Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Alan Moore, chris ware, Comics, entertainment, guardian, robert crumb, scott mcloud

The Guardian Vs. Comic Books

Published Mon, 16 Feb 2015 13:30:41 -0600

Last updated Mon, 16 Feb 2015 13:34:11 -0600

The Guardian newspaper has been a long supporter of the comic book medium and te variety of genres within. They have serialised Posy Simmonds' graphic novels, run special issues to accompany the British Library exhibitions and generally put comic books on the front page of more of their weekend magazines and culture guides than any other English language newspaper, and have refrained from "Biff Bam Kerpows" in the process.

Which is why so many were disappointed by today's Guardian newspaper published an article by their art critic Jonathan Jones entitled "When did the comic-book universe become so banal?"

tl;dr – I like Robert Crumb and Alan Moore, but don't like Scott McCloud or Chris Ware, therefore comics are terrible again.

Naturally, comic book folk chose to disagree,

The comics ppl I follow have skipped the outrage over that Guardian article & gone straight to mocking which I am v. much enjoying.

— Faith Erin Hicks (@FaithErinHicks) February 16, 2015

If you hate that Guardian piece maybe check out my podcast, which could also be called Every Comic Is Awesome And People Are Great And Cute — Kate Leth (@kateleth) February 16, 2015

@Kanalz @guardian wow.

— Phil Jimenez (@Philjimeneznyc) February 16, 2015

Annoyingly I can name 4 or 5 people off the top of my head who write for the Guardian and know more* about comics. *anything, apparently. — Jamie McKelvie (@McKelvie) February 16, 2015

Just submitted an article to the Guardian about how I once read a Comment is Free post and so the entirety of journalism is terrible.

— Seb Patrick (@sebpatrick) February 16, 2015

Tomorrow in the Guardian: a restaurant critic who once walked past HMV wonders why there's no good music any more. — Seb Patrick (@sebpatrick) February 16, 2015

The @guardian's Jonathan Jones reviews all modern comics art: pic.twitter.com/QOCeRqBxAR

— Dean Trippe (@deantrippe) February 16, 2015

That Guardian article is a nice concrete example of the "old white guy gatekeepers" thing that was discussed last week tho — DANNY DJELJOSEVIC (@djeljosevic) February 16, 2015

@colbyblogger but he's the guardian's Art Critic

Though Jones has not always been so blinkered. He seemed to rather enjoy Logicomix, which isn't that far from Scott McCloud. He liked another about Richard Fenyman. And he put Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel up there with League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Maybe someone should just send him a copy of the new Crossed +100?

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!