Comics

As Comics Editor, I have written many columns these past two years that covered a variety of topics in the comic book industry from well-known publishers and characters like DC Comics and Superman to obscure aspects such as 3-D comics. (Additionally, I chose to draw my own cartoons (left) for my very last Outlook issue.)

If you think comic books and superheroes are only about stopping alien invasions, giant monsters and evil villains, think again. Countless comic books and publishers have confronted real world issues.

Horror master Stephen King has taken readers to the furthest, darkest depth of his imagination with his novels that range from tales of killer canines (“Cujo”) to being trapped within an invisible dome (“Under the Dome”).

From Hamlet to The Tempest, the plays of William Shakespeare are still performed centuries after his death and have been adapted into many films. However, beyond the silver screen and the stage, comic books have also continued staging the Bard’s tales for readers and fans alike.

Although John Carter (3-D) didn’t really hit it big at the box office, his adventures on Mars or Barsoom are thriving in comics. Dynamite Entertainment has published titles such as “Warlord of Mars,” “Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris,” “Warlord of Mars: Fall of Barsoom,” “Warriors of Mars,” and the upcoming, “Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris and the White Apes of Mars.”

While most superheroes were born in comic books, some iconic characters originated elsewhere. This has happened with Marvel characters such as X-23 (a female clone of Wolverine) in “X-Men: Evolution” and Harley Quinn (the Joker’s love and right-hand girl) in “Batman: The Animated Series.”

Usually when readers open up a comic book, they will notice word bubbles or captions that contain character dialogue or thoughts. Yet, there are points when writers and artists decided to take risks and tell stories that rely on visual storytelling more than words.

Communication professor Claude Taylor’s secret identity as a comic book fan has been revealed! Hearing Taylor talk about superheroes and comic books, it was easy to see he is not just a fan of the medium but a super fan.