Faking Your Way Through: STAPLE! The Independent Media Expo
Don't have time to read Monica Gallagher's Gods And Undergrads? Here's a back-up plan.
Article Tools
Comic Strips/Webcomics:
What you should know: These days, the primary outlet for comic strips is the Internet, which values them almost as much as Rick Astley, LOLCats, and snarky comments. Webcomics tend to fall into two categories: Sarcastic “buddy” strips starring one smart-ass and one straight man (often riffing about video games, Star Wars, and online culture), and goofy, realist fare involving zombies, pirates, ninjas, or robots. If you’re still not web-savvy (seriously?), no worries: At STAPLE!, many of these webcomics creators will be printing up old-fashioned, fold-and-staple zines.
What you should talk about: Danielle Corsetto, whose Girls With Slingshots online strip will be available as a two-volume book, loves it when people can relate to her art. “I get all giggly when someone points out a facial expression and says, ‘I have so felt that way before.’” And ask plenty of questions: Jug Wine Comix creator Meghann Rosales says, “It validates the time I just spent at Kinko’s” to have people interested in the details.
Dead giveaways to avoid: Unlike most mainstream (particularly superhero) comics, the funny, quirky Internet strip is equal-opportunity: Women create almost as many as men, so going up to someone like Corsetto or Rosales and asking, “What’s it like to be a girl in comics?” is not a surefire way to show off your sensitivity. All it really demonstrates is a limited perspective. As Corsetto explains, the only thing separating her from her male colleagues is “I pee sitting down.”
Graphic Novels
What you should know: McSweeney’s, the Best American Comics series, and the success of movies like Ghost World and American Splendor have made this genre popular with those craving street cred, but there’s more to it than sad-faced autobiographies about being dumped by your girlfriend. The medium has been used to tell incredibly diverse stories ranging from the life of 19th-century Canadian anarchist Louis Riel (in Chester Brown’s eponymous book) to imagining Manhattan in the aftermath of a second Civil War (Brian Wood’s DMZ, which STAPLE! attendee Kristian Donaldson has recently drawn for).
What you should talk about: Pontificating on the potential for comics as journalism by name-dropping Marjane Satrepi’s Persepolis is good, but bringing up Joe Sacco’s Palestine or Guy DeLisle’s Pyongyang is even better. If you really want to come off as in-the-know, talking about work that hasn’t been turned into a feature film is crucial. Similarly, while it never hurts to mention comics-as-literature pioneer Art Spiegelman, you’ll score bonus points if you skip the Pulitzer-winning Maus to focus on his more recent 9/11 eulogy, In The Shadow Of No Towers.
Dead giveaways to avoid: “I saw that R. Crumb documentary. What a weirdo, right?”
Superheroes
What you should know: Superheroes, especially those you’ll find at STAPLE!, have done some growing up. Although the grim-and-gritty trend of the late ’80s and early ’90s has waned somewhat, modern superhero creators tend to be more interested in mythology and characterization, bringing a novelist’s sensibility to stories of people who fly and shoot lasers and stuff.
What you should talk about: According to Bram Meehan, co-creator of Raised By Squirrels, there’s actually less need to fake it with his kind. “Don’t hide it,” he advises. “It’s great to hear someone admit they’re not familiar. Only through asking questions can we expand our horizons.” Still, if you want the geek cred to back up your Walmart “Captain America For President” shirt, a reference to Marvel demigod Jack “King” Kirby never hurts.
Dead giveaways to avoid: Mike Dolce (The Sire) has a very specific pet peeve: “One time a guy kept comparing my book to Spawn. No disrespect to [Todd] McFarlane and crew, but Sire is nothing like Spawn.” Yes, most superheroes are variations on “guy with powers puts on tights and clobbers bad guys,” but such broad comparisons are like saying every band with a female singer “sounds like Hole.”
