I'm herein officially starting something I'm calling "The Testify Project." I'd like to invite you to reply to this posting by testifying to how comics influenced you as a reader when you were in your formative or school-age years. Was the first book you read a graphic novel? Did Crisis on Infinite Earths make you a lifelong reader?
I've posted a couple of my own testimonial-type stories, and I invite you to help me show the world the power of sequential art by posting yours too as a comment to this thread !
8 comments:
"A testimonial from me from 2001!"
Another testimonal-esue article from my days as a writer for http://www.Outcaststudios.com.
Rediscovering an old friend
Oh, duh. So we are meant to post our testimonials as a reply to this post?
Bucky put a call out to some old friends to stop by and post our thoughts here. And as he is the first guy to EVER give me a break into the comic scene (writing reviews for him over at the OLD Outcast website) I am always available to help our good Professor out.
Comics, as a medium, have always been my preferred ‘happy place’ reading format. Any and all kinds of comics find their way into my hands. As a kid I was definitely one of the ‘geeky’ kids growing up. I played Piano, not sports. I liked to read more than play video games. And more than anything, I wanted to be Superman when I grew up. I can remember reading those old Superman/Batman team up books. Pre-Crisis when Worlds Finest was the coolest, ‘cause that’s where you could find my two favorite characters. But then came Dark Knight, Watchmen, and Crisis on Infinite Earths. Three books that would forever change the way that I looked at the world.
It was an amazing trifecta of viewpoints to read when I was in my pre-teen/early teen years. And I really do feel like they shaped the way that I look at everything to this day. They certainly instilled in me a desire, and a drive to one day be a comic book writer. I knew, even then, that I had zero artistic talent, but I could WRITE. And many of my creative writing exercises from my middle-school and early high-school English classes will reflect this desire. Every chance I had I was writing down some new superhero story. Over time I branched out into other genres, and played with Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy. But always, I’d come back to Superheroes.
The superheroes are the group that taught me who I wanted to be, and how I wanted to live. And as I grew up, and I stopped wearing the blanket around my neck for a cape, I could still feel like I had internalized that costume I used to so proudly strut about in. Because when I was a kid superheroes were always good guys. They ALWAYS did the right thing. And they did it because it had to be done. Not for money, or fame, or some other kind of gain. They were honest, and kind. Strong, but they never used their strength for themselves it was always to help out others. They listened to those that needed to be listened to, and they reached out to pick up anyone that had fallen. These are the life lessons that I took away from my early years of reading comics.
But to get back to those three big stories, they also taught me something. They taught me the danger of thinking that your way was the only RIGHT way. They taught me never to run from who I truly was, but to embrace my talents and be proud of who I was. And most of all they taught me that no matter how big the problem. No matter how dark things seemed. There was always hope. And that in the end, if you fought hard enough, and yes even sacrificed some things that meant more to you than you could ever put into words, you can achieve miracles. And I still believe those things to this day.
And the great thing is, I now get to share all of these things that I’ve learned through comics with my sons. And just like my Dad handed me my first comic, and sat with me while I worked my way through the AMAZING four color pages, I now sit with my boys and share comics with them. I can only hope that for my sons comics can be the portal to a more fulfilling life that I feel they have been for me.
Chris McCay
Comics Writer on:
The Confessional
Offspring:Hero Ascendant
Midnight Run
Alpha Omega
Thanks, Chris! and, yes, Ernesto, please do post your testimonial as a reply to this post.
Hi Bucky C.,
I caught your thread on Outcaststudios.com and wanted to weigh in.
My first comic came from Dad, on his way home from work he picked up a present for his two boys. My brother got Tigra and I got Donald Duck and we both got a roll of Lifesavers. (Hey, back in the 70's on a carpenters salary that was a good day)
My brother and I traded books as soon as Dad went to take off his boots.
Started throwing all my books into the bottom drawer of my dresser. Now I have about 6,000 books not including the ones Mom threw away when I was twelve.
Comics are the hieroglyphics of our time. They even taught me a few words of German thanks to Captain America.
Hope this comment serves your purpose.
See you in the funny papers!
Dennis Sweatt
When I was a kid, coming from a broken home of an alchoholic father (who has been clean over 25 years now. Im proud), my mother on social assistance raised me and my sister alone. You can imagine a 23 year old mother of 2 alone in the world. Well, life was tough and I found solace whenever we went to the salvation army and I found those beat up piles of 5cent comics. I would read them while mom shopped and she would buy a few for me. I never really locked onto any particular storyline until many years later as an adult when I came across the Frank Miller effort called Daredevil, the man without fear. Suddenly I was sucked into the art. I always drew and thought it would be cool to do comics but it was this comic that made me go searching for more. I began frequenting the comic shops looking for that one gem of art that leaped out at me. I never really read them so much as I studied them. I loved certain styles from certain artists.
I have become so much more discerning now towards artwork. I know what I like but I dont know why I like it. I dont care. I look at the world differently now... the tree's, the cars, the bugs, etc. I look at the world like only an artist would who wants to memorize the image so that he/she can return to his pad of bristol and re-create that image but his/her way.
Thanks comics for causing me to look at the world rather than letting it go by.
Scott out
When I was growing up, I lived for the time that I could read the comics. A real treat for me was to have a nickle or dime to spend on the comic of my choice. And to get one of those giant THICK ones for $.25 just about blew me away. (gives you an idea of my age, doesn't it?)My sister and I used to save all of our comics and I remember her hording hers so I, the youngest in the family, wouldn't damage them. I had a friend who used to have an entire closet with stacks of comics and a highlight was when we would trade issues and have the opportunity to read those her brother bought. I fondly remember characters like Archie and the gang, Little Lulu, Wonder Woman (probably my favorite!), Superman, Blondie and Dagwood, Fritzi Ritz, Chip and Dale, Woody Woodpecker, Daffy Duck, etc. Ahh, such wonderful memories. I was an early reader and I'm sure it was partly due to having comics around me all the time. Pictures were okay, but you had to READ what they were saying to get the real juice from the fruit! Those characters were like real friends to me and I would spend hours with them. I grew up in a wholesome environment but not close to public library so the comic books were a real asset to me and to my sisters and my friends. I can still hear the sweet sound of turning the pages;I can feel the newsprint and smell the paper. Those are childhood memories I'll never forget and one of the things that makes growing up special.
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