SPRING 2002

You have been bitten by a genetically altered spider, and given the ability to stick on walls, swing from webs, and sense danger approaching.

Remember that story? It seems ages ago when Stan Lee penciled and wrote the first issue of The Amazing Spiderman. Now, thanks to writers Brian Michael Bendis and Garth Ennis, characters like Spiderman have received a face-lift and a new attitude.

"Comic books are still an inexpensive medium of entertainment," says Carson.

"Characters today have so much more depth than they did twenty years ago," says Paul Carson, owner of Fantastic Planet on Oak Street in downtown Plattsburgh. "Today, these heroes have emotions and traits that are all their own."

Both Marvel and DC Comics have revamped their lineups. Marvel titles such as Ultimate Spiderman, Ultimate Marvel Team-up, and Ultimate X-Men have retraced these classic characters back to their roots.

For instance, Ultimate Marvel Team-up issues four and five retell the story of the first encounter between Spiderman and his idol Iron Man. Peter Parker, the secret identity of Spiderman, visits Tony Stark's (Iron Man) enterprise on a high school "shadow" trip. Meanwhile, Stark Enterprise mounts a defense against an oncoming robot attack. Spiderman and Ironman 'team-up' for the first time to protect the building.

DC Comics, the archrival to Marvel, has taken all of their legends (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, etc…) and placed them all together in one title, Justice League America, or JLA.

"JLA is one of our most popular titles," says Carson. "It gives you so many heroes in this one book, and Marvel has nothing comparable to that right now."

For most people, reading a comic book means looking at the pictures and skimming the words. Graphics are the key element to selling a comic, and artists have never been better than they are today.

Alan Moore brings a bit of magic into the world of religion. Christians beware!	Hill Street Blues meets Alan Moore and gets slapped around and taken into the future.	How getting 'Tangled' in Spiderman's 'Web' can mean a body bag if Kingpin's your boss.	Brian Michael Bendis pens the first encounter of Spiderman and Dr. Strange.

 

"We have new types of paper and ink, as well as inexpensive ways of printing - computer technology has a lot to do with it," says Carson. "Comics are still a very inexpensive medium of entertainment."

"Today comics are in-your-face with violence," says Collins.

The face of comics has gritted up as if it were sliced with a dull scalpel blade - bruises and scrapes galore. The blood and guts of some titles is an eye-catcher to some collectors. "It's like someone all of a sudden woke up and said- 'Hey we can market these things to adults','" says Carson.

Gore is not what all collectors are looking for, though. Some old-time comic book collectors speak out against the grotesqueness of today's comics.

Dave Collins has been collecting comics since he was 10 years old. Although he still collects today, he fears the future. "Older comics were a lot simpler. Today comics are in your face with violence. A better writer can provoke the imagination, rather than show you the blood and guts on the page."

Dave's son is nine years old, and he loves comics as much as his father. "I buy him the cheap, old comics you can get for 25 cents out of the bin. He doesn't need to see all that crap on the page they put nowadays," Collins says.

If you can handle the red splotches on the page and a greater sense of teen angst in voice, then you should definitely check out comic books. You might try any title by Alan Moore- Promethea, Tom Strong and Family, or Top Ten, Ultimate Marvel Team-up, or Spiderman's Tangled Web, and also, JLA.

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Local Comic Stores Fantastic Planet Oak Street in downtown Plattsburgh Earth Prime Comics Church Street in Burlington Waldenbooks Champlain Centres in Plattsburgh