Tag: comic books

Why Did Creators Use Pennames in the 1960s?

I was asked an interesting question yesterday which many of you might not know the answer to. I am paraphrasing by saying the question was, “Why did so many creators in the 1960s use pennames instead of their own names?”

pencilsThe History

Before we had comics, we had the pulps. These short story magazines paved the way for the medium we have grown to lover over the years. While many adults and children read pulps, there was a certain stigma which hung over the heads of the writers and artists used in these magazines. Publishers outside of the pulp market believed that pulp writers wrote schlock which was simply used to fill the pages of the pulps. These publishers grouped writers such as H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith with the people who popped out whatever they could simply to make a paycheck.

This stigma continued for short story publication writers into the 1950s and 1960s. Writers such as Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke and Fritz Leiber were overlooked for a long time because they wrote for these smaller publications.

Enter Comics

When comics first came out, they were geared towards children. The “funny books” gained the same type of stigma as the short story magazines which were disappearing each month for newsstands. Many comic book creators did not want the chance of losing out on a job opportunity at a non-comics company so they used pennames. According to the book The Ten Cent Plague, many creators kept their work from their families so they did not have to deal with the social stigma at home.

The Congressional Investigations

Don’t forget, the comic book market gained another stigma during the congressional investigations. If you were a creator who was looking for money, would you want to be associated with a market which Congress kept a watchful eye on?

What Changed?

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the comic book market had taken off and on their way to becoming a respectable form of entertainment and learning. The pennames were dropped in many cases as creators realized they had a future in the medium or could at least show off what they could do in the confines of the printed pages.

What Could Cause Comics to Devalue?

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Why No Comic Book Spoilers?

Why won’t WonderWorldComics.com publish comic book spoilers? This is a question I am asked on a regular basis by readers who believe we might be missing an opportunity in the comic book market. There are reasons why I refuse to publish comic book spoilers.

One of the Goals of WonderWorldComics.com

At WonderWorldComics.com, we want to make sure you enjoy reading and collecting your comics. Comic book spoilers take much of the wow factor out of reading. Comic book spoilers take out the element of surprise. If I were to publish spoilers, I would take some of the fun away. If you really want spoilers, there are hundreds of other sites out there which will give you all of the information you need.

What I will Do

Sometimes, a story will come along with such a surprise twist, I will decide to tell you about it. Instead of giving comic book spoilers, I will simply suggest you pick up the issue to see what is going on for yourself. From time to time, I will have to give you a little bit of the backstory as a setup, but try to make sure that I do not spoil the big reveal. If you ever think I am giving too much information, let me know.

For the New

If you stumbled across this article while looking for comic book spoilers, I would like you to check out the spoiler-free content on this site. I think it is a breath of fresh air for the industry.

No Comics Pulls This Week – What to Do?

I am facing a very odd week this week as I do not have a single comic book issue in my pull. As someone who reads over twenty comics on a regular basis, it is a conundrum when I don’t have anything waiting in the pull box at the store. What to do…what to do?

Graphic Novels

I have some graphic novels waiting for me, I can get a jump on some of those since I have a week without comics. If you are like me, you push off graphic novels to weeks when you have nothing else to read, or very little to read. This would be a perfect week to do so.

The Red SkullOrganize the Collection

Even though I keep my comic book collection well organized, there are always little things which need to be done. I can go through my database and see if any of my top comings have gone up or down. I could make sure everything is filed and organized.

Back Issues

There are some special back issues in my collection I have not read or have not read in a long time. Weeks like this are always good for pulling out a comic book encyclopedia or a Who’s Who or even an Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe just to brush up on a little useless trivia to pop out on someone in the near future.

Try Something New

I could also try a few new titles I have not looked into yet. Out of three titles, I will usually find at least one to add to my pull list.

Of course, these are suggestions I have to myself. What do you do during weeks when you have few or no pulls?

Current Comic Book Teams with Common Problems

Comic book teams pose challenges which need to be overcome by writers for a successful run. There are issues which are unique to writing comic book teams which are rarely found in comics featuring one superhero or a superhero duo. To gain a better understanding, let’s relate the challenges for comic book teams to current titles on the market today.

Suicide Squad is on of my favorite current comic book teams only because of Harley Quinn.

Suicide Squad is on of my favorite current comic book teams only because of Harley Quinn.

