The Good, The Bad, & This Kid: “Coming Back Around”

This is the sixth month of GBK. I can’t believe it anymore then you can. That’s right, my farce of a column has been running around in the soapbox for six damn months. I’ve watched columns leave the soapbox for their own free standing ones, and I’ve seen other columns appear at SBC, but I stay in the Soapbox. Why? Hell if I know. I’m sure it has something to do with lack of readership and the fact that I’ve no real cornerstone for my column. Who knows what the future holds? Anyway, this little rant is all because of this, I’ve reached the point where I can do a follow up column. Back when I was still on a bi-weekly schedule, I wrote a column about comic books in the public library. I talked a great deal about the library I work at (and still do, going nowhere fast) and what their plans were for graphic novels. Click HERE to check it out.

Well, we at the Public Library, have begun to order graphic novels. Not just silly kid ones either, I’m talking revolutionary super hero graphic literature stuff. So far we’ve gotten, Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil: Yellow, Superman: Peace on Earth, and Astro City: Life in the Big City. We also have both volumes of Maus, some Simpson stuff, Bone, and volume one of Books of Magic. All in all, we’ve got some rather impressive stuff. I made a comment in my original column that some of the librarians would pick crap books, but I was wrong. Thankfully, that’s not all I was wrong about.

I ranted a bunch about where the graphic novels would be shelved. I was of the opinion that the librarians in charge would think it best to house the comics in the Children’s department, which as we know, wouldn’t naturally be the best. I was wrong about that as well. All of our comics are being shelved in the adult stacks. As far as I know, we haven’t received any comics all that well suited for kids. I think putting the comics in the adult stacks is a good idea. It shows that comics aren’t just for little kids, that they can deal with mature themes, and mature readers do enjoy them. On the other hand, this prevents kids from getting to experience comics. Now, when I was growing up, the library didn’t have comic books, I got them from the local convenient store. However, convenient stores rarely sell comics anymore. The only places a kid can find a comics without venturing into the perverted comic shop, are book stores and libraries. Just about every book store I’ve ever been in has a section for graphic novels and a section for monthlies. Now, many libraries are starting to carry a wide variety of comic literature. However, if comics are going to survive, the kids have to jump on board. With the number of locations to purchase comics going down, libraries are the only hope in that. Which means, library Children departments need comics too. Obviously don’t put books like Watchmen and Preacher in there, but there are all-age comics out there.

The only other weird thing that our library is doing with comics, is they’re putting them in the non-fiction area. Which means they get a call number, which means they’re hard to find. I was going to give you all the exact call number, but our catalogue is currently down. It’s 741. something. I didn’t, until this week, realize why we file comic books in the non-fiction area. The answer is so damn simple; so that they’re all together. Once someone finds the call number, then all the comic books that the library owns are right there. This is good, because it really helps narrow down the search, but it sort of belittles the comic book writer. Any other writer of fiction gets his/her book filed by the first three letters of their last name, but a comic book writer is too low on the totem pole for that. No, they all get shoved in a nice little corner so they don’t taint the real works of fiction. Neil Gaiman not only has his novels at our library, but now has one of his comics there too. Instead of his comic being near his novels, it’s shoved up next to The Simpsons. Yeah, that helps make comics a part of the literary community.

All in all, it’s been a long road to the library for comics, but there’s still more road ahead. It’s great that comics are even allowed in the library, it shows that they have come a long way, but more steps need to be taken. We need more all-age comics to go in the Children’s area (I know, they’ll just get ruined), and we need comics to be looked at with the same light as novels. Comic books are fiction, so put them in the fiction area. Most library catalogues have keyword searches, type in comic books, and they’ll pop up and give you the author. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad that comics are in the library, and not only because they give me something to look at on the slow days, but because they help establish comics as a viable part of literature. Like I stated in the original column, many parents don’t think their kids should read comics, they’re still of the mindset that comics are evil and diminish their little one’s brain. Now, with comics populating the library, they might be more inclined to let their child discover something they might be more interested in. So, keep up the good work public libraries.

The Good

Well, it’s back, again. A couple of weeks ago I watched a movie called Uzumaki, it’s a Japanese film about a small town cursed by spirals. The movie was based on a Manga by the same name. Now, anyone who knows me knows I usually don’t enjoy Manga, but this one was different. The film was the most unique thing I’ve seen in a long, long time, so I asked a friend of mine if he’s heard of it. He’s not only heard of it, he owns all three volumes of the Manga. Apparently this thing is more popular then I knew. Anyway, I’ve read the first volume and I’m half way through the second one, and they’re just as good as the flick. This may be the one and only time a Manga title will be in The Good, so enjoy this next part.

If you’re like me, and don’t really give Manga a chance, try these books out. It’s a fantastic story, and very addictive. If you’ve already heard of this title, but weren’t sure about it, don’t wait anymore, buy it now. If you don’t want to listen to me, listen to Warren Ellis :

“Two hundred pages of complete bloody lunacy…From a simple, almost funny idea, Uzumaki achieves moments that are seriously disturbing. Tell me the last time any book disturbed you. When you give up, buy Uzumaki.”

Ellis hits the nail on the head with that quote from the back of Uzumaki volume 2.

Well, that’ll do it for another week of GBK. I hope everyone in the States had a great Thanksgiving, and I look forward to seeing all your shiny faces again next week. ‘Til next time…

-Josh Stone

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