A$$holes are out. Style is in.
For too long comic characters built the framework of their success on the pretense of “badass”. The 90’s boom of Liefeld-inspired artwork that flaunted jacked-up “heroes” sporting an entire arsenal on their persons became somehow a norm for character designs. Not across the board, but enough so to recognize it as a trend of the era.
Thankfully we’re in the midst of a second coming, of sorts, that is culturing, and elevating the medium to one that praises style over empty assertions of practicality. As a whole we are collectively growing and modernizing, and thus expecting our interests to grow as well. In the same way that fashion is cyclical we are seeing more and more comics that are producing unique, creative ideas that use less to convey more. Characters that we consider familiar are undergoing transformations that redefine and update the sensibilities, interactions and sophistication of tired tropes.
Ugh.
In the Marvel Universe some of the most notorious “bad asses” are losing their edge in favor of a fresher approach, resulting in immense acclaim from both critics and readers alike. Last year Mark Waid took Daredevil, a character who has been stewing in angst for the past 20 years and gave him an entirely new outlook, producing easily one of the most engaging and clever series of our time. By giving Matt Murdock a chance at joy again, Waid took away what many considered a defining feature of the character.
This could only succeed with purpose and follow through, which thankfully we’ve gotten out of each and every issue. This reboot has succeeded at many things, most notably is the art that gives readers a chance to see, hear, and feel how our protagonist experiences situations. All of this has come together in an aesthetic culmination that is at the forefront of this stylistic transition.
Paolo Rivera manipulating your senses
Most recently, Matt Fraction and David Aja proved the merits of an all too questionable character, by giving him a lead in the most stylish book of the year. Hawkeye succeeds in a similar way that Daredevil does, in that he shows the vision of a character we are all familiar with, in a way that we have never seen before. Everything from the dialogue to transitions are played with to create a wholly unique experience that is unmistakably Hawkeye. While the mundane is reimagined, the action pages extend into 15 panel explosions of motion, focal points and stylized violence. The covers alone are enough to make even the most hardened readers swoon.
Hot Damn
Jason Aaron showed us that even the most grizzled characters are capable of revitalizing and finding new voices with his Wolverine and the X-Men run, which has been fun and quirky. Two words you’d never expect given Wolverine’s typical blood-soaked, rough-around-the-edges characterization. By taking away what we all know about the popular character, Aaron has taken away a crutch that has kept Wolverine locked in a stagnant, perpetual “cool” that never allowed for growth. It’s been long overdue but handled in a genuinely smart way that has built on top of a recognized foundation, instead of from the ground up, showing actual growth, not just a retry.
Cleans up pretty well if you give him a chance
While she was never really a jerk, or a one a dimensional bore, Captain Marvel‘s recent redesign additionally reflects a coming of age in the comics community. Remember 2 years ago when everyone lost it over Wonder Woman‘s pants? Well luckily Jamie McKelvie‘s Captain Marvel redesign for Kelly Sue DeConnick‘s series has been received with open arms, thanks in no small part to just how cool it is. Some may say that she’s a smaller market character, and therefore less people are around to kick up dirt, but really, it’s the style and aesthetic that is cementing itself within the medium.
Pants AND Sleeves
Across the industry pond, DC has found huge success with both Scott Snyder’s Batman and Jeff Lemire’s Animal Man. Now the argument has been made that Batman does so well “because it’s Batman”, suggesting that no matter who was writing it, the book would be doing well as Batman is such a beloved character. Well that would be one of the most colossally ignorant oversights of what it is about this series that makes it so appealing.
Aesthetically speaking this series has managed to mold the traditional “cool” with updated attraction. While the Court of Owls was the epitome of creepy, we briefly got a glimpse of how artist Greg Capullo viewed Batman’s infamous rouges. Even though they were all in their prison scrubs they oozed style, which makes the art that much more captivating. When a Supervillain looks like he’s dressed by Don Draper that’s when you know he means business. I know we haven’t seen many of these villains in full costume yet, but having seen the sharp style that is carried throughout Gotham City, you can bet when we get to them, they’ll be dressed to kill. But, as I mentioned this is necessary to fit into a city that is as chic, and deranged as Gotham.
You can bet they’ll clean up well too
Though they may not be dressed as sharp, the characters that fill the pages of Animal Man are surrounded by artistic genius that is overwhelmingly gorgeous. The detail that has gone into each issue by artists Travel Foreman, and Steve Pugh have gone a similar route as Daredevil, and presented the powers of Animal Man in a visceral way that is incredibly organic.
Bloody veins protrude from Buddy Baker in a way that may be unsettling, but are no less stylish. While this style may be more densely packed than the simplicity of Hawkeye, or Daredevil it shows us the range this transition has affected. It’s not just simple that has become praised, it is the embodiment of ideas that we are becoming more aware of, and more receptive to.
There is no formula for success here,rather a pursuit of individuality that demonstrates research coupled with vision.
While the mainstream is continually evolving, and chewing off the fat, fans and artists are taking style and ideas into their own hands and making sites like Deviantart.com top-tier sources for creative expression. Artists like Denis Medri are continually updating and reinventing characters that break them free from their confinements and allow for creativity through the viewers, as many of these ideas will probably never be utilized.
The innovation and artistry has not been lost here as some redesigns have found cult success.
Like this now infamous Rockabilly Batman.
I for one would read the hell out of this series
The same can be said for Mondo, a design company who can’t hold onto a new poster print for more than 3 minutes before selling out.
SOLD OUT
There have been many factors that have influenced this change in aesthetic, but essentially it boils down to a growing culture. Increasing interest in style can be seen throughout our culture and it was only a matter of time until it caught up to comics. Thankfully it seems that this transition is growing steadily as more and more books are embracing the cultivation of refinement. Hell, maybe sometime soon Superhero halloween costumes will come with custom tailoring instead of built-in muscles.