|
A comic book letter column is a section of an American comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns (or lettercols), letter pages, letters of comment (LOCs), or simply letters to the editor. Letter columns appeared early on in the history of comic books themselves, and their growing prevalence — particularly beginning in the 1960s — helped create and legitimatize comics fandom. Letter columns remained a regular feature of most comic books until the early years of the 21st century, when they were gradually phased out in favor of the growing prevalence of E-mail and Internet fora. ==History== Although they were already standard in the science fiction magazines of the time, the first recorded comic book letter column appeared in ''Target Comics'' #6, published by Novelty Press in 1940.〔Overstreet, Robert M. ''Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide'', vol. 33. House of Collectibles, 2003.〕 (The page in question also has an early mention of comic book collecting.)〔 The first DC Comics comic to include a letters column was ''Real Fact Comics'' #3 (Jul-Aug 1946).〔(Heritage Auction Galleries: Amazing Comics Auction #13011; Lot #15707. Jan 5, 2003 - ''Real Fact Comics'' #3 ). Retrieved November 16, 2008.〕 The first DC title with a letters column as a regular feature was ''Superman'' beginning with issue #124 (September 1958). Early versions of the lettercol tended to be simple fan letters, often from young readers. These letters tended to be praise for the previous issue's story and artwork; or simplistic questions about the correct pronunciation of "Mxyzptlk" or where Superman put his Clark Kent clothes when he was in costume;〔Engblom, Mark. ("Dear Editor: Metropolis Mailbag...After Dark!" Comic Coverage (Sept. 17, 2007). ) Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.〕 or alternately, obsessive dissections of perceived continuity errors or art mistakes.〔Carlson, K.C. ("KC: LOC," Westfield Comics (Sept. 2008). ) Accessed Nov. 24, 2008: ". . . Mort Wieisinger's lettercolumns for the Superman titles . . . were big lists of 'goofs' that popped up in the books, that encouraged the worst kind of fan behavior (and indirectly inspired Stan () to create the No-Prize!)."〕 Letter columns came into their prime in the 1960s, when readers' letters became longer and the discussions more sophisticated. For example, in the mid-1960s longtime letter writer (and future comics historian) Peter Sanderson's lengthy, well-reasoned, and impressively erudite missives forced DC editor Julie Schwartz to expand the lettercols in his books to a second, separate page (such as "Flash-Grams — Extra", "Letters To the Batcave — Extra", and "JLA Mailroom — Special Peter Sanderson Edition") to facilitate Sanderson's sharp analysis.〔Hembeck, Fred. ("The Fred Hembeck Show: Episode 21." IGN Entertainment, August 2, 2005 ). Retrieved July 2, 2008.〕 By the 1970s, nearly all mainstream comics included letter pages. Historian Matthew J. Pustz describes the different approaches of the two major publishers: As the letter column became a longstanding tradition in the mainstream comic book industry, it even became a feature of underground, independent, and alternative comics of the 1970s and 80s. By the first few years of the 21st century, as comic-related forums sprang up all over the Internet, letter columns were gradually replaced by advertisements or in-house promotions. In 2002, DC officially ended the practice of the letter page.〔Stuever, Hank. "A Dead-Letters Day: Comic Books End Printed Mail Columns As Fans Turn to Web," ''Washington Post'', page C1, December 10, 2002.〕 Many independent titles (such as Dark Horse's ''Usagi Yojimbo'' and ''Hellboy'', Drawn and Quarterly's ''Optic Nerve'' and ''Palooka-ville'', and the independently published ''King-Cat Comics'') still feature letters pages to this day. In January 2011, DC announced it was bringing back letter columns to its monthly titles.〔Hyde, David. ("DCU in 2011: DC Nation: Letter Columns Return to DC Comic Books," ) ''DC Comics Fan News'' (Jan. 11., 2013).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「comic book letter column」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|