International influences
International influences |
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Page 13 of 17  The Ranks of the Black Order (Titan Books, 1989). Art: Enki Bilal. Script: Pierre Christin. A thriller about the legacy of the Spanish Civil War. Here, a reunited group of fascists do their worst. Ultimately, the influence of European comics was more subtle. For publishers, they pointed the way to new formats, and there can be little doubt that the graphic novel was in part inspired by European albums. For the producers of fanzines, the European model showed that criticism need not be fawning and industry-led. The European system was an inspiration to British and American creators in a number of ways. It showed that working in comics need not be an anonymous and unglamorous occupation; it also proved that the idea of earning royalties was not so unthinkable. Above all, the maturity of European storytelling, and the flexibility of European art styles, influenced indigenous creators to expand the limits of their craft. Japanese comics (or 'manga') were much slower to catch on in Britain and America. Whereas European comics were the product of a culture that was readily understandable, and of a comics tradition that was similarly not far removed, Japanese comics were much more alien in both respects. When they did finally start to make an impact, in the 1980s, their influence was limited to a particular (cult) audience, and though the comics often achieved high sales by being sold through the network of fan shops, they remained a subculture within a subculture.  The Ranks of the Black Order |