Comic Book Teams with a Team Savior

While it is good to bring favored characters onto comic book teams, the team should not rely solely on one or two characters. If the “Team Savior” falters in popularity, the entire comic can be held back or (in a worst case scenario) become unimportant.

Take a look at Suicide Squad for this example. The title continues to hold onto a spot in the Top 100 via Diamond, but that spot is low on the list. As of the March 2013 numbers, the title was hanging on at the #94 mark. Fans were originally excited to hear about Deadshot making the team, but he could not hold the comic on his own. Currently, this is one of the comic book teams being held together by one character in Harley Quinn. If she loses popularity, or is taken off the title again, I see the Suicide Squad exiting the Top 100 for good.

Comic Book Teams and Problems Introducing New Characters

New characters are introduced to comic book teams all the time and creators often have a tough job developing the character fast enough without taking away from the main characters on the title. Take a look at Goldball in Uncanny X-Men. He has an interesting power in which he can shoot gold balls of various sizes out of his body. If he is not developed quickly, he will be forgotten. Of course, it is even more difficult to introduce new characters when a major storyline such as the X-Men schism is going on.

Too Many Storylines

Batman Inc. is currently on the chopping black and the title has faced major hurdles over the last few months. Batman Inc. suffered from what I call “Avengers Syndrome.” You have a team made up of characters who have the own titles and you have to try to carry over the storylines from various publications while allowing for a storyline in the comic book team title. The result is a comic which has to neglect certain storylines in the character’s lives while picking and choosing on others.

Comic Book Teams with a Revolving Door

The Fearless Defenders worries me since it shares the Defenders title with the team which became known for having a revolving door policy. Every arc, and often every issue, had new team members. Fans were not given enough time to become used to particular chemistries in the book and the team which began as one of the most powerful ever in comics (Doctor Strange, Namor, and Hulk) ended in a hacked failure. Will Fearless Defenders live up to or in spite of the Defenders curse?

Comic Book Teams as a Solo Career Killer

What is going on with Gambit right now? The sales on the title continue to slide. Note, this is not the character’s first solo title and that all of the others have (you can argue this) failed miserably. There are characters that have been developed as team players over the years and are not able to break off on their own. Of course, the opposite of this would be found in Hawkeye, but that can all depend on the writer and the creative storylines given to the character.

Comic book teams are fun to follow as long as they are written correctly. If creators can get over these hurdles, they can create a memorable team which will last and that people will talk about for many years.

Comic Book Collecting Tips: Numerical Order

One of the comic book collecting tips which I cannot stress enough is how important it is to have your comic books stored in numerical order. Not only does this help you as a collector, it also helps any store owner you take your comic books to with the intention of trading or selling. If you are a convention vendor reading this article, these reasons apply to you as well as they will help you to move more product.

Comic Book Storage

Comic Book Storage

 

Your Collection

 

If you care at all about your comic book collection, you need to store you comics in numerical order. This is one of those comic book collecting tips you should never ignore. If you are going to search through your collection, it is much easier to find issues if they are stored in numerical order. You can gain a better grasp of the issues you need, as you simply have to find where the gaps are in your runs. If a particular issue begins to spike, such as Spawn #9 (the introduction of Angela) is now, you can easily find the copy in your storage boxes.

 

Selling Your Collection

 

When looking through a box at his or her store, comic book store owners are going to hope that your collection is in numerical order. Chances are good, if the buyer is “in the know,” he or she is going to skim your collection for certain key issues. If those issues are found, you might be looking at extra money. Those can be found easier if you follow one of the most basic of comic book collecting tips.

 

Convention Vendors and Comic Book Collecting Tips

 

As a collector, I am more likely to pass convention vendors by which do not have their comics in numerical order. I understand that people look through the boxes and the order can become messed up. As someone who has been collecting for three decades, I can tell the difference between customer negligence and seller negligence. Do everything you can as a vendor to follow as many of the basic comic book collecting tips as possible, especially this one. If I am looking through a box of yours at a convention, chances are good that I am looking for key issues. Make sure I can find them.

 

All Superheroes are Failures for a Reason

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WWC March Madness Finals Are Set!

The votes have been cast and the Final Four Round in the WonderWorldComics.com March Madness Contest has ended. It was a heavy day for voting. If yesterday is any indication of how today will turn out – it will be epic!

