Fan Culture Satirized by Comics Artists
When Artists and Writers Poke Fun at Comics Conventions
Jul 19, 2009
Since the growth of comic book fan culture and comics conventions in the 1970s, comics fans have been stereotypically portrayed as slovenly, socially inept misfits who refuse to grow up.
Ironically, many comics creators revel in their supposed nerdiness, and they are often the first to satirize the stereotype of the comics convention-goer. Here is a random sampling of notable comic book self-parody from recent years.
Mad Magazine Pokes Fun at Comics Conventions
Mad magazine has satirized all aspects of pop culture, from politicians to showtunes lyrics. But with its comic book roots, Mad's "usual gang of idiots" have always poked gentle fun at comics culture. "Real-Life Superheroes at Comic Book Conventions," written by Desmond Devlin and drawn by Al Jaffee, took on comics fan culture more directly than usual in Mad #334 (March/April 1995).
Among the "superheroes" in Jaffee and Devlin's catalog are "Doctor Octopus," who grabs up "every bit of free stuff he can physically hoist away," and "Mister Miracle," the guy at the convention "who has actually been with a woman." As an added in-joke, "Mister Miracle" is a caricature of longtime Mad artist and comics convention-goer Sergio Aragones, shown autographing a copy of his comic Groo.
Evan Dorkin Mocks Comic Book Fan Culture
Evan Dorkin's Milk & Cheese comics vignettes featured the two eponymous "Dairy Products Gone Bad" on a rampage about some aspect of daily life or popular culture. In 1992's "Con Job," Milk and Cheese wreak their usual havoc at a comics convention.
They admit that they appear in the strip "under protest." As Cheese explains, "The idea of this strip – a 'cynical' take on comic and science fiction conventions, is nauseatingly unoriginal. But we fear legal reprisals if we quit." (There is even a note in the margin from Dorkin saying he was asked to do the strip.)
However, once the duo get to the convention, the violence and mayhem is trademark Milk & Cheese. In one sadistic panel, Milk exclaims, "I put this comic book dealer in a plastic bag! Now he'll be worth more!" Cheese adds, "And we can't smell him now, thank the almighty!"
Dorkin later mocked fandom (though not conventions, per se) in greater depth with the "Eltingville Club" stories in his Dork! anthology series. Two Eltingville episodes even won Eisner Awards for Best Short Story, in 1998 and 2002.
Comics Artists Parody Themselves in Comic Book: The Movie
Mark Hamill's direct-to-DVD mockumentary Comic Book: The Movie (2004) also pokes knowing fun at fan culture and comics conventions. Hamill plays Don Swan, a fan forced to watch as his beloved "Captain Courage" comics are bastardized by Hollywood insiders at the San Diego Comic-Con.
Thus Comic Book: The Movie has cameos from a host of comics writers and artists, including Stan Lee, Mike Mignola, Bruce Timm, Peter David, and Matt Groening. They either interact with Mark Hamill in his Swan persona on the Comic-Con floor, or provide bogus reminiscences about the importance of Captain Courage in separately filmed segments.
In addition to Mark Hamill, the film stars unsung voice actors such as Billy West (the voice of Stimpy on Ren & Stimpy and Fry on Futurama), and has cameos from cult stars, such as Bruce Campbell.
The Best Satire of Comics Culture Is By Creator-Fans
Ultimately, those in the best position to make fun of comic book fans are comics fans themselves, and most often comics creators and insiders are the biggest fans of all. The obvious affection Desmond Devlin and Al Jaffee, Evan Dorkin, and Mark Hamill all have for comics is what makes their mockery of fan culture so uncanny.
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