Comics: perfect blend of art and imagination
Albert Einstein once wrote
imagination is more important
than knowledge; the theory is
that without imagination. In
spiration is one tough cookie to
iind. |ohn Stuart Mill once
wrote that art necessarily pre
supposes knowledge.
Perhaps neither of the two
ever read comics, but it occur
red to me that if there were any
one format that blended im
agination and art. it fust might
lie comics.
Story by John Bock
lost Saturday. Eugene’s first
annual comics convention
found its way to the lone Coun
ty Fairgrounds. What a groat
deal — where else could you
find about 40 comic book mer
chants under one roof, selling
everything from C.I. Joe combat
toys to Bill & Opus post
campaign T-shirts.
Oh sure, maybe this was
small potatoes compared to
other conventions, but I didn't
know any better and really
didn’t care. It was a first . And it
wasn’t too bad. •'
“It's a major event in town for
collectors and for. people who
just, love' comics in general.’'
said Darrell Grimes, host and
co-organizer of the convention,
or al he put it', the, ‘‘con ’’
Grimes has been trying to get a
local convention off the ground
since 15180, eight years after his
shop, Emerald City Comics,
opened.
"Eugene la sort of an untap
ped market; it's a golden oppor
tunity for collectors to fill the
gaps in their collections," he
said.
National comic book artists
from throughout the Northwest
appeared at the show; people
like Marvel’s Kandy F.mberlin
and Chris Warner. IXTs Cary
Martin, and Mike Orel I — one of
the top artists working today.
(■omit; books — more ac
curately, comic magazines —
have a broad appeal, foe reasons
as varied as their creators
themselves. “People are
rediscovering comics," sug
gested Martin, who is from
Eugene. "There seems to be a
correlation between the
economy and the popularity of
fantasy."
* ' I t ' s art and wri
ting., .eipecially art,” one
dealer said. "New formats draw
higher quality work, better
quality because you draw better
talent.” ..
Tom,, proprietor of Tom's
Comics-, (get It?) said another
factor in the phenomenon was
basic •carcity:."It’»soirtof ‘I’ve
' got it and you dbn't.’.So many
•c6 rh pe't i n g: for ; so few
V. • •;';
issues.. . even though there's
multi-millions of copies, there's
still multi-millions of people ,
out there wanting those
copies.’.'.
Warner, artist of Doctor
Strange, is more philosophical. ..
"Fiction is a manipulative
form; comics — particularly the
superheroes — represent power
for the powerless.”.: ‘
He says one of the problems
with simplistic,' adolescent
themes and characters is that
they preyent the magazines
from reaching a wider, more
mature audience. •. >
‘‘There's too many teenage,
superhero mutants!" he says,
chuckling. “Europeans treat
their comics like films. .It’s true,
if you make movies just for kids,
who else is gonna want to see
them?”
Warner believes if comics had
plols and characters reflecting
socio-political themes and were
sold "somewhere you wouldn't
feel like an idiot." public
perception would change and a
greater evolution of comics as
an art and entertainment form
would come about.
“I think there’ll always be
comics.” adds Martin, imply
ing (here are people available to
broaden the market and
generate new formats. “You go
into commercial art offices and
artists will have all their little
drawings around:: cartoons,
watercolors.,. .and, that's the
stuff they want to do.“ • " •;
• Martin, is one, who. should
know. He was bne bf them after
he graduated from■■ San Jose
• State with an art degree. He got
bored, showed some work at a
convention, and started his
career in comic ait; as did
Warner, Emberlin and
numerous others.
'There's been a growing
respectability in comics recent
ly,” Grimes said, "...more
selections, better competition,
more free agents and in
dependents are leaving the big
nationals (like Marvel and DC)
for newer formats and projects.
"It’s an exciting time for com
ics.” he added.
4Fiction is a manipulative form; comics —
particularly the superheroes — represent
power for the powerless. *
— Chris Warner
Photo by Michael Wilhelm
About 40 comic magazine merchants gathered at the Lane County Fairgrounds to display their
wares at the first annual Eugene comics convention.
(Graphic by |ohn Bock
$1 off any
pizza!
name
phone
(Expiree March 31,1086)
687-8600 a
■ 1432 Orchard • Eugene g
~ One coupon per pizza. |
'Sunny
university
Sunny Service
Foreign &
Domestic Cars
i h ■■
m
Specializing in Volvo and Volkswagen
• Major & Minor Repairs
• ASE Certified Technicians
1905 Agate St. • 344 0869
Just a tew blocks from campus
485-HOGI
12” HOAGIES
2 FOR $5 or 3 FOR $7
with this coupon
•BRITISH Roast Beet, Turkey. Ham. .$2.99
•ITALIAN Salami. Pepperonl. Provolone... $2.99
•AMERICAN Ham. Salami & American Cheese. $2.99
•GERMAN Pastrami, Salami & Swiss Cheese.. $2.99
•FRENCH Salami. Roast Beef 4 Cheddar Cheese.$2.99
•LATINO Roast Beet or Turkey, Avocado 4 Salsa . $2.99
condiments included
FREE DELIVERY
l,ess than 30 minutes...guaranteed
each hogie made to order
6pm-2am daily