Depending on when you start a series, you might avoid the classics like the plague. Like watching a new blockbuster without realizing it came from a book. I’m not judging, of course, I’m practically projecting even. I used to think watching or reading earlier works was a giant hassle with other mediums of fiction. While I didn’t have this problem with reading/watching older anime as much, it was a hurdle with comics.
I’ve always liked reading comics since middle school. I read one-off issues from Teen Titans, Marvel’s Civil War or Invincible before fully collecting the series decades later. However, I never read the older comics from any of the distinguished heroes from their true origins. Mainly due to my lack of maturity to appreciate the creation of those early storylines. I was attracted to the sleekness and convenience of relating to current events in the newer books.
Nevertheless, when I finally started reading Black Panther after writing my quick thought, I had an urge to start from the beginning. At first it was to determine if there was anything I missed from T’Challa’s character in the movies vs the comics. My secondary objective was to see if what I previously wrote was an ass pull (humbly, I don’t think so). Finally, I wanted to see just how silly the old comics were. Bam! Biff! Great Scott!
I normally steered clear of older comics because of the dialogue at the time. Something about the 1950s/1960s exaggerated vernacular threw me for a loop. The furthest I read back was in the 1990s but only sparingly due to the artwork. However, when I started reading further back, the dialogue began to grow on me. Reading how dramatic or excited a character was during their endeavors was oddly comforting. It meant they took the matter seriously and didn’t want to fail. Their desperation or many uses of exclamation marks resonated with a hero’s sense of urgency in the situation. And it made it all the better when they pulled off their heroics by the end of the issue.
Overall, I’m glad I gave older comics a try again. I wasn’t successful reading Daredevil some time ago but lately I have been enjoying the original run for the Fantastic Four. Not to mention that I developed an appreciation for Jack Kirby’s pioneering art style during my Marvel readings. It’s like watching an early farmer making a natural irrigation system for the first time. I was reading a bit of Nightwing but at some point, I would like to check out some Green Arrow issues. Whether it is an old comic, anime, or movie, if you can get over your prejudice like me then you’ll have a great time.
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