Comic books

Since X-Men: The Movie—I mean, really, no one believed Blade alone could start the revolution—comic book properties have gotten more and more mainstream. Not just the characters but the continuities and the plots. I just listened to a podcast where the hosts were describing the Star Wars Expanded Universe and I could follow along way too well. There is not a great term for this phenomenon. Fan boy culture, nerd culture. Genre enthusiasts. They’re all getting their day. It’s led to better television, worse mainstream movies, and less and less interest in comic books. The great comic book properties of yesterday—Watchmen, Preacher, et cetera—have all finally become the crossover properties enthusiasts always hoped they would be. Even more so. At the same time, the Internet has happened. Almost in unison though not exactly relatedly—it’s not like Daredevil had some great Internet ad campaign. The Phantom probably did have an awesome AOL electronic press kit though. These properties, these characters, their continuities, their plots, have reached more readers than anyone ever imagined. People—civilians, not comic book shop regulars—use Comixology. I didn’t think it could happen. There is some kind of halo effect, it’s not a myth. However, it’s not focused. It’s generalized. Mainstream and indie content’s new bare minimum is blandly acceptable. Only it turns out the new enthusiast, the one self-publishing online, is able to surpass even the best of the officially published content. Yes, I’m still talking about Spidey Zine.