Swamped

In his book Danse Macabre Stephen King turns his critical eye on the horror genre as portrayed in books, on radio and TV, and in Films. He talks a bit about critical theory and describes it as being sometimes like wading waist deep in very murky waters. He justifies his own criticism as being lighter in tone and with less jargon although he can't promise that the waters might not get a bit too deep in places.


I am reminded of this analogy when reading an internet academic journal about comic studies. From their website ImageTexT is a peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of comics and related media. The latest issue focuses on my favourite beardy weirdy comic writer Alan Moore and adaptation in his work, as well as adaptations of his work. 


In some of the papers the critical jargon certainly comes over the tops of my boots and makes progress difficult. However there are a couple of fun articles. Colin Beineke looks at Moore's Swamp Thing as a personification of the Green Man myth. And Jack Teiwes gives us a fun discussion of Moore's various takes on the Man of Steel himself including his famous Superman stories, but also his Miracleman run and the stuff he did with Supreme.


Interesting academic reads but without too much wading through the swamp.