Believe it or not, there was a time when the most-seen characters in comics was not Canadian mutant James Howlett, but young multi-millionaire Richard R. Rich II, known to his friends as Richie Rich For the better part of three decades (decades when, it should be noted, comics readership numbered in the millions, rather than the paltry tens of thousands we have today) Richie appeared in multiple monthly titles, crossed over with his friends to support their books, and even got his DOG a starring role that lasted longer than the original run of the Incredible Hulk! Richie’s downfall came in the early 80s, when the median age of comics fans rose to the point where the brooding, violent anti-hero type became the only viable protagonist model. Though he’s popped up here and there in the intervening years, young Richie’s days as top-of-the-card player are probably behind him forever, a realization that makes me inexplicably sad…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) always found it kind of unintentionally cruel that Richie showed off his wealth in front of poor destitute Freckles like that, asking: What lost or diminished genre of comics would you most like to see make a comeback?
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Its not really a genre of comics, but I would love to see wider distribution of the small format digest size comics, whether kid focused titles or child friendly main stream capes stories.
As a parent, I’d love to get my kids more into reading these books, but for a pre-schoolers, floppies are not a viable physical format. As publishers finally seem to be getting away from “collectible” formats and into digital publishing, I would think re-prints in the digest format might become more economically viable.
The format is just physically more kid friendly that full size graphic novels or regular floppy issues.
I would love to see more horror comics. It’s a hard genre to do in comics, but when done right it can be fantastic. Things like anthologies as well. It’s almost standard now that stories have to span multiple issues. More done in one’s or an issue with multiple stories in it would be a welcome change.
I would enjoy more of a mystery who-dunnit theme. Even Irredeemable had me hooked with the “Why would the Plutonian do this?!?” despite the super-hero genre.
Manga. It’s almost ridiculous to say that manga is a lost or diminished art form in America, but it really is, when you stop to think about it. In the early day, just about anything that Studio Proteus thought might sell was translated and published, so you got hard sci-fi, giant robot comics, monster comics, horror comics, comedy comics, historical dramas, video game comics, etc. Every now and then the industry would contract and all you’d get for a while was kung-fu books, or giant robot books, but usually the offerings would expand once again. No more. Now most of the monthly books are entirely gone, replaced by quarterly digests that are printed so small I can’t read a lot of the text even with my bifocals on. Every now and then something like Negima gets popular and there is a brief renaissance, but gone are the days when you could go to your comic shop and pick up the latest issues of Ghost In The Shell, Outlanders, Ranma 1/2, and Nauiscaa of the Valley of Wind. Ah, the old days, they are gone forever. Weep.
I’d have to agree. It’s a chore right now to find a place that sells anything that isn’t 10 years old. Let alone get them to special order something for you.
Comics for Children of ALL ages. I try to find titles we can all enjoy at my local comic shop. Unfortunately those that use popular and familiar characters often have poor artwork. Others that I read as a child have often grown up with me and are now too mature for a five year old or are non-existant.
I have listened to multiple shows where comics for kids have been preeminent but the inconsistancy is still to great to find a decent running series.
Just because it is for kids doesn’t mean it has to be stupid or poorly drawn.
EC style horror comics, hands down.
I would like to see the return of high quality black and white comics. In the late 80’s there were some fantastically drawn comics of all genres.
Maybe not a genre but Giant Size comics, Two in Ones. Something that’s actually worth shelling big dough for what used to cost a quarter.
Too bad the smaller independents went bust. Boris the Bear ruled.