Comics Culture

Something I've been noticing lately is the extent to which comics are infiltrating the "mainstream".

I put mainstream in quotes because, of course, the cool kids always knew comics were mainstream, but let's not hold it against the late arrivers on the bandwagon shall we?

Here's a few examples of what I mean:

1. That's so Raven: This is a saturday morning live-action kids show that my neice watches, about a girl who can see the future. Of course, she uses this power to help her friends avoid fights with their boyfriends, but I foresee a future where she stops Martin Sheen from becoming president and plunging the world into war with a high-powered rifle.

2. Hannah Montanna: This is an example of just how far into the culture comics have come. This is a really crappy kids show about a really crappy pop star, with a twist: She has a secret identity.

She has a sidekick too. And all the kids torment her at school, even though they idolize the pop star that they don't know she is.

It's basically spider-man without the super-powers.

3. Dexter: Dexter is a police forensics expert by day, serial killing vigilante by night. And the twist is, he only kills people who deserve it, namely murderers who beat the rap.

He's one white-skull-emblazoned t-shirt from being the Punisher.

When I first saw Buffy a few years ago, I was literally amazed that what I was watching was basically spider-man. She had the great power, the great responsibility, the sidekicks, the DNPCs, and the witty banter in the midst of ass-kicking.

Now when I see a show taking the tropes of the comics and using them in other media right under the noses of people who'd never DREAM of reading a comic, I don't even blink.