Beyond the Panels

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

It’s the arrival of a new age of comic book awareness! And after 63 years, it’s about time.

In 1938, the Golden Age of comics was inaugurated with the release of Action Comics #1, the seminal book that introduced Superman and the notion of the superhero comic book to the world. In an era that pre-dated the advent of television, comics provided readers with a colorful and engaging form of escapism, using a combination of vibrant art and fantastic stories to bring the adventures of larger-than-life heroes and dastardly villains to life. Marked by the trademark use of word balloons (often filled with colorful word-sounds like “Pow!”, “Blam!” and “Kaboom!”), comics were a unique and distinctive art form that captured the wide-eyed imaginations of children everywhere.

During this time period legendary creators like Jerry Siegel, Bob Kane and Stan Lee took the fledging industry in their hands and gave it a firm foundation on which everything since has been built. These people were the pioneers and visionaries responsible for creating the Supermans, Batmans and Spidermans who have graced so many pages over the years, characters who have leaped out of the panels and into our cultural heritage.

Times have changed, and comics have changed along with them. In 1961 a copy of The Fantastic Four could be had for a dime; today, the latest issue of FF will run you $2.25. And inflation is only the beginning. The books themselves have evolved both in terms of presentation and content. Also, comic book art has become a thriving job field and an exciting new playground for up-and-coming artists and designers worldwide. Comic book writers are gradually receiving the recognition and legitimacy they deserve as excellent storytellers. The comic book medium has also taken great strides in the social realm, gaining credibility as a vessel for the communication and exploration of important social issues. In recent years many weighty topics, including AIDS and racism have found expression through its pages. In fact, comics have so effectively closed the gap between popular entertainment and literature that many critically acclaimed stories, such as Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns have found their way onto college literature syllabuses.

Through it all, the every-increasing fan base has remained fervently loyal. The comic book industry has grown into a lucrative business and an entertainment heavyweight with close ties to Hollywood. And perhaps more importantly it has become an integral part of Americana. As the writer Harlan Ellison once said, “Comics are one of only five art forms native to the United States” (the others being jazz, the banjo, the musical comedy and the mystery novel).

But in the most fundamental ways nothing has changed at all. Since the beginning comics have had the potential as an educational tool along with their extraordinary entertainment value. It’s a duality that remains today. And comic book creators have always been among the most innovative and original minds in the world; their unwavering commitment to artistic excellence will always be a bedrock principle of the industry.

But if there’s one thing the comic book community has never completely been able to shake it’s the stigma associated with age. Since comics were originally geared towards children (even today many within the industry still colloquially refer to them as “funnybooks”), a great majority of people have come to associate comic books exclusively with kids—and the claim “Only kids read comics!” has become the standard (and inaccurate) battle cry for the legions of adults with “more serious” things on their minds.

Never has popular perception been more mistaken. Today comics come in a dazzling array of genres, from superhero to science fiction, comedic to gothic and mainstream to independent. Comic book publishers have targeted audiences of all ages by catering their books to suit the preferences of every conceivable type of reader. The days of comics being the exclusive intellectual property of 12-year-olds-and-below are gone.

The problem, of course, is convincing the rest of the world. Enter David Jay Gabriel, founder and executive director of the New York Comic Book Art Museum, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading awareness of comic books as a legitimate art form and celebrating “the historical and artistic legacy of comic book culture.” Founded in 1999, the museum has made an immediate impact, producing an award-winning documentary video entitled “Comic Books and AIDS: What’s the Story?” and a traveling “Comic Books and AIDS” exhibit. For two years the museum has stayed outside the industry busily building up credibility and support. “We’ve been sidestepping the comic book industry, purposely letting people wonder who we were and what we were up to,” said Gabriel. Along with the rest of the board of trustees, Gabriel bided his time, waiting for the proper moment to officially join his industry of choice.

On April 14, 2001, that time arrived. On a warm spring evening in New York, the New York City Comic Book Art Museum formally introduced itself to the rest of the comic book world in “Beyond the Panels,” a fundraising event held at the Commonwealth Brewery and Grill in New York’s Rockefeller Center. The event, billed as a celebration of the men and women behind the comic book industry, succeeded in bringing together an extraordinary gathering of comic book luminaries, both past and present, who have made vital contributions to the art form. Industry elder statesmen such as Julie Schwartz, John Romita, Sr. and Denny O’Neil, the creators who made the industry what it is today, chatted with current stars like Joe Quesada, Jae Lee and Peter David, the next generation of creators who are carrying on the tradition. A limited number of tickets were available for fans, who were given the rare opportunity to mingle with the heroes behind their heroes.

The comic industry received the museum with open arms, and Gabriel was extremely gratified by the reception. “Everybody has been so excited for this to succeed that it just blows my mind,” he said. “This was an idea of mine that I just went day to day with, and seeing it come to life has been a dream come true.” The future looks bright as well, as Gabriel discussed plans for several new projects. “We’re going to move away from fundraisers and concentrate on exhibits,” said Gabriel. “The next exhibit we’re working on is a Women in Comics exhibit - and we’re also slowly gathering materials for a Manga exhibit.” Meanwhile, the museum will continue to search for a permanent physical location within the city, but until then Gabriel and company are content to tour the country with their message. The AIDS exhibit is currently making its second stop in the lobby of the Empire State building with many more destinations to follow; there are plans to kick off the Women in Comics exhibit this summer with a panel discussion at the annual comic book spectacular in San Diego. “In fact, the museum was originally going to be named ‘The American Comic Book Art Museum,’ because we wanted to have a global scope,” revealed Gabriel. However, the museum decided to go with “New York,” rather than “American,” since a great deal of the initial focus would be on the art and artists residing in New York City. “‘New York’ is more specific. It pinpoints exactly where we are in the world, and so we went with that.”

“But,” added Gabriel, “we’re already starting to get worldwide.”

And that can only be a good thing. The New York City Comic Book Art Museum is all about awareness. By tearing down misconceptions and promoting a genuine appreciation for comics as an art form, Gabriel hopes to put the power and potential of the medium on prominent display for all the world to see. After all, contrary to popular myth, comic books are not just for those who remember curling up under the covers with trusty flashlight in hand, following the adventures of Superman with adolescent glee. Comic books have the power to touch readers of all ages and backgrounds. And for those of us who still get a tingly feeling in our spines whenever we see the words “Faster than a speeding bullet” on a comic page, comics will never be outgrown.