Thursday, April 13, 2006

Andi Watson & the Real Mainstream in Comics

One thing i'm known for is my assertion that the comics industry aims far too low.

We're content to supply the same old material to the same old (and getting older every year) audience.
I get heartily fed up of hearing the comics I love referred to as Indy, Alternative, Small Press.
Consider the real world; mainstream book publishing - lots of different genres, fiction, comedy, romance, crime, sci-fi, fantasy, biography etc etc.
Now consider comics - 1 genre dominates all others to a really unhealthy degree. The Superhero, pants tucked firmly outside trousers, is so all pervasive that most normal, regular people think all comics are superhero comics. But this is so wrong, Superhero comics are wonderful when they're done well, but they shouldn't be championed as all comics can be. Because the 99% of people not reading comics wont read superhero comics because out in the real world they're reading fiction, romance, sci fi, fantasy, comedy, biography etc.

So stop trying to tell me that the latest [insert big Marvel or DC crossover / event thingy her] is the way forward to get more people reading comics.
It wasn't 20 years ago and it isn't now.

But the latest Andi watson book - Little Star - about two normal parents trying to juggle work, a relationship and a new baby - that's mainstream. True mainstream.

Andi is a wonderful writer and artist and really deserves more acclaim than he gets. He consistently produces incredible work and is always on every best of list the staff at Nostalgia & Comics produces.

Andi Watson's work is always available at Nostalgia & Comics Birmingham, try Breakfast Afternoon for a wonderful mainstream read. Then look at Little Star - easily the best book of 2005/6.

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