NPR Interviews Neil Gaiman on the Golden Age of Comics

Yes, NPR again proves that they programs are some of the best on radio today by conducting an interview with Neil Gaiman.  Listen below....


It's nice to see National Public Radio acknowledging the fact that comic books aren't just some feeble and childish form of literature, but rather an artistic and exceptionally literary form of storytelling that is equally for adults as it is for children.

But even more interestingly is this notion, made by Neil Gaiman in the interview, that comic books, if you think of it in terms of the continuity that both DC and Marvel have tried to and successfully established, are the longest fictional narrative ever created by humanity.

And it's true.  DC Comics has been around for 75 years and the stories have all connected together in one huge continuity based story for that long.  Yes, comics split up into arcs and series, written by different authors, but they still all connect into one giant story.  Even the different comic book titles connect with their fellow titles.  You could almost make the argument that both DC and Marvel comics connect together as well with all the crossover stories that have occurred in the past, and recently.  Even the more recent comic book companies like Dark Horse Comics (founded in 1982) and Image comics (founded in 1992) have comic books that are still going strong, and continuity is still just as important as it used to be.

The interview addresses how much comic books have been rejected by schools, media, etc.  And Neil Gaiman, one of the best sci-fi authors of this and last century, makes the claim that comic books are just as legitimate as any other form of literature.  In addition, Gaiman makes the claim that comic books help to enforce literacy.  I remember growing up and granny always scolding me for my love of comics, and my mother always supporting my reading habits; making the argument that comics help to improve my vocabulary.  And what better way TO improve your vocabulary right?  Comics can use bigger and complicated words for young readers where they can develop their deductive reasoning skills and use the pictures to figure out what the "bigger" words mean.

But even more so, it's a literary and artistic medium that is unique despite its long life within American culture.  To constantly deny this medium as an influential and wonderful literary art form is an exceptional ignorant and  uninformed opinion to have.  You don't have to like them, but America really does need to open up and accept the fact that comics aren't just "funny books" for children.  In fact, you could say comics are the one true American bit of folklore that will withstand the test of time..

Comic Book Review: Kill Shakespeare #1 - 4

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Anthony Del Col, Conner McCreery

Penciller and Inker: Andy Belanger

Colorist: Ian Herring

Letterer: Robbie Robbins

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Kill Shakespeare had entered into my ears the first time by way of NPR, when writer Anthony Del Col had been interviewed on one of the stations many shows, Talk Of The Nation.  While the concept sounded interesting, I threw this comic book endeavor by the writer as nothing more than an unintelligent spoof of Shakespeare’s classic stories and a cheap way of earning a few extra bucks.  I mean really, how can many people take a title like “Kill Shakespeare” seriously?  When I first heard of the title, the initial response that popped out in my head was “Oh, so subtract ‘Bill’ and insert ‘Shakespeare’ and you have an uncreative title for an unintelligent plot base.”  Needless to say, I was unimpressed and had no desire to pick up Kill Shakespeare. 

A few weeks later I received an e-mail from Anthony Del Col himself, requesting that I read his comics and review them on my blog.  (Who knew my blog was read by anyone important huh?)  As an incentive, he sent me the first four issues of the series via e-mail in PDF format absolutely free. (The fourth issue hadn’t been released at the time I received the e-mail by the way.)  I responded with a positive response to Mr. Del Col agreeing to read and review his comics with the assurance that I will be completely and utterly honest with my opinions of his work.  Having no second thoughts on the part of Del Col, I read the first four issues the very next day.  And, believe it or not, this series might actually become one of my favorites!

Del Col surprised me by keeping the comedy to a minimum and the drama strong and fierce.  Even more so, Del Col not only gives this series a depth beyond expectations, but continues in the literary quality that Shakespeare established in his day.  The plot is that the characters from all of Shakespeare’s stories have come to the realization that some wizard with the same name as their creator has a power beyond recognition, a power hidden within his quill.  King Richard the 3^rd requests the assistance of Hamlet in a quest to not only attain the quill, but also kill its owner.  But with the help of famous characters like Juliet, Othello, and Falstaff, Hamlet soon discovers that not everything is as it seems.

Del Col does an amazing job at making an entirely new story with these classic characters; keeping true to what their individual stories make them out to be as characters while still making them new and vibrant all at the same time.  I was shocked to see how creative the story is.  I was expecting a comedy, but instead I discovered a piece of literary work that would equal the intense and vivacious nature that Shakespeare had brought into his stories centuries ago. 

Most pleasing was how Del Col used the original characterizations for each character that Shakespeare had established when he wrote them, but there was no shout outs and copied dialogue that dulled or dumbed down the story.  Rather, the dialogue and literary components felt new and fresh even though it still felt as if I was reading one of Shakespeare’s actual plays. 

But what made this read most pleasing was the fact that it IS a comic book.  How many times did we read Shakespeare in high school with no visual counterpart?  Teachers constantly expected their students to read the plays without playing a video of one of the productions.  (At least that was my experience.) Kill Shakespeare allows us to read a Shakespearean style story in the way it was intended…by seeing it!

Andy Belanger, having never heard of him before, is an amazing artist.  His style is very reminiscent of Amanda Conner’s with her work on Power Girl.  The cartoonish style did not detract from the story in the least.  In fact, it enhanced it.  It allows us to read a very serious story with the understanding that this is supposed to be a fun and refreshing read.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

I agree with what Del Col said about the idea behind the story, and hopefully people CAN become excited about reading Shakespeare after reading these comics.  This was such a good idea and I’m glad Del Col and McCreery turned this into a comic book rather than a video game.  Hopefully, after this arc is over, the literary duo will continue with this series as the potential for Kill Shakespeare to be one of the best comic book titles to come around in a long time is HUGE!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Writing: 10 (issues 1-4)

Art: 10 (issues 1-4)

Themes: 10 (issues 1-4)

And for your viewing pleasure, here is the trailer for the series…

The Reality Of Becoming A Superhero

Click To Hear Broadcast  ---> This American Life: Superpowers

National Public Radio always intrigues me with the the types of stories they broadcast.  They seem to be the only radio station around anymore that actually cares about the value of the good story.  With shows like Talk of the Nation and A Prairie Home Companion, NPR delivers some of the most entertaining shows in radio today.  But one show I never had the desire to listen to was This American Life.

a few days ago, I listened to a broadcast titled "Godless America."  I loved every minute of it and decided to listen to the show more frequently.  How astonished was I when I discovered the next broadcast was all about Superheroes and the people who try to become them!  My wife and I, while doing other things, decided to stream the broadcast and see what it was all about.

If you've ever wondered if you would rather have the super power of flight or invisibility, this broadcast may help you in your decision.  Enjoy!

Click To Hear Broadcast  ---> This American Life: Superpowers