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Entertainment
The Battalion
Page 3 • Tuesday, March 2, 2004
A revival of comic proportions
Box-office success and aging demographic lead to revival of comic books
By Robert Saucedo
THE BATTALION
their s^
Janet Van Dyne lies in bed, moaning with pleasure, surrounded
ty at by scattered clothes and wine bottles. As she quiets down, Henry
Pym, aman no more than half an inch tall, crawls out from under
the sheets. Pym remarks: “All right, Jan. Your turn.”
This racy scene may sound like something from a bizarre
pornographic film, but in fact it is a page out of the October 2003
issue of Marvel Comics’ “The Avengers,” featuring the
Astonishing Ant-Man and his partner-in-love - as well as in jus
tice - The Wasp.
It is no longer uncommon to flip through a random comic book
and discover all sorts of “R-rated” behavior. With the maturity lev
els growing along with the average reader’s age, it’s no surprise
that most comic books are seemingly targeted towards an older
college audience.
Sidra Roberts, a senior chemical engineering major, started read
ing Archie comics when she was only 5 years old. Today, her tastes
mn the gauntlet, including everything from science-fiction comics,
superhero comics, to even children’s comics. Roberts visits her
favorite comic bookstore in Houston weekly to pick up the newest
issues of the comic books she reads.
“1 like having something to look forward to every month,”
Roberts said. “It’s like a good TV show, except it’s monthly or
bimonthly.”
Roberts said although more people are coming back to comic
bks for a pastime, things are not completely smooth for the comic
hook market. She said comic hook publishers should start targeting
younger audiences if they want to survive.
“Ifwedonot get children into the market, the market is going to
tventually cave in on itself and die,” Roberts said. “Hopefully the
industry will continue to grow and diversify. It used to be that the
industry had all sorts of comics: horror comics, western comics,
superhero comics and romance comics. You're starting to see delin
eation again. We’re going hack from the straight superhero comics
lhatdominated for a while and are starting to see new things.”
Mike Colbert, a Class of 2001 journalism major, has been read
ing comic books for at least 18 years.
"My dad was in Tokyo for a while, and he collected a bunch of
comicbooks and sent me some,” Colbert said. “I read them all.”
He said the recent trend of mature comics is only natural.
“Ifyou think about it, you realize children don't have as much
money as college students,” Colbert said. “They don't have as much
control of their money.* 4
One thing Colbert said he does not agree with is the use of clas
sic superheros in adult situations.
They’re supposed to be superheros,” Colbert said. “They’re not
aid.
supposed do stuff like use
their powers to have sex. But I guess sex does sell.”
Marvel Comics, the publishing house behind such
superhero mainstays as “Spider-Man,” “X-Men” and
“The Incredible Hulk,” has lately chosen to pursue
controversial ideas and stories and in the past few
years has not shied away from publishing different
titles that evoke different reactions. According to mar-
velcomics.com, these titles include the recently col
lected miniseries “Truth,” in which several black
World War II soldiers are experimented on with a
super-soldier serum that would eventually be used to
turn a more “suitable” white man into Captain
America.
Always willing to push the boundaries of the
mainstream market. Marvel can arguably be called
today’s most successful comic book publisher. With
several blockbuster movies, hit video games, action
figures and other paraphernalia under its utility belt.
Marvel has created a vast merchandising empire for
itself, and this is all from a company that was bank
rupt five years ago,
v Aside from its aging demographic. Marvel's suc
cess in recent years is largely due to its recent brush
with success in the movie industry. Yahoo movies
reports that the comic chain’s zenith, “Spidennan,” has
one of the highest overall box office collections - more
than $403 million - in history. Yahoo movies also
reports that following closely behind everybody’s
favorite mutant, is the second installment of the popu
lar X-men series, “X2: X-Men United,” with overall
collections of nearly $215 million.
The ticket sales of films based on Marvel Comics
have not been ignored. Today, many film studios are
actively developing as many comic hook-related prop
erties as they can. There are currently more than a
dozen comic book films in active development, includ
ing director Kevin Smith's take on “The Green Hornet”
and Robert Rodriguez’s adaptation of Frank Miller’s
gritty crime comic, “Sin City.”
Even though superhero movies are raking in cash at the box
office, Josefina Morales, owner of the local Lytle’s Comics &
Games, hasn’t noticed an increase in sales.
“I get most of the same people in all the time,” Morales said.
“I’ve noticed a lot of the same people who come in will try new stuff
because it’s being made into a movie to see what it’s like.”
Colbert believes an increase in comic book-based movies does
n't necessarily spell doom for future adaptations.
Sharon Aeschbach • THE BATTALION
Junior mechanical engineering major Brian Auer reads a "Superman" comic at Lytle's
Comics and games in College Station Monday afternoon.
“Sure, the possibility exists, but there are a lots of goods stories
that fans enjoy and that moviegoers would enjoy if brought to the
movies,” Colbert said. “There are comic book fans around - not near
ly as much as there were 20 years, but we are not a dying breed.”
Colbert believes the recent boom in the popularity of superheros
in the media is much deserved.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Colbert said. “Comics were just
destined to get better recognition. The stories are a lot deeper then
people realize. I don’t think they will ever die out completely.”
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04
When he had received the drink,
jesvs said, IT IS FINISHED.
With that, he bowed his head and
GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT.
The Department of Student Activities
is now accepting applications for
“TTze ^Margaret (RucCcCer
Service JL-warcC
To recognize and award students who significantly
impact their community through voiunteerism
and as a result are impacted by that contribution
Awards up to $500 will be presented during
Parent's Weekend on Sunday, April 18, 2004
^ Additional information and
applications are available at
vsc.tamu.edu or
in Student Activities
Questions? Contact 862-1491 or
serve@tamu.edu
$
cr 156
Field,
3^
L ef
Editor
.tor
M -od ui:er
_ditor
Why did he do it? Jesus, the Son of God. Why would he leave heaven to
endure the torture, pain, humiliation of the cross?
Jesus said he came only to do the will of the Father. He came in the Father's
name, for the Father's glory, doing all things by the Father, speaking only what
the Father told him to speak. And that got him into trouble—with people.
His words and miracles greatly upset some people. So Jesus paid the price.
He was sentenced to die by crucifixion. But ultimately it was not the Romans
and Jews controlling Jesus' death. They were not making the ultimate decisions.
Jesus was never fully at their mercy.
This was Jesus, who healed the blind, even raised people back to life! One
was his friend, Lazarus, who had been buried in a tomb for four days! Following
that one, the authorities said, “If we let him go on like this, the whole world will
be following him.” Indeed.
Jesus voluntarily gave up his life.
Why??
For us. To step in and take our place. To pay the harsh punishment for our
sins. Again, why? Because our sin was keeping us from him. He was willing to
do this, to remove the barrier—to offer us forgiveness.
"God demonstrates his own love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us,” the Bible tells us.
What this means is that you can make a new beginning with God. He did this
for you, but his forgiveness is not yours until a relationship with God himself
belongs to you. And he is offering you that. Look at Jesus' passion. Is there any
question how much he wants you to know him?
If you have questions about how to begin a relationship with God, please see
Everystudent.com.
EveryStudent.com
Campus Crusade for Christ at Texas A&M
http://cru.tamu.edu
Join AOLP
Get Connected.
Be an Aggie Orientation Leader!
Applications available at:
aolp.tamu.edu
For more information:
862-2746
Applications Due: March 3rd by 5:00 PM
in the East Wing Foyer of Sbisa
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