The Finals are set in the WonderWorldComics.com March Madness Contest

The Finals are set in the WonderWorldComics.com March Madness Contest

March Madness Final Four Match 1: Young Avengers vs. The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead 63% Winner

Young Avengers 37% Loser

The Marvel bracket went head-to-head with the 5%ers, and Image Comics’ The Walking Dead was able to pull out the victory in the March Madness Final Four Round. This was one of the most contested matches of the tournament. Young Avengers had the early lead, but fans of the zombie thriller were able to come back and rally in the last half of the day. Marvelites tried to pour it on in the last few hours, but stalwart fans of Rick and his crew stayed online until the bitter end to fend off the attack.

March Madness Final Four Match 2: The Legend of OZ: Wicked West vs. Batman

The Legend of OZ: Wicked West 60% Winner

Batman 40% Loser

This matchup pitted the winner of the DC bracket against the winner of the Independent bracket. Batman was the favored winner as many people had the headlining title making it to the Championship. Big Dog Ink fans declared that scenario was not meant to be as they were rallied by the publisher throughout the day. The Legend of OZ: Wicked West has had one upset victory after another and ended up winning the most contested matchup – there were 9,500 votes cast in this matchup alone. Sorry Batman, but it is time to return to the Batcave because Big Dog Ink made you it’s bichon!

The Walking Dead vs. The Legend of OZ: Wicked West

Voting is open for the Championship Round and fans of The Walking Dead are at war with the fans of The Legend of OZ: Wicked West. Will today’s voting cast a shadow on the record set yesterday? Will Big Dog Ink continue to rile their fans until the bitter end? Will Image rile their fans in an attempt to have their headlining title win it all? Will Cinderella be eaten by zombies before the clock strikes 12? Will the power of OZ be too much for Rick and his companions?

The Discount

For making it to the March Madness Championship Round, The Legend of OZ: Wicked West and The Walking Dead will both receive a 25% discount on 3/27/2013. The winner of the final matchup will be granted a 25% discount for the next week!

The Bracket Winner

Tomorrow (Thursday), I will go through the large stack of brackets to tabulate the winner. I should have an announcement sometime tomorrow evening about which bracket posted the most points and who won the Wonderworld gift card!

Digital Death Part III: Digital Comics and Collecting

My fellow comic book collectors – we are being devalued by Marvel and DC Comics in their push to increase sales of digital comics. Not only will digital comics eventually decrease the comic book market, the push for digital comics proves the Big 2 could care less about our passion for their products. How long will we stand for this [Censored] insolence? How long will we allow digital comics to survive?

The death of the comic book industry will be caused by digitally downloading comic books.

The death of the comic book industry will be caused by digitally downloading comic books.

How Easily Marvel and DC Comics Forget

There are two types of backs in which the comic book market has been built. Initially, it was built upon the backs of comic book readers who stood in line to pay a matter of cents for the newest issue of Action Comics. In my lifetime, the backs of comic book collectors were tapped as the Big 2 realized many of us were keeping boxes of comics to preserve them for the ages and that the values of back issues were climbing.

The Early [Censored] Ups

Marvel and DC Comics caused crashes in the past by trying to exploit either the reader’s market or the collector’s market. The comic book publishers [Censored] the market in the 1990s by trying to produce as many crappy titles as possible to exploit readers and put special covers on every issue in an attempt to exploit the collectors. Their greed made our favored market a [Censored] joke and the future was in jeopardy. Since the market is currently up in a big way, those greedy [Censored] are trying to figure out another way to exploit. They are looking for another back of support.

Who They are Going After

You could speculate about Marvel and DC Comics going after current readers with the push to digital comics, but you would be dead wrong. You know that [Censored] hipster douche you see sitting at Starbucks every morning who thinks the world should revolve around him? The world of comics is moving to revolve around him. Digital comics, Marvel AR, and whatever piece of [Censored] DC shovels out to compete with it, are all geared at the grab-a-trend hipster bastard who will drop money on the latest trend. The biggest problem with grab-a-trend hipsters is they do not stay around long. Wake the [Censored] Marvel and DC, we have been around for years and you are turning your backs on us!

This content is censored.

This content is censored.

What Will Happen

The issue of Spider-Man you have been keeping safe in order to pass on to your kids one day – it is going to be worthless if digital comics completely take over as everyone will have read it and there is no draw to hold the original. All that money you spent to have your comic graded will be lost as people scoff at physical comics as they will be passé. All of the time you spent collecting will have been wasted as people could give a [Censored] about your collection.

