I feel like I have been cheating on a lover.
A few months ago I walked into a bookstore (that chain store, you know the one) to explore while I waited for my wife to get off work.
Tag: comics
When I was a young kid, elementary school age, as mention in a previous post, I had trouble reading. My parents took me to a special extra-curricular study place called The Reading Game.
It is no longer there. The building torn down and replaced by a multi-use apartment complex for students and others from the nearby University.
Reading their remedial booklets went on for many money, I no longer remember how long I attended there.
Then one day I picked up a comic book (I’ve already written about How I got that first comic), and it all changed. I was enjoying reading.
My parent’s asked the instructor if it was okay for me to be reading comics. The response was simple. If he’s reading, done stop him. Encourage him. And so, I have been reading comic books my entire life.
The next thing that got me further into reading was a series of books called: Choose Your Own Adventure. They were fantastic, especially as you could read it three or four times and get an entirely different story each time. Probably the only regular books I checked out of the school library.
(My relationships with libraries is a story unto itself.)
Comics would remain my mainstay reading content.
The reading material assigned to me in class, continued to be a struggle, hard to remain focused on whether it be elementary, junior high, or high school. It would be these outside sources, especially comics, where I could grow and learn.
If I could read something at my own pace, I could enjoy it. If it was an assigned book or chapter, I’d force my way through it but it was always a struggle, and I didn’t always learn anything from it unless the topic was of great interest to me and brought me enjoyment.
I’d later learn to enjoy doing research, but I had to find something interesting in it, something that was fun, in order to devote that much time to it. Otherwise, it was a real struggled.
The first real novel I thing I read was HG Wells’ The Time Machine.
I eventually discover the short stories and novels of Ray Bradbury. Then I found the essays of Harlan Ellison. So you know my creativity and learning process was growing.
Again, it would take an interest to get me to start and then complete reading of a book.
I remember reading a Shakespeare play in high school and enjoyed it, followed by Arthur Miller’s play the Crucible. Probably reading these in script format was probably easier than a full out novel.
During college and friend introduced me to two book series. Since I enjoyed Watch Doctor Who he thought I would like Douglas Adam’s Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Which resulted in my writing several stories for class in Adam’s voice. I don’t think my teacher appreciated it.
He then introduced me to Steven R Lawhead’s Pendragon Cycle. Looking back, I am still surprised by how fast I read through these books. They were heavy novels (figuratively and literally). I greatly enjoyed the books.
Over the years I would become more and more of a reader, but finding the books that appealed to me, that I enjoyed wasn’t always easy. The number of books I have read, per year, has been relatively few.
Sometimes it was the type of book, the type genre.
“So, what’s your favorite fiction genre?” – Here we are back at this question again, remember my last post.
As to Genre, I think the answer is the same as my “Doctor Who” answer previously:
I will admit I don’t like Horror, but when it comes to the rest of the genres.
“I like the one I am currently reading.”
I grew up on super hero comics, which lead into science fiction and fantasy, and especially mystery/detective fiction. Plus, over the last decade or so I’ve discovered a love for romance novels.
The first romance books I read were fantasy romance, about dragons.
Then I discovered a series called Once Upon A Con by Ashley Poston, starting with Geekerella. Telling a story that took place around a Comic Con, you had me, but these were fantastic stories, and I’ve been all of Poston’s books since.
Because of Poston, I’ve discovered other great romance authors.
Since the start of this year, I have read more books than I have in any full year I have ever had, and they were all Romance novels. Sure, they were all light novels, but still, it’s quite different for me.
Will Romance remain my Favorite Genre? Probably not, I’ll shift back to Mystery and Fantasy, Science Fiction, and shift back around again.
Looking back that the little kid I was, I am still so surprised by how much I am currently reading.
Reading is fantastic. Enjoy it.
When I was young, during my Elementary School and Junior High years, I was struggling with reading. It was recommended to my parents that I should take further classes and have special tutors. One such tutor was in an after-school period on campus, while another one was off campus at a place called “The Reading Game.” These tutors helped me, but there was other help that I received that would improve my education.
It was during this period of time I first discovered comic books, as mentioned in my previous post, and I was regularly reading them… and I was reading them not just looking at the artwork (and I’ll tell you about the artwork and artists in a later post).
One day when my parents are having a ‘parent/teacher’ meeting with my special reading tutor to talk about how I was doing. They brought up the fact that I was reading comics, and asked if this was a good thing or should they take the comics away to have me read “real” books.
Hi All,
Hoping to have the next installment of my blog related to comics and super heroes tomorrow, but this morning we evacuated our apartment out of precaution because of the fires burning near us.
Please Pray for all those who have lost their homes and businesses, and that everyone else is safe and able to return home when the areas are safe for them.
Thank you all.
Kevin
Less then 24 hours from now the universe will be starting over. Rather, the DC Comics Universe of super heroes will be starting over, with the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE #1.
I’ve been thinking about what to put into this blog for several days since I picked up my last batch of comics.
Last week’s comics represented the end of the old DC universe in a way, and I’m not talking about the end of Flashpoint. But that end bothered me in a way.
Two books had wonderful sunset endings, and one did not. Let me explain.
ACTION COMICS ended with Clark Kent and Lois Lane walking off into the evening twilight, all his problems resolved and finding happiness with her and Metropolis. The End. In WONDER WOMAN; her grand journey, and alternate reality, came to its end happy to find Paradise Island and the rest of the world the way it should be and she sores in the warmth of the sun. The End.
