Where Geeks Are Chic

Baltimore Comic-Con, the biggest comic book convention in the Mid-Atlantic, opened last weekend at the Baltimore Convention Center. Many of the comic book industry's best writers and artist were featured in this all-star-extravaganza. Fans met their favorite artists and writers, got autographs, bought rare collectibles and dressed up as their favorite comic book or anima characters. Celebrating its tenth year, Baltimore Comic-Con honored the great George Perez, who has drawn every character from Marvel and DC comics, along with legendary artist Neal Adams, whose work in the '70s and '80s inspired many of current artists.

Like the comic book industry the convention has grown in size and diversity in the past decade. Now you'll see men and women, girls and boys reading a comic book. The increased popularity of anima, mangas, non-super hero comics and graphic novels, plus the ability of independent creators too produce and market their own work without major distribution has made comics more accessible to everyone.

Growing audience

New comic book shops, Alliance Comics of Federal Hill and Graphic Novelty in Fells Point, have recently opened to fulfill the needs of the growing number of comic book devotees. No longer the sole purview of the pocket protector crowd, current comic book fans no longer face the stigma of the pimply-faced, Dungeons and Dragons playing, no girl friend having, living with their parents geeked stereotype. Times have changed and with them have come a much broader comic book fan base. They're still considered geeks but now they own what was once considered a slur or insult by many. Geeks have infected mass media with a new chicness, becoming the new black.

As Heiko Spieker owner of Graphic Novelty points out this is the "age of geekdom". With the rise of the geek dominated tech industry and the popularity of TV shows like The Big Bang Theory comics books are becoming part of the mainstream. Comic books touch on every aspect of today's society with more women reading, writing and drawing comics today than at any time.

From books based on modern political figures like President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Palin to comics like Pride of Baghdad written from the perspective of escaped zoo animals during America's invasion of Iraq, there really is something for everyone in today's comics.

"Comics are a versatile medium, crossing over into the real world, the realm of interest," says Spieker.

From the page to the screen

The publishing industry has taken many hits recently with everything from established magazines like Gourmet to well-known publishing house forced to stop the presses. X-Men sage Chris Claremont says that even with the vast public awareness of comics, book sales have steadily decreased in the past 10 years. As with most print mediums, comics and graphic novels have also migrated to the Internet. However, the portability of the comic book and the art work within, which looks better on paper than on a computer monitor, may help comics to survive. In addition, the fact that comic fans are avid collectors could help keep comics from moving completely to the Internet.

Although comics have found some success online, But the super human is still the bread and butter of the genre. Hollywood has discovered the profits which can be made from staying true to the spirit of the characters in the books. Gone are the days of the campy Batman television series. Gritty shows including "Smallville," "Supernatural" and movies like "Sin City," "300", "The Dark Knight" and "The Watchmen," has given hope to many that Hollywood will begin producing movies with an eye first to the comics legions of loyal fans and only secondarily seek to make the story appealing to general audiences.

Gerry McNeal co-owner of Alliance Comics in Federal Hill, says "comic book readers are smarter than most movie goers because they read more." Fanboys deep knowledge of the realms in which their comic book heroes exist has created a movie audience who demands a high level of fidelity to the storyline and character portrayals.

Despite the potential pitfalls, Amy McNeal, says that comics are "incubators for ideas" that Hollywood and television production companies seem to have embraced completely.

Mythic characters

Their depictions of the universes created in DC and Marvel Comics have given rise to a new lexicon of mythology, modern style. Spider-Man, Superman, Iron Man and Batman, elders of the comic book cannon, are ushering in a new age of myths and legends.

These new gods represent what Chris Clark, 24, a University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) senior, dubs the "fantasy of life," a reality where ordinary people imbued with super human characteristics play out tales of morality and struggle with the travails commonly associated with everyday life. NBC's "Heroes" is a prime example with characters striving to mesh their extraordinary abilities into their daily reality.

The health of the industry is represented in mainstream culture's increasing interest in comics. The growing popularity of comics could explain why UMES is the only university that offers an accredited course in comic book art and creation.

"Comics are in a good place" says Jason Jeffers, 31, a resident Bolton Hill. Most fans have a positive out look on the current popularity of comics.