What Can We Do?

Don’t you think for a [Censored] minute that there is nothing you can do. Support your local comic book stores instead of digitally downloading comics. When Marvel and DC Comics tell you to check out the latest digital download, raise your voices and tell them to go [Censored] themselves. If you are sitting at a comic book convention panel, make sure your voice is heard. Tell other comic book collectors to do the same. The only way we can keep our collections valued, and keep ourselves valued by the Big 2, is to tell them that we are mad as hell, and we are not going to take it anymore!

Comic Book Collector’s Guide to Travelling

Comic book collectors look forward to trips to their local comic book store for new gems to add to their collections, but what about when they are on vacation? During my time as a writer, I have worked as a travel writer and found myself all over the country. There are certain tips I have for any comic book collector going on vacation.

Silver Age comics

Silver Age comics

Localized Market

While travelling around the country, I have figured out a few secrets of the industry. What is hot and what is not in the comic book market can sometimes depend on where you are in the country. Comics which are retailing for $50 in Detroit comic book stores might only be retailing for $10 in Las Vegas or in Florida. I always hit the stores in other cities to see which issues I can pick up for less.

Local Gems

When comic book publishing companies are starting out, they find they have an uphill battle in getting their titles on the racks of retailers across the country. They often start out by getting their titles on the racks of their local comic book stores. You might have the chance of picking up an issue created by an out-of-town publisher which could increase in value as word of the title crosses the country.

Signatures

Some comic book collectors will go out of their way to get a copy of their favorite comic signed by one of the creators. The signature market is odd because what has high value in one market might have vary little importance in another part of the country. Sometimes, signatures of local creators sell for less in their hometown than in other parts of the country. Other creators see their signatures go for a premium around the city where they grew up. The only way to see for sure is to head into a comic book store while you are travelling.

What I Bring

I always check to see where the local comic book stores are when I am traveling. I keep some bags and boards in my suitcase so I have them if I visit a shop which does not take the extra care with their issues. Depending on how many shops I will hit while on vacation, I will take between three and ten bags and boards to make sure I am prepared.

Comic book collectors are a strange bunch, but we should always be prepared for what we might find while out on the road.

Comic Book Reprint vs. Second Print Run

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Fan Fiction vs. Property-Based Comic Books

I found myself in a conversation yesterday in the store about comics which are based on TV shows or movies and fan fiction. The customer believed comics such as Dr. Who, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Star Wars were nothing more than glorified fan fiction. I explained how this could not be further from the truth.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

What is Fan Fiction?

Fan fiction is comprised of stories which the fans of a show or movie have written in the hope of bringing themselves and readers closer to the characters. Typically, fan fiction does not have the approval of the original creators of the characters and typically do not make money. A simple search of Google will turn up thousands of fan sites for everything from “Firefly” to “Dr. Who” to “Bladerunner.” I do not wish to talk down about fan fiction, but most of it is pretty bad. You can find a diamond here and there, but most of the fanboys and fangirls who write fan fiction have no experience whatsoever.

Difference of Comics Based on Established Products

The comic books on the market based on established properties from outside of the typical realm of comics, such as Star Wars and Buffy have the blessings of the original creators. While the content might not be considered as complete canon law when it comes to the characters being portrayed, don’t you think Disney would speak up if Dark Horse took an established character from the Star Wars Universe down the wrong path? If Yoda became an alcoholic or Ben Kenobi was portrayed as a pedophile, there would be major disruptions in the force and potentially in court.

Sometimes, the original creator of a property gets directly involved in the comic book based off of his or her property. Just think about how the Firefly comic might be different if Joss Whedon had not taken the lead on the title.

The storylines in these comics are developed over months and have the input of many different creators. Fan fiction is usually the work of one person who does not have the blessings of anyone involved in the original project. If you ever hear someone making an analogy between fan fiction and comics, make sure you set him or her on the right path.

Comic Book Torrents: What Happens Now?

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Comic Book Stores are Like Casinos

I love walking into comic book stores and casinos. As a comic book reader and collector, there are very few places that give me the charge that I get when walking into a store and seeing shelves lined with comic books. Ok, walking into a casino can come close – but not close enough. A comic book store is a lot like a casino and I doubt there have ever been many people who have made the association between the two. For those who know me, you should have expected me to compare two of my favorite types of locations.

