Comic Book Culture

Illustrations by: Sol Santana

Comic books line the walls, and almost every inch of the room is filled with different comic books. Each showcase has a different kind of art style and genre. Names like Nightwing and Daredevil are instantly recognizable, but there are also new titles like “Something is Killing the Children” and “Flavor Girls.” From significant publishing companies like DC and Marvel to more independent runs, comic books are a medium that offer something for everyone.

Comic books have been around for decades and have become an integral part of pop culture. According to the Smithsonian’s website, Museum of American History, the first comic books came out in the 1930s. Initially, comics were found in newspapers to serve as something light-hearted amongst all the news, but in 1936, superheroes were introduced and forever changed the course of comic books.

The first superhero comic book was “The Phantom,” which made its debut on Feb. 17, 1936. Created by Lee Falk, The Phantom was a superhero with the same limitations as a regular person but fought crime through bravery and action stunts. Soon after, iconic superheroes like Superman, the Flash, and the Shadow were introduced.

As comics began gaining prominence, many superheroes followed quickly, and comic books deeply integrated into American culture. A prime example is Jack Kirby’s Captain America, whose first comic was released a few months before World War II. As many Marvel fans may know, Captain America is a story about Steve Rogers. Physically unfit, the young Rogers attempts to enlist in the army during WWII, but is rejected. He later becomes part of a secret project and gets injected with a super soldier serum.

Since his introduction, the story of Captain America has evolved to better reflect the shifting times America was experiencing. Rather than exhibit blind patriotism, since the 1960s, Captain America comics moved to better encapsulate the complex feelings of recognizing the flawed United States while still believing in the nation.

So, how did comic books impact the Rio Grande Valley (RGV)? Helgi Davies, the owner of Myth Adventures, talked with Pulse about how comic book culture spread in the RGV. Myth Adventures is the oldest comic book store in the Valley.

Davies talked about the peaks and valleys he experienced working in the comic book industry throughout the past couple of years. He further explains the importance of learning to adapt to the ever-changing industry of the comic book world.

“The comic book industry is not in the best shape it has ever been in it. Okay, but the problem is that there are so many comics out there right now, so many independent guys trying to get started that the market is really saturated,” Davies said.

The comic book industry has been ever-changing, and with events like COVID-19, the comic book industry has not been in the best shape. However, Davies and other comic book owners have learned to adapt to these tumultuous times.

“I learned very quickly to adapt my store to what my customers liked and I listened. My biggest knowledge that I gained was listening to my customer what they wanted and what to ask him for,” Davies said. “And, I would. If somebody wanted something I would always order [it], because I knew if one person [wanted it] somebody else [also] wants it. So I learned very quickly that [if] somebody asked about something, you get more than one. And that’s how I kind of learned the business.”

Another comic book store also saw this changing trend in new comic book readers. Limited Editions, found on the corner of Nolana and North Colonel Rowe Boulevard, was first established in 2017.

Luis Mendoza, the manager at Limited Editions, started working at Limited in the first year the store opened. He said he had always known about comic books. His first comic series was “Kingdom Come,” a four-part miniseries..However, he said he really got into …”Old Man Logan.”

“When I started reading comics, there was a big resurgence of comic books with movies like the Avengers coming out around that time… There were also a lot of guides [comic book guides, Wiki pages, etc.] on the Internet. The Internet helped push a lot of us into collecting” said Mendoza.

When COVID-19 hit, like Helgies and Myth, Limited also saw a shift in the comic book scene. While many businesses and industries suffered from the sudden quarantining the world had to do, other businesses thrived.

“There was an initial shrink… a lull for a few months, then it came back really strong. Comics just kept on going, all the big superheroes grew but all the independent comics grew too. Everyone was stuck at home and I guess they started reading more, and they [the comic book industry] really capitalized on that” Mendoza said.

As comic book culture in the Valley continues to grow in recent years, events like South Texas Comic Con and Anime Fiesta have seen much more traction. Comic con is a three-day event hosted every year where people can come together and enjoy sharing in the love of their favorite comics, anime, and manga.

This year it is going to be held at the McAllen Convention Center and Giancarlo Esposito (“Better Call Saul,” “The Mandalorian,” “The Boys,” and “Far Cry 6”) is confirmed to be part of the guest panel for this year. Other panelists include Theo Rossi (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Luke Cage,” and “Army of the Dead”) and Mick Foley (“Mankind – WWE,” “Cactus Jack – WWE/ECW”), and “Dude Love – WWE”).

Aside from this year’s guest panel, one can do many other things at the convention. From visiting different artists and vendors, looking at all the different cosplay outfits, or simply bonding over shared interests with loved ones. South Texas Comic Con is one of them.

The growing accessibility of comics (online and print issue) and the growing success of movies and events, like Comic Con, proves that comics are here to stay. As the popularity of comics ebbs and flows, the art form continually changes and adapts to fit its current social climate. 

New runs are being released every month and while superheroes and their stories are not going anywhere any time soon, other genres are being explored like horror, comedy, and romance. So wherever you decide to get your comic books from there will always be something for everyone.