alternative culture. It’s original.
Neither Films nor Books
However, the culture of comiс books gets more popular from year to year. A pretty large part of fantasy belongs to Marvel and DC, so we couldn’t even imagine the absence of Peter Parker, Harley Quin or Logan.
From that point, we guess comics as a part of visuals and basement for the plots. As well as in the past, nowadays comic books are a separate industry, without any prediction to become an appendix to the big screens.
People were looking for the heroes and producing crews got the comics an excellent reason to develop the branch of fantasy films. The first mistake when we decide to read comic books is to associate them with the film.
The comics have been published since the 1940s, in those times the superheroes spread the world. Like mini-series, each episode was released weekly before the session in the cinema.
It meant profits. People learned about the genre of comics. The boxes grew, as everyone wanted not only to watch the film but know how the comic was continuing.
Premier comics belonged to Captain Marvel, whereas the protagonist was a prodigy created by Fawcett Comics publishing. DC Comics bought that idea, today we know it as an adventure by Carol Danvers, a gifted, invulnerable woman, who drifted the space warriors.
Talking about favourite heroes, like Spiderman, Batman, Hulk they hit the top almost 20 years ago but were born on the paper long before being screened.
Comparing the scales of cinematography and comics, it’s obvious that the former possessed the larger audience now, although comics was an enormous and progressive industry.
It was difficult to produce the quality on-screen, including unnatural skills of characters. What became possible with the development of computer effects in the cinematography. It took time, as a good wine, to mature.
Superheroes Are Us
Supernatural characters are quite special for comics. It became the beacon of that genre. Whether detective, warrior, rescuer – each protagonist is prominent with abilities. But the meaning of `superhero` in particular for mass culture and what also intertwined with human mindset.
They were necessary either for the society of the last decades, for our generation. People lose beliefs, traditions and religion, what deprived them of icons.
Heroes are perfect to complete the picture of the strong human spirit.
The idea to create an unnatural character is based deeply in the mindset of each culture. Over various lifetimes, we empower people, or myths, with extraordinary.
Simply, the story of how people believe in the power reflects the pure desire of breaking mental borders, and what is more – overcoming death. To identify the masterpiece, humans also create the myth of the hero and transform to the public.
The mission of the hero is to improve their environment. You could say that comic books are the most suitable way to introduce a hero to society.
The variety of pictures let us keep the dynamic plot. Quotes allow the images to go from separate events. Specky illustrations accelerate emotional feedback.
Interpreting It Into Film
Comic books are considered to be illustrated novels. People choose the details they pay attention to and the speed which they follow the images. The main principles are to adopt the characters and general idea of the comic`s plot to the director`s personal view and film bases.
Copying the scenes from comics to the screen means to lose the background and additional events, which lead to a dull result. We remember The Dark Knight and The Avengers as a perfect superhero on screen but different from the story on paper.
So, all beloved superheroes from Marvel and DC create an intense atmosphere in our heads, while we enjoy reading simple comic books. We overlook the identity of the genre, and as a result, this culture is underestimated.
Photos: Shutterstock / Edited by: Martina Advaney
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