As a reader of comic books who went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in English literature, I stand up as an example of someone who didn't become illiterate from reading the stuff.
That said, I don't read U.S. comics anymore. I still like graphic storytelling but resent the focus on superhero stories that strangles the genre here. Fortunately, we're not the only country in the world that produces comics. The United States is not even close to being the industry leader, in terms of dollar value of the product, number of readers, diversity of subject material, or any other metric you care to name.
Japan leads. If you yearn for comics but find the U.S. industry stagnant, look to the land of the rising sun. The Japanese manga industry is immensely profitable, diverse, and enthusiastic. Regrettably, a lot of manga is unavailable in translation. Producing English versions isn't easy and the market isn't huge.
A few companies do it anyway. Viz Communications is currently doing Akimi Yoshida's Banana Fish, a shoujo (for girls) manga with gangs, drugs, guns, assassination, the Corsican Mafia, the Chinese Mafia, and assorted other girlish topics. It's a mystery with a sprawling plot, huge cast, shifting alliances -- an engaging read.
Jessica U. Gothie
Breezewood, PA
"Comics Tragedy" is a very thoughtful essay on the cultural implications of American comics, but I must differ with Doherty on a peripheral point, which happens to be in my field. He writes, "Look at the fate of another form of pop entertainment-radio drama. There was no unique thing that it provided better than any other art form, and it died."
Radio drama is unique in that it is a theater of the mind's eye. The imagination of the listener is an important component of the art form: "I saw it on radio." Radio drama is still thriving in many parts of the world. It is the people's theater. Everyone has a radio.
Why radio drama in America died is open to numerous interpretations. Talent and money went to the more glamorous and remunerative media -- TV and films. At that time, radio drama was fairly expensive to produce.
New technologies have made production inexpensive and easy. Experienced senior actors would be thrilled to perform on radio. The radio industry, which is currently very profitable, owes it to the American public to broadcast drama. The Writers Guild of America East is leading a campaign to make short radio drama a regular feature on commercial and public dials in the United States. Please stay tuned.
Irwin Gonshak
Short Radio Drama Committee
WGAE
Flushing, NY
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