Underground

Underground Comics

            Having read the recommended selection, all I could say is, it was fun. It wasn’t particularly exciting or inspiring personally, but looking back at history, the outlandish content is justified. For me, this week’s topic cultivated the artistic romance side of doing comics; the intangible feeling of being a purist, respectful in its own right despite the content. I remember being swooned by that feeling myself. In underground comics, or at the very least, in the selection shown, we see artists go out of their way to be offensive. Like an obnoxious nudge at your inner personality, daring you to stray into their world.

            I find that the gaming industry has begun going through the same processes today. Independent studios are popping up in defiance of the mainstay flavor of games. As is the trend with movies and television shows alike. Nudity, violence, and ‘romantic action’ themes are popping up in our media more and more frequently.

            I’m afraid the underground comics don’t really appeal to me much. Not that I took that much offense from it; on the contrary, it felt guiltily comedic to read. It brought back the nostalgia of being a fresh teen, flicking through the television channels, accidentally catching two characters in bed vaguely doing blanket activities. It didn’t appeal to me, but I probably did chuckle at myself; I wouldn’t watch that movie I caught if I had the chance, and likewise, I just wouldn’t read these comics again out of leisure.

The style was intentionally clunky and grotesque; for others, it was just bad craftsmanship. I conjecture that underground comics were a good entry point for aspiring comic artists, and thus showcased lesser work. After all, when you’re selling a story about a she-yeti tripping and landing on someone’s penis; or about a couple having sex in the air, you’re going to hire whoever you can get.

One thing I am thankful for is what these comics represented. They stood for creative freedom, freedom of print, and freedom of craft. Thanks to the army of clumsy females and the Viagra filled males of these publications, we have a vaster array of material to select from today.