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Show Wednesday. April 10, 1991 The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Seven Featume Commie bmh sUkt love their art Today's comics are not just for kids; lots for adults, too By Linnea Lundgren Chronicle Feature Writer any comic book. With this being the case, the help of a good artist can make the comic book a topseller on the market. A Holy Bat-Boo- k! Comic books aren't just for kids anymore. In the past, comic books have been associated with a pre-tee- n audience. However, the comic book industry is now making comics designed for adult readers. Many adults now collect comic books as a hobby. Dave Bearden, a senior in mechanical engineering who has been buying comic books ever since he was seven, said that comic book collecting is a legitimate hobby for adults and that it is a common misconception that comic books are only for kids. Les Hirschi, a junior in chemical engineering and an avid comic book collector, said one of the major reasons comic collecting is becoming more popular with adults is the artist andor writer of the book. "The artist's name has always been an important feature that comic book collectors look for. There are a couple of artists who are really good. If their name is on the book you know it is going to be a hot seller and that comic book will also go up in price," Hirschi said. Hirschi noted that a good comic book artist, such as Todd MacFarlene, won't illustrate just common misconception of comic art is that it is just simple cartoon drawings. Hirschi said that this is not the case with most of the professional comic book artists. ' Hi nI "These artists are doing professional art and modern art," Hirschi said, adding that one artist who specializes in drawing modern art comics has developed a following of modern artists and aficionados who buy a comic for his work alone. Although traditionally the art has been what people are attracted to, the writer of the comic book is now increasingly important, Bearden said. He added that he . 1 I ft often buys a comic because of the author. Bearden said that many people have the idea that all comic book writing consists of is inflated bubbles with exclamations of "POW!" and "WHAM!" Bearden said that while this may have been the case with the "pop art" type of comic books, "the writing now can be very deep, verbose and filled with meaning." "No longer are there simple sayings like, 'Let's get him Batman. . . POW!," he added. The term "comic" is also deceiving in terms of the storylines in the books. While there are humorous books, many comics are mmmmm 1. CHRONICLE PHOTOJudd R. Hillman Comics Utah, located at 1956 S. 1100 East, is one place where comics collectors can buy the magazines. The books often appreciate in value, depending on the condition in which they are preserved. now making social, political and environmental statements in the storyline. POW! "There is one comic called Animal Man that is a very big rights type of comic," pro-anim- Bearden said. al ' A politically-oriente- d comic book that Hirschi noted deals with the CIA and its "subversive" political tactics. "The book was done by modern artists and was called, Brought to life. It showed a side of the CIA that most people don't know about," he said. There are also comic books that are very graphic, grotesque andor have sexual themes. "Comic books can appeal to many different levels of taste," Bearden said. "A lot of see "comics" on page eight Auntie A. fights losing battle with phone "I'm sorry, Mrs. Calkins. It's going to have to be surgically removed. It's either that or she'll have to wear it like that for the rest of her life." "It would serve her right. It looks like one horrendous earring." The good doctor and I were speaking, of course, of my daughter, Emily (13 yrs.), and the AT&T receiver growing out of her ear. She had been on the phone for so long the thing was taking root. To get it to shut off one had but to pinch her nose. Every time it rang her eyes bulged out and lit up like a Felix the Cat wall clock. I know I'm not alone in this problem. There are a students few thousand of my fellow single-paredilemma: the same out there with teenagers and the phone from Hell. I tried to figure out what had turned my sweet, quiet little girl into a maniacal, button-pushinphone jockey but could come up with nary an answer. What was it that had done where had failed? Do you suppose it was all of that relative-callin- g I did when we first discovered I was pregnant with her? Perhaps it was all the Relief Society luncheon calling I did when she was just a baby. I know! It was all those nights writing late stories back in 1987-8The phone was the only way I was able to communicate with my children,back then. Those were her formative years. Then I got to thinking did I ever talk on the fact, phone like that? I think not. My dad, in calls. of all on limit time a my imposed (When you broke the rules in our house, you ended middle-age- d bowling up being Dad's partner on his I was going to chance no was so there team, conduct a phone marathon.) You learned to get it all said in five minutes or you found yourself on Friday nights trying to get a "turkey" with the over-4- 0 set. My problem here is that I can t intimidate nt g, 8. five-minu- te Auntie Arlene Calkins Chronicle Feature Columnist this kid. She likes bowling. She's so much in demand as a babysitter that she makes more money I do and gives me lunch money, so I guess than threatening to withhold funds is out of the question. Whenever my bed gets made, it's because she made it. Let's face it, the kid is pretty short on faults and weaknesses. I mean, this kid lives on the phone. She would rather talk than eat. I tried reasoning with her. "Honey, it's not good for you to be on the phone so long. You could go deaf." "Oh, Mom. That is sooo bogus." "Okay. Maybe you won't go deaf, but your ears will get flattened and definitely larger." "Sorry, Mom. That's worse than the first one. " "Right. Well, then, how am I supposed to get through to let you know I'm running late at work? How am I supposed to get my phone calls? And yes, I do get calls." "Mom, really. I mean, have you ever heard of 'Call Waiting'? Gol , everybody has it. I'm practically the only one in my entire school that doesn't have it. I mean, like, gol Mom." I interpreted that last exchange to mean that I was failing as a parent because we didn't have Call Waiting hooked up to our phone system. Good grief! I already pay monthly installments to U.S. West Communications, U. S. Sprint and AT&T. "I'll have to think about that one, Em. Just because everybody else has something doesn't mean we have to have it. I mean, if everybody else wore shorts in the snow would you wear them? Right. Never mind. It was a stupid argument anyway." "So like, does this mean you're going to get it?" "Yeah, I guess so." "Dude!" I felt myself being reeled in like some giant flounder or salmon. I had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. It hasn't been so bad, really, because in addition to Call Waiting, I purchased the Party Line so three or more of the little phone hogs could get together at one time. I'm still able to get my pnone calls, and Emily is the phone queen of Albion Middle School. My only real worry came yesterday when my other daughter, Sally, came to me and said, "Guess what, Mom? Only 49 days until my 16th birthday. That means I can drive! S KV l |
