Comic Industry Losses
History, PreHistory, Alt History
By Alex Ness
May 22, 2022
In Memoriam: NEAL ADAMS GEORGE PEREZ
The comic book world was recently hit with two major creative talent losses. Neal Adams helped modernize comics, and changed how creatives are paid, and revolutionized the artist's rights to the properties they create. Adam's most active phase was the mid 60s to the early 80s. His own publishing attempts somewhat failed, but he created a studio and was able to make a healthy living with his own team of creative talents.
George Perez made himself known with brilliant covers, and created a great deal of well liked work from the beginning, but his star reached its apex with The New Teen Titans with writer Marv Wolfman. He was known for his talent, but also his kindness and outgoing nature.
The industry will miss both men.
COMICS FROM MY HISTORY
I
get some questions on a regular basis. One set of questions involves
why a person with many college degrees and has a serious mind would read
and love comic books. It does involve, with or without the person
asking the question's knowledge, a level of implied derision, either of
the comic book medium, or my mind, since comics to the person asking are
for children or, at best, are not serious. There are reasons for people
thinking this. Comics weren't serious in tone or subject matter, or
quality of art, for the first 40 years or so of the medium, with various
exceptions.
The medium has truly changed from the beginnings of the medium. The art
work of the recently passed Neal Adams combined with the writing of
Denny O'Neil on DC Comics Batman and Green Lantern is often pointed
towards as being the cause or origin. Others credit Stan Lee's Marvel
Universe wherein characters dealt with real life issues and had flaws
and concerns real people have. Independent comics such as Cerebus by
Dave Sim and art partner Gerhard (which went 300 issues deep) developed a
new reader market in the early 80s. With the independents new ideas now
appeared in the medium, albeit to a smaller grouping than if by DC or
Marvel. The final foundation stone cast in the maturity of comic books
had to be the appearance of The Dark Knight Returns featuring an aged
and crusty, violent and dangerous Batman, as written by Frank Miller.
The reason I say this isn't just because the comic series was good. It
was able to tell a serious story without concerns for entertaining young
minds. It wasn't there to teach a lesson, it wasn't there to make you
smile. It was a mature, intelligent, rather brutal visit to a Batman
ravaged by age, angry to be drawn out of retirement, vigilante who finds
the world far darker than the one he left when he retired.
I wrote a couple articles here, a relatively long time ago, wherein I tried to post a pic that reflected what I read or experienced in that time of my life. The articles were somewhat well received, so, I know there is worth in the sharing. Find them here and here. The silver age version has less writing around my choices and year shown, due to what was going on in my life, but that is because it was during 2013 when I had fallen, dislocated limbs, broke bones, and then when finally able to move about, began losing weight so quickly it was worrisome. In late October and early November I learned I had cancer. So, I can go into detail, but it isn't really so important than seeing what I read per year.
COMICS FROM PRE-HISTORY
Below is an image collected of as many prehistoric comics, stories and
character found in such times and settings. I've read many of these but
my favorite is Tyrant by Stephen Bissette, Devil Dinosaur by Jack Kirby,
and Turok Son of Stone. I'm not suggesting those I haven't read yet
aren't as good, nor that your taste will find the same favorites.Tyrant
is truly amazing for what it is. The story of a T Rex, and survival in a
world where that was not easy. Oh, and the very worst of the
bunch is Primal Man? By Jack Chick, famous anti Evolutionist and pro
Creationist. It was well done, in terms of art, and tried to express
with questionable facts, the roots of belief for a young earth. I
believe in God, believe God created the earth, by whatever means used,
but even my intelligence was insulted by this one.
I was asked by someone why the term prehistoric exists. I told them that the term aims at a time when there were no records or eyewitness accounts, that this is a time that can be hinted at with archeology and anthropology, even DNA research will tell a story. But events are what shapes history, and whatever happened, between people, or a disaster, or a celestial event, can only be delved with less specific tools, and understood with only a small amount of certainty. History is the record, so prehistoric would be a time before such. They mentioned then that the cave paintings are records. I said they are indeed. They said the Nazca lines are records too. I said of course they are. But then I had to ruin it, and say, "Of what? What do they record?"
People are often believe that the word History means, all that has happened. But the definition of term for historians is one thing, what the common person might think another, and the reality of it is perhaps another thing entirely. The academic based historian sees history as being the record kept and found of that which we then interpret to fully know. They might inquire further but they seem limited by that concept. The almighty version of history by the common person is such that assumes we might know all the things that have happened. History isn't so almighty. History is our knowledge, our proof, and our ability to affix a context that fits our perceptions of past as well as our self.
If that sounds complicated, I don't mean it to be. I think a good example of what I am saying can be found in the many icons of culture, that if they weren't what we think them to be, would change our perception of self. If the Pyramids were not built by the Egyptians but another ethnic or racial group, would that steal away from Egyptians their sense of self? It certainly would not destroy the brilliance of the pyramids. In a brilliant work by Neil Asher Silberman, I learned how all the inheritances of the past come with a cost and a benefit. And Archeology isn't a pure academic discipline nor is History. Racism, nationalism, hubris, self worth all flow from how the story of our past has been manipulated.
