American Comic Books vs British Comic Books

Here I go again comparing things. I went back to an old hobby of mine. I had collected comic books as a lad growing up, we have superheros where you have legends. What can ya say?

British comic books are much more realistic than American. Shows the difference in mentality in general. In your comic books, ther is no on-going superhero(s). Characters actually get killed in violent situations.

I guess superheros are a great novelty and stir the imagination.

Any thoughts or comments out there are welcome.

Cheers :rambo:

 

I grew up reading the Marvel comics, I loved "The Hulk", "Spiderman" "Fantastic Four" et al. I never really got into British comics that much so can't comment on them. I guess that even though I am a Brit, a bit of American escapism as a kid was what I wanted..... :lol:

 

Never enjoyed the American comic books such as Marvel, Mad etc. Was more of a Topper, Beano or Eagle boy myself, but each to their own. I still don't get the whole 'superhero' stuff to this day.

 

My favourites were always Commando, Warlord and one called Fireball (which didn't stay around long). I buy Commando now for my son but still can't resist a peak.

Cheesy but true Brit Grit!! Great stuff.

SF

 

Interesting, I'm going to give those mags a whirl. Thanks.

 

Thanks mates for your input and all the different tastes. I'm taking notes for my next comic book order.

I also purchased a book called "Trafalgar" it's mint and autographed. I couldn't pass that one up for the world. It's written in your brand of English, a brilliant read and very poetic.

 

I was an “Eagle†lad myself; brilliant comic.
As for the superhero stuff, I never really went for that either.

Slightly off topic, but does anybody remember the American men’s adventure magazines of the 60s and early 70s? Fantastic, lurid cover artworks.

 

In the late 70s, boys comics were a bit crap in the UK, The Beezer, Beano, The Dandy to name a few. Weak comedy with wacky characters that involved sweets, money or food, and avoiding corporal punishment at school or home. Girls comics were even worse. Bunty. Theres no punchline to that unadulterated horseshit.

Victor and Commando etc were lazy WW2 formula based stuff at best, brave tommy takes on machine gun nest with biceps bulging, Doc Savage type ho-hum. Add to that some non-fiction picture stories to enliven it, but not much to get repeat buyers. Action and a few others attempted to add some sci-fi but it seemed half arsed at best.

Marvel Comics were far superior items, better artwork, content, and story writing, when Star Wars weekly was released, the added stories were mixes of Asimov and Ray Bradbury, Twilight Zone and Roald Dahl, many of them from earlier US titles like Amazing stories and Astounding. The success in the UK of Marvel allowed them and DC comics to import titles like The Hulk, Iron Man, Fantastic four, X-men, Spiderman, Silver Surfer, Justice League and so on. There seemed to be a bias, you either like DC or Marvel characters, and they took swipes at each other, some characters and artists even switched publishers.

Then something changed. 2000AD was launched early in '77 and suddenly there was a comic with intelligence and wit, with characters, story and art to match Marvel. The printing wasn't up to it at first, colour comics were a novelty then reserved for central pages stories, but the writers held it together while the artists were shuffled round. Judge Dredd cemented the comics future despite changing hands and being cancelled in its original format. Strontium dog and Star lord joined the lineup, and even the "future shock" denoument stories have been re-told in film and TV scripts.

Fast forward to today and British writers and artists regularly cross over with their American cousins, prized for their darker style and irreverent sarcasm. UK only versions of Aliens, Predator, Dark Knight etc have become "graphic novels" with 18 ratings for gore and violence and sought after in the US as they are practically pR0n by US publication standards. Nothing compared to Japanese Manga but a new era in US comic book stores with "over 18" sections.
"Comics" have become shows like South Park, Family guy, The Simpsons and Drawn Together, with heavy Brit influences like Monty Python, Douglas Adams, Steven Hawking, Ricky Gervais etc. The rubbish earlier versions of movies like Batman are being remade as Marvel can afford to buy back the rights to its characters and put out stuff like X-men, and the forthcoming Wolverine, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk with the effects less important than script, character development and occasionally some acting(!)

 

You cant beat 2000 AD and Judge Dredd,i also liked Major Easy in the same comic.Shame the buggered up the Dredd film and didnt make a follow up.

 

got to be Mad /Alfred E Nueman and black spy v white spy :thumright:

 

Brilliant insight! With a lot of truth to American Comics. I can't comment on British Comics as I only have a few. :rendeer:

 

This might make an interesting read.

Dan Dare 'inspired UK innovation'

Classic comic hero Dan Dare fired the imagination of young Britons in the 1950s and heralded the birth of hi-tech Britain, an exhibition at the London Science Museum reveals.

 

LOL Thanks I needed that one! :dwarf:

 

In the beginning, ie. early 1950s we had comics that were mainly stories not all illustrated, such as Wizard, Hotspur, Champion, Rover and the Adventure. Stories such as The Tough of the Track (track athlete) , Rockfist Rogan( commando), Wilson (a super athlete) Braddock (Mosquito pilot) to name but 4. My brain is going I can't remember anymore. Then came the Eagle and then all comics became illustrated.

Leatherneck you still haven't answered my question in another thread, are you the Comicbook seller in the Simpsons? :farao:

 

I'd forgotten all about 2000AD!! That was a cracking read - not to be missed.

SF

 

Like these comics.[

 

These too....

 

I reember Alf Tupper tough of the track who was a welder and would eat fish and chips before running the 400 & 800 yards or Biggles true Brits the both of them neither of which needed super powers.

 

Sacre bleu mon ami! I learned all my French from Luck of the Legion. It probably explains why I get so many problems in restaurants and Eurostars.

I used to marvel (small M) at the adverts in the American comics. Apart from nearly free tickets to Pallisade's Fun Fair, you could buy a bloody tank to travel around in! They must have been cardboard.