COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 291
The perceptions that exist towards comics aren't very nice - they're thought of as adolescent power fantasies filled with inane plots populated by over-muscled gun-toting maniacs and big-breasted martial arts nymphos. This is exactly what comes to mind when otaku think of American comics.
It's odd that fans of media (manga and anime) so riddled with stereotypes would harbor the same stereotypes about their American counterparts. Even odder still, that they would harbor the same stereotypes as those held in the outside world. It's ridiculous. Aren't we all fans of the same artform? Aren't we all geeks? Shouldn't we all be united against the outsider's misconceptions of us?
It's a lot like junior high. The social structure is all about the principle of divide and conquer - let the outcasts destroy each other. It might not be true of everyone reading this, but I remember so desperately wanting to be liked by the 'popular' people that I would tease and alienate my fellow geeks.
Eventually I found my own group in high school, a small comfortable group of geeks with varying interests. A clique of our own. The interests originated from many sects of fandom - techies, trekkies, gamers, otaku. Most of them were comics fans as well - and whoever wasn't, I made it my mission to convert them.
Especially the otaku. I like manga and anime, why couldn't they like the American equivalents? It seems most of them turned to Japanese comics and animation because they found a greater level of complexity and sophistication. They harbor the impression that the American media completely lack those attributes. It may all be a matter of exposure - living in the United States would show them a greater variety of crap, while only the good stuff (should) get imported from Japan. From the samples given, it does seem that more intelligence is given into the production of manga and anime. Of course this is only partly true - while manga is more widely accepted in Japan by the public, the industry still produces its fair share of utter crap.
The key is to expose otaku to the good stuff. I show them my Transmetropolitans and Sandman. I make them watch Batman/Superman Adventures (when it was still on). I want them to know that America can produce something of value in these media.
There shouldn't be any such thing as separate fandoms. As geeks we should get along, and it should be possible to like the same things. Its all the same media - comics and animation. Just different nationalities, with their different cultural values, backgrounds, strengths and history. Otaku are just fanboys with a different name. Fandom should mingle and converse, the common interest should unite - creating one comics landscape, culturally diverse, nurturing a free flow of ideas, and enriching the medium as a whole.