ALTERNATIVE CONSIDERATIONS
I've also recently been asked a few questions about Alternative History. Most of those asking questions are not being kind and/or looking for more to read, but aimed at insulting the level of serious writing by the authors asking us to look differently at events. As with the comic book medium but for different reasons. These people seem bothered that someone would look at a settled affair and say, what if we change this one aspect, how would the rest of the event change?
Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson
The Fox on the Rhine/Front books are especially good. And MacArthur's War could use a prequel or sequel. These are written in a way that leaves one pleased with what they read, whatever the changes. If Hitler was assassinated and Rommel took over, or even if Himmler did, the post-war world would be far different than the one we recognize. These books are absolutely worth finding and reading, and sharing.
Kenneth Macksey
Invasion is the best changed scenario book in Alternative history. It considers the actual invasion of the UK by Germany, and whether it succeeds or not, it is powerful, and frightening. It works on every level, from tone, to tactics, to results and the consequences of the choices made by all parties. I wish he did many more books like it.
David Downing
The Moscow Option is intriguing, as the author changes only what seems likeliest, and doesn't assume if something changes in facts, that it would change in result. He uses a great deal of quality consideration of the decisions made, how they might have differed, and considers the actors in the events and what was going on. His use of history and knowledge of what was going on is considerable. Less readable than very interesting, it does pose a lot of worrisome questions by the end. For people who assume everything that happened happened because it was inevitable, it will be clear, it isn't.
R.H. S. Stolfi
This is similar in appeal as The Moscow Option, but the author goes about his presentation from a perspective of tactics, and strategy more than anything like motives, personalities and choices made. As such, it is a book I've shared a number of times to popular response. It is worth a read.
Philip K. Dick
I realize Philip K. Dick wrote a great book in this and it absolutely considered a world changed by a variety of events and long term results. It even builds upon the changes by going further into the world now changed. It has been interpreted for television rather well, but the book is better. It is a valuable work but not one I love. Which is odd since I do very much like the works of Philip K. Dick.
Len Deighton
SS-GB is an easy win for readers. It considers the investigation inside the now occupied UK, where Churchill has been executed, and the Crown had surrendered. I think it is brilliantly written, subtle in many ways that go beyond perception, and is worth mention, even if the war is not the main actor, but the thing that dominates the setting and all aspects of the story. You won't find battles and stuff beyond the mention really. I will say, most times I shared this resulted in people saying either it was great, or too dry for their tastes. So maybe you'll like it, what the hell do I know?
Allen Steele
I've heard many great responses and read many reviews of V-S Day. It does work as science fiction, as it uses somewhat large changes to tell a story how it does. It considers a world where the Allies and Axis fight a contest to take over space, that is, Victory in Space Day. Somewhat like The Man in the High Castle, I know people really enjoyed this book, but it wasn't my cup of tea. I think it was well written, but maybe I was looking for a historical consideration and received an exciting novel. Again, what the hell do I know?
Some of the best books that a factual and solid version of known history of the Second World War
AJP Taylor is the most original thinker of the facts involved in the Second World War. He offered many new and radical conclusions from the facts known, and for a while he was considered a maverick who wanted to buck the agreed upon orthodoxy. But he hasn't been shown to be flawed in his conclusions. His outlook was not one of supporting the long held beliefs, but he wasn't just stirring up arguments. His knowledge of the war is almost certainly among the greatest in depth of any academic, and certainly the most of anyone of his generation.
John Keegan was a military history specialist, but one who was more about the details and specific facts than theories and ideas behind the motives of the actors. He had books dealing with leadership, the evolution of war from primitive to modern, and spoke to the concepts behind large unit actions. Having said that, while one might know more from reading his work, there probably were not many new ideas born from such a read.
Victor Davis Hanson is more of a theorist about how and why people go to war, but rather than challenge many known facts, his work gives the underpinning of the just causes the Allies followed into war. Hanson's Ancient history work is brilliant. His Second World War theories give solid footing for why the Allies went to war, but nothing is new there either. If there is something to point to other than his solid comprehension of the important facts, his knowledge offers a bulwark against those who oppose war at any cost, for this was, as he demonstrates, a just war on the part of the Allies.
Nicholas Stargardt's The German War is often misunderstood. It isn't written by a German, (he is an Australian) and one might think it is an apologist work. But instead it is a work that digs deeply in journals, eyewitness accounts, and diaries. He tries in this work to learn why the Germans fought, why they fought so hard so long, and what did it mean to be a German soldier in a Nazi war. As such some lesser minds might think he is taking a route to show what fools Germans were, or how great of warrior people they are. Or, that they were misled throughout the war and didn't know what they were fighting for. You cannot read this work without coming away from it horrified by what you will learn.
Saburo Ienaga was a historian who was absolutely vital to my learning about the Japanese perspectives on the Pacific War. In his volume The Pacific War the reader learns much of what happened from a close to an unbiased or perhaps safely distant voice and purely academic in purpose eye and mind. It is a book that challenged the Japanese desire to ignore or silence the regrets they might have had about the war. In certain ways I think it is heroic and honest beyond measure.
MEMORIAL DAY
Have a reflective Memorial Day, and try to embrace the good things you have, and remember the many that have died in service of their country.
I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that. It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.
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