The importance of family in comics
Comic Reviews for week ending 5/8/2022
Good morning, my friend,
Today, I’m going to talk about two seemingly unrelated topics. If what I have in my mind translates to the page, both topics will come together in an important lesson about a key ingredient in comics storytelling.
First, I received word about George Pérez’s passing. His terminal diagnosis was announced a few months ago, so it wasn’t a surprise, but the passing of someone you respect or feel for in any positive way is not something you’re ever ready for. It is somehow fitting George would pass on FCBD, a day meant to open the world of comics to everyone, young and old. The spirit of FCBD embodies so much of what George loved.
DC Comics legend George Perez, who relaunched ‘Wonder Woman,’ dead at 67
Our sincerest condolences to George’s family. He will be missed.
George was known for having a hand on a number of recognizable titles including Wonder Woman, The Legion of Super-Heroes, and more, so the lesson for today will focus on one of his greatest titles. A title that, at the time he was working on it, was outselling Batman and Superman. Teen Titans.
What made Teen Titans so fascinating and successful was the way George (along with his co-creator, Marv Wolfman) captured the spirit of family within the Titans. Each member played their part within the Titan’s surrogate family. Beast Boy was the irascible younger brother who couldn’t stay out of trouble. Raven played the moody older sister who never quite fit in with her siblings’ shenanigans. Cyborg played the older brother with fists of steel and a heart of gold. Every familial archetype you can imagine is present in that run, which makes their adventures so meaningful.
Any reader could pick up an issue of Teen Titans within George’s time on the title and pick up some aspect of family that is immediately identifiable and emotionally relatable. The Titans weren’t simply a collection of superpowered individuals fighting as a group. They were brothers and sisters who had each other’s backs in good times and bad. Funny how it always comes back to emotions and relatability.
The second topic centers around a Livestream I attended yesterday on the worldwide Manga/Anime hit property - One Piece. You can watch the whole thing below (and please consider subbing to Kerry’s channel).
We cover everything starting from Chapter 1 through most of the Arlong arc (about 95 chapters). If you listen to the whole stream, you’ll notice a recurring theme comes up over and over again related to the main character, Luffy D. Monkey, his crew, and the assorted characters they encounter along the way. That theme is the concept of family, most notably the father-son relationships.
If you can get past the acquired taste of the art style (one of the biggest hurdles to entry) and the sometimes over-exaggerated character behaviors, you’ll find every character is strongly motivated and acts on a keen sense of family. Luffy’s goal to be the King of Pirates is heavily influenced by his admiration for the fatherly figure of Shanks. Nami and Zoro are constantly bickering just like a brother and sister. Esopp and Sanji have their strengths and weaknesses but are accepted into the crew, flaws and all. more than pirates, Luffy’s crew is a family, and that relatable emotion of their respective relationships comes through big in every chapter.
Pulling this all together… One of George Pérez’s most memorable and successful works owes part of its success to the excellent portrayal of a surrogate family. Now, one of the most popular Mangas in the world owes part of its success to creating expansive, globetrotting adventures with a pirate crew that acts just like a family.
We all have families. Whether biological, adopted, permanent, or temporary. Sometimes our families are the ones we want, sometimes they’re the ones we’re stuck with, but at the heart of every human’s life is a family. When comics creators capture the spirit of a real family in their team books, the probability of creating a memorable book is almost assured.
Let me know what you think. What other comics capture an authentic spirit of family, and do you think the comic is better for it? Drop a comment down below, and let’s share. If we get enough feedback, I’ll highlight your response in a future newsletter.
And now, let’s talk about this past week’s comics.
This Week’s “Deals of the Day” [DotD]
[DotD] Doctor Strange Fine Art Print by Alex Garner
[DotD] One Last Lesson: Ahsoka Tano vs Darth Maul Print by Ian MacDonald
[DotD] Moon Knight Sixth Scale Figure by Hot Toys
[DotD] Batman (The Dark Knight) Mini Figure by Iron Studios
RED SONJA: RED SITHA #1 – Review
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS: FRACTURED STATES #2 – Review
PANTHA #3 – Review
DIE!NAMITE NEVER DIES! #3 – Review
BLADE RUNNER ORIGINS #11 – Review
SWAMP DOGS #3 – Review
ARCHER & ARMSTRONG FOREVER #1 – Review
CARRIERS #5 – Review
78 MPH #2 – Review
THE LAST DAYS OF US: FORSAKEN #2 – Review
PINPOINT #1 – Review
THE GRUNCH #1 – Review
THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP, PART 1 – Indie Review
THE REVELATION OF NOVUS ORDO #1 – Indie Review
Nottingham #7 (Mad Cave Studios)
Robyn Hood: Heart of Darkness (Zenescope Entertainment)
The Ballad of Ronan #1 (Action Lab Comics)
Belit & Valeria #1 (Ablaze Comics)
The Cimmerian: Hour of the Dragon #3 (Ablaze Comics)
King Conan #4 (Marvel Comics)
Vampirella Strikes! #1 (Dynamite Comics)
Immortal Red Sonja #2 (Dynamite Comics)
Bettie Page: The Alien Agenda #3 (Dynamite Comics)
Touching Evil #21 (Source Point Press)
Cover of Darkness #4 (Source Point Press)
Blood on Sunset #5 (Source Point Press)
Code 45 #1 (Scout Comics)
Bear Skin (Indie Submission)
Salty Seductions of the Salatious Seas (Indie Submission)
That’s the shortlist. We’ll add more as time and resources allow.
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Have a great day!