Comic book stores are like casions

Comic book stores are like casions

Bright Colors

One of the first things you will notice when walking into a casino or a comic book store is the bright colors all around. The casino owners use the bright colors to bring your attention to the slots, the table games and to the entertainment. Comic book companies use bright colors and visually-enticing covers to draw you in in much the same way. If a slot machine looked bland and devoid of flashing lights, would you stop and play? If a comic had a bland cover, would it catch your eye?

Location of Shared Interest

Walk into a casino and listen to the conversations patrons are having. With all of my trips to Las Vegas, I have heard the full gambit of possible conversations over the years, but the majority of people are talking about gambling, particular games, or winning money. If you walk into any of the comic book stores in the world, chances are good that most of the conversations will be about reading comics, particular comics, or the shared experiences of comic book readers. Casinos and comic book stores are hubs for people who share common interests.

The Big Gambles of Comic Book Stores

Chances are good that you might not actively think about gambling when you are in a comic book store, but you are – and others are as well. When you pick up an issue, you are taking a gamble that you are going to like it. When you purchase a variant cover for the collectability factor, you are betting on the issue increasing in value over time. In fact, I have heard more about comic book speculators in the last few months than I have about sports betting speculators.

Don’t forget that comic book companies are speculating with every title and storyline. They are betting on you buying each title they have. Sometimes they win and sometimes they lose. Owners of comic book stores are speculating when they place their orders. Sometimes they order the correct amount of a title, sometimes they get burned, and sometimes they wish they ordered more.

Leaving with Anticipation

Every time I have entered a plane leaving Las Vegas, I have anticipated my next trip to Sin City. Leaving comic book stores gives me the same feeling. I wonder about what types comics or merchandise they will have the next time I arrive and what types of conversations I will have while there. Now if I could only get free drinks in comic book stores…

What Type of Comic Book Collector Are You?

Are you a general comic book collector, a mixed collector, or a specialized comic book collector? Do you know the differences between each type of collector? After reading this article – you will.

Comic Book Storage

Comic Book Storage

General Comic Book Collector

An easy way to remember what a general collector is would be to think of this type of person as a diversified collector. His or her collection will have comics from various comics from various time periods. Many comic book collectors fall into this category as the collector either collects any comics she can come across or any comics she likes.

Specialized Comics Book Collector

A specialized comic book collector will only collect certain types of comics, the comics of a particular character or team, or the comics from a particular company. If you have been collecting for a long time, chances are good that you have met someone who only collects comics focused on the X-Men or Batman or a comic book collector who would never allow comics from the Big 2 in their independent comics collection. You might have met someone who is only interested in horror comics or comics from a particular company.

Mixed Comic Book Collector

Most comic book collectors would fall into this category since they might have some specialized lines in their collections, but will still be diversified. My collection has a strong focus on the 1970s, and on particular characters such as Doctor Strange, The Phantom Stranger, and Batman – but I still have comics from many other publications and titles for various reasons ranging from liking a particular line to simply liking a particular cover to a certain issue being a key issue in a title.

Advantages and Disadvantages

A general or mixed collector will never have a “complete” collection, but a specialized collector might. It gives the specialized collector something to work towards and a goal to focus on. Essentially, this gives a specialized collector a defined maximum number of comics he or she might have. A general or mixed collector can, over time, become overwhelmed by a huge collection which needs to be liquidated to make room.

At the same time, though, a specialized collector might have to pass on particular issues outside of her collection and kick themselves later. I friend of mine only collects horror comics and once passed on purchasing Avengers #7 at a resale shop because it did not fit into his collection. He became so consumed by the idea of only buying horror comics that he did not think about purchasing the early issue of the Avengers and simply trading it in at his local comic book store or selling it for money.

A general or mixed collector is typically going to have a wider view on the comic book industry since he or she will have various types of titles in the collection. Diversification is something which drives a comic book industry which is filled with hundreds of titles to choose from. Specialized collectors, though, can also have a major impact on the market since they can help to entitle a sub-genre (such as horror, science fiction, etc.) to more attention from the publishing companies.

In the End

It comes down to what type of comic book collector you want to be. There is nothing inherently wrong with any type of comic book collector, but each type has advantages and disadvantages over the others.

What type of comic book collector are you? Why is this type of collecting right for you?

 

Also Read:

Bagging and Boarding Comic Books: Yes You Have To

Comic Book Dividers: Start Using Them Already

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