But in another JUSTICE SOCIETY, the ending wasn’t so glorious, no proper curtain down. The final issue felt like the story was rushed so that it would be over before the new universe took over. The Per Degaton story never quite went anywhere, Jessie Quick’s part of his story felt rewritten. And Alan Scott, Green Lantern (the true Green Lantern in my eyes, as I’ve written before), in a really bad looking costume, dies battling a monster/god that hardly had time to know a few buildings down.
The story ends in the cemetery with the question, what now? The answer by Jay Garrick is; we go one as we always have. And The End comes with everyone feeling at a loss.
The Justice Society and all the ‘Golden Age’ characters have always been my favorites, and they haven’t always been given their do.
Jay Garrick stands there and I realize he’s the last remaining member of the original Justice Society. Spectre is someone else, Dr. Fate has been replaced, Hourman’s son takes his place, Sandman gone, Johnny Thunder long gone. Even Hawkman man their great leader died and died again. Only The Flash, Jay Garrick stands alone out of that team; the first super hero team.
It really hurts to see all those characters go out that way. It’s almost as bad as when twenty odd years ago they ‘died’ and were trapped for ‘eternity’ in the Norse Ragnarok.
I grew up reading about these characters, whether it was in the ALL STAR SQUADRON, following their children in INFINITY INC, or collecting any back issues or reprints I could find (and afford). I read them more than any other characters.
A couple of years ago the JUSTICE SOCIETY ANNUAL gave us a glimpse of the ‘new Earth 2’ with a team that was almost the team I remember before the CRISIS took it away. Not quite, but close, especially since it focused on Helena Wayne, the true HUNTRESS.
It was a great thrill to see the original team worked into the continuity of SMALLVILLE.
Now the universe is starting over, and what of my beloved team?
I had no answer for that question three hours ago, and now I have at least a glimmer of hope.
Coming across my Twitter feed @ComicBooked had this message: Justice Society, Earth 2 to return! http://bit.ly/rffbmc
There would be a new Earth 2 on which the Justice Society of America still exists.
James Robinsons will be writing. He’s handled the team quite well in the past, and did fantastic job on Starman. So I am really looking forward to this book, and hope that it will have that same joy of adventure I remember.
So in a few hours (and apparently some people already have the new Justice League in their hands), a new universe is born. (I have to stop thinking of Marvel’s New Universe).
I am glad to know that some old friends will be there, even if they are slightly different.
As mentioned in a previous blog, I will hold judgment of these books until I read them. However I will say this:
I’ll know how well all the books did once DC announces next years summer Event story line.
Kevin Paul Shaw Broden
Four Names of Professional Creativity
I can’t believe that’s its practically nine months since my last blog. I so intended to write more on a regular basis, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like there is much to write about.
The year started off extremely positively, and it looked like I was going to have a job soon after. But that wasn’t meant to be I guess.
It did remain positive, though I had moments of frustration and disappointment, I was not going to give up on my faith that God has a great plan for me this year.
I did get to speak with, at least in e-mail form, several comic book professionals, as well as television producers. Even got to meet a comic writer/editor that I greatly admire, and if God has things set right there I might be doing some writing for him, but we can never be sure until it happens. I remain faithful.
I also met with a television producer who liked my writing quite a bit, and even sent samples around to people he knows. At the moment nothing is happening there either, but I don’t give up.
This year’s visit to the San Diego Comic Convention was perhaps my best when it comes to meeting with people and networking. I’m rather shy, but this year I was able to push though that and talk with people more.
Since then I’ve gotten to talk with others, and another comic book company is showing interesting in my writing as well.
One thing that I can mention here is that though I don’t have a lot to say at times, and sometimes it sounds like I’m complaining. I have discovered that facebook and mostly Twitter has become an excellent way to network and get to know people. If it wasn’t for Twitter I wouldn’t have gotten to talk with several of the professionals who are talking with me now about work. Thanks Twitter and everyone who follows me there.
So even if I don’t have a lot to say here in a blog, and I haven’t yet been employed whether it be creatively or in an office doing filing, this has still been a very good year. God has blessed me well.
Maybe I’ll blog more, or maybe you’ll find 140 characters on Twitter.
I’ve been home now nearly a week since the San Diego Comic-Con, boy does time fly. Other people have already posted their thoughts on the Con, and I probably don’t have a lot to add, but here is a small ramble if nothing else.I’ve been attending the con for many many years now, since it was at the downtown convention hall and watched it grow every year since then. The first year I was there the total number was 5000, today we reach over 120,000 people and can’t really get much hire then that.
Even though it was crowded, I wasn’t really bothered by the crowds, I was a crowd to them after all. I won’t even blame the greater influx of Hollywood. Someone the other night said that it was Hollywood was taking too much of the con. But I see all this as part of the same. Sure there is a love of comics that have been pushed into a corner, but truthfully we are all part of the same world of visual story telling. Over sixty years ago there were comics based on movies and comedians like Jerry Lewis and Bob Hope. I think that the important thing in all this is that the world, if for only those four days a year, sees comic books, animation, gaming, television, and movies as equals and all have time to shine all interconnected.
I guess I can say that because I have great dreams to be working in all those areas and see them all the same. Sure writing for a comic is different then for movie, but it is still story telling and that’s what I dream to do. There are those who get into animation as a step towards live action writing, but there are also live action television and movie writers who are now writing for comics because they love.
I haven’t always been the best at networking with people at the con, and the crowd makes it all the more fun at trying it. But I came away from this con feeling much better about things, and making greater contacts along the way.
Didn’t expect my ramble to go in the direction it did, but that’s where it is. I have a passion for story telling, visual story telling, “narrative illustration” as my professor and I called. So I’m going be working in this world right along side the best comic, animation, gaming, and movie giants.
Hope you all had a good time and enjoying your summer.