Sane person in the madhouse.

So, I missed reading SEAGUY, but others have not. And while the hot buzz may be about Barry Allen returning and taking over the FLASH comic fortunately there's a lovely alternative. For those interested in a stunning review of SEAGUY you should go here.

Now, there's a bit in there that I'd like to address, and while I considered doing so by way of a comment in his blog, this way he may get a bit more traffic, and frankly his blog deserves it.

SeaGuy might seem a comic as mad as the doctors think SeaGuy is, but I'm increasingly convinced that it's what superhero comics look like in the 2009 where the industry isn't crazy.

Accessible but challenging, self-contained but richly intertextual, imaginative but disciplined.

In the sane 2009, the one where truly psychopathic books like Battle for the Cowl: Man-Bat or Bomb Queen V don't exist, then the racks are filled with superhero comics that're just like SeaGuy (whilst also being totally different).

We've hit the point in the comic industry where good story-telling has declared open war on fan service. The weird part is that it's not the comic readers that are getting the fan service. Decrees have come done from the editor-in-chiefs of the big two as to what we are supposed to like. It does not matter that Wally West grew up and has been the Flash for the last twenty-four years when the Dan DiDio likes Barry Allen better. It does not matter that people have enjoyed seeing Peter Parker settle down and be a family man all the while balancing keeping his city safe when Joe Quesada likes the idea of Pete as a bachelor better. Change is coming! And we're supposed to like it. They tell us to.

The stories are not as important as the event surrounding the story. And the stories had better be worth getting that extra masthead across the top or it's just not grand enough. But really, it doesn't have to be a good story, it just has to tie into a better story enough that people might think they're missing something for not purchasing it. Oh, and the ending of that better story, the one that has the editor so excited, had better end just like he likes it, or it's going to get changed.

I'm all for accessible, yet challenging storytelling. Unfortunately, the really good stuff seems to be going over the heads of those that have the power to let it see print. Thank goodness for Vertigo.